No Cell Phones in the Parks!

[merbobear]

I use my phone in the parks. As others mentioned, we use them to keep in contact if we split up for any reason. I also use my phone's camera quite often. I bring my actual camera into the parks and use that more, but it's nice to grab my phone and take a quick picture. It's also nice to be able to share the photo with family and friends who are not with us on the trip.

I think it's lovely if your family wants to go without phones (though I do think Disney is making that harder and harder to do with FP+ being very dependent on smart phone usage!).

I also find it strange that some people in this thread have such strong opinions on other people and their cell phone usage. People like to pick apart what others do, but remember that all the time spent in lines or at meals judging other families is time that you are also "disconnected" from your own friends and family. Pay attention to your own vacations and enjoy as you wish!

 

[JeremyGNJ]

Don't get me wrong, I use cell phone on vacation to navigate, find restaurants, etc.

Its just that in a theme park there's usually no reason to do anything but hang out together. Spending time next to your family is more important that splitting up because someone doesn't want to do one ride or another.

 

[gilesmt]

I totally agree with not having a cell phone. Although I have to say I do have mine with me on this trip. Although not to call or answer phones but to text when we get seperated.

I love all the replies that Disney wants you connected. If that is the case than Disney has a long long long long way to go to get you connected. They have the worst internet service in the world, the connecting is very bad the speed if very low and I have yet to be able to change FP+ on my phone in the three days we have been here. My dd has an iPhone like me, she has very very poor connection, less than me, it took her four hours of trying yesterday to make a phone call out to her SO. So if Disney wants us connected they better pay a lot more to get service for everyone. It is really really the worst service I have ever experienced, and I am not just talking about when inside a tunnel of a ride, I am talking when out in the open of tomorrow land or on the train out in the open or on the boat heading to wilderness lodge or at the bus station of pofq, no service almost all the time.

 

[Love Tink]

Its just that in a theme park there's usually no reason to do anything but hang out together. Spending time next to your family is more important that splitting up because someone doesn't want to do one ride or another.

Oh golly, I sure do love being told what's important by an anonymous stranger on an online forum.

OP, the reason you started this topic and keep making additions was obviously so you could fish for a bunch of compliments about how enlightened and admirable you are. (Sorry it hasn't really worked out that way.) Not sure why you would need that much positive reinforcement from a bunch of strangers.

 

[JeremyGNJ]

Oh golly, I sure do love being told what's important by an anonymous stranger on an online forum.

OP, the reason you started this topic and keep making additions was obviously so you could fish for a bunch of compliments about how enlightened and admirable you are. (Sorry it hasn't really worked out that way.) Not sure why you would need that much positive reinforcement from a bunch of strangers.

lol

 

[flutterby3744]

I so agree with the original poster, but I'm certain we are in the minority. I'm just tired, in general, of others constantly looking at a phone, and missing out on what's right in front and around them...their family/friends..the sights and sounds...and being free to be completely engaged in the moment.

Exactly this! I have 2 teenagers (and one wanna be teen) and I am most often looking at the top of their heads or the glow of the screen on their faces. We are really mean parents because we have set limitations on how often they can be on them now, and we have a strict no technology at meal times.

I totally agree that many people are missing everything around them while all their attention is on their devices-totally disconnected from the world going on around them!

I, for one, am looking forward to an "old fashioned" vacation *somewhat* free of the technology chains!

 

[mom2cinderella]

I also find it strange that some people in this thread have such strong opinions on other people and their cell phone usage. People like to pick apart what others do, but remember that all the time spent in lines or at meals judging other families is time that you are also "disconnected" from your own friends and family. Pay attention to your own vacations and enjoy as you wish!

And you know, you aren't there when dd14 asks me to snuggle and talk about her day....or when dh makes us all sit down and fill out March Madness brackets...or when three kids pile onto my bed and actually get along for an hour. I'm okay with those moments when we're all iZombies.

Don't get me wrong, I use cell phone on vacation to navigate, find restaurants, etc.

Its just that in a theme park there's usually no reason to do anything but hang out together. Spending time next to your family is more important that splitting up because someone doesn't want to do one ride or another.

If that works for you, great. A mix of togetherness and splitting up works better for us.

 

[ethanwa]

Do what you want, but I feel having a cell phone at all times is vital. Literally.

You are going to regret not bringing your phone if you are in an emergency situation (need medical help, lost kids, family/friends need to contact you for an emergency or vise vera)... yes, even in Disney.

If you just need basic contact for emergencies, at least carry a crappy flip phone (not a smart phone) that has calling restrictions to a select group of people and has a clock on it. You can buy the pre-paid phones for next-to-nothing anywhere these days.

Ethan

 

[flutterby3744]

Oh golly, I sure do love being told what's important by an anonymous stranger on an online forum. OP, the reason you started this topic and keep making additions was obviously so you could fish for a bunch of compliments about how enlightened and admirable you are. (Sorry it hasn't really worked out that way.) Not sure why you would need that much positive reinforcement from a bunch of strangers.

Wow! That's unnecessarily aggressive!

I took it as OP feels it's more important for THEIR family. Some people are way too sensitive!

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

I agree that cell phones should not be used during family times but we use them at Disney. Two years ago my son was ten and he knew if he got lost to go to a CM and call my cell. EPCOT was so crowded and he got lost in the crowd. Not even 10 minutes later my cell phone was ringing from a cast member with him. If I didn't have my phone I can't even think how scared we all would have been and how long it would have taken. Now when we go - everyone has a cell phone on them.

Our kids know that our meals and family times at home are a no cell phone zone. We do the same at Disney but we all carry phones for emergencies and the Mobile Magic app. We love it when we are looking for wait times on rides that are halfway around the park or where the characters are.

 

[alicemouse]

I used to leave my phone in the room because people at my old job had a habit of calling me and asking stupid questions that they should have been able to answer themselves while I was on vacation. Now that I sell real estate, I do carry my phone at all times because if something is going on with one of my clients, I want to know about it immediately. DH has carried his phone on every trip we've taken. He doesn't have a separate camera and he'll noodle around on it to pass the time in lines. Our rule is phones must be on silent and no live calls will be taken.

 

[Cadets74]

Seeing as though I own my business and am the only employee I will unfortunately be on my phone during the trip... I have set up vendors locally to help but my business number is my cell number... Definitely not ideal but it's either that or not go... Not to mention having to work in the hotel at night... But again I'm sure it will be worth it to bring my 7 kids to disney for the first time!

 

[Disneyhabs]

We often go as a group so we use ours to communicate for meeting times other than that we do not even take them out. We just BBM each other to say hey we still meeting for lunch etc and that is pretty much it.

 

[Ametista]

I keep my phone in a ziplock (because I love the rides where we get wet) and I use it for a camera. I like knowing I have it in case of emergencies, which happened with one of my pets on a recent trip. Vet needed to know what I wanted for my animal, and thankfully I had my phone on me.

FWIW my DD checks the DW wait times app several times a day when we are HOME! When we are at the park she is even more obsessed with it, and this has been going on for 2 years and she is only 8. She loves the technology. Ignoring the kids is bad. Keeping them in touch with the modern age is good.

 

[fbb]

How long would it take to ride a horse from Texas to WDW?

 

[flutterby3744]

How long would it take to ride a horse from Texas to WDW?

Next thread topic: what saddle do you use to avoid bum blisters on road trips....

No really, technology isn't bad. And don't get me wrong, I can't imagine life without my smartphone now, but quite often I feel like a slave to it. Like how people get mad at you for not answering your phone or replying to a text instantaneously. I don't need to be "connected" all the time. I don't have a job that requires it, and if it's an emergency I will of course respond. But if I'm in the grocery store- I'll call you back!!!! Way too often I see downright RUDE cell phone usage.

Sorry for my little rant there, to sum it up:
For me, moderation is key.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Because of FP+ I have seen a increase in cell phone use at the parks. I even see people whipping out tablets as they get off 1 ride to figure out where they need to be next.

That sounds so much better than actually seeing things around you and soaking up the beauty and atmosphere of the place...

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Having a device that can access the entirety of human knowledge and experience in the palm of my hand is something I like, even when I'm on vacation.

 

[smitch425]

Haven't read the whole thread, so I'm probably repeating some points, but not everyone has the luxury of remaining phone free in the parks. Even before FP+, we needed to have our phones with us. DH works for the government, and sometimes he has no choice but to take a work call. A couple of years ago, he got a call while we were in Town Square Theater meeting Mickey. He didn't pick up, but did return the call as soon as we exited the building. It was arrival day and we had literally only been in the park less than an hour! They called to tell him he needed to fly to D.C. for a meeting a couple days after he returned home from our trip. He was able to get his travel arrangements squared away without too much interference of our day, but had he not gotten that message until we returned to our hotel (which for us, would have been very late at night), I can assure you he would have been restless all night. Our dog is also old and is prone to seizures, and we need to be easily reached by the vet (has happened on more than one trip). We don't separate too often in the parks, but every now and then we do, so phones come in handy for locating one another, even in crowded quick service restaurants with multi level seating. We also have a huge family, and some older members in poor health. I have accidentally left my phone behind before (not at Disney, just at home), and a family member passed away unexpectedly, and no one could reach me for several hours. That situation, while I know full well that it is rare, made me paranoid about ever leaving it behind.

I think it's great that some people can unplug on vacation, but it just isn't something we can do. Of course, FP+ will now have us using our phones more often, but I don't mind that. We love the new system. Though, it could be tweaked a bit.

 

[Tomh]

I would be lost without my phone in Disney World. I use it to post updates to FaceBook so my mother can follow along on our trip. I use it to keep track of our ADR times and confirmation numbers. I keep touring plans on it. I keep a spread sheet which I use to keep track of my sons pressed penny collection. Not to mention I use it to take pictures, and video during the trip. While I do have a good DSLR camera, I don't always want to carry it with me in the parks, so the phone gets a workout doubling as a camera. And, of course, from time to time I use it as a phone to call or text home, or find out where my DW or DD wandered off to.