Laptop use at Disney hotels

[SEC]

Has anyone had problems connecting to the internet or any other problems with laptop usage in the Disney hotels. I'm considering buying a laptop because I'm a part-time graduate student and don't want to have to schedule my Disney trips around my class schedule especially since we are DVC members now and we hope to go more often!

[drusba]

Basically, you can hook up any laptop with a modem to the room phone line. However, very important that you have an 800 number to dial into as you can accumulate high hotel phone charges for any other numbers

[DVCJman]

Never had a problem...you have to pay for the call to an access telephone number....if you are concerned enough you might call the front desk for help at the hotel, I am sure they would be of an assistance....

[DebbieB]

I brought my laptop to OKW last May. It was 35 cents a call to an Orlando AOL # (member rate for local calls). After my first call, I checked with the front desk to make sure it came out as a local call (they told me previously any Orlando # is local but I wanted to be sure). Worked fine!

[Werner Weiss]

drubsa wrote:However, very important that you have an 800 number to dial into as you can accumulate high hotel phone charges for any other numbers
Be careful about using an ISP-provided 800 number for Internet access. ISPs with 800 numbers provide them on a fee basis to their users, often at a rate of around $5-$6 per hour. It makes sense if you think about it. The ISP is paying a long distance provider somewhere around $3-$4 for the 800 number usage, and they need to recover that cost (and make a little profit) by passing on the cost to their users.

If your ISP is a national ISP with an Orlando number, you're best off paying the DVC member cost of 35 cents for a local phone call.

If your ISP has a fee 800 number, you need to determine whether you're better off using the fee 800 number or calling a conventional phone number with a low cost calling card, such as the pre-paid cards sold by Sam's Club or Costco.

If you need to make a long distance call to your ISP, you're certainly better off using a low cost calling card than paying the DVC resort's long distance rates.

[normr]

I almost made the mistake thinking that a Kissimmee access number would be cheaper than an Orlando number, cause I figured heck Kissimee is just 10 minutes away by car and Orlando is 30 minutes away and the exchange was the same as the hotel, but it was actually a long distance call since it was in a different county, very screwed up if you ask me, check with the front desk first is the best advice, give them the numbers and let them tell you otherwise you'll get hit with some very expensive ld charges.

[Caskbill]

I first used my laptop while at DVC this past May. My computer program brought up a list of what it thought were local numbers based on the area code I was located in. Then, when I checked the prefixes in the phone book, it turned out some of them would have been long distance. (One of the Kissimmee numbers for example).

When you get to WDW, check the inside of the phone book. It will show you all the telephone exchanges that are considered local for the exchange you are calling from.

You can also check with the front desk just to be sure.

[Cap]

I always do a very short call to the "primary" free number to see if I can connect, what the baud rate is, and what the response time is. Then, if I'm satisfied, I disconnect and check with the front desk to confirm that the call was actually billed as a local call for $0.35.

I've seen some significant variety on the line quality to local dial-up numbers at Disney.

[Disney Adventurer]

I've accessed the internet from Dixie Landings with no problems through an 800#.

[HorizonsFan]

I used my laptop at BWV last May with a local NetZero number. Worked great and cost $.35/call. I actually got a pretty fast connection!

[DisneyAl]

Does anyone have the best AOL local access #'s to use at BWV and VB
thanks