It is no secret that I love the PhotoPass service Memory Maker. We never go to Walt Disney World without it! Throughout the years my family and I have found our favorite locations where we always make sure to have our photo snapped by one of the great PhotoPass photographers. Below I share some of our favorite locations, backgrounds, and poses!
The Park Icon Photos
These are the absolute minimum requirements when talking photos at Disney. The four park icons are Cinderella Castle (Magic Kingdom), Spaceship Earth (Epcot), The Chinese Theater (Hollywood Studios), and The Tree of Life (Animal Kingdom). There will always be PhotoPass photographers at these locations (weather permitting). I also encourage you to get a day and night picture in front of them. Completely different picture from am to pm!
Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge
There are so very many cool picture locations in Batuu. I love posing by the droids or hanging out by the Millennium Falcon, but my absolute favorite photo spot is in front of the X-Wing near Rise of the Resistance. I have always had the photographer do fun Star Wars poses, and maybe – just maybe- you might catch Rey and Chewy in the background working on the fighter. This location also has some neat Magic Shots so be sure to ask for one!
The World Showcase
While I do not have one particular spot that is my favorite, you can trust that any photographer stationed along the fence will have picked that spot for the fantastic background. Stop and get a few family shots while walking around. I promise you will not regret it!
Floating Lantern Photos
This is a very popular location at Magic Kingdom that only happens after dark. The line gets very long over by the Rapunzel bathrooms (near “it’s a small world” and Peter Pan’s Flight), but it is worth it to see your little princess light up with the glow of a floating lantern.
Pandora
Because of the unique theming and plant life, you can capture some really amazing photos as you head to Flight of Passage. My favorite during the day is the floating mountains picture, but at night find a photographer that is surrounding you with the bioluminescent plant life for a one of a kind photo!
Fun Poses
First of all, just trust the photographer. If they ask you to do a pose, do it because it will probably be a super cute photo. Some of our favorite pictures have been the ones where they tell us what to do. One of my all time favorites is when our littles fall asleep in the stroller and they have us do cute poses around them sleeping. If a pose seems strange, it might be because there will be a little surprise for you when the photo appears in your app. These are called Magic Shots, and it is where the photographer adds a little magic to your photo. My oldest daughter loves these and asks every photographer for one. Some have the ability to do them while others do not. If they can do it, they will!
Special PhotoPass Opportunities
For certain events, like the Halloween and Christmas parties, they will set up special locations available only to those who purchase a ticket to the event. If you attend one of these parties (or are there during a special celebration for the parks) be sure to visit some of these photo spots. They are a great way to remember what made that visit to the parks unique!
I hope this gives you some good ideas to help you make the most of your Memory Maker purchase. Even if you do not purchase Memory Maker, it is always free to have your photo taken at these locations! You never know, you might find one you want to purchase.
About the Author:
Morgan Scully, Lead Enchanted Planner & Global Travel Advisor
Morgan is passionate about all things Disney. From an early age she loved taking in the magic of Disney World, but its when she became a mom and she saw life through her daughters’ eyes that she truly understood how amazing a Disney vacation can be for a family. Morgan is well versed in all things Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line. She also serves as Whitney World Travel’s Military Vacation Specialist– helping the brave men and women who serve our country and their families get the most out of their vacations. Morgan is a graduate of Texas A&M University.
