I get a lot of people asking if they are allowed to wear certain shirts. So here is the question to ask that will answer your question: Could someone get offended or insulted over what is on your shirt? If the answer is no, then the shirt should be fine. Anything that isn't promoting drugs, violence, discrimination... things that aren't "family friendly" should be fine.
Paige Collins I saw one of his vids late at night and decided to watch, I got hooked and watched more and more. Then I realized it was 5:05 in the morning and had to get ready for school.
When I went to Disneyland in 07' we thought it was funny to flip off the cameras 🎥 in Tower of Terror and they HELD us at the drop until we put our hands down!! Lesson learned
It always amazes me how the Photo Pass Photographers can take a picture of guests and the castle while on a tremendously busy Main Street.... yet it looks as if it's just them there in the clear. I know it's the angle....but how tough is that? The pictures are always perfect. Is it timing? The crowds (especially at closing and the street is so crowded) are so thick, and no-one is directing them to stay out of the way.
+Mc Kenna a lot of it is the angle and the cropping of the shot. You set it up so that the people you are shooting fill up the front of the picture and there isn't a lot of room on the edges to show other people walking by. That helps to hide the others that might be there.
As a Spectrum Photo photographer (later to become Sharpshooter Spectrum Photo before Kodak took over) at Disneyland (1996-2002) its amazing how rules & regs have changed yet stayed the same in relation to photographing Park Guests w/ the characters and locations. The only times rules were stressed (since its all common sense anyway) was when we were photographing the Princesses. We had to act as body guards in concert w/ the Character Hosts we worked with keeping Guess from groping, grabbing, picking up the girls. I was Ariel's personal photographer for 5 years and i shot the head shots of the face characters for the Character Department Portfolio. I was also the "on call" photog for when the Disney Staff Photogs werent able to cover an event (before the whole department was closed and freelance photogs were utilized). Those were some fun, groundbreaking times being a first generation Character Photog.
Caitlyn Boyle I was going to say, he sounds a lot like Wallace Shawn...although that may be a bit...inconceivable...to some. (Wallace Shawn voiced Rex)
When I went to Epcot with my wife, she was pregnant, and we asked to take a picture with Chip 'n Dale kissing her belly. But they said no, and the photographer explained to us that they couldn't do it.
This was fascinating! All the little things that I would never think about from a photographer's standpoint. And from a PR standpoint too on Disney's side.
Thanks for making this video. I am a former Disney cast member who was on the opening Photopass crew. Watching this video was like a flashback to my Photopass cast member days in 2005-2006. At the time I worked in the Photopass division, those FCUK t-shirts were really popular, and I was constantly re-positioning guests to avoid showing the logos on those shirts. At the time I worked there, we were also strictly forbidden from taking photos of the Seven Dwarfs, as Disney had some sort of licensing issue with those characters. Other photos we couldn't take included photos backstage, photos where there were wardrobe malfunctions (on either the guest or the character), photos which showed cast members sitting down or holding drinks, photos where guests had spilled food or drinks on themselves (happens more often than you think), photos where it looked like the family was fighting (for example, the dad with his hands around his son's neck), photos where children were crying, photos where characters from different universes were in the same picture (except princesses, which were somehow okay), photos where someone was doing something inappropriate in the background, and photos that showed too much skin. I was very excited to be on the opening team; unfortunately, several of the managers at Photopass at that time were extremely mean. I left the Photopass division in 2006, and always wondered why that department was so messed up. I'm glad, though, that the program continued; it provided a great service to guests.
Thanks for posting! You caught a number of the things that I missed or left out. 2006- I wonder if we crossed paths at all. I started in June and was posted to MK at that point. The nice thing was that for me in 2006-2010 most of our managers were raised up out of Photopass, so they were pretty good (only had issues at all with one or two). That started to change though when entertainment absorbed Photopass and started putting their own people in as managers. Those first years were great ones, at least for me. I've heard from others that stayed that it changed quite a bit after I left.
I knew from the video that you had to have worked during "my" era, just from the original purple Photopass card you held up in the video (I still have some, from accidentally leaving them in my uniform repeatedly). I don't think we ever met; I left in March 2006, and I would have remembered you, though it's cool that we worked basically during the same era. When I came to the department, there were just 50 cast members in the department and it was still a pilot program that was phasing out Kodak. Everyone knew each other. Then the program grew, they added 300 new photographers, my old manager left, and my new manager never even bothered to learn my name. I always saw him look at my name tag before he said my name... and he only had eight people under him. So frustrating! He wasn't the worst one, though; there were a few managers that were way worse than that. However, I also have very happy memories of the program: some great "friends of character X" who were so fun to work with, making little kids smile by giving them stickers, the whole Make a Wish program, people coming from all over the world, Asian girls always making the "peace" sign, magic shots, fixing botched images so they were saleable to the guest, helping people, and taking a record 1,960 photos in a single 16-hour day! Good times. Thank you, Sir Willow, for uploading this video, which totally made me revisit memory lane.
Love the stories from that era. I'm hoping to put together a "history of Photopass" at some point. it's been on the burner for a while now but just haven't managed to get it done. So I might be bugging you with some questions since you were in that time period. Did you have the pleasure of the brick?
You are welcome to "bug" me with questions any time, Sir Willow! Yes, of course we had The Brick. We also originally had a bigger, heavier PDA than the ones we later used, and we also had to carry tripods through a china shop, as our HQ was originally behind a shop on Main St (last time I was visiting, that location was a glassblower's shop). With cameras strapped to our necks, The Brick, the big PDAs, the tripods, the spare Brick, the radios, the batteries, the extra batteries, and whatever else, we were loaded down!
Most of these rules I'm going: "DUH". I actually got a great photo of Tigger giving me bunny ears, but I knew it was coming, so I looked up and laughed. One of my favorite pictures ever.
As a Photographer who is not a professional but more than an enthusiast, and loves Disney World I loved watching this. To often people don't realize what a photographer must do to get the shot. Even in what may seem the most simple situations. You have gained a new subscriber.
I was at a restaurant in Animal Kingdom, me and my fiance had sat down at a table to eat our meal and a group of people sat next to us at a separate table and they were talking quite loudly about how they hate guests and the only people I've ever known to use the word guest are theme park employees and I slowly started to realize that they were PhotoPass cast members who were visiting the park and they were talking about how PhotoPass sucks and how they will sometimes purposely mess up the photos and how they hate certain kinds of guest and how they will miss the special moment with the family and they won't take the picture of It, then realized one of the people that was sitting with this group was the PhotoPass person the day before that I was taking my pictures and i then discovered why I had messed up and missing pictures. I guess my point in telling this story is have you ever worked with someone like this and what is your solution if you notice your PhotoPass person not taking pictures like they are supposed to.
+Erica Smith there were a few. Very few. They usually didn't last long before they left or were "encouraged" to leave. In a case like that I absolutely would have reported that to guest relations. For them to talk that way in the park could lead to termination, and I feel like that would be deserved in this case. Any other info you can give would be nice as well so they can track down exactly who it was.
Oh so the characters can give us bunny ears, but we can't do the same to them? Double standard much?! Ha ha just kidding. Still though, I never really got why the whole bunny ears with characters thing was such an issue? Could someone explain this to me please?
Zach Harris it may be because you don't know guests' intentions, whereas characters like Goofy and Gaston and many more are known across the world as the silly type and therefore people would see it as a harmless prank. Like they'd expect it from a silly character that they know. Yknow? That's just a guess though 😂
Some facial hair is allowed now, but it is still extremely strict defining specific shapes, lengths and the color must look natural. Just as a side note, almost all Disney Villains have facial hair.
I'm a 59 year old Disney Super Fan. Where were you when I needed to know some proper Disney etiquette???. Thanks for being here.......Now I have to go back and apply what you taught me......And my grown up children.......Subbed!!!
Buying the photopass was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. Money well spent, great photos, great memories, some of which never would have happened without those photographers.
Hey Sir Willow I am from the UK and am pretty sure you took the photo pass photo that adorns our piano. We were in WDW in 2007 and you were the first cast member we spoke to. You arranged us and even took the photo using my own camera. So thank you. People like you made the 3000 mile trip worth while and totally magical!
Awww, that makes me feel so good knowing I could have blessed you. That was the best part of the job. Since it's on your piano I'm guessing I did good. :-) Thanks so much for sharing. I'd love to see it if you don't mind sharing it. (my facebook page works for that ifyou'd like. You certainly don't have to. The link is in the video description.)
I've gone to WDW many times and I gotta say the Photo Pass photographers are some top shelf employees. I can't say I've ever heard a remotely negative word from any of them. Always polite, fast and eager to get you that perfect shot.
So this explains why a few of the photopass guys asked me to position my arm in a manner I thought was a little strange. I was wearing my festive Grand Marnier shirt!
What kind of rules are there for people that aren't characters (regular cast-members like photographers and janitors) being in pictures with guests? Let me give an example: a few times when meeting a character, I like to ask that their photographer/handler steps in and I take a selfie. So far I haven't had a character say "No, that's not allowed." But I have had photographers that said they weren't sure it was okay, and I had to ask the character. I also had two cast-members that looked like supervisors of some kind (they were carrying clipboards) say they wouldn't be in my picture with Rabbit. I also had one guy ask me to delete the photo after I mentioned what I was planning to do with it. I do it as a sort of "Thank you", because the cast members make the parks possible. I even made two RUclips videos about it (they are still on my channel). Have I been breaking the rules this whole time, they are just too polite to say so?
Cast members in costume aren't supposed to be in any pictures with characters. And they aren't supposed to be in photopass pictures either. Out of costume (their work clothes) is fine, but not in it. However, you should be perfectly welcome to use your camera to take pictures of cast members while they are working. The reason they asked you to delete it after they found out you would put it online is because if they are seen in their costumes in a photo with the characters, then it could cost them their jobs. (and just a name tag and/or Disney ID is enough to qualify)
My Dad took a picture with a First Order Stormtrooper once and the guy acted like he was choking my Dad, and my Dad had his mouth wide open with his tongue sticking out. Seeing the picture, you can obviously see that the trooper's hands are no where near my Dad's throat, but the photographer would not take the picture until my Dad put his tongue back in his mouth. I was actually surprised that the photographer took a picture depicting a stormtrooper "choking" my Dad. It really was a funny picture though. Great memories.
"No photos of dangerous behaviour" "Mickey! Mickey! Watch me eat this fire!!" But I guess standing on trashcans probably happens more often. Best photo with a chracter and logo tee shirt I have seen? That one floating around with someone in a Dead Mau5 tee and poor Minnie looking horrified XD
dangerous behavior could be tossing a kid in the air, doing flips, jumping off of walls/ rocks or a variety of other things. A Disney photographer taking a photo of that could be considered endorsing it, which could lead to a variety of problems. That's why it's not allowed. But I would have loved to see a fire eater with Mickey!! LOL
Just love this guy, and I'm pretty sure I've seen him when I went to Disney several years ago! Disney needs to clone about 10,000 of this guy and load the park up with him!
I run into the issue when my kids fall asleep waiting in a character line. But usually the characters are cool with leaning over the stroller to get a picture.
I'm into photography and I love Disney so much! I have been wanting to be a Disney photographer and this video was really interesting. I love behind the scenes of it all.
I use to be a photopass photographer. I remember having a fun time with the guitar at studios. I loved working Epcot for some reason. The energy there was so calm.
Thanks! It is fun to go back and look at those first videos and see how much I've learned and improved already. Still lots of room to doing things better, and I've got some ideas about other things I want to try in the future as well. (think greenscreen if I can get one! :-) )
You're welcome! It's so exciting! I really love your Disney videos, especially now that I'm living in Florida, haha. "Look at the castle!" has become a family tradition now, thanks to your vids! Greenscreen is great! I can recommend some good and affordable products if you're interested! (They've worked great for me!) It's super fun working with it.
You can't take photos of cheerleaders doing stunts? Wow! That good to know! My cheer team is going next year and they all wanted to stunt. Thank you for the info!! Always good to know😊😊
Disney Dreamers not only can they not take pictures of it, but if you are doing stunts in the park you can get in trouble and possibly kicked out. don't do it. :-)
I'm working on another one. I had hoped to have it done earlier, but losing my "filming location" for the week and a half threw it off schedule. Hopefully within the next 2 weeks. :-)
This was actually pretty interesting! I can't quite figure out why the bunny ears are forbidden, and why characters can do it while guests cannot. But I think there are boundaries and limits that all photographers should respect. Everyone should have a safe, positive experience.
It's hardly a profane gesture or anything, but it is essentially mocking the person you're doing to. For a character to do that to a guest, it's all in good fun, but a picture of a guest doing that to a character could be viewed as mocking that character, and in extension, Disney itself. My guess anyway.
Always amazed at how much time and effort goes into Disney's brand control - I highly doubt other local theme parks are anywhere near as strict with their photographers.
Thank you! These are good to know! My little girl loves to give bunny ears in photos. I'll make sure she knows not to at Disney world so that we don't lose some of our pictures...lol.
Fellow Photopass photographer from long ago ('06-'08 @DAK & MK). This was my first video to watch of yours, but it brought back so many memories. It amazes me how much there was to remember of spiels and rules and working as fast as possible with the characters.
I'm sure we have. My base park was DAK, but I worked all over when I could get a chance, including resort dining. Epcot and DTD were the only two places I didn't work. My last six months were at MK, and I loved getting the Magical Moments position for the day.
As long as they aren't trying to creep/ prey on the princesses, it's not a big deal. Who wouldn't want their picture taken with a beautiful princess? I've got several of me, and I'm happily married.
Paulieag 12 Same! I live in England so getting to Disney is pretty expensive. Before the holiday/vacation started (this was our first trip) my mum swore up and down that she wouldn't go again due to it being so expensive, but before it was even over she was already booking our next trip 😂 It's absolutely amazing there 😍
lol, did not expect to get "mentioned" in this video. I live in DC, but I play the Christmas show at Epcot the last 5 weeks of the year! Everything about Disney is thought out in every way possible, a complex machine!
Just curios, when you said no weird touching or anything. What if a little child was squeezing mickeys nose? Or playing with plutos ears? Or something. I'm just wondering
this video really helped me out! I'll be going to Disney soon so it's nice to know all the do's and don'ts of taking picture's, so it can be smooth and easy!! X)
That's a lot to memorise and have to mentally "checklist" when you're shooting 100+ shots every day. Hopefully you were well-compensated and appreciated!
Neat, I love the attention to detail that Disney does in EVERYTHING. Thats what makes it the most magical place on earth! I cant wait til September when I get to go on my 5th trip. and since I have AP I'll be sure to get lots of pics.
My cousin went to Disney and he said that he saw a person with a swastika on his shirt yelling at a photographer because the photographer didn't like swastika guy's shirt... good grief...
Photographer probably didn't just "not like" it. That is one thing we were expressly told we couldn't photograph at Disney, and I'd imagine it is true at other parks as well.
I went to Disneyland Paris a few years ago I was 10 I think and I got a giant stitch plushy that was nearly as big as me and one of the photographers stopped my family to take a photo and I remember being so embarrassed and awkward it was definitely interesting to say the least...
Wow... Just watched this video and already I have learnt an awful lot especially how to direct people when taking photographs! Very simple and the key points were clear and precise! Seriously, this information has really helped me (and others) understood the nature of Quality Assurance! Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge and experience! I do not work for Disney but now that I have witness this video, I feel confident in wanting to capture better images for future events...
in our last trip we had a photo taken with a streetmosphere performer at Hollywood studios with our fast pass. it was not with our own camera. he stayed for a couple a posed funny with us. we did ask him directly if he would join us. so maybe that was an excellent edition to the rule
If the streetmosphere performers, and those in similar roles, gave us express permission we could take their photos, but that tended to be the exception to the rule rather than the norm. In the cases where they did, we would find time later to call in to the office that screened the photos to let them know it was coming through and not to block it. They'd put a flag out for it so it would still be there and make a note that they would send up that it was cleared- all things you wouldn't see as a guest. That was all due to union rules, contracts, and copyrights governing "fair use" of the character, and while there might be some loosing of that restriction it was likely because they indicated to the photographer that it was ok and to go ahead and shoot. :-)
i just found your channel and binged watched like ten of your videos XD. You are so entertaining to watch and seem like such a nice person! I really hope you never run out of content!!
have you ever been a, character photographer or a handler, when an even bigger character, from outside the park,, ever downsized the character you're escorting, ie . Michael Jenson ,ect.... btw love your videos. Thanx for the memories .
ive heard of some odd rules in disney theme parks, but these rules are actually quite reasonable, some parents get really offended with certain things and with such a big theme park you have to be concious of insulting other cultures and you have to make sure everyone is safe to prevent injury. and i completely agree with how to treat the costumes you see and take pictures of, even though i do not own one, as a furry, i know how much those costumes can go for. and for those who dont know, in some cases were talking low thousands. I cant even imagine how much the costumes worn in disney can cost. i know its one of two reasons why I dont have a suit of my own
Just found your channel. Really enjoy the backstage look into how everything works! It's fascinating! I already hold Photopass photographers in high regards, but my goodness I had no idea how many details you were aware of to have (or not have) in photo.
All sounds pretty reasonable. No bunny ears though? Aww. :) I suppose I see why, but that does seem to push the edge to my mind. I'll admit I'd be amused to have a pic scritching Pluto's nose or (gently!) tugging Mickey's ear, but I suppose hands off policy prevents a world of problems before they start. Plus, as you say, more could be done with a guest camera, so that makes it pretty cool. Thanks for the fun info!
As a guess of Disney that buys photo pass for my vaction can i request characters to be inserted in the pictures and if so which ones are available. Maybe you can do a video about how they decide what characters they insert.
You have given us the ins and outs of the hiring process at Disney. Could you do the same with the other parks? Along with that, give us the process from beginning to end on different jobs at each park.
It's going to be pretty similar from park to park, and it's changed a lot in the years since I got my job. I can't say about other jobs at the parks as I didn't do them.
absolutely!! in fact we preferred to do that so the guest could enjoy their time with the character and not worry about the pictures. We would usually do both, since it's free to use photopass and look at the photos. You don't have to pay anything for it at all until later, and then only if you decide you want to buy the photos.
this is the first of your vids and I'm half asleep...I finally realize the stuff on your right side is from SDC!!!! that park is my favorite park in the entire world!!!! my parents worked their for years.
I imagine giving the bunny ears to a bunny character (I.E. Oswald or Thumper if he were there) would be a wee bit redundant. Especially if their ears were blocking your fingers!
I get a lot of people asking if they are allowed to wear certain shirts. So here is the question to ask that will answer your question: Could someone get offended or insulted over what is on your shirt? If the answer is no, then the shirt should be fine.
Anything that isn't promoting drugs, violence, discrimination... things that aren't "family friendly" should be fine.
Just found this channel and just realized i've been watching for 2 hours😂 you seem like such a kind person and thank you so much for the information:)
know exactly how you feel. XD
Paige Collins I saw one of his vids late at night and decided to watch, I got hooked and watched more and more. Then I realized it was 5:05 in the morning and had to get ready for school.
Paige Collins same
Shark Ninja IKR!?
Paige Collins yeah! seems like a nice guy!
When I went to Disneyland in 07' we thought it was funny to flip off the cameras 🎥 in Tower of Terror and they HELD us at the drop until we put our hands down!! Lesson learned
XD can't...stop...laughing...ppz help...can't breath.
Lauren K how long did it take you to realize to put your hands down 😂
Erika Z about three minutes 😂
Its a shame at how many families were disappointed by people doing inappropriate things in photos and those photos had to be deleted.
It always amazes me how the Photo Pass Photographers can take a picture of guests and the castle while on a tremendously busy Main Street.... yet it looks as if it's just them there in the clear.
I know it's the angle....but how tough is that? The pictures are always perfect. Is it timing? The crowds (especially at closing and the street is so crowded) are so thick, and no-one is directing them to stay out of the way.
+Mc Kenna a lot of it is the angle and the cropping of the shot. You set it up so that the people you are shooting fill up the front of the picture and there isn't a lot of room on the edges to show other people walking by. That helps to hide the others that might be there.
I hope Disney photo pass doesn't have this rule for our Military who wear a Shirt with the name of the Branch they serve or served.
@@celticfire64 why would they? What is offensive about that?
As a Spectrum Photo photographer (later to become Sharpshooter Spectrum Photo before Kodak took over) at Disneyland (1996-2002) its amazing how rules & regs have changed yet stayed the same in relation to photographing Park Guests w/ the characters and locations. The only times rules were stressed (since its all common sense anyway) was when we were photographing the Princesses. We had to act as body guards in concert w/ the Character Hosts we worked with keeping Guess from groping, grabbing, picking up the girls. I was Ariel's personal photographer for 5 years and i shot the head shots of the face characters for the Character Department Portfolio. I was also the "on call" photog for when the Disney Staff Photogs werent able to cover an event (before the whole department was closed and freelance photogs were utilized). Those were some fun, groundbreaking times being a first generation Character Photog.
Has anyone ever told you, you sound like Rex from Toy Story :)
Caitlyn Boyle I was going to say, he sounds a lot like Wallace Shawn...although that may be a bit...inconceivable...to some.
(Wallace Shawn voiced Rex)
YES, that's it. I kept hearing the Sicilian.
Check out my facebook page if you want a laugh about that. facebook.com/TheSirWillow
i read this as i was watching and holy crap he sounds just like him!!
He could honestly pass as a younger Wallace Shawn! He looks and sounds like him
When I went to Epcot with my wife, she was pregnant, and we asked to take a picture with Chip 'n Dale kissing her belly. But they said no, and the photographer explained to us that they couldn't do it.
Great video. I know some people complain about rules like this but I'm grateful that these exist, and glad that Disney adheres to this.
This was fascinating! All the little things that I would never think about from a photographer's standpoint. And from a PR standpoint too on Disney's side.
Woah there’s so many things I had never even thought about! But being a Photopass Photographer sounds like such an interesting job!
Thanks for making this video. I am a former Disney cast member who was on the opening Photopass crew. Watching this video was like a flashback to my Photopass cast member days in 2005-2006.
At the time I worked in the Photopass division, those FCUK t-shirts were really popular, and I was constantly re-positioning guests to avoid showing the logos on those shirts. At the time I worked there, we were also strictly forbidden from taking photos of the Seven Dwarfs, as Disney had some sort of licensing issue with those characters.
Other photos we couldn't take included photos backstage, photos where there were wardrobe malfunctions (on either the guest or the character), photos which showed cast members sitting down or holding drinks, photos where guests had spilled food or drinks on themselves (happens more often than you think), photos where it looked like the family was fighting (for example, the dad with his hands around his son's neck), photos where children were crying, photos where characters from different universes were in the same picture (except princesses, which were somehow okay), photos where someone was doing something inappropriate in the background, and photos that showed too much skin.
I was very excited to be on the opening team; unfortunately, several of the managers at Photopass at that time were extremely mean. I left the Photopass division in 2006, and always wondered why that department was so messed up. I'm glad, though, that the program continued; it provided a great service to guests.
Thanks for posting! You caught a number of the things that I missed or left out. 2006- I wonder if we crossed paths at all. I started in June and was posted to MK at that point. The nice thing was that for me in 2006-2010 most of our managers were raised up out of Photopass, so they were pretty good (only had issues at all with one or two). That started to change though when entertainment absorbed Photopass and started putting their own people in as managers. Those first years were great ones, at least for me. I've heard from others that stayed that it changed quite a bit after I left.
I knew from the video that you had to have worked during "my" era, just from the original purple Photopass card you held up in the video (I still have some, from accidentally leaving them in my uniform repeatedly).
I don't think we ever met; I left in March 2006, and I would have remembered you, though it's cool that we worked basically during the same era. When I came to the department, there were just 50 cast members in the department and it was still a pilot program that was phasing out Kodak. Everyone knew each other. Then the program grew, they added 300 new photographers, my old manager left, and my new manager never even bothered to learn my name. I always saw him look at my name tag before he said my name... and he only had eight people under him. So frustrating! He wasn't the worst one, though; there were a few managers that were way worse than that.
However, I also have very happy memories of the program: some great "friends of character X" who were so fun to work with, making little kids smile by giving them stickers, the whole Make a Wish program, people coming from all over the world, Asian girls always making the "peace" sign, magic shots, fixing botched images so they were saleable to the guest, helping people, and taking a record 1,960 photos in a single 16-hour day! Good times.
Thank you, Sir Willow, for uploading this video, which totally made me revisit memory lane.
Love the stories from that era. I'm hoping to put together a "history of Photopass" at some point. it's been on the burner for a while now but just haven't managed to get it done. So I might be bugging you with some questions since you were in that time period.
Did you have the pleasure of the brick?
You are welcome to "bug" me with questions any time, Sir Willow!
Yes, of course we had The Brick. We also originally had a bigger, heavier PDA than the ones we later used, and we also had to carry tripods through a china shop, as our HQ was originally behind a shop on Main St (last time I was visiting, that location was a glassblower's shop). With cameras strapped to our necks, The Brick, the big PDAs, the tripods, the spare Brick, the radios, the batteries, the extra batteries, and whatever else, we were loaded down!
Most of these rules I'm going: "DUH".
I actually got a great photo of Tigger giving me bunny ears, but I knew it was coming, so I looked up and laughed.
One of my favorite pictures ever.
As a photographer and Disney dork I found this fascinating!! thank you for sharing this!
As a Photographer who is not a professional but more than an enthusiast, and loves Disney World I loved watching this. To often people don't realize what a photographer must do to get the shot. Even in what may seem the most simple situations. You have gained a new subscriber.
These videos are really fun to watch its cool to see the backstage side of these parks
wow...now i know how to aggravate a disney photographer....mission established lol
jbfansa There's always one in every crowd. 🙄
TAYLOR WOODRUFF this isn't tumblr
TAYLOR WOODRUFF ? From what.-.
As Barney Stintson from How I Met Your Mother would say "Challenge accepted." XD
It sounds like being a photographer at an amusement park would be alot of fun. Wonderful to see families having a fun time.
I have been going to WDW for YEARS and love this stuff. And dangit, I DO remember the guy telling us to move in front of that guitar!!
I was at a restaurant in Animal Kingdom, me and my fiance had sat down at a table to eat our meal and a group of people sat next to us at a separate table and they were talking quite loudly about how they hate guests and the only people I've ever known to use the word guest are theme park employees and I slowly started to realize that they were PhotoPass cast members who were visiting the park and they were talking about how PhotoPass sucks and how they will sometimes purposely mess up the photos and how they hate certain kinds of guest and how they will miss the special moment with the family and they won't take the picture of It, then realized one of the people that was sitting with this group was the PhotoPass person the day before that I was taking my pictures and i then discovered why I had messed up and missing pictures. I guess my point in telling this story is have you ever worked with someone like this and what is your solution if you notice your PhotoPass person not taking pictures like they are supposed to.
+Erica Smith there were a few. Very few. They usually didn't last long before they left or were "encouraged" to leave. In a case like that I absolutely would have reported that to guest relations. For them to talk that way in the park could lead to termination, and I feel like that would be deserved in this case. Any other info you can give would be nice as well so they can track down exactly who it was.
Oh so the characters can give us bunny ears, but we can't do the same to them? Double standard much?! Ha ha just kidding. Still though, I never really got why the whole bunny ears with characters thing was such an issue? Could someone explain this to me please?
Disney loves double standards, employees are not allowed to wear mustaches even though Walt himself had one!
Zach Harris it may be because you don't know guests' intentions, whereas characters like Goofy and Gaston and many more are known across the world as the silly type and therefore people would see it as a harmless prank. Like they'd expect it from a silly character that they know. Yknow? That's just a guess though 😂
+Ambitious Zoku They consider them a sign of bad character.
Some facial hair is allowed now, but it is still extremely strict defining specific shapes, lengths and the color must look natural.
Just as a side note, almost all Disney Villains have facial hair.
I'm a 59 year old Disney Super Fan. Where were you when I needed to know some proper Disney etiquette???. Thanks for being here.......Now I have to go back and apply what you taught me......And my grown up children.......Subbed!!!
Buying the photopass was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. Money well spent, great photos, great memories, some of which never would have happened without those photographers.
Hey Sir Willow
I am from the UK and am pretty sure you took the photo pass photo that adorns our piano. We were in WDW in 2007 and you were the first cast member we spoke to. You arranged us and even took the photo using my own camera. So thank you. People like you made the 3000 mile trip worth while and totally magical!
Awww, that makes me feel so good knowing I could have blessed you. That was the best part of the job. Since it's on your piano I'm guessing I did good. :-) Thanks so much for sharing. I'd love to see it if you don't mind sharing it. (my facebook page works for that ifyou'd like. You certainly don't have to. The link is in the video description.)
You just got a brand new sub! This is a super fun channel! Keep up the amazing work!!!
Slytherin Unicorn Ha! I'm a Slytherin!
I've gone to WDW many times and I gotta say the Photo Pass photographers are some top shelf employees. I can't say I've ever heard a remotely negative word from any of them. Always polite, fast and eager to get you that perfect shot.
So this explains why a few of the photopass guys asked me to position my arm in a manner I thought was a little strange. I was wearing my festive Grand Marnier shirt!
More than likely. :)
it was really nice to hear that juggler took his time to pose with kids at the park!
What kind of rules are there for people that aren't characters (regular cast-members like photographers and janitors) being in pictures with guests? Let me give an example: a few times when meeting a character, I like to ask that their photographer/handler steps in and I take a selfie. So far I haven't had a character say "No, that's not allowed." But I have had photographers that said they weren't sure it was okay, and I had to ask the character. I also had two cast-members that looked like supervisors of some kind (they were carrying clipboards) say they wouldn't be in my picture with Rabbit. I also had one guy ask me to delete the photo after I mentioned what I was planning to do with it.
I do it as a sort of "Thank you", because the cast members make the parks possible. I even made two RUclips videos about it (they are still on my channel). Have I been breaking the rules this whole time, they are just too polite to say so?
Cast members in costume aren't supposed to be in any pictures with characters. And they aren't supposed to be in photopass pictures either. Out of costume (their work clothes) is fine, but not in it. However, you should be perfectly welcome to use your camera to take pictures of cast members while they are working. The reason they asked you to delete it after they found out you would put it online is because if they are seen in their costumes in a photo with the characters, then it could cost them their jobs. (and just a name tag and/or Disney ID is enough to qualify)
My Dad took a picture with a First Order Stormtrooper once and the guy acted like he was choking my Dad, and my Dad had his mouth wide open with his tongue sticking out. Seeing the picture, you can obviously see that the trooper's hands are no where near my Dad's throat, but the photographer would not take the picture until my Dad put his tongue back in his mouth. I was actually surprised that the photographer took a picture depicting a stormtrooper "choking" my Dad. It really was a funny picture though. Great memories.
"No photos of dangerous behaviour"
"Mickey! Mickey! Watch me eat this fire!!"
But I guess standing on trashcans probably happens more often.
Best photo with a chracter and logo tee shirt I have seen? That one floating around with someone in a Dead Mau5 tee and poor Minnie looking horrified XD
dangerous behavior could be tossing a kid in the air, doing flips, jumping off of walls/ rocks or a variety of other things. A Disney photographer taking a photo of that could be considered endorsing it, which could lead to a variety of problems. That's why it's not allowed.
But I would have loved to see a fire eater with Mickey!! LOL
Just love this guy, and I'm pretty sure I've seen him when I went to Disney several years ago! Disney needs to clone about 10,000 of this guy and load the park up with him!
I run into the issue when my kids fall asleep waiting in a character line. But usually the characters are cool with leaning over the stroller to get a picture.
I think your videos are actually really cool and helpful! It helps alot to know all this stuff and save the embarrassment from yourself. lol.
liking the new intro!
I'm into photography and I love Disney so much! I have been wanting to be a Disney photographer and this video was really interesting. I love behind the scenes of it all.
I use to be a photopass photographer. I remember having a fun time with the guitar at studios. I loved working Epcot for some reason. The energy there was so calm.
Loving the intro! I love watching the evolution of the channel bit by bit.
Thanks! It is fun to go back and look at those first videos and see how much I've learned and improved already. Still lots of room to doing things better, and I've got some ideas about other things I want to try in the future as well. (think greenscreen if I can get one! :-) )
You're welcome! It's so exciting! I really love your Disney videos, especially now that I'm living in Florida, haha. "Look at the castle!" has become a family tradition now, thanks to your vids! Greenscreen is great! I can recommend some good and affordable products if you're interested! (They've worked great for me!) It's super fun working with it.
You can't take photos of cheerleaders doing stunts? Wow! That good to know! My cheer team is going next year and they all wanted to stunt. Thank you for the info!! Always good to know😊😊
Disney Dreamers not only can they not take pictures of it, but if you are doing stunts in the park you can get in trouble and possibly kicked out. don't do it. :-)
As someone who has gone to kennywood since i was a child, I love love love the kennywood book you have in the back :)
i love your "did they really just say that??" guest stories lol, i would love to see more of those in the future haha
I'm working on another one. I had hoped to have it done earlier, but losing my "filming location" for the week and a half threw it off schedule. Hopefully within the next 2 weeks. :-)
They covered up my Genie shirt when I met pocahontas! I guess different movies
This was actually pretty interesting! I can't quite figure out why the bunny ears are forbidden, and why characters can do it while guests cannot. But I think there are boundaries and limits that all photographers should respect. Everyone should have a safe, positive experience.
It's hardly a profane gesture or anything, but it is essentially mocking the person you're doing to. For a character to do that to a guest, it's all in good fun, but a picture of a guest doing that to a character could be viewed as mocking that character, and in extension, Disney itself. My guess anyway.
Always amazed at how much time and effort goes into Disney's brand control - I highly doubt other local theme parks are anywhere near as strict with their photographers.
Pastor's kid over here! I subscribed after I heard you were a pastor XD
Thank you! These are good to know! My little girl loves to give bunny ears in photos. I'll make sure she knows not to at Disney world so that we don't lose some of our pictures...lol.
6.So That's Why My Everest Photo Wasn't On Our App
Fellow Photopass photographer from long ago ('06-'08 @DAK & MK). This was my first video to watch of yours, but it brought back so many memories. It amazes me how much there was to remember of spiels and rules and working as fast as possible with the characters.
06-08? I wonder how many times we crossed paths. I only worked at DAK a handful of times, but I'll bet we worked together at MK here and there.
I'm sure we have. My base park was DAK, but I worked all over when I could get a chance, including resort dining. Epcot and DTD were the only two places I didn't work. My last six months were at MK, and I loved getting the Magical Moments position for the day.
May I ask you a question? How do you feel about full grown adult males who wait in line to meet the princesses? Thanks! Yeah, I do that a lot.
As long as they aren't trying to creep/ prey on the princesses, it's not a big deal. Who wouldn't want their picture taken with a beautiful princess? I've got several of me, and I'm happily married.
This channel is so cool! I'm 14 and I've been to Disney 11 times, and I love it!
Paulieag 12 Same! I live in England so getting to Disney is pretty expensive. Before the holiday/vacation started (this was our first trip) my mum swore up and down that she wouldn't go again due to it being so expensive, but before it was even over she was already booking our next trip 😂 It's absolutely amazing there 😍
Wow that's a lot of very specific guidelines but it sounds like a lot of fun most of the time
Love your videos so happy I found your channel. We visit Disney almost weekly
lol, did not expect to get "mentioned" in this video. I live in DC, but I play the Christmas show at Epcot the last 5 weeks of the year! Everything about Disney is thought out in every way possible, a complex machine!
This is so entertaining. How did I not find this channel till now! Definitely subscribing
OMG Mickey did that hands open gesture in the photos when we went there
Just curios, when you said no weird touching or anything. What if a little child was squeezing mickeys nose? Or playing with plutos ears? Or something. I'm just wondering
+SeeU Michaelis little ones are fine. It's the ones old enough to know what they are doing that I'm referring to. :-)
You sound like the home room teacher from the movie "Clueless." And I mean that as a sincere compliment! Interesting content. 👍👍
Why have I just found you now, you're fab and I've just subscribed 👍🏽
Good post, dude! Thanks for taking the time to put it together!
this video really helped me out! I'll be going to Disney soon so it's nice to know all the do's and don'ts of taking picture's, so it can be smooth and easy!! X)
That's a lot to memorise and have to mentally "checklist" when you're shooting 100+ shots every day. Hopefully you were well-compensated and appreciated!
+Phil Ollenberg try 1500 to 3000 photos most days. :-) we could do 30 to 50 families an hour, or more, depending on where we were working. :-)
as someone who wants to be a photopass photographer, this was really interesting and helpful for what to expect!
I love your channel. Brings back good memories of Disney, and it's so fascinating to hear an inside take on it
Been a PhotoPass photographer since it's opening here at Disneyland, Anaheim back in 2006.
😁 Best job I've ever had.
Neat, I love the attention to detail that Disney does in EVERYTHING. Thats what makes it the most magical place on earth! I cant wait til September when I get to go on my 5th trip. and since I have AP I'll be sure to get lots of pics.
Yay you have Silver Dollar City behind you
nice video and cool new intro, also verry interesting content I did not expect the clothes thing
My cousin went to Disney and he said that he saw a person with a swastika on his shirt yelling at a photographer because the photographer didn't like swastika guy's shirt... good grief...
Photographer probably didn't just "not like" it. That is one thing we were expressly told we couldn't photograph at Disney, and I'd imagine it is true at other parks as well.
SirWillow Believe me, O wanted to punch swastika guy in the face. But security did it for me.
Very intersting stuff!! I love to learn about these things :P
I used to be in Photopass as well, 2014 MK and 2015 DHS! Love the channel, Subscribed!
Really cool you would go to bad for the guests to make sure they really got the photos they wanted.
They won't have to follow those rules much longer as they're being replaced.
Only a few with character so far. There still over a 100 other photographers out in the parks that still have to worry about them
I went to Disneyland Paris a few years ago I was 10 I think and I got a giant stitch plushy that was nearly as big as me and one of the photographers stopped my family to take a photo and I remember being so embarrassed and awkward it was definitely interesting to say the least...
Wow... Just watched this video and already I have learnt an awful lot especially how to direct people when taking photographs!
Very simple and the key points were clear and precise! Seriously, this information has really helped me (and others) understood the nature of Quality Assurance!
Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge and experience! I do not work for Disney but now that I have witness this video, I feel confident in wanting to capture better images for future events...
in our last trip we had a photo taken with a streetmosphere performer at Hollywood studios with our fast pass. it was not with our own camera. he stayed for a couple a posed funny with us. we did ask him directly if he would join us. so maybe that was an excellent edition to the rule
If the streetmosphere performers, and those in similar roles, gave us express permission we could take their photos, but that tended to be the exception to the rule rather than the norm. In the cases where they did, we would find time later to call in to the office that screened the photos to let them know it was coming through and not to block it. They'd put a flag out for it so it would still be there and make a note that they would send up that it was cleared- all things you wouldn't see as a guest. That was all due to union rules, contracts, and copyrights governing "fair use" of the character, and while there might be some loosing of that restriction it was likely because they indicated to the photographer that it was ok and to go ahead and shoot. :-)
My dad once tried to give bunny ears to Donald, but the Photopass photographer said that wasn't allowed XD
i just found your channel and binged watched like ten of your videos XD. You are so entertaining to watch and seem like such a nice person! I really hope you never run out of content!!
don't worry, I still have lots of stories to tell and things to talk about. :-) It's just finding time to sit down and get the videos made.
What about pointing at each other and smiling as if to say "Oh Mickey, you're quite the character"
thanks, I leaned some things, from watching the video! ☺
Interesting video. I guess you got recommend because I do Disney videos too. I will be watching more of your videos.
Omg I'm a kings island lover I love the picture of the vortex on the left
Well that all makes a lot of sense!
have you ever been a, character photographer or a handler, when an even bigger character, from outside the park,, ever downsized the character you're escorting, ie . Michael Jenson ,ect....
btw love your videos. Thanx for the memories .
I work at WDW and I love your channel
You sound like Wallace Shawn 😭but I love your videos
Nicole G Glad I'm not the only one who thought this lol
ive heard of some odd rules in disney theme parks, but these rules are actually quite reasonable, some parents get really offended with certain things and with such a big theme park you have to be concious of insulting other cultures and you have to make sure everyone is safe to prevent injury.
and i completely agree with how to treat the costumes you see and take pictures of, even though i do not own one, as a furry, i know how much those costumes can go for. and for those who dont know, in some cases were talking low thousands. I cant even imagine how much the costumes worn in disney can cost. i know its one of two reasons why I dont have a suit of my own
Great video. Thanks for the insight!
Were you allowed to take pictures of guests making the “you rock” hand sign? That’s with the pinky and index finger.
yes, we did that one in front of Rock and Roller Coaster fairly often
This is a awesome channel I've only been to disney 1time I want to go back this summer but my mom got back surgery so we couldn't go
Just found your channel. Really enjoy the backstage look into how everything works! It's fascinating! I already hold Photopass photographers in high regards, but my goodness I had no idea how many details you were aware of to have (or not have) in photo.
All sounds pretty reasonable. No bunny ears though? Aww. :) I suppose I see why, but that does seem to push the edge to my mind. I'll admit I'd be amused to have a pic scritching Pluto's nose or (gently!) tugging Mickey's ear, but I suppose hands off policy prevents a world of problems before they start. Plus, as you say, more could be done with a guest camera, so that makes it pretty cool. Thanks for the fun info!
I know that Gaston has girls squeeze his muscles LOL
As a guess of Disney that buys photo pass for my vaction can i request characters to be inserted in the pictures and if so which ones are available. Maybe you can do a video about how they decide what characters they insert.
I just realized your books. I live a few miles from kennywood
You have given us the ins and outs of the hiring process at Disney. Could you do the same with the other parks?
Along with that, give us the process from beginning to end on different jobs at each park.
It's going to be pretty similar from park to park, and it's changed a lot in the years since I got my job. I can't say about other jobs at the parks as I didn't do them.
Love the Silver Dollar City Mug!
I love this guy! I just found this dude, and I LOVE THIS! Amazing channel!
can photopass cast members take pictures for guests with the guests camera even if they don't use photopass?
absolutely!! in fact we preferred to do that so the guest could enjoy their time with the character and not worry about the pictures. We would usually do both, since it's free to use photopass and look at the photos. You don't have to pay anything for it at all until later, and then only if you decide you want to buy the photos.
this is the first of your vids and I'm half asleep...I finally realize the stuff on your right side is from SDC!!!! that park is my favorite park in the entire world!!!! my parents worked their for years.
LOL Some of it is. I've actually got things from a variety of places. :)
god still loves you no matter what your life style...
I imagine giving the bunny ears to a bunny character (I.E. Oswald or Thumper if he were there) would be a wee bit redundant. Especially if their ears were blocking your fingers!