If you have been following along, you know we have been making our way through every Capture Your Moment session in the parks. Each one has had its own magic, but this time at Magic Kingdom carried a weight and beauty unlike any other. We wove in a remembrance for Jewels and our grandparents and took another step in our healing and grief journey.
What is Capture Your Moment?
We are big fans of PhotoPass and love that with the service, everyone, including shutterbug mom, gets in the photos. Capture Your Moment takes it a step further with a private PhotoPass photographer and assistant for a 20-minute shoot in the park.
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Reservations are highly recommended, though you can sometimes snag a same-day spot by checking at the PhotoPass desk.
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Cost is currently $99 for the shoot only. Photos are included with Memory Maker or can be purchased separately.
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For Magic Kingdom, check-in is now at the Liberty Square ticket office. Be aware: we had to wait a bit, which pushed our session start back and shortened our time.
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Once you are ready, you meet with your photog, chat through ideas and then strike your poses while the clock runs.
The Remembrance
This year broke us in ways we are still learning how to carry. We lost three beloved souls—our precious baby Jewels and both of my beautiful grandparents. Planning this trip was hard, heavier than any Disney countdown we had ever done. The kids asked to go, and maybe I needed it as much as they did. What should have been a celebration of Jewels’s successful heart transplant instead became something entirely different. It was both sad and joyful, heartbreaking and healing. This session was one step in that journey of remembrance, a way to bring them with us into a place that has always held our happiest memories.
For this session, we chose pastels and brights, soft colors that felt like joy and springtime. Jewels was “dressed in” pink, framed in our arms alongside photos of our grandparents. We gathered at the castle, the heart of Magic Kingdom, knowing it was the perfect place for their presence to meet our memory-making.
The Review
This was our first morning of the trip, the trip that should have been Jewels’s. Emotions were wobbly, but I am grateful we leaned in and honored her this way. The castle backdrop gave us timeless, iconic shots, but more importantly, it gave us a moment to hold joy and grief side by side.
Our photographer was respectful, sensitive and still playful. He offered space when emotions bubbled over and hugs when they felt right. He rolled with our strollers, pauses, and the size of our party, making sure that while we did not get quite as many setups as in past sessions, we got the ones that mattered.
If you are considering a Capture Your Moment session, know this. The experience is not just about photos. It is about presence. Sometimes that means laughter and silly poses, and sometimes it means quiet tears and a hand squeeze. Either way, it is a piece of Disney magic worth holding on to.
The Photos
What about you?
Have you ever thought about booking a Capture Your Moment session to mark a special season or memory? For us, these photos became more than just pictures in front of the castle. They are reminders that joy and grief can exist together, and that even in the hardest chapters, there is still magic to be found.
If you have done a session, I would love to hear how you used your time and what moments meant the most to you. And if you are considering one, I cannot recommend it enough.
@magicmemoriesmayhem My grandparents experienced the magic of Walt Disney World with us many times. ✨ Our precious Jewels never made it. We had hoped to celebrate her successful heart transplant at the Most Magical Place on Earth. 🩷 Instead we remember them lovingly with photos and magic. #SparkleStrong #ChildLoss #GriefJourney #DisneyWorld #HeartWarrior ♬ Inside Out Joy – Sweet Dreams & D'Michel Leb