Am I the only one who travels without a smart phone and/or laptop?

[Missy1961]

If I had a smartphone and/or a laptop, I would take them on vacation. I travel by myself, so it would be nice to have something to entertain myself. On my last trip to Disney World, I took my iPod Touch. It was great when I was in the JetBlue terminal at JFK, they had free wifi and I was on Facebook letting people know where I was...it was fun. But when I got onsite, I was wishing I had a smartphone so when I was alone at night I could read email, go on Facebook, etc.

Heck, I took Amtrak to visit family at Christmas time, and I was able to access the internet on the train....so I was able to let my brother-in-law know what the ETA of the train was because it was late.

 

[Alesia]

The reason you're so bad at navigation is most likely that you rely on your phone. The way that people build spacial maps in their brain is by observing their surroundings and learning the placement of things.

Getting directions from your phone short circuits that experience to "TURN LEFT" "TURN RIGHT" "GO THERE" which prevents you from actually building an internal map of where you are.

You could say that your phone is making you stupid, direction-wise.

So you think people never got lost before GPS and smart phones? Seriously? That's completely ridiculous. Some people have a great sense of direction, and some don't.

 

[okeydokey]

So you think people never got lost before GPS and smart phones? Seriously? That's completely ridiculous. Some people have a great sense of direction, and some don't.

Count me as a don't!! I love having my phone with me when I travel. I can make better choices about driving, restaurants, and events.

If you choose not to take yours, that's great. I don't think using technology or not using it makes anyone a better or worse person, or makes a vacation more or less valuable for that person.

 

[jodifla]

We need to check in on our business occasionally while traveling. we tell our customers that we won't be filling orders, but twice our shopping cart has gone down while we were on the road. That needs to get fixed right away.

Also we regularly have customers e-mailing about a problem with their animal. A timely answer could literally mean the difference between life or death.

Our phones and GPS tell us traffic and weather conditions ahead. I guess my phone has made me too stupid and unobservant to know traffic is stopped 3 miles ahead!

Good points here.

Leaving our laptop and / or smartphone at home could mean skipping 3 to 10 grand in income during times we've had breaking assignments.

And it could mean the difference in sitting in the airport for a few days during some sort of calamity or nabbing that last connection home.

 

[furb & dez]

So you think people never got lost before GPS and smart phones? Seriously? That's completely ridiculous. Some people have a great sense of direction, and some don't.

Wow, I'd love to see how you justify your little leap of (il-)logic on that. Care to actually read the post (and who I was commenting about) before you jump to a conclusion?

 

[budafam]

Nope! I don't have the internet on my phone.. in fact I JUST had texting added a few months ago... still not really that great at it. I have the mentality that we lived 10 years ago without it, why do we NEED it now. I see way too many kids glued to smartphones in the parks.

I do have a laptop that I bring along but it's for the sole purpose of dumping my memory card every night. I don't pay for internet access while on property nor do I use it while flying. It's only for dumping of my photos because I'm a bit of a picture lunatic.

 

[secretpantssam]

I simply can't justify paying a monthly data plan, so I don't have a smart phone. I do have an ipad I got through work that will pick up free wireless, so I can bring that at trips and check my email if I can get free wifi, but most of the time I don't count on being able to do that.

 

[pixiewings71]

Wow, I'd love to see how you justify your little leap of (il-)logic on that. Care to actually read the post (and who I was commenting about) before you jump to a conclusion?

Now I have to know why it matters? You posted to me, I responded......I basically said exactly what she said, exactly what others said, why quote this post in particular? It wasn't the first time you were quoted and replied to......

 

[okeydokey]

Wow, I'd love to see how you justify your little leap of (il-)logic on that. Care to actually read the post (and who I was commenting about) before you jump to a conclusion?

Not illogical at all. Your statement was ridiculous.

 

[Alesia]

Wow, I'd love to see how you justify your little leap of (il-)logic on that.

I just paraphrased what you said. If you find it illogical then I guess we've found some common ground.

Care to actually read the post (and who I was commenting about) before you jump to a conclusion?

I did. Did you read your own post?

 

[Mickey1Fan]

To simply answer the original question.

I do not travel with a laptop or a smart phone. I own a laptop but not a smart phone.

 

[HoneyPooh]

I did. Did you read your own post?[/QUOTE


Remember that this is the poster who has a sig line reading that they didn't find enough to keep them busy on their first trip to WDW. Tells you everything you need to know.

 

[Styx Fan]

I don't own a smart phone, nor do I really miss having one. I'm a SAHM and have access to my home computer most of the time. I really don't need to use the internet when out and about. If it was free I would probably get it, but for my life it would just be an expensive toy. We do have a laptop, and do take it on vacation. Pretty much to use for tourist info and booking hotels for our return car trips.

Sorry to hear one of the previous posters has had difficulties with his non-connected friends calling him to look up items on the net. We get by just fine using our phone to call businesses for info or using books, brochures, etc. And none of our friends ever called us for this kind of help before they had smart phones.

Amen to the other PP who remarked about knowing folks who have all the latest high tech toys, but yet seem to always be in trouble paying bills. These gadgets are great if you can afford them. But if you can't (or choose not to and put that money elsewhere), life can be lived just fine. I still feel lucky to actually have a cell phone....I'm only 48, but never thought 25 years ago I would be walking around with a phone all the time. We don't have cable beyond about 10 channels so we get reception, had dial-up internet until the price dropped on high speed and DH needed it for work. No data phones (DH does have one for work only), no dvr....you get the picture. But we are debt free beyond our mortgage, have savings and managed to survive on unemployment for 6 months 2 years ago without going into debt. My 15 year old wants an I-phone with data so much he can taste it. Sorry, that money is not being spent for him to have a toy on him.

 

[dumbocutie]

We bring the lap top just to check in for Southwest airline so we dont end up being seperated on the flight home dread the C boarding pass. Otherwise we are on vacation.

But I am noting the need for Smart phones is going to increase. You see those little square squiggly info boxes on everything. I am beginning to think that is the only way companies will begin to give out information. Just IMO.

 

[amandank]

I own a smart phone and find it very useful to bring to Disney, BUT, I leave it at the hotel room when we head to the parks and check emails etc. when the kids are sleeping. When I traveled with my sister, she carried her i phone with her and played memory match and other games with the kids on the bus and while waiting in restaurants...not too shabby. We also have played around a bit with the apps that show how busy various parks are and line wait times. Disney also has a smart phone app that shows where you can catch up with different characters !

 

[kaytieeldr]

So you think people never got lost before GPS and smart phones? Seriously? That's completely ridiculous. Some people have a great sense of direction, and some don't.

Count me as a don't!! I love having my phone with me when I travel. I can make better choices about driving, restaurants, and events.

If you choose not to take yours, that's great. I don't think using technology or not using it makes anyone a better or worse person, or makes a vacation more or less valuable for that person.

I'll respond to the OP in another post, but first I had to address this.

Is anybody here, or any friend/family member, with a poor sense of direction still lost? Forgetting the availability now of GPS - before GPS and smartphones and 3G and laptop computers: how many of you with a poor or no sense of direction still can't find your way to where you were going? Did you give up and go home? Did you get help - written directions, ask for help, call (on a pay phone) someone to come rescue you?

Were you trying to get home from somewhere unfamiliar? Did you make it? Or are you still driving around years later, looking for a familiar sight? Or did you just give up, stop somewhere that looked friendly, and started a whole new life?

I have a lousy sense of direction. In five weeks working at a new location, I've gotten lost three times trying to get home. It's not like I end up in another state, but I'm absolutely on the wrong road, going in the wrong direction, and of course I never get lost the same place/way twice. And it's not as if I have an excuse other than that lousy sense of direction. The streets in this city haven't changed in fifty years.

I also confuse east and west, north and south. The only way I'm positive of those directions is standing in the front yard where I grew up with my back to the house; even then, I'm only positive about east and west unless there's snow on the ground. And it doesnt help that 128 east/west is the same highway as 95 north/south!

But I do what's worked for me all my life: if it's safe to stop and ask for help, I do. Otherwise I drive until something looks familiar . But if I ever do give in to technology, it'll be for an actual GPS. The screen is bigger than any smart phone.

 

[kaytieeldr]

We bring the lap top just to check in for Southwest airline so we dont end up being seperated on the flight home dread the C boarding pass. Otherwise we are on vacation.

But I am noting the need for Smart phones is going to increase. You see those little square squiggly info boxes on everything. I am beginning to think that is the only way companies will begin to give out information. Just IMO.

You can pay extra for Early Bird Check In, one way only - the return flight, in your case. Or Guest Services at any park or your resort will check you in 24 hours before your flight, but you have to be there - it's not automatic, and you need your confirmation number. Since this is the only reason you're bringing your laptop, either option should make things easier.

I said I'd answer the original question: last trip, I brought everything. Because I could. I was staying club level at a hotel that normally charges for internet, but not that floor. Laptop, tablet, Kindle, iTouch... if it worked wirelessly, I brought it.

Never again. I spent way more time in the room, doing things I do at home, than sightseeing. Oh sure, I took almost everything out with me - but then instead of enjoying my meal, I was playing a game or checking e-mail.

 

[disykat]

OP here. I definitely would find them useful on some vacations if I had them, but I simply can't justify the cost.

It was just a surprise to me that on another thread there was the assumption that EVERYONE travels with a smartphone and/or a laptop.

 

[dumbocutie]

You can pay extra for Early Bird Check In, one way only - the return flight, in your case. Or Guest Services at any park or your resort will check you in 24 hours before your flight, but you have to be there - it's not automatic, and you need your confirmation number. Since this is the only reason you're bringing your laptop, either option should make things easier.

Thanks for the reply but we are so budget we would rather bring a laptop then pay for early bird check in. Don't want to wait in line just to have staff check us in at whatever hotel we are at. Do not really mind taking the laptop either. Just last week we were in Reno for short getaway did not want to be at hotel at time of our check in, drove to Truckee,CA stopped at McDonalds and used free WiFi to check in and were on our way to Lake Tahoe. Worked out great since we had limited time in town and did not want to hang around at hotel till the check in time. And as you know if you wait only a few minutes past check in time you can end up with Dreaded C boarding pass. Happy Trails to all travelers.

 

[okeydokey]

I'll respond to the OP in another post, but first I had to address this.

Is anybody here, or any friend/family member, with a poor sense of direction still lost? Forgetting the availability now of GPS - before GPS and smartphones and 3G and laptop computers: how many of you with a poor or no sense of direction still can't find your way to where you were going? Did you give up and go home? Did you get help - written directions, ask for help, call (on a pay phone) someone to come rescue you?

Were you trying to get home from somewhere unfamiliar? Did you make it? Or are you still driving around years later, looking for a familiar sight? Or did you just give up, stop somewhere that looked friendly, and started a whole new life?

I have a lousy sense of direction. In five weeks working at a new location, I've gotten lost three times trying to get home. It's not like I end up in another state, but I'm absolutely on the wrong road, going in the wrong direction, and of course I never get lost the same place/way twice. And it's not as if I have an excuse other than that lousy sense of direction. The streets in this city haven't changed in fifty years.

I also confuse east and west, north and south. The only way I'm positive of those directions is standing in the front yard where I grew up with my back to the house; even then, I'm only positive about east and west unless there's snow on the ground. And it doesnt help that 128 east/west is the same highway as 95 north/south!

But I do what's worked for me all my life: if it's safe to stop and ask for help, I do. Otherwise I drive until something looks familiar . But if I ever do give in to technology, it'll be for an actual GPS. The screen is bigger than any smart phone.

For me, getting lost meant lots of stress and wasted time. If I have a tool in my pocket that can prevent that, why in the world would I not use it. The GPS app on my phone is free. Its more up to date then my GPS, and will not require me to buy updates. I feel much more comfortable using my GPS than stopping somewhere I am not familiar with and asking directions.

I had to chuckle about the 128/95 east west thing. I grew up in that area and know exactly what you are talking about.