No more free photo @ MVMCP?

[avantgardeinker]

I just read an article stating Disney was taking away the free photo for MVMCP this year. Instead they are giving everyone a special photopass and photogs will be all over the parks taking pictures... And that guests will be receiving 50% off 5X7's with the MVMCP photopass. Naturally, the price of the MVMCP tickets is not going down. So we're getting less for our money with the free photo being gone. If anyone wants the link to the article I read, PM me and I'll send it to you.

136 more days!!
:mickey:

[dolphinmickey9170]

That's just plum crazy!

[Figment!]

This started last year.

Details of the 2006 parties can be found in the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/../infocentral/holidays/christmas/mvmcp.asp) section of INTERCOT info Central :santa:




Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party!

...

What? Where? & When?

...

Save 50% on Disney PhotoPass
Exclusively for the event. See any Disney PhotoPass Photographer for Details. Offer valid on individual 5 x 7 photos only.

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . So we're getting less for our money . . .

1) And your point is ???
2) And it's not just pictures where your getting less.

[JPL]

Sadly this is something that we brought on ourselves since not many complained and let Disney know how we feel by writing in our displeasure or not attending the event.
This started last year when the photos were removed from MNSSHP and then was continued during MVMCP. Oh and yes the Ticket prices for the events went up again last year even without the photo.

WDW is in a phase where they are trying to see how much they can charge and how little they can give without hurting attendance figures. Unfortunately due to the nature of WDW most people are going to the World regardless of all this and therefore management feels people didn't care or notice the difference.

[offwego]

Actually I liked the discount as it was applied to all my 5 x 7 on my "combined" photopass from the whole trip and I could use the "special effects" on any of my pics.

The only time we had prev. gone we couldn't get near the "free picture" place and found this system better for us. But perhaps it wouldn't be that way for everyone I agree.

Hope you enjoy your night otherwise.

[avantgardeinker]

We didn't get to go last year, so I didn't know this was true of last year's party. I never would have bought the MVMCP tickets if I'd known we weren't getting the free photo. That was the best reason for buying the extra ticket.

136 more days!!
:mickey:

[big blue and hairy]

This started last year.


Yeah, Jim Hill has a big article about it like he just uncovered it for this years party. Glad you're on top of things Jim! :blush:

I can't say I have a problem with this. We've been to the party at least four times and every time the picture has been lousy.

:sulley:

[Matt's Dad]

We didn't get to go last year, so I didn't know this was true of last year's party. I never would have bought the MVMCP tickets if I'd known we weren't getting the free photo. That was the best reason for buying the extra ticket.

136 more days!!
:mickey:

Last year was our first time at MVMCP ... and it is true .... no free photos.

Still had a blast of a time. All we got was the Parade, Fireworks Show, Snow on Maintstreet, Cookies and Hot Chocolate (with Apple Slices and Apple Juice for my son), Character Interactions, Short Lines at the Attractions, Special Shows, ........

Not sure how a Free Photo (that I now have to buy for somewhere around $12 .... less 50%) could be the best reason for going. It would have been a nice perk, but really, is it the "Best" reason to buy the extra ticket???? A little overboard here maybe.

[DizneyRox]

Yes, this is not new this year, it started last year. Value in general though has been declining for many years (at least since 2000 or so).

My solution is to spend less and demand more while I'm there. Being a DVC member, I do feel that I'm not getting what I bought into. Not necessarily that I deserve more than others, but the overall value has diminished.

I haven't gone to an after hours event in a few years. They used to be outstanding, now they are just so-so. Beats staying back in the hotel room, or DTD but not a special trip to WDW to attend.

[JPL]

Not sure how a Free Photo (that I now have to buy for somewhere around $12 .... less 50%) could be the best reason for going. It would have been a nice perk, but really, is it the "Best" reason to buy the extra ticket???? A little overboard here maybe.

The point being made is the price for the party has steadily increased and they have taken away a perk that was part of you admission price. I don't think anyone was actually going just for the free picture but it added a nice momento of the event at no extra charge. Therefore raising the price and taking away the free photo has dropped the value of the part significantly last year. Along with the removal of the photo they also changed the way they handle crowds for the party instead of completely emptying the park they now clear the park gradually allowing non-ticket holding guests to stay in the park after the party has started. I have heard many stories of guests cheating the system and watching the parade and fireworks without purchasing tickets to the party. All to make higher profits and allowing the guests to shop on Main Street. In about 9 years the price for the hard ticket have double and yet the value of these events are dropping.

[crazeedizneefinatic]

I also have to agree that the MNSSHP is not as fun anymore. Yes, they have a special parade and fireworks but to me it's not worth the extra admission. We had been going to the party for the past few years and decided to skip it this year. I must admit we were awfully disappointed that we did not receive the free photo last year. We always looked forward to receiving it in the mail. It's probably not a reason to avoid the party but just the overall decline is a reason.

[Lizzie]

We never recieve our photo when they did it. So its really no big deal to us than.

[avantgardeinker]

Last year was our first time at MVMCP ... and it is true .... no free photos.

Still had a blast of a time. All we got was the Parade, Fireworks Show, Snow on Maintstreet, Cookies and Hot Chocolate (with Apple Slices and Apple Juice for my son), Character Interactions, Short Lines at the Attractions, Special Shows, ........

Not sure how a Free Photo (that I now have to buy for somewhere around $12 .... less 50%) could be the best reason for going. It would have been a nice perk, but really, is it the "Best" reason to buy the extra ticket???? A little overboard here maybe.

It wasn't the only reason we went, but it was one of the big reasons we went. If you've never had the advantage of the free photo you probably wouldn't understand anyway. It was a big part of the reason we kept going to the same party year after year. Our photos always came out great and we saw it as a great way to remember Christmas at DW. The party has not changed, there is no more free photo, the lines aren't that much shorter than a regular day during that time of the year and the price has increased. There's just no incentive to go anymore. I regret that I've already bought my MVMCP tickets, and really feel like I've been "taken". I won't be buying them in the future. I'm even considering writing a letter to Disney to share my thoughts with them. If I'm the only one, it probably won't do much good, but at least I will have done my part. I hope someone comes around with one of those survey things. I'll be glad to tell them how I feel.

136 more days!!
:mickey:

[nicole48040]

Here is my question, on this matter, do you HAVE to use the special MVMCP photopass? We will already have a photopass and I am only paying for one CD.......at half the price it is still half too much when you are already purchasing one CD.:(

[Aggie97]

You do have to get a special MVMCP Photopass card that is separate from your regular Photopass card. However, you can have both Photopass cards combined after the fact, so you have to purchase only one CD. We did this last Christmas, actually. We went to the Photopass booth at the Grand Floridian on our last day, gave them both cards to combine together, then purchased one CD with all photos on it.

[mrsgaribaldi]

We got the free photo once and never got it again. The wait was long and we didn't feel like wasting time. It never meant that much to us I guess. We take hundreds of pics on each trip. Sorry so many are disappointed:(

[Matt's Dad]

We didn't get to go last year, so I didn't know this was true of last year's party. I never would have bought the MVMCP tickets if I'd known we weren't getting the free photo. That was the best reason for buying the extra ticket.

136 more days!!
:mickey:

Wow, didn't mean to be the Grinch or anything here. I do agree that the free photo would be a good perk (and I think I posted that). What I was commenting on was that saying the photo was the "best reason for buying the extra ticket" may have been a little overboard.

In summary ...

Free Photo = Very Good Thing While it Lasted
Loss of Free Photo = Kind of depressing
Saying Free Photo is the Best Reason to attend, got to disagree with that.

[Mickey91]

Here is my question, on this matter, do you HAVE to use the special MVMCP photopass? We will already have a photopass and I am only paying for one CD.......at half the price it is still half too much when you are already purchasing one CD.:(
Yes you do. But, when ordering your CD, you can add pictures from all passes from that trip. Plus, you can still order the 5x7s from the party at 50 percent off.

[SurferStitch]

Here is my question, on this matter, do you HAVE to use the special MVMCP photopass? We will already have a photopass and I am only paying for one CD.......at half the price it is still half too much when you are already purchasing one CD.:(

The photogs tried very hard last December to get us to use the special MVMCP Photopass, but I refused and told them I wanted to have the pics added to my regular Photopass. One photog was a little defiant, but he did it. The rest had no problem with it at all.

But, you can combine Photopasses for the CD, so I guess it didn't really matter, although I didn't know that at the time. I got the CD, and I plan on doing the same this year, too.

We did the get the free photo at one MNSSHP and one MVMCP. It was nice, but I can't say I'm all that depressed that it's gone. They were an odd size, didn't fit in any frames, and while nice, weren't anything that special. The party is worth the price of admission with the shows, parade and fireworks, and lines are nonexistent after the fireworks, so we look forward to going again.

[Disneytrotters]

Actually I liked the discount as it was applied to all my 5 x 7 on my "combined" photopass from the whole trip and I could use the "special effects" on any of my pics.

We also found this to be true. We only posed for 1 photo at the actual Party, and the discount was applied to every photo on the pass! What a great surprise! The year before, we had our picture taken for free, and it was dreadful...very overexposed and yucky! So, we are very happy with the new system!!!:thumbsup: