Info needed for using my mobile phone in Disneyland

[annz53]

Hi All,
It is getting close for us now and I am slowly ticking things off my "To Do/Buy List"

As we will be a party comprising of 3 couples we are going to need to be able to keep in contact with each other when separated. How do you all do it? I have already been told international roaming is a no-no and that I need to get a SIM card over there. So my question to all the experts is this, where do I get this card from, Aus or USA??

Once again, thanks in advance

 

[JillyBean1899]

Hi All,
It is getting close for us now and I am slowly ticking things off my "To Do/Buy List"

As we will be a party comprising of 3 couples we are going to need to be able to keep in contact with each other when separated. How do you all do it? I have already been told international roaming is a no-no and that I need to get a SIM card over there. So my question to all the experts is this, where do I get this card from, Aus or USA??

Once again, thanks in advance

Get it when you get here. A lot of convenience/gas stations have pre-paid SIM cards, and most WalMart/Target stores have them, too. Just make sure your phone is unlocked and can accept the SIM card, otherwise it won't read it and you won't be able to use it.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Some of the Aussies here like to purchase a SIM card before they leave. I can't remember which company they use; but if you do a search on this forum, you should find some old threads on the subject.

I usually hire a car so after picking up the car, my first port of call is an AT&T store. I have family in the US and they all are mostly on AT&T; so we've always stuck with them.

I have an i-phone. If you purchase a prepaid plan for a smart phone with AT&T, they will give you the SIM card for free. They have a $2 per day prepaid plan that includes all text and voice calls; and I'm pretty sure it doesn't include data so you might need to think about whether you want data or not. If you're there for a month or close on a month, AT&T introduced monthly prepaid plans about a year ago. The one that I got last September cost me $60 for the month and includes unlimited calls and text (including text to Australia). Best of all, it came with 2 GB data.

There are other plans in the range. You might want to go see which plan suits you the best.

 

[Sugarglider]

you can purchase a USA sim card here from Travelgear.com.au - these ones are ready to use - you land, whack it in the phone and it works immediately.

you can also get international sim cards from places like Woolworths and GO - they work differently but are also cheap.

Your other options for staying in touch with each other would include Facebook chat - if you all have phones and use the wifi in the parks - or of course your phone data pack if you don't have access to wifi. Google have free chat too - in hangouts and gmail - if you all set up google accounts.

 

[rachaeld]

We have purchased these sims... http://www.readysim.com. Can give some feedback once we start using them in a few days.

 

[aussie shaz]

We purchase 'throw away' phones, just for calls and text. Pretty cheap, and can use them next time you go. We get them from 7/11 or Walmart etc.

 

[annz53]

We have purchased these sims... http://www.readysim.com. Can give some feedback once we start using them in a few days.

Hi there,
Just wondering how you went with the SIM cards you purchased and if you would go that way again. Many thanks, Ann

 

[Princess Jes]

Sorry to drag a post up from the dead, but I'm wondering if anyone has feedback for data only sims?
It's not too much of an issue at WDW and universal, I find their wifi to be pretty good, but we're in NYC for 5 nights and also at LAX for a while when we land and from memory, the wifi options are crap there (also good for MCO and Newark)
I'm not too fussed about included calls, I just want data. With FaceTime and Facebook messenger, you really only need data to get in contact with people.

Appreciate all the feedback guys!

 

[crazy Cat Lady]

We found Wifi coverage good across the USA in 2014 - free on subways in NYC, airports, some hotels, Bryant Park in NYC also has it's own free wifi, many entertainment venues and restaurants, Maccas and Starbucks of course. We only used our own data twice in 5 weeks (Vodafone $5 roaming package) so I was pretty pleased with that.

HTH a bit

 

[Aussiefamof5]

Hi All,
It is getting close for us now and I am slowly ticking things off my "To Do/Buy List"

As we will be a party comprising of 3 couples we are going to need to be able to keep in contact with each other when separated. How do you all do it? I have already been told international roaming is a no-no and that I need to get a SIM card over there. So my question to all the experts is this, where do I get this card from, Aus or USA??

Once again, thanks in advance

Hi
International roaming is great my telco only charge $5 per day to use in the USA and I can use all my plans inclusions of unlimited calls and text, I keep my number and family and friends keep in contact that way. I have used a pre paid sim before and that was a nightmare- the company off-sell the numbers, when they haven't' been quarantined for long enough, mine unfortunately happened to be one from a radio station, upon arrival in LAX i received hundreds of text messages for hours on end that used up all my pre-paid credit - it got sorted in the end but cost me more than what it would with international roaming

 

[Feej]

Hi
International roaming is great my telco only charge $5 per day to use in the USA and I can use all my plans inclusions of unlimited calls and text, I keep my number and family and friends keep in contact that way. I have used a pre paid sim before and that was a nightmare- the company off-sell the numbers, when they haven't' been quarantined for long enough, mine unfortunately happened to be one from a radio station, upon arrival in LAX i received hundreds of text messages for hours on end that used up all my pre-paid credit - it got sorted in the end but cost me more than what it would with international roaming

I assume, like me, you use Vodafone? The $5 per day thing is really good although I've never had great data performance. It's always just been 3g. Last trip I just dropped into T-Mobile and picked up a prepaid sim and signed up for unlimited data and calls for $70. Always had very fast LTE (4G) that worked great. My suspicions are that Voda only provide 3g under the $5 a day plan, which while good enough for many, doesn't cut it for me. YMMV

 

[Aussiefamof5]

Yes I use Vodafone but always had great data speeds
I guess what works for some doesn't always work for others, at least there is a lot of options for ppl to choose what fits best

 

[Feej]

Yes I use Vodafone but always had great data speeds
I guess what works for some doesn't always work for others, at least there is a lot of options for ppl to choose what fits best

Spot on! When I first started going to the US there wasn't a lot of options.