When you travel to any of the Disney parks your best (and most frugal) souvenirs are your photos (see our Vacation Photo Scavenger Hunt Ideas post too). Disney is filled with wonderful scenery to use as photo backdrops. Make the most of them! Here are some tips and ideas to ensure your photos truly capture the magic of your Disney vacation:

Disney Photo Tips

Don’t just stand in front of things. Interact with your environment, ham it up, strike a funny pose.

Kodak Picture Spot signs are there to indicate traditional poses. Great! However, branch out and don’t just pose in the most obvious way.

There is no charge to use Disney’s Photo Pass. If you register online, you’ll get to see all of the photos the Disney photographers take for you. Disney Photo Pass photos run around $16 for an 8×10, or $14 for two 4x6s. What’s nice is that in doing this, you can get every family member in the shot. BUT… here’s the best tip. If you ask, they will also take photos with YOUR camera. So, you’ve got the photo on your camera and a backup if it doesn’t turn out.

Night time is one of the best times to take photos at Disney Parks. That’s when the castle is lit up and the fireworks shows go on, among other great shots. Before you leave home, practice in taking shots with low light. If you have a DSLR, you may want to purchase an external flash for the hot shoe in your camera (I wish I had). The built-in flash on your camera is almost always too harsh. Experiment with the TV settings on your camera to get the maximum amount of light in, without being too blurry.

Don’t have a fancy camera? Use your phone paired with great photo apps like Instagram, Pic Jointer, and Labelbox to create fun, memorable images.

50 Disney Photo Tips and Ideas

A photo of the moment you tell the kids they’re going to Disney

The night before

In the plane or car on the way there

The lobby of your hotel

The front of your hotel

Inside your room

In front of the Disney Castle (Get the whole family in the shot with the help of a Disney Photo Pass photographer)

Eating your favorite Disney snack

Flowers at Magic Kingdom entrance

The park bench in Magic Kingdom with Roy and Minnie

With a Disney character (plus your kids’ reactions to the character)

In front of your favorite ride

Riding the teacups at Magic Kingdom

In the stockade in Liberty Square

By the wooden Indian in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom

Getting splashed on Splash Mountain (there is a bridge from which you can get a great shot with a zoom lens)

A parade

A fireworks show

Waiting in line

Wearing 3-D glasses

A hidden Mickey

A huge bunch of balloons (from a low perspective looking up)

Kids looking out from behind a totem pole or pillar

Near the troll inside the shop in the Norway Pavillion

Wearing funny hats

By the Viking in the Norway village at EPCOT

On the bridge overlooking the Eiffel Tower at EPCOT

In front of the fountain in the Italy Pavillion at EPCOT

Spaceship Earth at EPCOT (trying to lift it)

Ham it up for the cameras on the roller coasters

Haunted Mansion (in black and white)

In front of Sorcerer Mickey’s hat at Disney Hollywood Studios

The Tower of Terror at Disney Hollywood Studios

With the San Francisco street set in the background at Disney Hollywood

By the big sniffing dog nose in the “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” Movie Set Adventure

The storefront windows in Animal Kingdom

Kilamanjaro Safari animals

The Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom

Use Expedition Everest as a backdrop at Animal Kingdom

The prayer flags at Animal Kingdom

Street lamps at night

A candid photo of the kids fighting (nothing is perfect, even at Disney!)

From the ground looking up

Your transportation

The monorail at Epcot with Spaceship Earth in the background

You and hubby dancing in front of the castle (or him kissing you on the cheek)

Take the same pose of the kids every time you go

Recreate your own childhood photo

If you’re familiar with Photoshop, you can create fun poses like the one above with Tinker Bell in front of the castle in Magic Kingdom

On the way home

More Disney Photos:



