Disney is really pushing phone usage!

[goofy4prez]

Disney is just looking at cultural trends. Do you know anyone under thirty that is not permanently attached to their smart phones? I for one remember the pre cell days when if you wanted to make a call you needed a pay phone.

Unfortunately this is so true even when they are going 85 mph in a 60 and weaving in and out of lanes. Or going 40 in a school zone while on their smart phones. And it's not just the under 30. Unfortunately we call them "smart" phones, but so many who operate them cannot be described as smart.

With all that said, I have to use my smart phone so much in my course of a day for work and etc. I really don't want to be attached to it 24/7 on my Disney vacation. Unfortunately I will have to lug a battery charger, wear my reading glasses (I'm old and in my late 50's), and try not to walk into somebody else walking like a zombie staring at their phone.

 

[Tri-Delta4Life]

Right? I'm a smack dab middle millennial and have been funding my own trips for over 10 years.

Millennial too and I took my mom and younger sister on an all expenses paid trip over 10 years ago!

 

[snappy]

Unfortunately this is so true even when they are going 85 mph in a 60 and weaving in and out of lanes. Or going 40 in a school zone while on their smart phones. And it's not just the under 30. Unfortunately we call them "smart" phones, but so many who operate them cannot be described as smart.

With all that said, I have to use my smart phone so much in my course of a day for work and etc. I really don't want to be attached to it 24/7 on my Disney vacation. Unfortunately I will have to lug a battery charger, wear my reading glasses (I'm old and in my late 50's), and try not to walk into somebody else walking like a zombie staring at their phone.

Zombie +. Disney missed the mark on naming their best new thing.

 

[kanerf]

Unfortunately this is so true even when they are going 85 mph in a 60 and weaving in and out of lanes. Or going 40 in a school zone while on their smart phones. And it's not just the under 30. Unfortunately we call them "smart" phones, but so many who operate them cannot be described as smart.

With all that said, I have to use my smart phone so much in my course of a day for work and etc. I really don't want to be attached to it 24/7 on my Disney vacation. Unfortunately I will have to lug a battery charger, wear my reading glasses (I'm old and in my late 50's), and try not to walk into somebody else walking like a zombie staring at their phone.

Get an Apple watch as well. A lot of the functions that are on the phone will post to the watch as well and you just have to look at it instead of digging out your phone. I know that the MDE app works on the watch for example.

 

[hedg12]

I'm on my phone several hours a day for work. It's one of the things I go on vacation to get away from...

 

[NotUrsula]

Get an Apple watch as well. A lot of the functions that are on the phone will post to the watch as well and you just have to look at it instead of digging out your phone. I know that the MDE app works on the watch for example.

Um, a lot of folks are annoyed with using the phone because of the eyesight adjustment and the need to switch glasses to see the small print on the screen. Do you really think that using an Apple watch with a maximum 1.65" inch (diagonal!) screen is a better option?

My DH had lasik surgery, his eyes are generally really great now, but small print still defeats him; you'll have to wrench his 6.5inch 11ProMax (which he can see without reading glasses) out of his cold, dead hand before he'll switch to something smaller.

 

[goofy4prez]

Get an Apple watch as well. A lot of the functions that are on the phone will post to the watch as well and you just have to look at it instead of digging out your phone. I know that the MDE app works on the watch for example.

Oh great just what I need, an even smaller screen to try and read. Instead of my cheater reading glasses I'll need a magnifying glass to see my Apple watch.

 

[rideswithchrist]

Ugh. I hate all that. I don't want to be on my phone and miss out on what my kids are looking at and noticing (like the creaking window on Main Street during the fireworks) because we are all face in screen.
We did use our phone last time for wait times, but toward the end of our vacation, we just went with whatever was on the posted time at the queue. My (11 at the time) oldest said "mom...all these kids are staring at their phones- AT DISNEY!, they are missing so much!"

But I guess if Disney is also getting rid of all the street shows, why not offer another distraction.

I know we need phones for things like ROTR boarding passes, but then I am sure I can pocket my phone and just enjoy my pricy vacation.

 

[SteveH]

Oh great just what I need, an even smaller screen to try and read. Instead of my cheater reading glasses I'll need a magnifying glass to see my Apple watch.

I don't disagree but what I've done on my phone & watch is to dial in notifications so me watch alerts me to things I really need to know and others I just get a badge showing me there was an update. Takes a bit of time but now I can do a quick glace and decide if I need to check my phone or not.

 

[ShannyMcB]

Who needs streetmosphere when you can watch people staring at their phones walk into stuff?
I kid...kind of
I get it in regards to checking wait times etc but it can become a safety issue when you are on the move. Not to mention how many times the queue was not moving because of people on their phones.
While in line for FOP a cast member actually said if you stopped to take pictures or were on your phone when the line moved if you didnt the people behind were allowed to go around you. That got the people in front of us paying attention....

 

[lelew]

Who needs streetmosphere when you can watch people staring at their phones walk into stuff?
I kid...kind of
I get it in regards to checking wait times etc but it can become a safety issue when you are on the move. Not to mention how many times the queue was not moving because of people on their phones.
While in line for FOP a cast member actually said if you stopped to take pictures or were on your phone when the line moved if you didnt the people behind were allowed to go around you. That got the people in front of us paying attention....

Having your face in the phone and not paying attention to your surroundings is a safety issue any where in this world and I try to teach this to my 15 year old daughter at all times. But I think She learned her lesson at Hollywood Studios in 2019 near Hollywood scoops ice cream. I was ahead of her walking towards TOT and she was following along but was texting with someone and didnt pay attention to the curb. she missed her step and fell so hard using her phone and arm to break the fall. people were running from all directions to help her ( probably thinking she cracked her face open) fortunately she only came out with a broken phone and scrapes. But I was very hard on her after I knew she was okay that you have Too pay attention, you cant be walking with your head buried in your phone. Look up and pay attention

 

[DISNEY1975]

My (11 at the time) oldest said "mom...all these kids are staring at their phones- AT DISNEY!, they are missing so much!"

We were dining in Disney Springs last week and my daughter chuckled. I asked what was so funny. She said "look behind you. Everyone is on their phone". I turned around. There was a family of 8, all looking down. Sad

 

[goofy4prez]

We were dining in Disney Springs last week and my daughter chuckled. I asked what was so funny. She said "look behind you. Everyone is on their phone". I turned around. There was a family of 8, all looking down. Sad

My wife and I just celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary this past Monday and went out to a very nice restaurant. I said almost the same thing in a conversation with my wife. I told her to look around and see if she saw anything funny. After a moment I told her do you notice how many of these people in here are paying over $100 a person to dine here and enjoy the atmosphere, ambiance, and food, and more than half of them are staring at their smartphones most of the meal.

 

[C&Jx2]

These posts are weird to me. If you can afford thousands of dollars for a Disney vacation, you should have a battery and a cable. Standard for everyone by now.

international is trickier, this is tough with Disney wifi.

Not the point.

Some of us don’t want to even bring them into the parks, let alone be dependent on them for the entirety of the day.

We‘ve gone to Universal the last two years and it was so nice to bring basically nothing.

 

[Steve678]

Ok, I'll admit, I like the convenience of having everything on my phone, park maps, changing dining reservations, alerts when your table is ready and just getting general info. Less paper used printing up all of that information too. Before anyone accuses me of being a millennial stuck to my phone, boomer here with bifocals and/or cheaters if needed and I know how to adjust the screen brightness and font size as needed .

 

[DISNEY1975]

Ok, I'll admit, I like the convenience of having everything on my phone, park maps, changing dining reservations, alerts when your table is ready and just getting general info. Less paper used printing up all of that information too. Before anyone accuses me of being a millennial stuck to my phone, boomer here with bifocals and/or cheaters if needed and I know how to adjust the screen brightness and font size as needed .

General info is one thing, but now it is necessary to buy a drink (at least it was at the Contemporary), they are pushing it to get into your room (magic bands still work, and are way more convenient), get into a virtual line on a ride (soon to be most rides), read a menu at every restaurant etc..etc.. Nothing is more convenient than the magic band and pulling your phone out only a couple of times per day. Not to mention the APP drains your battery so quickly there is no way you can last a day at Disney without 1, possibly 2, full recharges. And, it gets tricky on the APP when you are reading something and ADs come up with the smallest of "X" to get out of it. If you dont tap it just right, you open the AD. This is not the same APP as 2 years ago with just your plans and wait times on it. Its a full website and you have to navigate to each section, sifting through a lot of useless info and popups.

ALSO.... I am lucky to have an unlimited data/talk/text plan. The amount of texts I received about my room and dining reservations was ridiculous. At least 10 texts per room I had (2). Every dining venue sent me reminders then wanted my cell phone number to text me when my table was ready and more often than not, I received the text while I was still standing at the podium or had walked 3 steps away. What happened to calling names or those buzzer things?!!

 

[DISNEY1975]

My wife and I just celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary this past Monday

Congratulations !! Wishing you many more years of happiness

 

[Kingoglow]

Somewhat my point. Not all guests are under 30. Give options for 50+ people!

Disney offers non-mobile options for all features.

 

[Kingoglow]

General info is one thing, but now it is necessary to buy a drink (at least it was at the Contemporary), they are pushing it to get into your room (magic bands still work, and are way more convenient), get into a virtual line on a ride (soon to be most rides), read a menu at every restaurant etc..etc.. Nothing is more convenient than the magic band and pulling your phone out only a couple of times per day. Not to mention the APP drains your battery so quickly there is no way you can last a day at Disney without 1, possibly 2, full recharges. And, it gets tricky on the APP when you are reading something and ADs come up with the smallest of "X" to get out of it. If you dont tap it just right, you open the AD. This is not the same APP as 2 years ago with just your plans and wait times on it. Its a full website and you have to navigate to each section, sifting through a lot of useless info and popups.

ALSO.... I am lucky to have an unlimited data/talk/text plan. The amount of texts I received about my room and dining reservations was ridiculous. At least 10 texts per room I had (2). Every dining venue sent me reminders then wanted my cell phone number to text me when my table was ready and more often than not, I received the text while I was still standing at the podium or had walked 3 steps away. What happened to calling names or those buzzer things?!!

Free wifi park wide means no one has to use their data plan.

 

[Turksmom]

Free wifi park wide means no one has to use their data plan.

Sure. Unless you actually want the app/page to load in a timely manner.