Disney in a Minute: What is PhotoPass?

Disney PhotoPass is a free photography service offered at Disney theme parks. Guests can have their pictures taken by professional photographers stationed throughout the parks. You can find these cast members in front of iconic places like Cinderella Castle or Spaceship Earth. They’re also stationed at character Meet and Greets. And, some rides automatically take your picture (or video!).

We’ve used PhotoPass every time we visit the parks because it’s a great way to get your whole group in the picture. The downside to taking your own pix is that whoever is holding the camera isn’t in the shot! In many places, the PhotoPass photographer will also ask if you want a special effects “Magic Shot”. For those pictures, you’ll hold a special pose, for instance with your hand out. The “magic” element will be something like Tinkerbell hovering above your hand in the finished picture.

PhotoPass pictures are linked to your My Disney Experience account via your MagicBand with a quick tap from the photographer. (You can also use your Key to the World card, or MagicMobile.) Then you have 45 days to purchase and download them. You can pay for individual pictures or buy Memory Maker, a flat-fee unlimited access for a set period of time. (More about Memory Maker here: FAQ Walt Disney World PhotoPass and Memory Maker.) Disneyland guests will have their photos linked in the Disneyland app and have slightly different purchasing options.

Most guests will stop for a few shots as they pass by PhotoPass photographers in the parks or resorts. But at Disney World only, you have a couple of more formal options for pictures.

The Disney PhotoPass Studio in Disney Springs is like a traditional portrait studio. (Of course, they have some Disney backdrops.) You can stop by whenever they’re open; it’s free, and the pictures are included with Memory Maker if you have it.

In the parks, you’ll get several poses over a few minutes any time you stop for PhotoPass pictures. But you need to stop where the photographers are. For special occasions, you can book 20-minute “Capture Your Moment” sessions in the parks at a location of your choice.

One last note: You can ask the PhotoPass photographers to take a picture with your camera. They’re most willing to honor this request!

Disney in a Minute is a series of short posts designed to help you better understand a Disney term or planning topic. Do you have a Disney term that you think needs a bit more explanation? Let us know in the comments.