Checking your e-mail from WDW?

[MinnieYC]

I know this has been discussed, but I'm having trouble with the search feature, so I hope you don't mind helping me out a bit.

We are staying at the YC, and we hope to be able to check our e-mail. Last time we were there, there was the option of doing this at the convention center, but it was ridiculously expensive, so we won't be doing this, unless the rate has gone down by a lot, which I doubt it has.

We have a laptop. Is connecting it to dial-up from the room the only option? Any idea how much this will be?

If we bring the laptop, we don't want to lug it around the parks all day, but of course, we don't want it stolen. Is there a way to get a larger in-room safe, or something else along those lines?

Any other ways to check e-mail from WDW?

Thanks!!!

 

[Annette_VA]

Do you have a wireless card for your laptop? YC has Wi-Fi, so you can access the internet throughout the resort there.

I've always just left my laptop in the room when heading out. Never had any problems.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

We always take our laptop and just hook it to the phone line. Everytime you dial-in you get charged for a local call... I think it's 50 cents. Just make sure you dial the correct local # for your internet service provider.

Also, we have always just left our laptop sitting out. But I think it would probably fit in the safe if you wanted to do that.

 

[travellady]

Do the Poly and CR have wireless? I don't plan on checking my email but I get all my news and do all my banking online so would like to connect at some point during my stay.

 

[MinnieYC]

Thanks for the info! We do have a wireless card in our laptop, so that's good to know. Does anyone know if the YC charges for using the Wi-Fi?

 

[safetymom]

Charge to use dial up is 75 cents per call. It is unlimited to be online with each phone call.

If I were you I would invest in a Kensington lock and lock the laptop to some piece of furniture in the room. I don't trust anyone when staying in a hotel.



Found this by doing a search.


High-Speed Access with a Laptop

As of October 1, 2003, Disney's Coronado Springs Resort began offering high-speed Internet access in its guest rooms, at a charge of $4.95 per hour or $9.95 per 24 hour period. Within the next six months or so, all of Disney's convention hotels and Home-Away-From-Home/Disney Vacation Club resorts are scheduled to get high-speed Internet. The projected dates (subject to change) are:

Yacht & Beach Club - November 4, 2003
Contemporary Resort - December 2, 2003
Grand Floridian - December 2, 2003
Boardwalk Inn and Villas - December 30, 2003
Saratoga Springs Resort - January 30, 2004
Villas at Wilderness Lodge - February 27, 2004
Old Key West - April 2, 2004
Disney now offers Wi-Fi (high speed wireless Internet access) in the public areas of its convention hotels. You will need a Wi-Fi enabled laptop computer or PDA to access the Internet from designated areas of each resort. Smart City is the provider and bills the guest using a secure credit card transaction via an on-screen Internet connection. Requires a wireless interface card (WIC), available for purchase in the resort's business center. $4.99 per hour or $9.95 for a 24-hour period.

Locations for Disney's Wi-Fi access:

Grand Floridian - Main Lobby, Convention Center Hallway, Beach Pool
Contemporary - Main Lobby, Convention Center Hallway, Feature Pool
Yacht & Beach Club - Main Lobbies, Convention Center Hallway, Stormalong Bay Pool
Coronado Springs - Main Lobby, Convention Center Hallway, Feature Pool, Francisco's

 

[Annette_VA]

Originally posted by safetymom
Disney now offers Wi-Fi (high speed wireless Internet access) in the public areas of its convention hotels. You will need a Wi-Fi enabled laptop computer or PDA to access the Internet from designated areas of each resort. Smart City is the provider and bills the guest using a secure credit card transaction via an on-screen Internet connection. Requires a wireless interface card (WIC), available for purchase in the resort's business center. $4.99 per hour or $9.95 for a 24-hour period.

Dang, I was thinking Wi-Fi was free, or at least cheaper than the in-room access. Bummer!

 

[safetymom]

Free and Disney just don't go together.

 

[lazarru]

When I was at the AKL lodge last yr I did place my laptop in the safe each day while at the parks. Unless you have a much older laptop that is sized very large you can fit it in the safe, and even have a bit of room for a couple of small items

 

[QBUSH]

We always take DS's laptop to YC - not to access email - when I am on vacation I am on vacation!!!!! However he does enjoy playing games on the plane or in the room while I am getting ready. We have never, ever locked it away. The YC has an incredible housekeeping staff. They do not service the room with the door open - it is always closed so no stanger can pop in on them. The security staff is unbelievable. Once, I lost my room key and upon reporting it to the front desk security was immediately called. They ran a check on the house computers to see who had been in and out of the room during the day while we were at the parks - just to see if my particular card had been used. The report showed exactly the times the door had been opened and by who. The security guy said they do this before we reenter the room just in case something is missing or someone might be lurking. Made me feel a whole lot better. On our last trip in December our wonderful mousekeeper quietly suggested we not leave the laptop on the table by the balcony. We instead placed it out of direct site in the chair and threw a jacket over it.

 

[safetymom]

More and more insurance companies are requiring you to state what you did to prevent your laptop from being stolen. If all you did was move it on a table I don't think an insurance company would pay the claim.

My laptop has many files on it that I use for work. Yes they are all backed up but if the laptop was stolen it would take a long time to get the new computer arranged like the old one.

Take the time to secure the laptop. You may want to think that WDW or at your resort it won't happen but it does.

 

[MinnieYC]

Hmmm...why is it that we're splurging to stay at the YC, yet the idea of paying $5/hour for checking e-mail is frightening? We do have a Kensington lock for a laptop- thanks for the reminder, safetymom. Now it's just a matter of deciding whether we really need to read our e-mail 6 days...

 

[bru_ellman]

When we stayed at CBR last December my modem wasn't working so I used the phone kiosk to check e-mail. Four minutes online for a buck. Not bad and next time I won't bring a computer to Disneyworld.

Originally posted by MinnieYC
I know this has been discussed, but I'm having trouble with the search feature, so I hope you don't mind helping me out a bit.

We are staying at the YC, and we hope to be able to check our e-mail. Last time we were there, there was the option of doing this at the convention center, but it was ridiculously expensive, so we won't be doing this, unless the rate has gone down by a lot, which I doubt it has.

We have a laptop. Is connecting it to dial-up from the room the only option? Any idea how much this will be?

If we bring the laptop, we don't want to lug it around the parks all day, but of course, we don't want it stolen. Is there a way to get a larger in-room safe, or something else along those lines?

Any other ways to check e-mail from WDW?

Thanks!!!

 

[WeLoveEeyore]

We just got back from the Boardwalk and they had a program that for $9.95 you could connect with your laptop in your room for a contiguous 24 hours or you could pay for a smaller amount of time that wasn't contiguous, just counted when you logged on.

You could also access the Business Center computers, but it was $10.00 for every 15 minutes.

 

[MinnieYC]

bru_ellman- Hmm, a quick $2 for 8 minutes is quite sufficient for my e-mail needs. While I need to touch base, I'm still at WDW to get away from it all! Plus, it'll be nice not to have to take a laptop with us, as we have no other use for it (no games on it, not planning to do any work, etc.). Was the phone kiosk you used just part of the regular pay phones they have near the resort lobbies? Or was this a special one? Does anyone know if the other resorts have this?