"Inexpensive" alternative to smartphone for FP+ on our trip

[pittsburghmom]

Our next trip is at the end of January and it's looking like FP+ will *probably* be fully rolled out by then. Of course I know this is always subject to change as it is still in testing. With that being said, neither DH or I have smartphones. The only wireless devices we own are a Nook Color and our laptop. Neither one is very practical for park touring . I recently saw that Gamestop is having a Black Friday deal on an refurbished iPod touch for around $60. I have no idea how much we might want to tweak our FP+ selections while touring and how much of a pain it will be to access a FP+ kiosk, blah, blah, blah. Anyone have any other low cost ideas for being wireless in the parks? Not concerned about checking e-mail, facebook, etc...just solely for FP+. Thanks!!

 

[ssawka]

Our next trip is at the end of January and it's looking like FP+ will *probably* be fully rolled out by then. Of course I know this is always subject to change as it is still in testing. With that being said, neither DH or I have smartphones. The only wireless devices we own are a Nook Color and our laptop. Neither one is very practical for park touring . I recently saw that Gamestop is having a Black Friday deal on an refurbished iPod touch for around $60. I have no idea how much we might want to tweak our FP+ selections while touring and how much of a pain it will be to access a FP+ kiosk, blah, blah, blah. Anyone have any other low cost ideas for being wireless in the parks? Not concerned about checking e-mail, facebook, etc...just solely for FP+. Thanks!!

Aren't they suppose to have kiosks around the parks for accessing your FP+ account?

 

[Hisgirl]

Wouldn't you also have to have a data package from the phone carrier? Not sure how all that works. Yes, the CM told me on the phone the other day that there would be kiosks all over. A lot of folks don't have smart phones, I wonder how this will all work out?

 

[ssawka]

Wouldn't you also have to have a data package from the phone carrier? Not sure how all that works. Yes, the CM told me on the phone the other day that there would be kiosks all over. A lot of folks don't have smart phones, I wonder how this will all work out?

You don't need a data package. I believe Disney installed WiFi throughout the parks.

 

[pate59]

We are having the same issue - no smartphones and for the time being - no tablet.

 

[bigbabyblues]

You don't need a data package. I believe Disney installed WiFi throughout the parks.

Yes. We used our ipod Touch in June for the MDE app.

 

[My3Princez]

I think any wifi capable smartphone (doesn't have to be actively connected to any phone service) would work. We have two Droid2s and an Incredible2 that are all not currently running any phone service, but all work on wifi to run the MDE app. When we bought them, we got them off ebay from a reputable dealer with a return policy.

 

[wiigirl]

Aren't they suppose to have kiosks around the parks for accessing your FP+ account?

 

[pittsburghmom]

Aren't they suppose to have kiosks around the parks for accessing your FP+ account?

Yes, I realize there are kiosks in the parks but I'm not sure how crowded they will be or even if they will have long lines with people waiting to use them. Just weighing all my options...

 

[crazelion]

Just FYI Tracfone has androids phones now. That would be use for FP+ . I would keep a eye for cheap androids in the coming weeks for Black Friday. I got my kids Samsung Admire for under 40 bucks. The kids is getting new phones this Christmas I still trying to decide ZTE Valet or Samsung Centra.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

Even with our smart phone it was much easier to change at a kiosk. There are plenty around.

 

[scard192]

Our next trip is at the end of January and it's looking like FP+ will *probably* be fully rolled out by then. Of course I know this is always subject to change as it is still in testing. With that being said, neither DH or I have smartphones. The only wireless devices we own are a Nook Color and our laptop. Neither one is very practical for park touring . I recently saw that Gamestop is having a Black Friday deal on an refurbished iPod touch for around $60. I have no idea how much we might want to tweak our FP+ selections while touring and how much of a pain it will be to access a FP+ kiosk, blah, blah, blah. Anyone have any other low cost ideas for being wireless in the parks? Not concerned about checking e-mail, facebook, etc...just solely for FP+. Thanks!!

you could use your laptop at the resort to make changes the night before or morning of, leave it in the room and make any other changes using the kiosks in the park. I have a Kindle Fire that I wasn't going to carry around the parks. We changed up a couple of our days and I was able to make changes to FP+ beforehand, leave it in the room and was able to make any other changes using the koisks in the parks.

 

[Elleshoodat]

you could use your laptop at the resort to make changes the night before or morning of, leave it in the room and make any other changes using the kiosks in the park. I have a Kindle Fire that I wasn't going to carry around the parks. We changed up a couple of our days and I was able to make changes to FP+ beforehand, leave it in the room and was able to make any other changes using the koisks in the parks.

I think this sounds like your best bet, OP. The in-park WiFi is spotty at best, so I wouldn't buy an iPod Touch only to use MDE.

 

[pittsburghmom]

you could use your laptop at the resort to make changes the night before or morning of, leave it in the room and make any other changes using the kiosks in the park. I have a Kindle Fire that I wasn't going to carry around the parks. We changed up a couple of our days and I was able to make changes to FP+ beforehand, leave it in the room and was able to make any other changes using the koisks in the parks.

This does sound like a good compromise. Although, I don't think we'll fly with the laptop, just the Nook. Did you find hoards of people waiting to use the kiosks? I need to stop reading all the doomsday FP+ threads over on the Strategies board....

 

[Soben]

Kroger iWireless sells a refurbished Android for $30, service with 50 mb is $10, for $25 you get 200 mb. You could use the free wifi as much as possible to stretch out the mb. It's no contract so you could just use it for the trip. Maybe keep it around for similar things in the future.

You don't need to be near a kroger, I think you could order and pay online. Though if you are shopping @ kroger, you get points (like your fuel points) to pay for service.

krogeriwireless.com

 

[hsmamato2]

you can use an old phone without service for wifi? I didn't know this....

 

[My3Princez]

you can use an old phone without service for wifi? I didn't know this....

I haven't been to Disney to test it specifically there, but it works everywhere else, so I would assume so.

 

[Miffy]

you could use your laptop at the resort to make changes the night before or morning of, leave it in the room and make any other changes using the kiosks in the park. I have a Kindle Fire that I wasn't going to carry around the parks. We changed up a couple of our days and I was able to make changes to FP+ beforehand, leave it in the room and was able to make any other changes using the koisks in the parks.

Did you use an Internet browser on your Kindle Fire for your FP+s or were you able to use MDE? It's not clear to me that there's any way to manage FP+ without an app. Is there?

I have a Nexus 7 (which is an Android tablet) and MDE doesn't run on it at all. I've been in touch with Disney techs about it and they're not supporting this device and have no plans to. I can't even try to download the app from the Google Play Store.

And, in response to the OP, I think it's unfriendly of Disney to have a system that requires its users to own a device that many of us don't possess. I'm not going to buy a smartphone--something I have little use for--so I can use FP+.

Can someone tell me how the FP+ kiosks are different from the FP- kiosks that are present at all rides that take FP-? And, except for being able to plan far in advance what rides you were going to use FP on, what advantage is there to FP+?

Thanks, everyone.

 

[maggiew]

From all the reports I have read, I don't think I have read one that people were able to change their FP+ day of on the fly! I read ONE where they changed it the night before and one the morning of in their room. Every other report said that the wifi was terrible.

I'm not sure that I would buy something with the sole intent on using it to change FP+ while touring.

However, I love my iPod touch. I have a built in connector in my car glove box and I keep my iTouch plugged in there all the time so I can listen to books on tape during my commute.

Maggie

 

[Loves2Read]

Miffy,

That's really strange about your Nexus 7 tablet. I have the Nexus 4 phone and had no problem downloading and using the My Disney Experience app.