MDE App Blowing Our Budget?!

[mello]

Well this is frustrating.

One of the ways we save a significant amount of $ is having slightly older model phones (they are smart phones - just 3-4 years old), paired with a TMobile pay as you go plan. Works for us. (or has up til now...)

I also have a Kindle Fire ($99 vs several hundred $ ipad).

Trouble is, I've been trying to download the My Disney Experience app, and apparently it isn't compatible with any of our devices.

Now, I can't believe it, but we're actually considering buying a $400-$500 phone, just so we can "keep up with the Mickeys" at WDW! Way to totally blow the budget.

We're going in July, so high season, and just a few weeks away - so no time to budget properly - and I'm really struggling with the decision to spend money we don't really have vs. struggling with high crowds without any on-the-fly MDE access.

What to do?

 

[jmail048]

Well this is frustrating.

One of the ways we save a significant amount of $ is having slightly older model phones (they are smart phones - just 3-4 years old), paired with a TMobile pay as you go plan. Works for us. (or has up til now...)

I also have a Kindle Fire ($99 vs several hundred $ ipad).

Trouble is, I've been trying to download the My Disney Experience app, and apparently it isn't compatible with any of our devices.

Now, I can't believe it, but we're actually considering buying a $400-$500 phone, just so we can "keep up with the Mickeys" at WDW! Way to totally blow the budget.

We're going in July, so high season, and just a few weeks away - so no time to budget properly - and I'm really struggling with the decision to spend money we don't really have vs. struggling with high crowds without any on-the-fly MDE access.

What to do?

I would not do it, that money may be spent better elsewhere, more time at Disney lol I used the MDE app every day on my iphone on my recent trip but you can make the fastpass choices from your computer and copy all the info into your current phone as a notepad or doc. You can always do fastpasses at the kiosks inside the parks. I would never spend that kind of money just to have MDE app access. Plan everything at home as well as you can and wing the rest? Get the paper at the hotel/park on whats going on that week and what parks are open late for extra magic hours if you are staying on property

 

[wendow]

We are in a similar boat. We do not have smartphones and I have a Kindle Fire. My dh does have an ipad but it belongs to his work and no way would he carry it into the parks. I am not dropping hundreds on a smartphone just to have the MDE app access. I have already accepted we'll be using the kiosks.

 

[mello]

that money may be spent better elsewhere, more time at Disney lol

Now there's a good point!

 

[DOOM1001]

The MDE app that i have on my phone just gives me WDW basic info without the ability to log into my account,basically its worthless.I don't know if I downloaded a wrong one or my phone doesn't work with the full one or what but it doesn't work.I can however just go to disneyworld.com and log in from there to my account,it's not super convenient or fast but it works.

 

[khaoskat]

Well this is frustrating.

One of the ways we save a significant amount of $ is having slightly older model phones (they are smart phones - just 3-4 years old), paired with a TMobile pay as you go plan. Works for us. (or has up til now...)

Now, I can't believe it, but we're actually considering buying a $400-$500 phone, just so we can "keep up with the Mickeys" at WDW! Way to totally blow the budget.

I had a Thunderbolt and it worked just fine on it back in September.

Also, go get yourself a cheap $60-$80 tablet that runs Android (you can get them at places like Big Lots/Odd Lots). I also know Sam's Club had a nice Asus for about $120-$140. You just need one with built in wifi, as Disney Parks have Wifi in them you can access. You should be able to download MDE on it, I have it on my tablet (Asus) and it works just fine.

 

[EMode]

You don't need to buy a $500 phone, just go get an ipod touch to use in the parks. Or get a tracfone, and just use the wi-fi )not the service).
I just ordered my ds a tracfone from QVC, $150 included an android phone and a year's worth of minutes. They had ones for less too.

 

[Burnedout]

You can get an iPhone 3s for $50 on eBay. Makes a nice car iPod.

 

[tarheel618]

Can you borrow an Ipod from someone to use?

 

[danygirl]

iPod touch is an awesome alternative and had a decent camera too

 

[HM]

I don't own a smartphone. I do have the MDE app on my computer and wifi iPad.
I did not find that I needed the app in the parks. Keep a list of your ADRs and FP on index cards and use them to keep track of what you are doing. If you need to make a change, use a kiosk.

 

[ABCastillo]

You might try accessing the mobile web site from your phone or tablet too and completely skipping the app. I used the wifi at the parks to avoid data charges. Worked well enough.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[teacup princess]

I vote don't upgrade just for the app, in fact I say we all boycott the app until Disney comes up with something better.. I wasted so much time on my vacation, missed a lot of rides even though I was on the ride, because I had my nose buried in my phone trying to change this or that. The app is slow and frustrating. Disney needs to invest in putting a MDE terminal at every ride exit so guests can quickly change things after exiting a ride and not be forced to use your phone or wait in one of the long lines at the few MDE locations at the park.

Funny story, my SIL missed the entire Laugh Floor show because she was on the app trying to adjust her fastpasses. They even put it in part of the show a couple times and showed her picture on the screen with the caption "doesn't even know she's here". It was funny (for her family) but is thAt what Disney wants? A bunch of zombies not enjoying the attractions but instead looking at their phones?

 

[DOOM1001]

I agree about having more kiosks,I'm walking into DHS and want to make a change to my times,instead of pulling out my phone,connecting to my network or wifi,finding somewhere dark enough to see my phone and logging in to then start seeing options I opted to just ask a CM for the nearest kiosk.It was behind the hat and actually pretty quick,not really a kiosk but CM's with IPads,but they made my change rather quickly.I find it convenient to get your 3 choices at home before hitting the parks,but to make changes or pick your 4th FP+ I prefer to not have to use my phone,at least in the hectic atmosphere of the park because I did use my phone to make a change at the hotel.

 

[Marionnette]

I used my phone a lot to make changes and additions while in the parks. In addition to the FP+s changes, we also used it to book last-minute ADRs and to check wait times for SB lines.

No, I would not purchase a new phone just for the purpose of being able to access MDE while in the parks, but I would check all of my wi-fi enabled devices to see which ones are compatible with the MDE app.

DOOM1001, make sure that you have the MDE app on your phone and not the older Mobile Magic app.

 

[Ofinn]

My first smart phone was a used Blackberry I bought off craigs list for 50 bucks. Why don't you ask friends or coworkers if they have a old phone you can buy. Most people upgrade their phones every year or two.

 

[hsmamato2]

can you access MDE on your regular computer?

 

[minushka72]

I can access the full disney site with the MDE portion via wifi on my Kindle Fire HDX. I cannot download the app but with full site access, I don't need the app. I booked all my dining last month on the HDX with no problems. Don't waste money on new phones, etc if you are only getting them for the MDE app. As of right now, you cannot book the 4th + FP via the app anyway. You have to use a kiosk in park. So really you would use it to look at and change your existing 3 which you can do with the wifi.

 

[Marionnette]

I can access the full disney site with the MDE portion via wifi on my Kindle Fire HDX. I cannot download the app but with full site access, I don't need the app. I booked all my dining last month on the HDX with no problems. Don't waste money on new phones, etc if you are only getting them for the MDE app. As of right now, you cannot book the 4th + FP via the app anyway. You have to use a kiosk in park. So really you would use it to look at and change your existing 3 which you can do with the wifi.

The only problem with that would be that the website loads and runs very slowly when using the park wi-fi. It often times out. So using it to pull up your existing FP+ ressies and ADRs can be tedious. If the OP is only interested in being able to make FP+ reservations ahead of time, she can do it on her home computer and then transfer the information to notes on her phone. If she wants to make changes to her FP+ while in the parks, she is better off using the kiosks. And she can always call Disney Dining if she wants to make last-minute dining reservations.

All of the non-MDE options are a little more time-consuming but totally possible when access to MDE isn't available.

On a side note, since MDE is so "buggy", I highly recommend having all of your FP+ and ADR information stored somewhere else, whether it's a screen print that you carry on paper or a digital copy that you keep on your phone. My personal preference is to capture the MDE digitally and then mail it to myself. I can then store it on my phone as a picture, which I can enlarge for easy reading.

 

[curlybop]

You could buy a Kyocera Hydro from the Boost Mobile site. They are $17.50 refurbished and you can get that $ back by going through Ebates. Just don't activate it and use the wi-fi portion only. Super cheap alternative if you just need portable wi-fi access.