Best way to communicate between 2 family's at different resorts?

[Mike2023]

We are going down to Disney in May, and my family will be staying at AKL, with my friends family at POP.

Now we are both Canadian family's so cellphones are out. (cost way to much)

What ideas have people used int he past to communicate with each other around Disney world

thanks for any help.

[MelanieC]

Cell phones are spotty anyway, although much better these days than it used to be.

I see lots of ppl use the 2 way radio's (like walkie talkie's).

Other than that - I don't see any other way to communicate.

[rentayenta]

I was going to say via text message but I guess two way radios and use the in room phones (free from Disney resort to Disney resort I would guess) when applicable.

[Brian Noble]

You could get a couple of prepaid phones, with no contracts, for not very much money.

[linzbear]

You could get a couple of prepaid phones, with no contracts, for not very much money.
Yeah, that's what I was going to say. Just stop by Wal-Mart once you're down in Orlando and pick up a couple of pre paid cell phones. Walkie talkies won't work between 2 resorts, and I'm not entirely sure how to dial between 2 resorts either (or if it costs anything), I've only done room to room in the same resort.

[scrappinmom]

it depends...if you want to be able to contact each other AT the parks, AT the resorts or both? Ifj ust at the parks, we've used 2 way radios before & that's worked fine. Although if you want to be able to call both at the parks and resorts...I'd suggest what pp's have said...stop at Walmart & get a couple of prepaid phones - they'll be less than $100 for 2 with plenty of minutes.

[Mike2023]

hum, prepaid cell phones, will have to look into that. I would text but it would end up bing about a buck a text.

thanks for the info

[Brian Noble]

Just stop by Wal-Mart once you're down in Orlando
You might even be able to order a couple delivered to you up north.

[CanadianGuy]

Have a look on the Canadian Board here on the DIS.

I'm with Rogers and in the past have purchased a 'US roaming add-on' for the month of my trip. 240 minutes was I think.. 75$ or something like that?

Bell offers a similar package but it is limited to 100 minutes for 40$.

Both services include all roaming and long distance fees in those packages.

Absent that, you can get the prepaid phones when you arrive in Florida or order them from TracPhone ahead of time and have them shipped to your resort.

I'm moving this to the Canadian Board - you'll get the best answers there.

Knox

[CanadianGuy]

One other thought - Disney no longer charges for 'local calls' so if you were just calling room to room from resort to resort.. that wouldn't cost ya anything..

[Robo]

Cell phones are spotty anyway, although much better these days than it used to be.

I see lots of ppl use the 2 way radio's (like walkie talkie's).



I contend it is exactly the opposite, these days.

Few walkies, more cell phones with much better service than the walkies.

The walkies are virtually worthless if guests are at two somewhat separated resorts, or if one group was at a park and another was at a resort or other park.

[Ham Ham]

Get local prepaid mobile phones in Orlando this way you can call the phones to from your resort. Also cheaper to text and call back home with the prepaid phone.
Hit the Virgin store in DTD phones start at $10 then buy some air time.

[Mike2023]

I like the cell phone idea. Anyone know if you can get anything like this at MCO?

I thought the Virgin store at DTD was closing, so I dont think it will be around when I get there.

[Ham Ham]

I like the cell phone idea. Anyone know if you can get anything like this at MCO?

I thought the Virgin store at DTD was closing, so I dont think it will be around when I get there.

You can order them on line at Virgin and have them shipped to your resort.

[CupidsKiss]

We tried to use walkies in Disneyland. Most of the time we missed hearing the others keying up. When we did hear someone it was usually strangers on thechannel. Kids would key up saying "mom?" and six of us moms would be answering!

[Sillyminny40]

Our teens' MTS texting is included in the U.S. We are using those.

[Ham Ham]

Our teens' MTS texting is included in the U.S. We are using those.

Double check with your carrier to make sure this is still their policy.

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

hum, prepaid cell phones, will have to look into that. I would text but it would end up bing about a buck a text.

thanks for the info

What carrier are you with? We have Telus and have one of the text bundles where you can text anywhere in N. America so we aren't charged extra for texting when down in Orlando.

[Sillyminny40]

Double check with your carrier to make sure this is still their policy.

Yes, I was in there on Thursday and they said YES for Florida. No problems.

When my kids were in Minnesota they texted like mad and no charges. Their friend had a $300 surcharge who has a different carrier. So very good advice to specifically ask about your plan.

[ericsgm]

After doing a little research, we wound up with 2 Tracfones ($9.99 each) and a $20 airtime card for each one. You can buy this kind of thing just about everywhere from gas stations to grocery stores. There is no activation cost, and you can reuse them on a subsequent trip, give, lend, or sell them to some someone else who's headed across the border. I actually had a friend buy them when he & his wife were in Florida a few weeks before our trip. So, they used them to stay in touch with each other and home. We used them between our travelling party and home and still didn't use up those airtime cards. The time will expire if we don't add more minutes, but we don't care since they can be reactivated.

Can't beat the price and convenience, and we've no worry about being out $$ if they should get lost or broken during someone's travels in the future. They've paid for themselves to us, already.

[ahalla]

If you have bell phones with 10-4 capabilities I would go that way. It works like walkie-talkies but there is no interference. You would have to subscribe to it, if only for a month, and then cancel it when you get home. Once you subscribe to it, you can 10-4 anyone in North America for no charge. We did this on our recent trip. We were able to stay in contact with family at home who had these phones and since both dh's parents and my mom came with us (all having 10-4 phones), we were able to keep in constant contact.

[tricia]

If you have bell phones with 10-4 capabilities I would go that way. It works like walkie-talkies but there is no interference. You would have to subscribe to it, if only for a month, and then cancel it when you get home. Once you subscribe to it, you can 10-4 anyone in North America for no charge. We did this on our recent trip. We were able to stay in contact with family at home who had these phones and since both dh's parents and my mom came with us (all having 10-4 phones), we were able to keep in constant contact.

We do the same thing. Mom, dad, DH, I and my DB all have 10-4 phones and we activate them just for the months that Mom and Dad spend in FL. They are great.

This year Mom and Dad will not have a land line in the Condo they are renting, so we will be using 10-4 a lot. The only problem will be with contact with my grandmother. She likes to hear from my mom every day or so, and that gets expensive. Are the long distance minutes reasonable on a prepaid phone? How about incoming calls?

[minnie56]

We are with Bell..3rd week in Dec 3 of us were in WDW and my DD22 was in NYC. We bought the Florida calling (or something like that??) plan. $40 per month, 2 month min. It included 100 mins per month and we added unlimited texting for I believe $10? We chatted non stop and texted each other cell to cell...it worked great!