Internet Access

[grumpy-duck]

We have never considered bringing our laptop before, but may do so this time for downloading pictures and watching the occasional late night DVD. My question is about internet access. I suspect you can pay for use, but is it reliable? We typically stay at the Boardwalk and Beach Club and I was also wondering if there are any "hotspots" either in the lobby or just outside the resorts that are reliable. Does anyone have any insight into this? Thanks

 

[gamomof2]

I believe the lobby has wireless if you've purchased the internet. We've usually purchased every other day so that we could send pictures home to grandparents, plus keep up with bills and such. The ethernet cable is provided in the room but we usually bring ours from home (better quality). You can also hook up a wireless router and several computers get on.

I'm not completely sure about the lobby wireless.

When you hook the ethernet cable into your computer you bring up your web browser. Disney automatically reconfigures your home page to their internet agreement page. You click on "accept" and it activates the internet for the next 24 hours.

 

[vandy]

Access will cost $9.95 for 24 contiguous hours. That means you can start at say 4pm on one day and it will run until 3:59 the next. There is no free internet so wireless or not, you pay. BUT, your payment only gives you one type of connection and not both. If you choose wireless you do not get the ethernet access (and reverse). Not sure about all DVC's, but some do have wireless capability at the main pool as well as the lobby areas. We just get the ethernet connection since I do most of my work from our room. Connections are not super fast, but are good and reliable, pretty much a basic DSL.

 

[wdw1972]

Actually, there IS free wireless in every dvc resort - it's called dial up
It may not be fast, but it's now free since we're no longer charged the $.35 for local calls. Even when we were charged, it was much cheaper than $9.95 for the hi-speed.

If you're main purpose for the laptop is to download photos from your camera to the laptop & to watch dvds - you don't need internet access at all. I personally just do the free dialup and then when I get home I can upload my photos to wherever I'm posting them. During the trip I may download them off the camera, title them, etc....but none of that is done online. My main internet use on vacation is email, reading message boards, and listening to an audio broadcast of a baseball game...all stuff that works perfectly well on free dialup.

 

[mathmagic]

How do you use dial-up service to get internet access at the resorts?

 

[jekjones1558]

Some newer computers do not even have internal modems for dial-up and I sure wouldn't add one just to use at WDW.

 

[rinkwide]

...$9.95 for the hi-speed...

Personally, I wouldn't call 200Kbps "hi-speed". I prefer to hook up to my PDA, that gets me up around 500 or 600.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

The only problem I had with the Ethernet connection in the room at SSR was when my computer would enter stand-by mode. When I'd wake it back up, for the life of me, I couldn't get it to re-connect to the network - even if my 24 hours wasn't up. The Vista connection wizzards weren't able to resolve it, either. (I think the IP address was expiring, and couldn't figure out how to tell Vista to renew it.)

When I'd re-boot and start the web browser, it would connect and work fine. But never without the re-boot.

Once I realized I should shut my laptop off whenever I was done, I didn't have any problems. (In hindsite, I guess I shouldn't have left it on and attached to the network for security purposes, anyway.)

I knew I was being charged again each day, but I have to admit, it was a little shocking to get the bill at check-out and see all the "INTERNET ACCESS SARATOGA $9.95" all throughout the listing.

My parents were down for the same two weeks we were there. They own at Mariott, and were staying at Mariott's Grand Vista. We went over to see their place and compare notes. I think about the only thing I liked better about their timeshare over ours was the fact that they could pay thirty-some dollars to get the internet connection for the length of stay. I think Disney's $10 a day is way too high!

 

[rickdeni]

I do not have a laptop but will have to check my email and print out my boarding pass before leaving. Do any of the resorts offer computer services? Is there Internet Cafe anywhere on the grounds? Please help

 

[DisDaydreamer]

I do not have a laptop but will have to check my email and print out my boarding pass before leaving. Do any of the resorts offer computer services? Is there Internet Cafe anywhere on the grounds? Please help

The problem here is that you asked about "any" resorts. They are all different in features offered. I think all can print out a boarding pass, and most, if not all, have public terminals, and all have limited wireless (in public areas).

DVC is a bit behind the times when it comes to Internet access.

 

[ParrotBill]

I do not have a laptop but will have to check my email and print out my boarding pass before leaving. Do any of the resorts offer computer services? Is there Internet Cafe anywhere on the grounds? Please help

Go to guest services and ask politely and they will do your online checkin and print boarding passes. Or you can check in then have them go back in and print boarding passes.

Suggest you know how it's done well enough to walk them through the screens even if you can't see the screen they are using... I always get someone who has never done Airtrain before!