Disney’s PhotoPass service is a great way to capture precious vacation moments at the parks and bring those memories home with you to enjoy.
Whether you are posing in front of park icons or taking advantage of fun Magic Shots that add a touch of Disney fun to your surroundings, PhotoPass offers the opportunity to immortalize these moments in pictures. Disney photographers are ready throughout the parks to take high-quality photos that you have the ability to purchase, often located around character meet-and-greets and park icons.
When it comes time to take these photos, there are some things that you can do to make them even more memorable! We will share five tips for the best PhotoPass pictures at the Disney parks.
1) Pose with the characters! Sometimes, guests can get nervous and freeze up when it comes time to take a picture with characters, opting for the standard “stand-and-smile” pose. While any photo with a Disney character is bound to be great, you’re missing out if you don’t play along with some of the fun. You can flex with Gaston, gesture shooting webs with Spiderman, and more!
If you’re not sure what to do for the photo, you can either ask the character for suggestions on how you should pose or see how the character is posing and mirror them. Each character at Disney has a unique personality, so if you play along with their energy, you’ll end up with some really memorable photos! See our guide to character meet and greets at Disneyland for everything you need to know about finding characters at the parks. Also check out our guide to the best character breakfasts at Disney World.
2) Don’t ignore Magic Shots! These allow you to incorporate some fun Disney touches into your photo. You can choose a Disney character or another fun surprise that your PhotoPass photographer will pose you around and digitally add to the photo, like having Tinker Bell in your hand or holding Mickey-shaped balloons!
Your PhotoPass photographer will guide you through what to do for the photo so that the addition blends in seamlessly. These pictures can often end up being some of the best ones from your trip, so be sure to lean into the fun and exaggerate your reaction for the full effect!
3) Take your pictures in the morning while you are still feeling fresh and crowds are lower. Especially if you have Early Entry at Disneyland or Early Entry at Disney World, you’ll want to take advantage of this quieter time to get the perfect picture in front of park icons that tend to get more crowded as the day progresses.
While it may be tempting to wait until the middle or the end of the day to take photos, you are likely going to be more fatigued from a long day of park fun and have less energy to devote to posing for pictures. Especially for kids, taking photos at the end of the day can make for a challenge, so plan to take them first thing in the day!
4) Dress for the picture! If you’re planning on taking photos during your park day, make sure to put some effort into dressing up a bit or coordinating with other members of your party. You’ll be looking at these pictures for a long time, so it’s worth it to make what you’re wearing memorable and fun! We discuss this in our Disney World packing list and Disneyland packing list.
Just make sure that what you decide to wear will be comfortable for a full day at the parks with lots of walking—one of the biggest rookie mistakes you can make is prioritizing fashion to the point where you’re uncomfortable during the day. We recommend finding a middle ground for pictures, or you can dress up for the morning and then stop at your hotel if it’s closeby to change into comfortable clothes for the remainder of your day.
5) Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask your PhotoPass photographer for help, and make sure to follow their guidance! The Disney PhotoPass photographers are professionals with lots of experience in helping to create amazing Disney pictures, so they’ll be more than happy to give you direction if you’re unsure of how to pose. They might suggest poses that feel silly, but be sure to fully commit to them and have fun, as the photographer has the bigger picture in mind.
Be sure to take advantage of these PhotoPass tips to capture the best photos during your Disney trip! You can see our guide to PhotoPass at Disneyland and PhotoPass at Disney World for everything you need to know about this service.
At Mickey Visit, we share the most important tips for planning your trips to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Universal, and beyond. Each week, we’ll share some of our top tips here on Laughing Place.