Disney Photopass

Let me start off by saying that: "Nobody does it better than Disney". But as with everything, they do the good really well and (as far as you and I are concerned) they do the bad really well... umm, as well. I'm talking nickel and diming, here. Nobody does it better.

Take Disney Photopass for instance. All mouse-eared, camera-toting cast members will be happy to give you a Photopass card if you ask. An incredible idea in it's own right. This card, which is similar to a hotel key card, has a barcode on it. As the professional photographers capture your memories throughout all parks, you can let them snap a picture, then hand them your card and they will scan the barcode tying it to your professional quality picture. You can then go to the Internet, punch in your code, and see all pictures instantly. You can crop these pictures, add borders, add captions, send the pictures to loved ones, and buy professional quality prints. But here's the kicker: the pictures are only available for 30 days, AND you can't download them. As Scuttle from the "Little Mermaid" would say, "DO YOU HEAR WHAT I'M TELLING YOU!".... You can't download them. Well, they don't make it easy anyway.

Why do they do this? Ok, I know why, but really, is it necessary? I'm not trying to cheat, here. I know that I would much rather have the real prints rather than the low quality JPEG's that are out there on the Photopass site. I'm a Dad. I see the importance of the real thing. But I'm also a Dad on a budget, and I just went to Disney World. I'm still paying for that damn trip. And now I have to pay a minimum of $12.95 for a 5x7 of each print. I'm also a Dad that doesn't like the idea of Disney World deleting my precious children and sending the digital memories into the ether just because they know how to write code to disable the "right-click" button on the mouse (the computer mouse, not Mickey). Had I been allowed to download those pictures, I would have happily paid top dollar for the 2 or 3 of the best ones to place on my mantle. Now, I'm just annoyed.

I wouldn't be so mad if I hadn't asked. I, however, did not ask the question properly. When I was at Disney, watching them set my children up next to Mickey, Minnie and Pluto, I specifically questioned whether or not this would cost me anything. They said, No. And it didn't. Unless, of course, I wanted to keep the memories for more than 30 days. Then I had to pay dearly. "This is the Internet", I thought, "I could download some and buy the ones I really like". Yes, I thought that even then.

But I've been bamboozled. I couldn't right-click, I couldn't save, I couldn't download.

Again, I understand the game. I just don't like that I'm being forced to play. Having said that, though, as an amateur Capitalist, a piece of me chuckles at their ingenuity. Still, we have to be careful when we choose to play by these rules. Disney (and Kodak, by the way) would have possibly made more money off of me if they had charged me for the card and something like 2 cents a photo. Or better yet, if they had let me download all I wanted, but still charged me for the prints, I would have been happy to pay. I'll still buy one or two, but I can honestly say, that 3 or 4 would not have been out of the question had I been able to download. Also, keep in mind, that when I go back to Disney, you can bet that I'll be hesitant to use this service out of principle.

It took a while, but I figured it out as I'm sure many others have. The trick is to ignore trying to get the picture you're viewing and go after the pictures that will come up before and after the one you're viewing. In case you're wondering, here's how to buck the system:

• Log into your Photopass account and bring up a larger version of one of the pictures.
• Choose View --> Source from your browser.
• Find the JavaScript preload function within the code.
• Look for the next.src and the previous.src url's under the preload function (this will be the previous and the next pictures in your group of photos).
• Copy the url without the quotes. It will start with: https://disneyphotopass.go.com/DPI/proxy.aspx?asset= and be followed by a bunch of numbers and letters.
• Go back to the browser that has Photopass opened, clear out the address, paste the address you just copied and hit Go.
• When your picture comes up, right-click it and hit Copy (NOT Save As).
• Open any image application and Paste the photo.
• Save it from there.

This will work until Disney figures out that people figured it out and takes that away too.

"I Don't Think That Word Means What You Think It Means"

I'm beginning to think that you're not who you say you are. We may have our business practice differences, but I think that my real old boss would be man enough to contact me in a capacity where I could respond. You're just a wannabe.