How to Try Disney PhotoPass Lenses at Home & In Theme Parks

Within the Disneyland App and the My Disney Experience Walt Disney World app, there's a charming feature that you have to try out in the parks and at home. You can have a ton of fun with this feature.

This fun addition to the app has been around for a little while and is included with purchases of Disney Genie Plus at Disneyland and Disney Genie Plus at Disney World. The PhotoPass Lens is also available for some time after the purchase of the Genie Plus service so you can play with the lenses more at home.

The Disney PhotoPass Lenses offering is an augmented reality animation that overlays some Disney characters or theme park fun on top of your phone camera. We have instructions and examples below. Plus, read all the way down for lenses that you don't need to purchase.

Disney PhotoPass Lenses Overview

 

Disney's PhotoPass Lenses add a touch of Disney magic to you and your surroundings with augmented-reality effects. Some of these Lenses are only available in select areas of the parks, while others are available across the Resort. These augmented reality photo experiences were initially launched in a 2021 collaboration between Disney and Snap (the company that owns Snapchat), bringing together Disney stories and characters with Snap's camera technology.

These PhotoPass Lenses have allowed guests to pose as their favorite Disney characters and interact with their environment in engaging new ways, from cooking ratatouille with Remy from Ratatouille to shooting ice out of your fingers like Elsa from Frozen. Even after you get home from your trip, for up to 45 days after the last day of your Disney Genie+ service entitlement, you can still use select Lenses.

To access Genie Plus PhotoPass Lenses, you'll first need to purchase the Genie Plus service either before your visit when you buy your tickets or on the day of your visit after entering a theme park. When you have entered the park, open the app and tap the “More” 3-line icon at the bottom of the Home screen, then tap “Disney PhotoPass Lenses” to find the augmented reality camera with the PhotoPass Lenses. To use these, you'll need to allow access to your device's camera and location.

See some of the fun Genie Plus PhotoPass Lenses you can try out below, like donning a Disney Mickey ear hat with Mickey balloons:

Or, you can become Genie from Aladdin with a PhotoPass Lens that turns you blue! This is a super fun one.

Or, you can unveil your inner villain, like Dr. Facilier from Princess and the Frog with his iconic purple hat:

New Haunted Mansion PhotoPass Lenses

The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland recently closed for construction to add some new additions that will “build on the story and the lore” of the famous ride. The construction will introduce an expanded outdoor queue, a new retail shop, and an elevator exit from the attraction for guests with disabilities. There hasn't yet been a reopening date announced for the Haunted Mansion, and guests are already missing the ride. You can see everything you need to know about the Haunted Mansion expansion in our guide.

Construction walls have gone up around the attraction, and on them, you can scan a code to access new PhotoPass filters! The writing above the code reads: “We have 999 Happy Haunts here—but there's room for a thousand, any volunteers?”

For these special Haunted Mansion PhotoPass Lenses, you don't need Genie Plus to enjoy them, so anyone can access them. Once you scan them, you can try out PhotoPass Lenses that will allow you to become a ghost from the Haunted Mansion.

See some of the spooky characters you can turn into below:

You can try out multiple Haunted Mansion PhotoPass Lenses.

You can even risk a photo with the infamous Constance Hatchaway, though I wouldn't recommend posing with her for too long!

Be sure to try some of these fun PhotoPass Lenses during your next visit!

Plan Your Disney Vacation Today

For the best resource and helpful information for planning your Disney trip, make sure to subscribe to our FREE Deals newsletter​. We’ll provide you with helpful planning information, exclusive Disney deals, and access to the lowest-priced Disney tickets anywhere.

You can find more information on planning your vacation in our guides:

• Walt Disney World Memory Maker PhotoPass, Disney Photo Downloads
• Ultimate Guide to PhotoPass at Disneyland: Tips and Tricks for the Best Picture Experience