Cell phones in Parks

[thatdarncat]

How is the cell phone reception in the parks? I know everyone's reception is different but sometimes there are cell phone blocking devices and I wonder if there are any at the parks. I will need to check in on someone once in a while. ALSO, JUST A SIDE NOTE... I HATE when people use their cell phones in the movies, and other places that distract people. Please tell me there aren't alot of cases where people are on their phones ON THE RIDES! OOH, that would bug me!

 

[wildernessfamily]

I can only speak for Epcot, we had a trac phone and a verizon phone and our reception was sporadic in the countries. That was in November. But we could call at times.

 

[2dogmom]

When I was at WDW two years ago, I didn't have any problems from MK or AK. I did have problems from my resort (AKL) when I was in the room, but once I went out on the balcony or closer to the window (While still inside) it was much better. That was with AT&T Wireless.

 

[homeschooler]

we have Nextel and like you said, there are spots. We could two way each other but we were trying to meet up with friends and we two wayed them and we couldn't get them. I was able to call my parents who were babysitting a sick animal without trouble.

Lastly, I AM HAPPY TO REPORT that I saw no inappropriate use of the phone. Never in a restaurant (not sure ever in a building of any sort), never in ride lines, etc.

I was moderately peeved at the well dressed, well groomed men on the phone but that is my personal peeve because it took me 3 years to get my DH to stop calling the office multiple times a day.

 

[krafty]

The only reason I bring my cellphone with me is to make long-distance calls and to get in touch with the towncar company, otherwise the phone stays in the room. I'm on vacation, and don't need to be that accessable to anyone!

 

[Steve Hurley]

I use Verizon and have had great reception in all the parks. I even got a call as I was waiting in a SM rocket (ride was down) waiting for blastoff.

Even though I'm on vacation I keep my phone with me at all times because my parents are elderly and my college kids are needy!!!!

 

[thatdarncat]

Yes, well they are handy. Some people really need to keep in touch with loved ones or whoever.

 

[Angel16]

We are taking our cell phones to be able to contact each other if we should get seperated. We both use Cingular service. I called their help line and they tell me that Cingular has excellent service in FL. I sure hope so. My DH as a serious heart condition.

Does any one have information on this?

 

[swilphil]

Our group of 10 used cell phones in the park to figure out where to meet up. We had T-Mobile and Cingular. Our phone reception last month was much better than it was the year before. A couple of us had new phones. Our Cingular service always went through. My relatives had trouble briefly with their T-Mobile service but they were in the basement of a hotel.

I always turned my phone off in restaurants or on rides, but you do see others use them occassionally just as you would in any other public place.

 

[MEM]

We have Cingular and DH and I use our phones in the parks only in the rare event that we split up. The reception has been fine.

Unfortunately, I HAVE heard people using their phones on the rides, and waiting in lines for them. One guy I will never forget was standing in front of me at AK loudly conducting business on his cell while his kids waited patiently by his side. His t-shirt said "if you're not at the head of the pack, the view never changes". A good motto for work but not vacation, IMHO. Left quite an impression on the kids where they fall on his priority list.

Most of the conversations I hear (can't help it because the person usually shouts to be heard over the crowds) are to the effect "Hi, this is Jeff. I know you're not there now but if you were there I would tell you that I'm not there either..."ZZZZZ

 

[got2lovedisney]

I have AT&T Wireless and was surprised to receive a call inside Space mountain right by the control booth. (It was a friend I was meeting up with ). The only times I've had to walk out of the room was at ASMo but that was my old Nokia 5160 phone. I haven't had to do that at POP with my new phone.

 

[scrump]

I've never heard people with cell phones on rides. How obnoxious. I had sprint, and the reception was actually pretty good.

 

[Debby7]

There was a recent thread on cell phone etiquette. The general consensus was that cell phones should be on vibrate or turned off inside the rides and not answered until the end of the ride out of consideration for others on the attraction.

I have Verizon service and it has always worked for me ,both inside the room and in the parks.

 

[jade1]

We take 3 Verizon Nation Plan phones. Great reception everywhere and no charge between phones or home (Minnesota).

 

[tigger53]

we have t-mobile and the reception was great in the parks, even from the watery depths of norway in epcot where my cell ended up after falling out of my pocket when exiting the boat.

 

[ScotLady]

Has anyone tried a Sprint phone at the parks?

 

[currycook]

We have alltell and they work fine. Some trouble inside certain buildings but outside they work well.

 

[Mymatisse]

Originally posted by ScotLady
Has anyone tried a Sprint phone at the parks?

We have Sprint and it worked perfectly fine in the parks.

 

[Geoff_M]

We are Nextel users and didn't have any problems with reception in June. I also noticed that the WDW managers I saw in plain view were sporting Nextels on their hips, so I assume that it's in Disney's interest to make sure the coverage is good in the parks.

As for etiquette, the only time I don't use vibrate on the phones (at work, home, or on vacation) is when it's not on my belt. Also, when I comes to Nextel's Direct Connect feature, I also use vibrate and I don't use it in speaker phone mode. It's too bad that Motorola uses "speaker phone mode" as the default when it comes to DC. People have developed the mind set that it's the only way to use it. Using it on a job site is one thing, but we really don't need to hear you and your family member or friend talking as you go down the aisle at the grocery. There's a lady that lives on our cul-de-sac that will set on her front pourch and have long DC conversations with her friends and it drives me nuts when I'm outside playing with the kids.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I used to have Sprint, and it worked OK in MK and AK, marginally in MGM, and I had a very difficult time with service in Epcot.