For those of you teckie smart people, ?? please?

[jelo]

So I really don't know anything about this stuff, but my daughter has an ipod touch...not the phone type.

Sometimes she can check facebook etc...depending on if she's somewhere where there is wifi.

She downloaded an app for lines etc... at disney which is really cool! She keeps updating me on the line wait times and we aren't even there yet!

Her cell phone is thru telus, just a slide out for texting type. Mine is even more archaic....

Will her ipod with the app work at the parks? If not, is there a way to make it so? Will her cell work there instead?

 

[blusk]

Pretty sure the Ipod touch is a wifi only device. So no that won't work at the parks as you won't have wifi access there. There are apps for the wait times and such for smart phones, I have one on my blackberry, but you would need to use your data plan in the US. That can be very expensive, especially if you are using an IPhone. If you have a smart phone, I'd suggest calling and seeing if your carrier has a North American Data add on that you can get. I have one through Bell and it's 10 bucks extra per month.

 

[sjsjbrook]

You ipod touch needs wifi to connect to lines. You can add lines to most web enabled smartphones.

You have to add a US Data plan for your trip. It is usually sold by the MB. So chat with your service provider, if you have an dinosoar of a phone, you may want to look at a smart phone for yourself.

 

[wendyt_ca]

The Ipod touch would need to connect to wifi so she can only use that in places with wifi on the trip. For her phone with Telus you can get an unlimited texting plan while away that's $20. That doesn't help with using the ipod touch but you did mention texting.

 

[ccudmore]

There actually are a couple options for you:
1) Most cell phones made in the last 5 or so years can do some web browsing, as long as you have some sort of data plan on your service. Lines is available through a regular mobile web browser by going to http://m.touringplans.com. However you'll still end up paying expensive data roaming charges once you cross the border. Check with Telus to see what your options are for you model of phone.
2) Buy a pre-paid MiFi device in the US (if you buy one in Canada it won't work on a US carrier's network). A MiFi creates a WiFi hotspot wherever you go using the cellular network. You can pick them up at places like WalMart for around $100 that includes at least some pre-paid wireless data usage. The battery lasts about 4 hours of regular usage between charges so you can just turn it off when you don't need it.

Other than that (or buying a smartphone in Canada and getting a data roaming package) you don't have much in the way of options.

 

[Stan Solo]

I took my iPod touch with me in August. I downloaded an app that had maps of the four parks with wait times. I found I preferred to use the map on my iPod more then the paper ones that Disney hands out. So basically I had my iPod out quite a bit and I was able to only find one wifi hot spot in any of the parks and that was inside of spaceship earth at EPCOT. It was so exciting to find that hot spot I quickly sent my DW a email (she decided to stay home) and I updated my line app. I also had all my flight info and ADRs on my iPod.

I will defently take my iPod again this year for the maps, my daily plans, and now free wifi at the resorts.

 

[delsdad]

There actually are a couple options for you:
1) Most cell phones made in the last 5 or so years can do some web browsing, as long as you have some sort of data plan on your service. Lines is available through a regular mobile web browser by going to http://m.touringplans.com. However you'll still end up paying expensive data roaming charges once you cross the border. Check with Telus to see what your options are for you model of phone.
2) Buy a pre-paid MiFi device in the US (if you buy one in Canada it won't work on a US carrier's network). A MiFi creates a WiFi hotspot wherever you go using the cellular network. You can pick them up at places like WalMart for around $100 that includes at least some pre-paid wireless data usage. The battery lasts about 4 hours of regular usage between charges so you can just turn it off when you don't need it.

Other than that (or buying a smartphone in Canada and getting a data roaming package) you don't have much in the way of options.

I can vouch for the MiFi solution. I bought it on eBay for about 100$ new, from a US seller. It's with Virgin mobile, and I get a 20$ prepaid month with more than enough data when I only use it in the parks. I use a snack size ziplock to keep it dry, as inevitably a rain storm or wet ride ensures I get soaked every day. The iPhone goes in a ziplock too.

 

[jelo]

Thanks everyone! I'll get in touch with Telus, but I really don't want to spend alot.

We'll just have to use a regular old map like the majority of the people there!

 

[SGDisneyFam]

iPod will only work on wifi (GC has wifi and can pick it up in DTD some places)

Make sure she turns off data when in the states (on her phone) , or she will be getting a big bill when she gets home. Telus also offers a roaming data block so no data will go through (Data is different than texting and voice)

the $20 US text pass makes all the texts the same price as they would be at home, (Basically takes off the roaming charges for texts) if she has unlimited texting and is a frequent texter this is well worth it.

 

[cyberjyd]

For those who have an unlocked iPhone or an android phone with a sim card you can go on ebay and get a T-mobile Pay as you go sim card which is already pre-activated with about 10mins of talk time. You can then go on the t-mobile website and add more money to the card and select a Pay by the day plan. There are 3 different plans, 1$, 2$ and 3$ a day plans. The 2$ and 3$ a day plan gives you unlimited talk, text and data. You can also save on the $9.95/day internet charge at the Disney resorts by tethering your phone to your netbook, laptop or ipod touch. I bought 2 sim cards on ebay for me and my wife to use on our Android phones when we go to Disney next week. I will let you know how the Lines app and tethering worked using this option.

cyberjyd