Is buying the Memory Maker service worth it?
This is a question we’ve been either directly asked or seen asked on Disney fan pages countless times. Taking a trip to a Disney Theme Park is a BIG investment and since there are so many different add-ones it’s difficult to know which ones are worth it and which ones aren’t.
However, when it comes to purchasing the Memory Maker package, we think it’s money well spent. We love being able to download all of our amazing moments to share on social media or print out for photo collages. That’s why we buy Memory Maker for every trip we take to Walt Disney World.
Below are our top five reasons you should purchase it for your next trip as well.
What is Disney’s Memory Maker?
Before we get into our top reasons why buying Memory Maker is worth it, let’s do a brief introduction for anyone unfamiliar with the service. If you already understand the basics, you can skip this section.
Disney’s Memory Maker is the service you purchase in order to be able to download your PhotoPass pictures. PhotoPass photographers are stationed at various locations throughout the parks to capture every moment of your family’s vacation. Plus many rides offer on-ride photos and video.
While you don’t need to buy the Memory Maker service in order to be able to take advantage of the PhotoPass photographers and on-ride photos, without paying extra you won’t be able to download your pictures without a watermark on them.
How Much Does Memory Maker Cost?
Memory Maker is only available at Walt Disney World and costs $199. If you purchase it before you arrive you can save $30. Since we think having access to all of your photos is a great value, we definitely recommend taking advantage of the savings and purchasing Memory Maker in advance.
While this may seem a little expensive, it is a one-time fee.
It doesn’t matter if you are at Walt Disney World for five days or ten days, the price is the same. Plus, only one person in your family/group needs to purchase it. As long as all of your MagicBands are linked, one of you can purchase the Memory Maker service and then have the PhotoPass photographers scan any one of your MagicBands.
Five Reasons Disney’s Memory Maker is Worth It
So why do we believe that Memory Maker is a must-have on your next Walt Disney World vacation?
1. It’s Like Having Your Own Professional Photographer
How amazing would it be to have a professional photographer follow your family around and capture every magical moment of your Disney vacation?
Now think about how much that would cost. 
With Memory Maker, you essentially have this for only a few hundred dollars.
All of the PhotoPass Photographers are equipped with professional DSLR cameras. And while they don’t follow you around, you’d be hard-pressed to NOT find one nearby. They are stationed at all of the iconic photo spots throughout the parks, plus at every character meeting.
They are usually pretty easy to find as there usually are a few people in line for a picture. But if you are having trouble, Disney provides a map of their locations on the My Disney Experience app.
2. Everyone Gets to Be in the Picture
Most of the time with family photos, there’s always one person missing – the person taking the picture.
With Memory Maker, everyone gets to be in the photo. Plus, the Disney photographers will typically take a few snapshots each time. 
This means you can try out some different poses or even get pictures of a few different groups. Maybe you want a picture of just your kids and then the whole family. The PhotoPass photographers are really accommodating when it comes to capturing the exact image you want.
3. You Can Take an Unlimited Number of Pictures
Really. With Memory Maker, you gain access to every picture taken during your trip all for one price.
Between on-ride photos and just stopping at some of the PhotoPass spots throughout the parks, we typically get 30-40 pictures a day. Add in some character dining & Magic Shots and you could easily get close to 100 pictures a day.
Just think about that. If you are at Walt Disney World for a five-day vacation, you could easily have 400-500 photos from your trip. While all of the images might not be perfect, at least you’ll have plenty to choose from.
4. Capture the “Unscripted” Moments
One of the best things about having access to all of your pictures is how the Disney photographers capture all of the small “magical” moments you might have missed otherwise.
As we mentioned earlier, the PhotoPass photographers take numerous shots for each group, but this is especially true for character meet and greets.
When you meet your favorite characters, the photographers are snapping pictures from the moment you say hello until you say goodbye. They don’t just wait until you are ready and posed for your picture. 
This can make for some truly special photos as they’ll capture that initial reaction when you first meet Mickey or your favorite princess. Some of our favorite moments with characters were captured before we were “ready” for an official photo.
Sure a nicely posed picture is great, but isn’t it also great having a picture with a big hug from Pluto or having captured that moment your child’s face lights up when they meet Elsa?
For these “unscripted” moments alone, Memory Maker is worth it.
5. You Can Get Nostalgic
Chances are you won’t be taking your family to Disney only once.
Having the Memory Maker each trip creates a unique way to see how your family grows throughout the years. Each trip becomes a mini snapshot in time.
Pick one of the park icons, like Cinderella Castle, and get a family photo in front of it. Then each trip afterwards, make sure you get the same group photo. If you take a Disney trip every five to ten (or maybe even more frequently!) years, after a few trips you’ll visually be able to see your family grow. 
Even if you don’t have the same picture each time, once you download your images, they are yours forever. So you’ll always be able to look back and remember your first trip or the first time you went as a couple or the first time your kids met Mickey.
So Is Memory Maker Worth It?
We’ve laid out five of our top reasons we think it makes a lot of sense to purchase Memory Maker for your next Disney World trip. Sure it’s an added expense to what can be an already expensive vacation, but for a few hundred dollars, the benefits really seem to outweigh the costs.
Have you used Memory Maker or do you plan on purchasing it for your next trip? Let us know in the comments below.
