No cell phone trip.

[JETSDAD]

I couldn't do it. I'm able to ignore the phone for most things other than Disney when I'm there but being able to make FP's on the fly and keep making them throughout the day makes the day more enjoyable and frees us up to do and see more things.

 

[sixcats]

The phone really helpful if you get separated. Our US cell phones did not work in Jamaica and my adult son got separated from us. Then we got separated from one daughter and my husband when they went looking for him.
The Mde app is so useful. Do you have an older smart phone that you can remove everything from and just load mde? I would miss my phone camera as well.

 

[Best Aunt]

Well, OP, you've made up your mind.

I hope your room is ready the first time you wait in line at the front desk, because if it's not you will have to keep going back and waiting in that line again until it is. Everybody else will be able to look at their My Disney Experience account when they arrive at the hotel and may see their room number if their room is ready, letting them skip the front desk entirely. They can request a call or text with their room number if their room is not ready when they arrive.

If you are flying, I hope your flight isn't delayed because you won't know until you arrive at the airport. People with phones can request notifications. I hope your gate doesn't change because you won't know unless you keep sending someone over to the board on the wall to check. People with phones can request notifications and can keep checking their phones. I hope your flight isn't cancelled because everybody else will be able to use their phones to see what their options are. When it comes time to do online check in for your flight home, you will have to wait in line at Guest Relations or your hotel's front desk so that they can check in for you; people with phones can do that themselves.

You will have to wait in line at a Fastpass kiosk to make the 4th fastpass and keep going back to wait in line at a Fastpass kiosk each time you want further fastpasses for your group each day, and you will have to take what's available when you get to the front of the line. Everybody with a phone can make the 4th and further fastpass themselves and can keep refreshing to see if what they want becomes available.

You will have to wait in the regular line at quick service restaurants. People with phones can do mobile ordering so that their order is ready when they get to the restaurant.

If you want to make dining reservations while you are there, you will have to wait in line at Guest Relations. If you want to cancel a dining reservation while you are there, you will have to wait in line at Guest Relations; people with phones can do that at their convenience.

If you want to look at restaurant menus, you will have to either walk to the restaurant to look at the menu posted at the door, or wait in line at Guest Relations. People with phones can look at the menus online.

I assume everybody in your group who wants to take pictures has a digital camera, since nobody will be able to take pictures with their phones. Or maybe you have 35 mm cameras and plan to buy film and pay to have your pictures developed when you get home.

I assume you are using Magic Express to get to and from the airport, and Disney transportation while you are there. People with phones can request an Uber or Lyft or Minnie Van if they do not want to expend the time and wait in line for Disney transportation. Sometimes people plan to use Disney transportation, but someone doesn't feel well or some other unexpected problem comes up and they have flexibility. You are giving that up.

I hope everything goes as planned for you, because if anything goes wrong, you will not be able to problem-solve easily.

 

[FastPasser.]

I'm considering going to Disney for a week with my teen son and leaving our cell phones at home. Does anyone else do this?

Yes, I do it all the time because I don't have a cell phone. But you have cell phones so I would bring them.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Ok, why all the room and gloom about not using a phone??

I have been doing similar every year at Disneyland California. I turn data roaming off as I am from Europe and the data charges in USA are astronomical.

I print out my email confirmation from last minute travel club and the CM scans the barcode at the entrance turnstile

I print out all the Disney restaurant reservations and have them in my bag.

I use the free kiosks for Fastpass

At the airport I check the screens for information about my flight

I print out my confirmation email for Supershuttle.

It just takes organisation and good time management skills.

 

[Soarin4us]

OP, it appears that your mind is made up, but in case you’re still open... a phone is an incredibly useful tool to make your day more enjoyable, and a far better yield per investment of your time and money. The amount of time spent finding and waiting for a kiosk to make FPs will be enormous.

Any respectful kid can understand “the phone is a tool for FPs, room, and transportation. Period”. Wouldn’t that be a better teaching tool than mandating no phones, despite the obvious advantage of using them? Any intelligent kid will think you’re being stubborn for no reason.

 

[brent02139]

Maybe bring just one phone, turned off, and keep it a secret just in case something happens?

 

[CapeCodTenor]

I haven't been down with a cell phone, it's been a while since I was last down, but with all that the phone offers, social media and game apps aside, I don't think I could do it. I really like the idea of having mobile order and the fast passes right on the phone. However, if you could pull that off I'd love to hear about it.

 

[DoryGirl1963]

We don't take our phones & have a great time. Do what you feel is best for the two of you!

 

[Magical2017]

Totally depends in the vacation for me. I like to have my phone when I go to Disney, especially since we fly and have had last minute changes texted to us en route to the airport. Other trips seem easier for us. DH and I will easily lock them in our safe once we board our cruise (not buying a wifi package anyway), and there is no wifi at the cabin we'll be staying at this summer. Our children don't have phones.

 

[Nancyg56]

Why do you need to be cell phone free? Here is a how to get the benefits without losing out.

- Turn on airplane mode
- Turn mobile data/wifi back on (this removes text and phone calls)
- Turn off all notifications for all apps (or at least primary ones like email)

This allows you to continue to use the Disney app while avoiding what I think you want to avoid.

This is how I would roll if I wanted to be turned off to the phones. I do not though, and use it the way I use any other convenient piece of technology.

OP- you have made up your mind and I hope that it is a successful plan. Just be sure not to get separated from your teen, or have a plan in place daily so if you do you know where and when to meet up.


Frankly, I think it is kind of a toss the baby out with the bathwater solution to a problem that can be easily solved by telling the teen the phone is to stay put during certain times of day. My DGD is 17, and to be fair, we all love our phones, play games together using them, hunt for those pokey things, (DGD and DD humor DSIL and play this game with him) keep in touch with family who have not joined us, etc so we are not predisposed to dislike being connected, however DD lays the hammer down when phones are away, and they get put away. Politics are forbidden for most family discussions, and I refuse to watch the news for that week. I think I am agreeing with most posters who suggest that you determine how to use the phones, and just follow your structure.

 

[Rach3975]

I know you've made your decision, but if it were me I'd at least bring the phones and leave them in the hotel room. That way if being phone-free didn't go as well as planned we'd have the option of bringing them on future days.

 

[elaine amj]

A few years ago DS and I spent two extra days at Universal Studios while DH and DD flew home before us. We didn't even discuss it, but both of us put our phones down and spent the two days enjoying the parks and each other. My teen son even held my hand! We did still use our phones for reservations/looking stuff up - but we were enjoying our time together so much that we didn't even have to discuss not messing around on our phones.

I'd have a hard time without MDE in Disney. Then again, waiting in lines can even be fun with the right person

And to be fair, my teen DD complains when I refresh the screen too often looking for FPs. She'd sooner skip the ride (so sad we missed RnRC last time!) than deal with my head buried in my phone. Even if we are waiting in line.

So now I generally only let myself hunt for FPs for a short period of time and give up fairly quickly. Even though I LOVE the thrill of the hunt. But it is worth it to be fully present with the people I am there with.

Refreshing for FPs sound like a great way to have more fun, ride more rides, and skip lines. But I do find it distracting and I am definitely less present when I am FP hunting. So often, it ends up to be less fun for us.

 

[paradesintherain]

I'd bring your phone and make the teen leave theirs at home. Uninstall apps that pull you away from the experience of vacationing.

I would have a lot less fun if I wasn't able to refresh for FPs, and if a ride goes down you'll never know until you walk all the way over there. I mean, unless you just want the Disney atmosphere and rides don't matter...

 

[LuvN~Travel]

Our family was down there last week. Though my husband and I did not go into the parks, our kids did a day with their uncle and then son went back for another day, even I found the app to be useful on my phone! lol I could give son directions by phone as he was getting around the parks that one day by himself and I could just pull it up for park hours each time for him. Not sure I could do a phone free trip now. lol

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I would be concerned about the airline trying to get a hold of me about flight issues. And what if your flight gets cancelled you will need to contact the airline for help. Or you need to check in online for your flight. What if your family needs to get a hold of you for an emergency?

 

[Snowwhitekate]

Love the idea! Disney has become so stressful with all the additional planning necessary for FPS and ADRS

 

[drwadadli]

I'm considering going to Disney for a week with my teen son and leaving our cell phones at home. I might pick up a couple of flip phones without data. I think taking a break from the internet and cell phones is a good idea. Without the Disney app it will be more difficult to make fast pass and other reservations, but there should be ways around that. Does anyone else do this?

I used to do this too. I have an iPhone and and iPod. We were take our phones on the trip in case we had an emergency or something while travelling but would then leave our phones in our room and I would only take my iPod. My iPod has our music, camera, apps and able to check email (which family and friends knew was the only way to get hold of us). We would then check our phones when we got back to the rooms only to see if there were any voicemails.

Since then, I now own my own business and need to carry my phone on me at all times because of that until we grow big enough that I can hire an associate.

 

[easyas123]

I leave my phone in my room often...it's LIBERATING! And - I have never suffered by not being able to change a FP on the fly or missing out on mobile ordering or any of the other things mentioned. Sounds lovely just thinking about it....I have a trip planned (not a Disney location) over the holidays and will be doing something similar.

I also go outside to do yard work and don't take the phone, don't keep it on my bedside table, and somehow I've survived as a fully functioning adult with a demanding job and a family.

 

[TraceySavannah]

I allow my teenage girls to wander and ride attractions I will not go on so for me the phone is important to be able to get ahold of them. Plus as much as the fast passes help...waiting in lines is inevitable so it’s fun to play group games on the phones while waiting in lines.