Is Wi-Fi available in the WDW resorts?

[Kasmir]

Hi!

Is Wi-Fi standard in the WDW resorts now?

Thanks!
Sheila

 

[safetymom]

No it isn't. If you are staying in a convention hotel at WDW they have high speed and some wi fi locations. There is a cost for both of these per day.

The rest of the Disney resorts have dial up access. Local calls are 75 cents.

 

[Kasmir]

I'm surprised that WDW is so behind the times on this one...

We travel quite a bit and haven't run into this is in a while... It's a standard amenity at most moderate+ hotels now.

Darn! Oh, well...

Thanks!

 

[safetymom]

It is actually an outside company that manages it for Disney. If you are in your room you aren't out spending money.

At this point they don't see a need for the moderates to have high speed or wi-fi.

 

[GoldenOldie]

We travel quite a bit and haven't run into this is in a while... It's a standard amenity at most moderate+ hotels now.

Yes that does seem to be true in many cases. But not in the high end hotels. You still pay for WiFi at nearly all of the high end ones. They don't need to offer it as a free perk to get you to come and they don't.

 

[Kasmir]

No, they don't need to offer it as a free perk, but they almost always do for business travelers -- which even when on "vacation", because we own our own business, we are rarely "off." I don't care if it's free - I just want it to be available.

The only high-end hotel that has ever charged me for Wi-Fi is Loews, however, I've certainly not stayed at every high-end hotel by any stretch of the imagination.

And yes, I can understand that they don't want you in your room and want you out spending money, but the fact is: Many people have high-responsibility positions that may require high-speed internet access from time to time, even on vacation.

Obviously we all have different life experiences, but this is really going to inconvenience us as we have to download and approve large files on a daily basis. I can honestly say that this is the first time that I've run into dial-up only access in at least a couple years -- wherever we've been traveling!

This is our first family vacation to WDW and we'll be staying at deluxes. I would think that at the very least, there would be Wi-Fi access there...

Okay - I'm sorry for the rant... Rant over.

 

[kajohn]

Kasmir,

I have to agree with you, not having the high speed internet access is a pain. It's hard to believe WDW is so behind the times. My husband travels all over the country, and he always has high speed available (it is often at a daily cost, but still available).

I think it is something that WDW needs to add soon!

 

[NHAnn]

There is high-speed internet in the rooms at the Swan/Dolphin...these hotels do a lot of convention business. I've heard they have Wi-fi in some of the convention meeting/lounge areas....but I'm not sure. I am sure about the rooms though because DD brought her laptop on our trip in January and I DIS'd a few times from the room There was no extra charge.

 

[Skroops]

it is very recently, but I travel for a living and stay at moderate to luxury hotels across the country and over seas. Instead of most hotels charging for this service, it is more the norm now that they don't charge. Of course these are primarily business hotels, not like WDW where it is primarily recreation.
I wouldn't be suprised if WDW is working on offering internet access to guests. IMO,WDW doesn't really compete with the offsite hotels, so I think that guest satisfaction would be the motivation.

 

[Kasmir]

JoeD: The Hotel del Coronado is definitely a high-end hotel! Don't locals just call it "The Del"? What a gorgeous place! We have friends that honeymooned there...

Thanks, Everyone, for the input!

 

[Kasmir]

Those are beautiful pics, JoeD.... Thanks for posting them! I know that the hotel has a fascinating history too...

 

[Got Quattro?]

i would bet that only 30% of guests at disney would use hi speed net if offered and only half that would want wi-fi.

with that in mind, disney would have to shell out a lot of cash to equip all rooms with high speed, and more for wi-fi.

It would take way to long before that would turn a proffit.

I for one always travel with my laptop, with wi-fi, and I never needed it. I can send e-mail when I get home. I only bring my laptop for movies on the plane, and to pull pictures off my camera.

Beside, hi-speed, in particular wi-fi is still growing. New standards are getting introduced each year. When a technology finally asserts it'self as the standard, disney will buy in.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

JoeD: The Hotel del Coronado is definitely a high-end hotel! Don't locals just call it "The Del"? What a gorgeous place! We have friends that honeymooned there...

Thanks, Everyone, for the input!

We 'locals' do indeed call it 'The Del' - in fact, the GF bears a slight resemblance to it. They offer the most delightful Sunday Brunch and mid-afternoon high teas. The expanse of beach fronting 'the del' is probably the finest walking beach on all the west coast. Flat, wide, and usually riddled with sand dollars. Sometimes you see tall ships cruising off shore, and other times you can see entire carrier groups head out to sea. The view of the baja shoreline and the Coronado Islands is entirely lovely, as well. It's a fun place to walk and have the occasional Navy fighter jet roar overhead on approach to NAS North Island.


Suzie (who has a view of 'the del' from her house)

 

[mommytutu]

Coronado Springs has WIFI available in all rooms and in common areas. We stayed there last October and had no trouble with it. I think you do have to bring your own cables or maybe dh took his in case what have is crap. We never called for them to bring us any...we just used what we brought. It was $9.95 for 24 hours.

None of the values have WIFI and Coronado is the only Mod that does. A couple of the Deluxes have it, but I can't think of which ones do. We selected a resort based on internet connectivity on our trip last October.

 

[mommytutu]

Doing a quick search all of these are listed as having WIFI.

CSR
BC
BWI
CR
GF
YC

 

[Kasmir]

Thanks, mommytutu, for looking that up! Awesome!

Got Quattro: I'm in STL too!

Thanks for the description, Suzie... I would love to stay there one day... Sigh...

 

[Buzz2001]

CSR has WiFi available for its guests

 

[edcrbnsoul]

Resorts with High-Speed Internet Access available now:

Beach Club Villas
BoardWalk (including DVC units)
Contemporary
Coronado Springs
Grand Floridian
Old Key West
Saratoga Springs
Villas at the Wilderness Lodge
WDW Swan and Dolphin (no extra charge)
Yacht & Beach Club

Wi-Fi is available to those staying at certain Disney resorts. If your laptop computer or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) is Wi-Fi enabled, you'll be able to access the internet from the common areas of these resorts.

Fee: $4.99 for the first 60 minutes or $9.95 for 24 contiguous hours. The vendor that provides this Wi-Fi service, Smart City, will bill you using a secure credit card transaction via the on-screen internet connection.

Requirements: a wireless interface card (WIC) installed on your device. These are available for purchase in each resort's business center.

Availability:

BoardWalk

Convention Center Hallways/Common Areas
Resort Lobby
Main Swimming Pool Area
Concierge Lounges
Bellevue Lounge

Contemporary

Front desk sitting area
14th Floor Concierge - sitting area
Outer Rim Bar (near Concourse Steakhouse)
1st Floor Convention Center Lobby
2nd Floor Convention Center Lobby
Feature Pool

Coronado Springs

Main Hotel Lobby
Convention Center Lobby area
Feature Pool
Francisco's Lounge

Grand Floridian


1st Floor Lobby area including Tea Room
Convention Center Lobby area
4th Floor Concierge area - sitting area

Yacht & Beach Club

Main Lobby area (both resorts)
Concierge sitting area (both resorts)
Convention Center Lobby area
Stormalong Bay Pool

And if you need a boost trying to get a signal this antenna helps

http://www.cantenna.com/

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Thanks, mommytutu, for looking that up! Awesome!

Got Quattro: I'm in STL too!

Thanks for the description, Suzie... I would love to stay there one day... Sigh...

I have no doubt you will... If *I* can make it to WDW, you can make it to the Del!

 

[Kasmir]

edcrbnsoul: Thank you! Awesome, awesome, awesome!!!!