Disney Testing Automated PhotoPass Locations in the Magic Kingdom - PassPorter News Bulletin

Disney Testing Automated PhotoPass Locations in the Magic Kingdom

PassPorter's Walt Disney World News Bulletin

Published 07/05/2016 by PassPorter News / Filed in Walt Disney World

Photo illustrating Sunset over the Tangled area

Image of Sunset over the Tangled area contributed by Belle* from the PassPorter Photo Archive

"Self-Serve" PhotoPass? Disney is testing a new PhotoPass option in the Magic Kingdom. Stationary Cameras are in place and focused - all the guest needs to do is activate the camera using their MagicBand. The photos can then be viewed on the PhotoPass site. Currently a camera is set up near the Tangled restroom area and Cast Members are available to help guests with the system. Rumor has it the camera will be moved to the Sword in the Stone set-up behind Cinderella Castle.

This news bulletin updates page 279 of PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2016 LIVE! Guide.

Comments:

Jennifer Marx founder on 07/07/2016 at 3:04:36 pm EDT says: Reply
This seems sorta crazy. I'm curious to see how it actually works! Oh, and nice photo. :)

RipperSB on 07/07/2016 at 7:46:12 pm EDT says: Reply

Yep, we'll def give this a try when we visit next... in 240 days

JennyJet on 07/07/2016 at 11:09:01 pm EDT says: Reply

Hope they add more of these around the parks. Neat idea.

toddjodybrent on 07/08/2016 at 8:14:38 am EDT says: Reply

We were selected to try it near the Tangled restrooms. The Cast Members watched us interact with the system and then asked us questions when we were done. We actually took our first photo backwards and then figured out how to do it. It was interesting and it took a few days for the photos to show up in our Photopass account as they were still being reviewed for research purposes. We have them now, though.

Jennifer Marx founder on 07/08/2016 at 9:22:51 am EDT says :

Cool! So I'm curious -- were the photos different in any way than if someone had taken them? Like, did it have you pose in a specific way? How did you tell the camera to snap the shot? When you say the first one was backward, does that mean you saw a preview of what the camera had taken?

toddjodybrent on 07/08/2016 at 5:54:41 pm EDT says :

When we approached the area, there was a Cast Member wearing a white research shirt and we asked about the test just as she was going to ask us if we wanted to participate in the test. We were asked if we had a smart phone and photopass. We then had to pull up the qwerty code connected to our Photopass account on our phone and it was then scanned by a device used by the tester. We were then given the device and told to go forth. They wouldn't even tell us where the spot was as they wanted to see how we navigated the system. We found the blue taped off area near a fence. We stood--facing the tower--and then interacted with the device that asks you to start and then countdowns until the photo is taken and then vibrates when the photo was taken. We could immediately see the photo on the device. That's when we discovered that the picture was taken of our backsides so we turned around, saw the camera in the brush, and then took 3 more photos--one of our family, another of just our son, and another of my husband and I. We then returned the device to the Cast Members watching us and answered their questions. We also gave them some suggestions that might make the system work better for guests. This was definitely just a test for a limited number of days as when we passed through the area on another day, the blue taped off area was no longer there.

Dopey Girl 29on 07/10/2016 at 12:07:33 pm EDT says: Reply

Very curious. Wonder how you know if you are in the shot ? Or if you all fit in the image ? Sounds kind of strange. Has anyone used it or seen one of the photos yet ?

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