Mobile phones at WDW

[tallulah77]

Hi
This question has probably been asked a thousand times so I apologise in advance I am going to WDW in May as part of 3 couples. While we intend to spend some time with each other we don't want to live in each others pockets so will be meeting up for dinner, etc. Each couple wants to take a phone so that we can just text each other if we get held up or are going to be late, we're not worried about talking to anyone else
So can you suggest what would be best to do, we were thinking of buying phones once out there but we won't be driving and aren't sure how soon we can get to a supermarket. Would it be best to buy sim cards for our existing phones, if so where should we get the cards from and how do we know if they will fit in our phones? Or should we just suck up the charges and take our own phones and extend our phone plans?
It's time to book our dining reservations next week so I have to put a phone number that we can be contacted on holiday, will this be easy to change once we've decided what we're doing?

thank you very much in advance, we've never bothered with phones before (bliss!) but there are kids involved this time

 

[wayneg]

We use our UK phones, been a few times with friends, always arrange times for meeting up so texting or phone calls have only been for any changes, rarely use them, most we have ever spent is abount £5-6, certainly not worth looking into other options.

 

[Florida2012]

Since they passed laws saying they can't "scam you" for roaming, I'm pretty sure its a LOT more reasonable!!!

 

[wayneg]

Since they passed laws saying they can't "scam you" for roaming, I'm pretty sure its a LOT more reasonable!!!

As long as they are upfront with their charges and not hiding anything then they can charge what they like, I am on Three network, £1.40/min to make calls, 99p/min to receive. Text 35p each.
Every network has their fees clearly on their website.

 

[princess jackson]

I used truphone, loved the service.

DD phoned her dad each day spoke for average 5 mins each time sometime longer, sent about 5-10 texts each day.

I bought the sim card + credit= £30, and came back with approximately £7 still.

You get a uk number and can opt for a us number as well for extra ££

 

[2Tiggies]

We use our UK phones, been a few times with friends, always arrange times for meeting up so texting or phone calls have only been for any changes, rarely use them, most we have ever spent is abount £5-6, certainly not worth looking into other options.

Same here. Except this last trip when I put my heavy DSLR camera kit down on top of my little purse at DHS and stood for a couple of minutes at bag check while security sorted out some issue with a lady who had something she shouldn't have - not sure of the details. The only details I cared about was later that day when I realized that my phone had spent those minutes continuously sending blank texts to whatever the first number was on my phone book .... Yeah, just texts, but just paid the bill on Tuesday

Seriously though, for a few texts and calls if you keep it short and stay with only those that are absolutely essential, it really isn't worth paying for something else unless you want data

 

[penlanspice]

Not of any help to you but for anyone who uses their phone a lot in the US, T-mobile have a great plan in the US at the moment.
For $60 (it last 30 days, great for us as we're there for nearly a month each time) you can have unlimited texts, unlimited calls to the UK, unlimited internet, this was a brilliant deal for us as DH phones home nearly every day and it was great for the internet on our phones.
You can pick the sim up free at a t-mobile shop, I also saw them in 7/11. We didn't know they were free and paid £19 for the sim before we left.

 

[2Tiggies]

You can pick the sim up free at a t-mobile shop, I also saw them in 7/11. We didn't know they were free and paid £19 for the sim before we left.

Did you pick this up from a US T-mobile shop then? Would you happen to have a link to the info? I am just being nosey but like to know what options are out there in case my needs change when travelling.

 

[jns]

Did you pick this up from a US T-mobile shop then? Would you happen to have a link to the info? I am just being nosey but like to know what options are out there in case my needs change when travelling.

Me too and what kind of phones did u use

 

[2Tiggies]

Me too and what kind of phones did u use

Well I am about to get a new phone in the next month or so and plan to get an unlocked model. All my family members as well as DD's dad have Blackberries so my thinking is that I don't have to pay for any calls or texts but can make use of email/instant messaging and BBM while there - which is why I am just keeping my eye on the options here. It really eliminates the need for texts and MMS messages entirely.

Wayne posted a link on here a few weeks ago about a similar offer with T-Mobile (US) and I was keen to see if this is the same one.

 

[wayneg]

Well I am about to get a new phone in the next month or so and plan to get an unlocked model. All my family members as well as DD's dad have Blackberries so my thinking is that I don't have to pay for any calls or texts but can make use of email/instant messaging and BBM while there - which is why I am just keeping my eye on the options here. It really eliminates the need for texts and MMS messages entirely.

Wayne posted a link on here a few weeks ago about a similar offer with T-Mobile (US) and I was keen to see if this is the same one.

I searched a few days ago and couldn't find the offer they were talking about but it looks like its on their site now. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tmobile-30-Wireless-Airtime-Card/15443357
No Annual Contract, 30-day Monthly4G plan $30 Unlimited Web & Text with 100 min of talk

Not much detail but one of the reviews says "Buyer beware! YOU CAN ONLY USE THIS ON A T-MOBILE PHONE PURCHASED FROM WAL-MART. If you are on a pre-paid TMO plan you are not eligible to transfer to the new $30 plan. You can't port your number either."
Don't see how they can restrict it to a Walmart phone myself but thats what it says.

 

[2Tiggies]

Yes, that was the one I was thinking about. Thanks for pointing out the fine print I had a good read when you first posted the link but don't recall seeing that. Either it wasn't there then, or I didn't read it as thoroughly as I thought - both of which are possibilities.

 

[penlanspice]

I didn't buy the walmart top up so no idea how that works, but that definitely inst the one I have.

We have UK t-mobile phones but had to get them unlocked as they don't accept the American sim it cost us £15 to get the phone unlocked.

Like I said I found it somewhere on-line and I actual bought the sim from a website in Australia, it cost me £19 and when it arrived it was already activated and I needed to top it up within 90 days. I topped it up just before we left so it would last the 30 days we were there, I did it on the t-mobile website which was really easy.
We went into the t-mobile store in the Florida mall as we could see it advertised in the window, the guy said we could of had the sim free there just needed to top it up, it's a new plan that just come got added on with the international option.

We bought the $50 plan and then added the $10 add on for international calls and text. The internet was pretty fast too.


Here's the link to the t-mobile site but the only option there is to buy a phone also, but you can pick it up just the sim.
You need to top up again within 90 days or the number becomes redundant.

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans

 

[penlanspice]

Think I bought it here -

http://www.travelgear.com.au/mm5/merchant.mvc?

 

[2Tiggies]

Many thanks I shall go have a look.

 

[Elise79]

Well I am about to get a new phone in the next month or so and plan to get an unlocked model. All my family members as well as DD's dad have Blackberries so my thinking is that I don't have to pay for any calls or texts but can make use of email/instant messaging and BBM while there - which is why I am just keeping my eye on the options here. It really eliminates the need for texts and MMS messages entirely.

DH & I have been looking for a way to use BBM but haven't come up with a cheap option yet. BBM requires BIS (Blackberry Internet Service) which from your UK carrier will work over WiFi but not when you are roaming.

Can not find a US carrier that does a package similar to our pay as go £5 month yet - cheapest I could find was nearly $60

 

[2Tiggies]

DH & I have been looking for a way to use BBM but haven't come up with a cheap option yet. BBM requires BIS (Blackberry Internet Service) which from your UK carrier will work over WiFi but not when you are roaming.

Can not find a US carrier that does a package similar to our pay as go £5 month yet - cheapest I could find was nearly $60

Yeah, I have found similar. That is the major drawcard here for BBM so initially I couldn't understand why friends and family in other countries were telling me it was cheaper to get an iPhone or just not to install the BBM services. I will ask the ones in the US to keep an eye out for any good offers and will be sure to post if I find any such information. I also didn't realise that BB services worked differently elsewhere in that regard. It gives me a new appreciation for, as you say, a £5 add on for BIS!