Walt Disney World Memory Maker - Is It Worth the Cost?

In the sixteen years my husband and I have been married we've probably been to Walt Disney World theme parks 40+ times. For a couple of years, when our oldest boys were little, we had Seasonal Passes. Some years we went to the seasonal parties, like Mickey's Very Merry Christmas and the Not So Scary Halloween Party. Other years we would just go to one park for the day. Nonetheless, our visits have added up over the years. Each one being just as magical as the last.

It seems like every time we would go to Walt Disney World we would get one of those Photo Pass cards from the photographer standing in front of Cinderella Castle {at the Magic Kingdom} or the Tree of Life {at the Animal Kingdom}, but we never stopped at the front of the park at the end of our day to look at our photos. And, truth be told, by the end of the day we had run out of money to buy any photos that were on that card to be viewed and purchased.

The Imagineers at Disney must've been hEARing my thoughts on wanting more photos WITH my family and wanting to not really worry about them until I got home from vacation. Enter the Disney Memory Maker.

When we started planning our vacation a couple of months ago I knew I wanted to add this feature to our budget. Let me tell you all of the wonderful reasons why:

• PhotoPass Photographers are in hundreds of locations all over Walt Disney World theme parks. Have photos taken each time you see one. 
• EVERYONE in your party will be IN the photo. I'm talking to you, moms. {I can count on one hand how many pictures I'm in with my family in our past trips to Walt Disney World. It's sad, really.}
• Photos in front of Cinderella Castle, with Mickey and Pluto or Anna and Elsa, wherever you can snag a PhotoPass Photographer, take a picture and it'll be included on your Memory Maker.
• Did you make character dining reservations? Those photos are included!
• You know those silly faces {and frightened faces} you have on ride attractions? Even THOSE pictures are included in your Memory Maker!
• Every.Single.Photo you have taken by a PhotoPass Photographer is included in your Memory Maker.
• Memory Maker is Magic Band compatible. If you're family is wearing the new Magic Bands you'll just have the PhotoPass Photographer scan your band after he's taken your photo. No more keeping up with that card. 

When came home from our mini-vacay to the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom we had 84 pictures available to download right to our home computer. Guess what? I'm in all of our family photos!

{at Hollywood Studios}

{You have the option to add borders or stickers to your photos.}

{Scary ride photos are the best! Without the Memory Maker we wouldn't have purchased the photo...individually, they're just too costly.}

{every magical character photo opportunity is forever yours! Here are Jett and McKinley with Wreck it Ralph and Vanellope von Schweetz.}

I still have Days 2 and 3 to write about this vacation so I don't want to give away too many of the photos but, I wanted to share with you the greatness of the Memory Maker. If you're on the fence about whether or not it's a good use of $149, I'd say it absolutely IS worth the money. The cost is minimal considering the priceless photos you'll come home to. AND, you'll have 90 days to play with your photos and download them to your computer. {in other words, they'll be saved on the Disney server for 90 days so you'll have time to come home, unpack and unwind before needing to even worry about those photos.}

My Disney Tip: Purchase the Memory Maker online at least 3 days prior to your trip. You'll save $50! 

Edited to add: Disney has now made Memory Maker an added perk to having an Annual Pass. Seriously, that's an AMAZING perk!! 

Don't forget to read this post on how to make Disney Autograph Books for the kids!

Disclosure: This post is written from a real mom's perspective. No one from Disney asked me to write this. My family purchased the Memory Maker with our own money. The opinions are my own.