Let me start by saying we have always been a photo purchasing family.  We love having every.little.memory of our trip immortalized to look at whenever we get home.  I mean, isn’t everyone like that?

No?  Well, even if you aren’t into getting every single picture, let me tell you why Memory Maker is a must-buy.

1 – Character Meet and Greets:

These attractions typically take a lot of pictures, including that great first shot of your little one running up to give the character a hug.  If you have memory maker, you will have a digital download of each and every one of these photos.  You also don’t have to worry about snapping that moment with your personal camera.  Just sit back and enjoy the moment.

2 – On-Ride Photos: 

Some rides automatically added attraction photos to your magic band/memory maker.   The only way to get these photos is to have them printed in the park or have Memory Maker on your Magic Band.  These rides include Buzz Lightyear, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Test Track, Frozen Ever After, Rock n’ Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, Dinosaur, and Expedition Everest.  One of my favorite photos taken was on Frozen Ever After because you get to see all of our genuine reactions to the ride:

We’re in the last two rows, right before a little drop.  And yes, my husband is doing his protector thing.  And Andrew is loving every moment.  This photo isn’t even available to print.  You can only get it if you have Memory Maker.

3 – On-Ride Video:  

The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Tower of Terror both provide a video of your ride on your Memory Maker.  There is no other way to get this video and it’s a great keepsake!  I love our faces in the Tower of Terror video right before we drop – so priceless.

4 – Meal Photos:  

If you’re planning to attend any of the larger character/show meals,  Memory Maker is a great option to get those photos.  The restaurants no longer print out your photos and bring them to the table for you to purchase (this ended in January 2015).  Now, you can only add these photos to your Photo Pass, and having Memory Maker gives you the digital copies right away.  We loved our photo at Chef Mickey:

The photographer took 9 photos of my family at this stop.  And in 7 of them, Andrew is looking somewhere random.  I had options to choose from for printing and our photo album rather than being stuck with one or two shots that don’t look good.  That’s a big plus for me!

5.  Special Event Photos: 

When you’re in Disney World, chances are there’s a special event going on. Our latest trip was during the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival, and there were so many great photo opportunities with the topiaries throughout the park.  We’ve also been to Disney World during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (about three times because it’s our favorite), Very Merry Christmas Party (once and it was raining, so we NEED to go back…ahem, hubby), and Food and Wine Festival (once).  During Halloween and Christmas parties, the characters are all dolled up in costume.  There are dance parties throughout the park where you can literally dance with your favorite characters.  A photographer is on stand-by to catch all the fun.  During Andrew’s Toy Story Phase, we went to a dance party where Woody and Jesse were the stars.   The look on my little guys face was so amazing…and we have it all captured in photos!

Memory Maker is ideal for those with little ones who will be going to character meet and greets, riding rides, and potentially attending a special event.  I love the fact that it takes the camera pressure off of me and lets me enjoy watching the moments that are all too fleeting when you have small children.   So, if you’re planning a trip to Disney World with the little guys, make sure you take a look at Memory Maker!  It’s totally worth the price for us.