Hi,

We just got back from WDW Tuesday, and experienced something for the first time that has made us very uneasy. We have been to Disney many times, and have previously thought that Photopass was a great idea. This time, however, I have some concerns. On our third day we went to Typhoon Lagoon. The photopass photographer in Ketchakiddee Creek was very creepy, and was following my 4 1/2 year old daughter everywhere, calling her princess repeatedly and acting like a paparazzi after a supermodel. He tried to inititate a weird conversation, and though I am finding it very difficult to describe, he was very weird and creepy.

The next night at Epcot, a photographer followed us from inside the Mexico pavillion at the Kidcot station, all the way to Norway for our dinner reservation, also focusing on my daughter. He would disappear for five or ten minutes at a time, and just when we thought we'd lost him, he'd pop out of nowhere (once actually out of a CM only area, and once by shrubbery) and start snapping more pictures of my daughter. Everytime I made sure to thrust my photopass card at him, making sure I had a copy of everything he was taking. It really started freaking me out, and I started to wonder...do these photographers have access to everything they are taking throughout the day?? Does anyone know the protocol for how a photopass photographer turns in the pictures or how it works?? Could it be possible that they would get to download the photopass pictures to their own computers somehow? I just downloaded my photopass pictures and was horrified that in one shot my husband was lifting my daughter in the air and there is a shot right up her gown of her underwear. I can delete the photo, but how can I be sure the creepy photographer doesn't have a copy??? I am wigging out and don't know who to write or call.

I would be a little weirded out. I don't think they're supposed to stalk you! I think for your peace of mind, you should call and ask them what the protocol is and what access they have. Knowing Disney, they're 100 steps ahead of you and alrady have procedures in place. I would be VERY surprised if they have access to keep those pics. VERY.

In their zeal to take more candid and fun shots rather than posed ones (which I HIGHLY applaud), maybe they're getting a little overbearing.

I'm not trying to turn off you "mommy sense" and in fact, if you felt that it was weird twice, you should follow your instincts. Blow a call in to make yourself feel better.....and report back here too, b/c I am curious as to what they'll tell you.

As to WHOM to call, I'm not sure, but there's surely some kind of park customer service #.......

Did you happen to get these guys names? Or note the day and time of them following you? That info would be great to give if you call and complain. I would call. Call the main number for ressies and such and ask for a better one while explaining your situation. I would also try to get an email from the person you talk to, so you can email your photopass pics to him/her. :) I have never been followed by one before, I thought they were assigned to one spot. I would have probably yelled at the guy and found security while at the park. That is awful.

You know, I soooo should have gotten their names, especially the guy in Epcot. My Mom noticed where he was from, by the time I said if he comes back again get his name, he ran off, and we got in the dinner line. I do know the dates and times though, and can give descriptions. When they have the camera up, it is hard to see the name tag because their arms are blocking it. I almost did say something, because we left the area by the Norway ride where he popped out of the CM area, and went to the bench by the lagoon to wait for my sister. My daughter laid down on the bench in between my mother and myself, and while I was fooling with my cell phone, trying to call my sister, he popped up again in front of us snapping a bunch of pictures of my daughter who was "pretend" sleeping on the bench. I was so frazzled at this point, and I am sure my distress was all over my face and my Mom shook her head and shooed him with her hand. I think he heard me say, if he comes back again get his name, and we never saw him again.

Well, I called customer service, and was directed to photopass where I had to leave my long winded message on their machine. I was told (by the machine) that they would get back to me in 3-5 days. So I guess I will just freak out until I hear back, but will probably write a letter too. If anyone has a better number to call, or works in the parks and knows about the photopass procedures for the photographers, I would appreciate any information I can get.

This last trip I did notice a lot more of them 'wandering' about the parks, so I guess that's trying to be more sponatenous in the photos they capture - but those ones are pretty overboard. Mommy sense is a good thing.

Also, Disney SHOULD be able to tell who took the pictures, so I wouldn't worry too much about not getting their names.

So here is the update. The very day I left my message, I received a message from Bridget, the Director of Operations of Photopass. I was teaching, so my phone was off and I didn't return her call until the next day. She provided me with her office number as well as her cell. I did end up calling her on her cell today, as I always got the machine on the office line.

She was VERY nice and understanding, as well as apologetic. She explained that the photos they take go instantly to the database, so she can see everything those photographers took, the times etc. She did agree that there were two inappropriate pictures, and said she was surprised they had not been deleted already, as they have a team of people who "check over' all the pictures for the day. She asked if I would like them deleted, as my deleting them myself would not actually remove them from the database. I said yes, and she assured me they would be gone from the database within the hour.

She explained also that they do have "wanderers" in Epcot assigned to 3 countries apiece, and that is why we had the same photographer, but that he should not be following us in a creepy way, popping out of "nowhere" etc.

She asked me many questions about both situations, that made me feel she was really on top of it, and I could tell she had not only viewed our account, but everything those two photographers shot during those hours.

She is going to meet with both photographers and promised to call me with the results and reactions of those conversations afterwards.

She also offered me a coupon code for a cd of all of my photopass pictures.

The conversation made me feel much better about the situation, that our privacy and that of all the other guests is as protected as possible, and that the photographers are closely scrutinized and that there will be follow up.

If my gut is right, and there is something wrong with these two, I feel confident that the situation will be handled expeditiously.

That's great that you were provided information about how things work on their side, enough to give you confidence that there ARE safeguards in place. I'm kind of suprised she said she'd get back to you after talking with the photographers, since that could be under the 'employee privacy' requirements -- so don't be shocked if she gets back to you but doesn't 'say' anything.

I'm really glad you spoke up. Mother bear sense is NOT something to dismiss lightly. And nice for her to offer the CD - not that you were expecting anything of that kind - but if she agrees that a couple of the pictures should have been deleted, you clearly weren't just complaining to try to get something out of Disney.

The conversation made me feel much better about the situation, that our privacy and that of all the other guests is as protected as possible, and that the photographers are closely scrutinized and that there will be follow up.

If my gut is right, and there is something wrong with these two, I feel confident that the situation will be handled expeditiously.

That is great! It is nice that you had such a positive experience with the Director of Operations. Glad you photos are deleted and it is nice to know they do have a way of tracking who took the pictures. Good for you for using your mommy sense to handle this situation. It was awful what happened and hopefully it won't happen to anyone else.:)

Wow..that's about as good a response as there could've been!