Epcot phone booths

[LilGMom]

Have they disconnected or changed the numbers for the red phone booths at England in Epcot? Tried calling them today while we were there & I even checked the number shown in the phone booths but the numbers just wouldn't work.

 

[mesaboy2]

Have they disconnected or changed the numbers for the red phone booths at England in Epcot? Tried calling them today while we were there & I even checked the number shown in the phone booths but the numbers just wouldn't work.

They've apparently been down for a couple of months.

 

[mountdew1]

A story as told to a guest by a CM was that the phone company who provides the pay phones turned them into outbound only? They make nothing from accepting incoming calls, and it was costing them money to keep the lines active. Or so goes the story.

 

[elfling8]

Only saw one when we were there a couple weeks ago, and it was an Agent P mission thing.

 

[LittlePoca]

I didn't realise people could ring them!

We were there in Oct and one day I popped into the restrooms in the UK pavilion beside the phone booths. My mum didn't go in and waited outside for me. When I came out, she was very excited, saying that one of the phones had rang just as a guy was walking past, so he picked it up, started laughing, then hung up and walked off chuckling.
She was really excited and made us wait around for ages to see if it happened again!

Is it only park fans etc who ring them? Or do maybe Disney make them ring with a pre-recorded character message (like the ones you get to your room when you have a birthday)?

 

[McDisney]

I didn't realise people could ring them!

We were there in Oct and one day I popped into the restrooms in the UK pavilion beside the phone booths. My mum didn't go in and waited outside for me. When I came out, she was very excited, saying that one of the phones had rang just as a guy was walking past, so he picked it up, started laughing, then hung up and walked off chuckling.
She was really excited and made us wait around for ages to see if it happened again!

Is it only park fans etc who ring them? Or do maybe Disney make them ring with a pre-recorded character message (like the ones you get to your room when you have a birthday)?

They used to be regular phone booths, anyone could ring them. I never witnessed or heard of Disney calling them with pre-recorded messages... though that would have been awesome!

Perhaps the international charges from the UK were costing Epcot too much

 

[PSUGuy]

Many times we'd grab a pint and sit in the R&C patio area, ring a phone from our cell and goof on whoever answered. Great fun, hope they get the booths back in service before Food&Wine this year.

Bill From PA

 

[LilGMom]

They've apparently been down for a couple of months.

That stinks! I know when we were there in Jan. 2013 they were still working. They had a 407 area code so it wasn't like they got any international rates hitting them.

We loved sitting nearby calling asking people how the weather was in England, if we could get some fish & chips delivered, etc. More people would ignore the phone than answer it.

 

[anf002]

When we were there on Christmas we spent almost an hour sitting near the booths and calling the passerbys! It was great fun for use and those who were taking our calls. They had no idea it was us! I'm sad to see the phone booths go

 

[PoohsFan1]

I didn't realise people could ring them!

We were there in Oct and one day I popped into the restrooms in the UK pavilion beside the phone booths. My mum didn't go in and waited outside for me. When I came out, she was very excited, saying that one of the phones had rang just as a guy was walking past, so he picked it up, started laughing, then hung up and walked off chuckling.
She was really excited and made us wait around for ages to see if it happened again!

Is it only park fans etc who ring them? Or do maybe Disney make them ring with a pre-recorded character message (like the ones you get to your room when you have a birthday)?

When we were there in September my DH and both of my kids were waiting for me by the pay phones while I was in the washroom. He said that the phone started to ring and so he answered it. There was a girl (he said she sounded like a teen) on the other end asking him how Epcot is today and explained that she and her family was just there and are now home. She missed being in Disney so much that she decided to call the pay phone and talk to anyone that answered about how their vacation was going. He thought that was strangely cool because he hadn't realized that those pay phones actually worked .

 

[DVC-Don]

When we were there on Christmas we spent almost an hour sitting near the booths and calling the passerbys! It was great fun for use and those who were taking our calls. They had no idea it was us! I'm sad to see the phone booths go

The booths are still there, but apparently are set up for only outgoing calls now.

 

[LittlePoca]

Haha these stories are so funny!

Kind of upset I've only just found out about it all, I hope they do start working for incoming calls again!

 

[LittlePoca]

http://allinwdw.com/2013/03/13/u-k-phone-booths-re-furb/

Just randomly found this - apparently Disney are saying the phones are down for refurbishment