Disney Resort TVs...BYOD

[Jonfw2]

Has anyone ever brought their own devices to Disney? I'm thinking of bringing the Nintendo Switch console. It just requires an HDMI port. Would that work?

Thanks!

 

[Mrs.AMC]

It costs too much to go to Disney to play video games or watch TV, so no. We either are at the parks, pool or just people watching around the resort. Things we don't do for free at home, in other words.
We don't even turn on the TV other than DH loves to listen to the music on the Resort TV station. Which is what it's normally on when we walk in the room. When I go without him I turn it off and it stays off.

 

[Jonfw2]

It costs too much to go to Disney to play video games or watch TV, so no. We either are at the parks, pool or just people watching around the resort. Things we don't do for free at home, in other words.
We don't even turn on the TV other than DH loves to listen to the music on the Resort TV station. Which is what it's normally on when we walk in the room. When I go without him I turn it off and it stays off.

I have two sixteen year olds. I'd like to leave them alone in the room at night so I can have a little adult time. And I'd prefer they have something to do.

 

[snikki]

I have two sixteen year olds. I'd like to leave them alone in the room at night so I can have a little adult time. And I'd prefer they have something to do.

We did this too when the kids were teens. This was prior to the Switch's and I wouldn't let DS bring his Playstation (he asked! lol) but they used their iPads while we did date nights. I believe an HDMI would work. I've read of other people bringing their firesticks and using them on the Disney tv's.

 

[supersnoop]

I've plugged devices into the HDMI port on resort TV's. I've had trouble with streaming items since the Wi-Fi isn't always that great, but a self-contained video game console should work just fine.

 

[Jonfw2]

I've plugged devices into the HDMI port on resort TV's. I've had trouble with streaming items since the Wi-Fi isn't always that great, but a self-contained video game console should work just fine.

thank you!

 

[DLgal]

Bring it, but be prepared for it to be a pain to actually hook up. We never could get it to work on our TV at the Grand Californian (it was a newer, huge TV). We could get it connected, but then the volume was at max level and we couldn't adjust it. We tried plugging it into every HDMI port we saw, including the big box on the back of the TV and it was still unusable due to the excessively loud volume. There were no physical buttons on the actual TV to control volume either.

 

[IndyToThere]

We've brought my son's switch with us before - it depends on the actual TV you get in your room on whether it will work or not. Some TVs are locked down so that you can't change the Inputs and some you can. If you have issues changing the Input, you can try looking for a physical Menu or Input button on the side of the TV to see if that is an option (some TVs have physical buttons for this, others do not).

Basically, it's luck of the draw if this will work. Like you, this is to give our son something to do during downtime at the end of the night before going to bed. Also, I'd recommend getting a more portable (3rd party) dock for the switch if you're going to do this - takes up way less space than the official nintendo dock.

 

[Narcoossee11]

I think the biggest issue, is weak wifi.
Bring cords and devices if they don't take up too much space but have a plan B.

 

[reddog21]

Just got back from AOA and used 2 roku's sticks on separate tv's with no problems at all along with the Nintendo switch. The streaming worked perfectly with no issues.

I have never had an issue with hooking up anything to any Disney resort TV even those that don't swivel you can feel for the HDMI port and get it to work. Never had an issue changing the input on the TV, maybe I was just lucky all these years. I haven't watched regular TV in a Disney hotel for probably 5+ years it's usually a Roku or FireTV stick. The only problem that I had is finding a plug close enough to plug in the device so I starting bringing a small extension cord. That's not much of an issue any more since they started putting plugs on the dressers but I still bring them just in case.

 

[reddog21]

It costs too much to go to Disney to play video games or watch TV, so no. We either are at the parks, pool or just people watching around the resort. Things we don't do for free at home, in other words.
We don't even turn on the TV other than DH loves to listen to the music on the Resort TV station. Which is what it's normally on when we walk in the room. When I go without him I turn it off and it stays off.

So you have to pay to watch people at home???

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I'm probably just paranoid, but the Switch dock is extremely fragile and I wouldn't want to travel with it. I'd still bring it but stick with tabletop mode.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

So you have to pay to watch people at home???

No one worth watch at home. Disney for sure though

 

[Mrs.AMC]

I have two sixteen year olds. I'd like to leave them alone in the room at night so I can have a little adult time. And I'd prefer they have something to do.

Guess that's what an iPad is for

 

[Jonfw2]

Guess that's what an iPad is for

Thank you for your input.

 

[DLgal]

I'm probably just paranoid, but the Switch dock is extremely fragile and I wouldn't want to travel with it. I'd still bring it but stick with tabletop mode.

The dock is fragile? I don't think so. We just toss it in the suitcase and it's been fine.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

Thank you for your input.

Guess what I'm saying is, kills 2 birds with 1 stone. iPad device is used for travel. Or Phone. So they use it to entertain themselves while flying/driving. Then same device is used to entertain while in the room. What am I missing? And yeah, I've traveled with teens. Just did last month. Phone did the job, no extra stuff to bring, no worries about what TV you get, cause you get about as many different types as there are rooms at Disney.

 

[Dug720]

Just please make sure you reconnect everything as it was. I say this as someone who has been in hotels and had have them come and fix the television because it wouldn't work thanks to the previous occupants unhooking everything because they "needed" their own stuff plugged in. Not everyone is technologically adept at reconnecting television connections.

Yes, theoretically with Disney having the TV on when you get there it shouldn't be a problem, but. That is my biggest pet peeve with people who have to hook up their own stuff - not reconnecting things as they are supposed to be.

 

[Jonfw2]

Just please make sure you reconnect everything as it was. I say this as someone who has been in hotels and had have them come and fix the television because it wouldn't work thanks to the previous occupants unhooking everything because they "needed" their own stuff plugged in. Not everyone is technologically adept at reconnecting television connections.

Yes, theoretically with Disney having the TV on when you get there it shouldn't be a problem, but. That is my biggest pet peeve with people who have to hook up their own stuff - not reconnecting things as they are supposed to be.

I hear you. I'd only do it if there were an available HDMI port.

 

[supersnoop]

Guess that's what an iPad is for

I have a cable that connects my iPad via HDMI, which is the device I referenced in my my first comment. It worked for watching downloaded movies and streaming, though the streaming was sometimes a bit glitchy.