Internet at the Resorts

[RHMH]

Resort internet fee's are vry expensive to me. Has anyone tried to use the local phone line in your room for dial up intrnet? I heard you could Google dial up numbers across the US and use them anywhere there is a phone connection.

Looking for feed back.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Thanks to all of your comments and advice. I really appreciate it. =)

 

[mkstlowe]

Use a broadband card from Sprint. You can purchase one and return within 30 days if you do not want to keep it.

 

[RHMH]

Thanks for the information - i will look into it.

 

[CowboyCO]

If you have a Droid smartphone, you may be able to to use 3G Wifi hotspot. I have it on my Samsung Galaxy S. It turns the phone into a wifi device. Just make sure your phone is plugged into the wall outlet, because it burns battery big time in that mode.

 

[scrapquitler]

Resort internet fee's are vry expensive to me. Has anyone tried to use the local phone line in your room for dial up intrnet? I heard you could Google dial up numbers across the US and use them anywhere there is a phone connection.

Looking for feed back.

That _MIGHT_ be an option for you but there are caveats: does your laptop actually have a modem?? I haven't owned a laptop with a modem in it for years...

We have a home in an area where the only internet service is dialup. I can tell you that most web pages these days are so graphics heavy that you are not going to be surfing much if you try using dialup...it takes so long for pages to load that you will likely get frustrated very quickly. Sure, things like the DIS (on threads that don't have tons of pictures) will work okay, but forget about Facebook

If you have a smartphone, check with your ISP to see if you can tether it to your laptop and use the 3G signal. I have a Verizon iPhone, and apparently it is doable, but it costs extra. My DH says he can do it for free with his Verizon Droid. I have no idea how it works though, so I can't help more than to tell you it might be a possibility.

We do have a Verizon aircard (DH's work provided it for their employees who travel a lot) that we now use when we are at that house with no internet access. Something like that is probably your best bet, though if the one you look into requires a contract, you'd be better off just paying the fee at the hotel for the days you need it than getting yourself stuck in a long term contract.

 

[TallyTutter]

I used my Android phone last week to do just this! It was awesome!!! We had the option activated the day before we left & de-activated the option the day we returned. 5 day = $10 (or $40 for the month), not $10 per 24 hours like a resort wants to charge. The biggest plus was we were able to use it in the car on the way down, that was "way cool" according to my daughter!

My husband was very skeptical at first, he thought it was a waste of money but the connection was fast & very doable because we kept it plugged in (car charger & wall charger) while we were using it. It worked out very nicely.

 

[Zerosinthecloset]

I always use dialup while at WDW. Just download something like Netzero before you leave home, and when you hook up at WDW let it find the access phone numbers for you. Local calls are free. I haven't paid for internet access while there for years. It's good enough to check email, news, airline checkin, and not too bad for perusing the Dis.

 

[seashoreCM]

With dialup you have to go through the charts at the front of the phone book to figure out which access numbers are really free. There is a local tier 2 zone with per minute charges as well as the per minute charges for calls beyond the local area. The free or flat rate tier 1 zone is gerrymandered depending on exactly what town you are in.

The numbers suggested by AOL or Juno or MSN etc. may or may not include tier 2 numbers.

 

[Zerosinthecloset]

With dialup you have to go through the charts at the front of the phone book to figure out which access numbers are really free. There is a local tier 2 zone with per minute charges as well as the per minute charges for calls beyond the local area. The free or flat rate tier 1 zone is gerrymandered depending on exactly what town you are in.

The numbers suggested by AOL or Juno or MSN etc. may or may not include tier 2 numbers.

We always stay at the PO resorts, and I always pick one of the first few numbers Netzero gives me, and have never had a phone charge. That's usually twice a year for the past five years or so. Never had to consult charts in the phone book.

 

[mskayjay]

One of my feedback comments whenever we get WDW surveys is how absolutely insulting it is to their guests to charge internet fees. If I can stay at a Holiday Inn Express for a whopping $100/nt and get free internet, I should be able to get it for free paying $250/nt at WDW.

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

Like the poster above, I use the hot spot on my phone. It's
$20 a month thru Verizon for 2 mgs of usage.

 

[RHMH]

 

[SandrA9810]

For those that are using Verizon hot spot, how are you getting it for free??

My bf has an LG andriod phone, and I would carry around my smart phone to use a wi-fi spot. His phone kept freezing, and the message would keep coming up to update. Well finally got tired of ignoring it, and it ruined the free hot spot connectivity.

I know there's ways to root the phone to tether it, but there's some reviews that says it can ruin the phone all together. So don't really want to go that route. It just sucks because it's something they used to put in their advertising as free to promote it. Now they want $40 for the service a month, with no notification or anything at all.

If your job is dependent upon you going online, I'd talk with the boss about reimbursement of the internet fee. No reason you need to take more time and money out of your vacation for something you want to leave behind for a week.

 

[Disneyliscious]

That _MIGHT_ be an option for you but there are caveats: does your laptop actually have a modem?? I haven't owned a laptop with a modem in it for years...

We have a home in an area where the only internet service is dialup. I can tell you that most web pages these days are so graphics heavy that you are not going to be surfing much if you try using dialup...it takes so long for pages to load that you will likely get frustrated very quickly. Sure, things like the DIS (on threads that don't have tons of pictures) will work okay, but forget about Facebook

I live 25 mins from Nashville and the only thing offered in my area to this day is dial up. Im using it now. Its all Ive ever had. I use the DIS daily, facebook, Myspace, etc. I can't do large downloads but I do everything else just fine. In fact, we even play World of Warcraft at home on dial up and manage just fine.

We *can* get satellite high speed here, but due to bandwidth limitations, the guy at Best Buy said we'd only have high speed for about an hour a day and then it would revert back to dial up speed. Just not worth it for the money it would cost to have a whole hour a day of high speed.

I would absolutely use the free dial up service in the hotels. I have used NetZero for 3 years now and their connections are great. $9.95 a month too!

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

The hot spot is free on some VZW phones as a promo that ends June 13. That's the only way I know to get it for free.

To the poster above.. If the upgrade ruined the hot spot, you need to speak to tech support at VZW. Do you have a LG Ally by any chance? The low memory on that phone causes the issues you mentioned.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

One of my feedback comments whenever we get WDW surveys is how absolutely insulting it is to their guests to charge internet fees. If I can stay at a Holiday Inn Express for a whopping $100/nt and get free internet, I should be able to get it for free paying $250/nt at WDW.

But if you stay at a $250 Marriott you will be charged for Internet. The truth is that the nicer the hotel the more then charge for internet.

(Now personally Disney has no hotels worth $250 IMHO but YMMV!)

 

[dzorn]

Like the poster above, I use the hot spot on my phone. It's
$20 a month thru Verizon for 2 mgs of usage.

RHMH - here. Yes I feel the same way. I stayed at Extended Stay for 8 days with a promo code for 50.00 off. 247.00 + (5.00 WFI internet for the whole 10 days).

Westwood and I-Drive was the area - next to the convention center.

But why should they? The reason the cheaper hotel do is to get you to stay there. Disney has it own ways to encourge on site stays, they don't need to market free internet to book resorts full.

Denise in MI

 

[petlvr1064]

if you have a data plan on your phone and romeing you don't need a computer I use my galexy x for the Internet a lot even at home just for fun but more in the car and stuff but ya it is hard to see and stuff

 

[RHMH]

No need to worry about the high cost of internet. Just found out a couple of weeks ago, Disney has started complimentary WiFi in the rooms.

 

[Toofar]

No need to worry about the high cost of internet. Just found out a couple of weeks ago, Disney has started complimentary WiFi in the rooms.

Is this at all the resorts? Even pop century