Quick, possibly dumb question re: netbooks @ resorts

[Greg K.]

Alrighty! We're planning to spend two weeks at the Board Walk Villas later this month, and I'm thinking of splurging on an Acer netbook to bring along for the trip. I'd like to just check emails and update my blog from time to time. Nothing fancy.

These little beauties come equipped with WiFi ... is there anything else I'd need (like a router or something?) to set this up in our room?

TIA! Any guidance welcome -- and any feedback on your preferred netbook, too. (I'm not committed to the Acer, but online reviews indicate it's got great battery life and does the job at nice, cheap price.)

 

[hcmommy]

Don't know about taking it to Disney but I have had an Acer for about a year and a half and I really like it. It's my everyday computer. I had an expensive Fujitsu before this and it was never a good computer. Terrible battery life, something happened to the motherboard right after I got it and it never really worked properly. I've had zero problems with the Acer so far and the battery life is great. I love how small and portable it is!

 

[marivaid]

Yes, you'll need a router. There's no wi-fi in the rooms (well, not yet, but maybe soon!!!). Or, you can connect your netbook to Disney's internet with a cable that is provided in all rooms.

I've had my Samsung netbook for about two years now (OK I admit it, I bought it cause it was pink...) and I'm really loving it. It has replaced my 17" laptop, and once you get used to the screen size, you can do everything on it. So much easier to carry around than a laptop!!

 

[Rustysmom]

I don't mean to hijack but this thread got me thinking. Does the Dolphin have wi-fi that will let me use my iPod touch?

 

[Sammie]

I have an Acer notebook that I travel with. I love it. I put photos on it, check email, check airline flight times etc.

As stated no WIFI at Disney resorts, there is ethernet though and I use it with my Acer, there is a cord in each room.

 

[metzgardesign]

.....there is crowd in each room.

Well.....that doesn't sound good at all. I go to the room to get away from the crowds.

 

[Sammie]

Well.....that doesn't sound good at all. I go to the room to get away from the crowds.

I really need spell check or something, cord in every room.

 

[tobin04]

You don't need a router! You'll just need to plug in the ethernet cord. And pay the $10 a day or whatever it is that Disney charges!

Another thought-some phones have wi-fi capability's (hot spot). DH has one for work, and he'll probably bring that with us, incase anything comes up that he needs to do. I think my iphone also has hotspot capability-not sure how it works though. But those are other options rather than paying Disney.

I couldn't use a netbook. DH had one, and it was SO frustrating to type on! It is SMALL!

 

[Greg K.]

That my Sprint EVO smart phone can double as a hotspot. I'll check the handbook and see how to get it working. That may be the easiest solution (though I'm not sure if there's additional charges to my Sprint account for that...)

 

[CLR4321]

If you have a cell phone with a data plan, you can tether the phone to your laptop. If your notebook has a cell phone data plan, you can use that. We took our Google Chrome notebook with us last time and it worked great, even in the room at POR. We had a month to month data plan with Verizon that we paid $20 for. Be careful with relying on cell phone signal though - some providers have really bad cell signal at WDW, especially inside of the rooms. My husband had to take his phone outside at POR (where Verizon worked fine) and at VWL. He was using T-Mobile. My friend who was with us uses AT&T and also had lousy, intermittent signal. Worse case, you may have to take the notebook outside the room to use it.

Also will add, you may want to check your data plan limit to be sure you have enough. If you go over, most companies charge ridiculous fees for extra data.

 

[nkereina]

I don't mean to hijack but this thread got me thinking. Does the Dolphin have wi-fi that will let me use my iPod touch?

I don't know about wi-fi but if they do, I'm sure you'd have to pay and login with the user ID provided.

OP: With the cost of internet per day at WDW and cost of the netbook, have you considered just using the business center a few times while there? Especially if you're just checking emails. Not sure of the cost, but just an idea. Of course I'm sure you will use the netbook at home too so it's not like that would be a waste, but just a thought since the Boardwalk Villas is one of the resorts with a business center.

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

I use the hot spot on my phone so I can connect wirelessly instead of using the cable in the room. With Verizon, it's $20 a month feature that you can take on and off when ever you wish.

A plus is being able to use it with our laptop and iPad at the same time.

 

[snykymom]

If you have a cell phone with a data plan, you can tether the phone to your laptop.

How would one do that? And would it work with a Blackberry?

 

[goofy-4-ever]

I thought there were post that said that there is free WiFi if you sit outside of the BRG on the boardwalk. Also, if you are a DVC member you don't have to pay the internet fee.

I found this for WiFi at the Boardwalk, but the fee still applies.

Convention Center Hallways/Common Areas
Main Lobby
Luna Park Swimming Pool Area
Inn Keepers Club Concierge Lounge
Bellevue Lounge

 

[catne]

I don't know about wi-fi but if they do, I'm sure you'd have to pay and login with the user ID provided.

OP: With the cost of internet per day at WDW and cost of the netbook, have you considered just using the business center a few times while there? Especially if you're just checking emails. Not sure of the cost, but just an idea. Of course I'm sure you will use the netbook at home too so it's not like that would be a waste, but just a thought since the Boardwalk Villas is one of the resorts with a business center.

Might as well pay the $10 a day for in-room internet...the business centers charge $10 for 15 minutes (none of the business centers are free. And the wi-fi available around the Epcot resorts is not free either...it is billed to your credit card or room)

The internet in-room charge is $10 for 24 continuous hours, so it is possible, if you can time your usage, to access every day but just pay for every other day. For example: Log in at noon on Monday, to check Monday's email...then log in and out before 24 hours expires --so access it again at 11 AM on Tuesday, logging out before noon. Then don't log in until Wednesday at noon...then log in 23 hours later on Thursday...and so on. You got access to check your email, upload pictures, whatever...on 4 separate days but will only be charged for 2 days.

 

[Greg K.]

I can also do what I've done in the past.

Which is: drive five minutes to Kinko's down on 535 and use the computers there...which are WAY cheaper than what they offer in the WDW business centers.