Before I spend $300....

[Blue.Fairy2]

So in order to get on internet at a place like Disney would you need a wired modem in your computer? So at Disney a net book would not work unless I have my own wireless carrier.
thanks for helping me through this

just read that ACERS do not have an internal modem...have you considered another brand like Asus, has better reviews that Acer.

this model has wireless and wired:

http://www.amazon.com/10-Inch-Netbook-Processor-E-Storage-Battery/dp/B001GIPSAC


WDW needs to get with the times as most hotels offer wifi these days.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

The Disney resorts do not have WiFi, except some of the convention resorts have it in the lobby areas. The rooms use wired access. None of it is free. You can get a wireless router to use in your room with the wired service.

Actually DVC members staying on points get free internet for the length of their stay so sometimes it is "free".

We purchased an Apple Airport Express for $99 at Circuit City that we bring with us to WDW so we can use the internet wirelessly. Works like a charm for both of our laptops and DD's Itouch.

 

[3boymthr]

We have the Dell mini 10v and love it. Got it at staples for $349 at father's day. It does have the ethernet cable and the wireless modem which runs on 802.11g. If you are planning on running it wireless at home that little g is important. Make sure that you have a wireless modem that transmitts on the same signal. Learned that the hard way.

It also has 3 or 4 USB ports but not CD/DVD drive but you can add this as an option if you buy direct from dell.

Also many of the netbooks come with XP as an option or standard, so the new Windows OS shouldn't be a problem unless you planned on upgrading.

Anyway, some of the WDW hotels DO have wireless in the lobbies and it is free. TEENA, a CM at the BC, posted on the YC/BC FAQ thread that the YC and BC do. Some of the other deluxes do as well. Check the FAQ thread for the resort you're staying at to see if your's does. If it's not noted post the question. People on those threads know a lot about the hotels and will be happy to help you.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

I have an HP mini and I LOVE it. I also took it to WDW in June and it worked very well. All I did was hook up the cable from the closet and signed in. It was $9.95 for 24 consecutive hours of access.

I do have T-mobile@home wireless at home that I use it with and I have no regrets spending what I did for it. I did purchase the seperate Cd?DVD drive, but I never use it. I just use it to surf the web, do my banking and anything else I need to online, all from the comfort of my recliner that I couldn't do with my notebook.

I believe if you have AT&T as your service provider, you can access the Wifi at the McDonald's near the All Stars resorts. I think I could have with either my AT&T or my T-mobile. But that was too much trouble to me.

Oh, and it fit in the room safe with all our other items, so I had no worries.

Suzanne

 

[disney1990]

Is there a reason that you NEED to get on your computer? The McDonalds listed below in BLUE have free Wifi and the one in RED does not.

1 12549 STATE ROAD 535
ORLANDO, FL 32836-6724
(407)827-1030 Visit/Apply DriveIt!
0.45 miles Freestanding N Y Y Y Y
2 1674 NORTH BUENA VISTA DR
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL 32830
(321)206-6569 Visit/Apply DriveIt!
1.06 miles Special N N Y N Y
3 8223 VINELAND AVENUE
ORLANDO, FL 32821-6807
(407)238-0515 Visit/Apply DriveIt!
2.9 miles Freestanding N Y Y Y Y
4 5725 W IRLO BRONSON MEMORIAL HWY
KISSIMMEE, FL 34746-4746
(407)396-6465 Visit/Apply DriveIt!
5.5 miles Freestanding Y Y Y Y Y
5 5498 CENTRAL FLORIDA PKWY
ORLANDO, FL 32821-9774
(407)238-0995 Visit/Apply DriveIt!
5.14 miles Freestanding N Y Y Y Y

 

[ekatiel]

Another thought-- We use DH's Blackberry as a modem. We hook it up to my laptop with a usb cable. DH downloaded a program on the laptop so the blackberry acts as our modem. It works like a charm, and we ended up not having to pay for internet at Disney ! --Katie

 

[britfish]

thank you all so much for your advice. We have been setting money aside for this purchase and because of the online class we decided to purchase it before our trip instead of after. Thank you so much, fortunately we will only have to purchase one day of internet!

 

[homebug]

I have the Acer One Netbook and love it. It does not replace my desktop, which has the cdrom, so if I want to load something from a cd/dvd, I just transfer it to a thumbdrive first, then to the netbook from the thumbdrive.

I use it mostly for internet and email, but I do have MS Office on it as well.

It has the wireless internet adapter, but it does also have the ethernet adapter, which is all you will need at WDW.

I love my netbook - it even fits in my baggallini messenger bag, but I don't plan on carrying it in there often - I'm a little concerned the extra weight might pull the stitching. But, it is coming with me to WDW.

I can buy a $10 add-on package to my wireless data package on my blackberry account and only pay $1.00 per MB for using it in the US. I'm thinking for the amount of time I will use it in WDW, that'll be cheaper than paying 9.95/day.

Good to hear it will fit in the room safe!

 

[Dancemom03]

Anyway, some of the WDW hotels DO have wireless in the lobbies and it is free. TEENA, a CM at the BC, posted on the YC/BC FAQ thread that the YC and BC do. Some of the other deluxes do as well. Check the FAQ thread for the resort you're staying at to see if your's does. If it's not noted post the question. People on those threads know a lot about the hotels and will be happy to help you.

There's wireless in the bc/yc lobbies but not all laptops will be able to access it. We were there last week and the security software or something on DD's acer wouldn't allow her to run it. There were quite a few folks in the lobby surfing happily online while we were there, as well as a few people like DD whose laptops would open it but not allow access (assuming I'm correctly remembering what the kids explained to me, that is).

DD uses wireless at home thru a wireless verizon modem - sure wish I'd known there was that kind of option in the room. We only found the cable and her port is broken so that won't work for her even at home...

In any case, I ended up spending $12 for 30 minutes at the business center b/c the lobby wireless wouldn't work for us. Ouch!