Passholders have had a pretty good day. Recent news of attraction openings, a relaxing of Park Pass requirements, and new night time shows have led to what amounts to be an incredible news day for Disney Parks. The fun isn’t over yet though! Disney quietly announced a new perk for Annual Passholders amongst all the ther news today!
You might recall that PhotoPass was formerly complimentary for Passholders. It was a victim of what I like to call “the perk purge” that has taken place in recent years. Sadly, I’m not here to tell you that free PhotoPass is coming back. However, Disney is giving Passholders complimentary access to PhotoPass Lenses and one free Cinderella Castle Mural of Memories. That may not feel like much but like everything else today, it’s a step in the right direction.
Cinderella Castle Mural of Memories is a particularly great perk simply because it is so unique. The idea was born out of a desire to celebrate Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary in a unique and memorable way. The idea is to gather a collection of memories from the celebration and (virtually) pin them to Cinderella Castle to create a beautiful keepsake. Typically Disney charged $9.99 per photo for this experience but as the celebration winds down, Passholders can pin one photo for free. Pinning a photo comes with a free download of the Mural.
PhotoPass Lenses are also a fun and unique way to celebrate your day! It uses AR (Augmented Reality) in select areas around the Parks to create one of a kind selfies by inserting your favorite characters or surprising magical moments into the frame. Think of it like the Magic Shots you can get from Disney’s PhotoPass photographers, only you get to add the magic yourself! This service was formerly exclusive to Guests who purchased Disney Genie+ (it’s not even included with Memory Maker purchase) but now Passholders can access it free of charge for a limited time!
These new changes may seem small on the surface, but they add up to something huge: feeling appreciated and valued by Disney again after a few years of feeling like nothing but cash cows. We are hopeful that meaningful change will continue at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort. The small things really do add up.
