Please tell me about laptop use at BCV.

[Simba's Mom]

I got a new laptop for Christmas and I'm bringing it to BCV next week (it's wi fi enabled). Only one problem-I know virtually nothing about using a laptop at BCV, and I'm very computer illiterate. My main question is-I know you pay for useage but how does it work. Does the 24 hour charge mean for 24 hours from whenever you log on? Or if I log on, say, Wednesday afternoon, is the charge only good for Wednesday? And I know wi-fi is supposed to work at SAB, but once I log on, can I use it anywhere or just at the one location I initially logged on (I have a feeling that's the type of question that shows my computer skills, or rather lack of them)? And is the fee charged to my room or do I give a credit card on screen? And last question (for now), how do they know if I only want to be charged for 24 hours-I mean, I only want to use it one day in the middle of my trip, but I'm afraid that once I log on it will keep charging me indefinitely. Help, please!

 

[MinnieFan4ever]

It is free in the lobby at the Beach Club. If you want to use it in your room, there is a cable (I think it is found in the closet) that needs to be hooked up (the outlet is by the sofa) to your computer and I think the charge is 9.95 a day.

 

[OurDogCisco]

It is free in the lobby at the Beach Club. If you want to use it in your room, there is a cable (I think it is found in the closet) that needs to be hooked up (the outlet is by the sofa) to your computer and I think the charge is 9.95 a day.

And, if the service is anything like the one at Wilderness Lodge it wasn't good. I usually upload pictures to Kodak Gallery on vacation and the system couldn't handle it. For e-mails and stuff it was okay. It did time out alot. I really didn't think it was worth it for $10 a day fee. Especially if you use to DSL speed.

 

[MsAmerica]

We stay in the BCV's all the time, just returned on Wednesday, and it is $9.95 per day for 24 hours. You can get the wi fi in the lobby and SAB areas or from the ethernet cable that is in the closet in your room. I however have a local number and use dial up in my room for 75 cents a call, 35 cents for members. I don't upload pictures or anything else while on vacation, I wait to come home to do that, so it works out fine.

It isn't free anywhere at the BC, you will be prompted to charge it on your credit card if you log on to either of the high speed services

MsA

 

[Simba's Mom]

We stay in the BCV's all the time, just returned on Wednesday, and it is $9.95 per day for 24 hours. You can get the wi fi in the lobby and SAB areas or from the ethernet cable that is in the closet in your room. I however have a local number and use dial up in my room for 75 cents a call, 35 cents for members. I don't upload pictures or anything else while on vacation, I wait to come home to do that, so it works out fine.

It isn't free anywhere at the BC, you will be prompted to charge it on your credit card if you log on to either of the high speed services

MsA

Thanks for the info. I expected I'd have to pay, but when the prompt comes on to pay, do they specifically ask for what period of time or cost? I just live in fear of being charged forever once they get ahold of my credit card #.

 

[DMKEDM]

We're at WDW (SSR) right now, and on high-speed internet...

First, if you buy it via the cable in your room, the charge goes directly on your room charge. Don't know about how the charge works (I assume they as for a credit card number, but don't know) if you get it in the lobby instead; we get ours in the room...second, it's a "contiguous 24-hour period"; i.e, if you sign on at noon, it's good til noon the next day...after the 24 hours is up, the system comes on and asks you if you want another 24 hours...as far as I can tell, you can only buy 24 hours at a time...but it's super easy to renew...just push the "buy it" button and you're on...

We actually don't hook up a computer to the internet; we hook up a mini-router which allows our whole party to use their individual computers...at the moment, it's just two of us; by tomorrow it will be four of us...we "learned" this over our T-giving trip, when we had two college students and a "working mom" in the party; all of us needed our computers ... the router solution was great...

It's pretty easy...good luck!

 

[newholidayx2]

thanks for asking this
i was wondering myself for my april trip
just got the laptop for christmas too!

 

[disney4me4ever]

DMKEDM--Can you post a little more information on that mini-router? Where did you buy, about how much did it cost, is it easy to hook up? Thanks.

 

[DMKEDM]

Hi, Disney4me4ever...the mini router was from Best Buy, it's by Belkin (or something like that...I had my computer-savvy 19-year-old along when we bought it)...it appears to be very easy to hook up (DS, the aforementioned 19-year-old, does it)...it's got a cable w/phone jack type ends...one goes in the port at Disney; the other in the router, and then all the laptops work...we've got 3 of the 4 of us using our laptops (at BWV) right now...I'm1n the bedroom (we're in a 1-BR); the teenagers are in the living room (the other mom isn't on the computer right now)...

It cost around $30, as I recall (the router, that is)...

It's great...

By the way, for those of you who know anything about computers (and that excludes me!), DS tells me the internet access at BWV is wireless...at SSR and at OKW we used a cable...not sure what that means, but he seemed to think it was significant information...

Hope this info is helpful...

 

[Cricket2]

When this wireless travel router comes down in price due to rebates, it's slicker than a water slide on a rainy day:

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?loc=2009&sku=201684913&adid=17662&adid=17662


It's tiny and also no power cord to get tangled up since it plugs directly into an outlet. When at SSR I had a full power signal throughout the entire studio and so did our neighbors to our right. I used to bring our home one and the cords and set up was a hassle compared to the travel one. Don't forget to add some magic and name it something funny

 

[shovan]

You have to pay to use the ethernet cable in the room? I thought they only charged for wi-fi?