Portable 2-Way Radios?

[terlane97]

We will be at WDW this September and I was thinking of buying those portable 2-Way radios but I was wondering how well they work? Anyone ever used them and if have what do you think of them....I just want them for use like if we get separated or if we ride different rides and need to meet up. Thank you for any and all information.

 

[hmdavid]

We have a set that we use at home a lot, so we thought we would take them with to WDW. We did not use them at all. We just used our cell phones if we were not together and needed to talk. Just one of the many things that I packed and did not use!

 

[1stluvispooh]

We took ours during our 2003 trip. They did not work that great. Couldn't really get a channel that came in clear and that someone else(i.e. CM's) wasn't already on. They were more of a pain the a help. But during our 2006 trip we just used our cell phones which worked great! And yes we did get separated!

 

[chiefs614]

ya it hard to hard to get any kind of reception.

 

[Girly_Qs]

I've heard the same story here - receptions not great (CM interference, castle, etc), and with most cell phone plans these days there's just not much need, IMO.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Yep, just use your cell phones.

We tried them one year, big waste of money.

 

[SJP]

We used ours two trips ago, and they really didn't work at all (we didn't have roaming on the cells). The kids can go all over the neighborhood or out in the woods behind our house and we can still get them on the radios, but in DW there is too much interference. We had to nearly be standing next to each other to come in with a clear signal. The only time we ever used them effectively was when I was trying to call my Dad; I had tried repeatedly, but it did not work until I could literally see him. It did keep me from calling out over a bunch of people. Last trip we used cells, so much better!

 

[kjetjl]

Didn't use them at WDW but used them at Cedar Point in OH. Our older kids were using them while we took the younger kids on rides. Some "pervert" got on our channel and started saying he was taking our kids, etc. We had horrible reception and we couldn't hear the kids trying to respond to us. This guy was saying very nasty things.
Thankfully, the kids never heard him. Never again. We use cell phones when we separate now.

 

[Disneyfanatic108]

there are so many of them that you can not get a channel. you end up changing just to find someone else on it. We just use our cell phones as well.

 

[Zoesmama03]

We used cell phones last time we went to meet back up for whatever. Its hard enough to hear your phone ring let along IF you can get a channel. I suppose it depends on how busy it is but cell phones are the way to go. You can get prepay ones for $20 and pay for only minutes you want if you need more than what you have.

 

[Mickey1974]

We brought ours once and they were a waste. The only time we could get any reception was in the parking lot when we were standing next to each other. We also had some very rude guy tell us to get off of the channel we were using cuz he was on it first...I didn't know it belonged to him! After the second day of trying to use them we left them behind for the rest of the week.

In the event you get separated from your party or need to meet up with them, always make up a meeting place BEFORE not AFTER. My oldest daughter and I had to go to lost and found for my husband and youngest daughter. The CM's were nice enough to call him on his cell phone and tell him where to find us. But it could have been avoided had we agreed beforehand...I strongly recommend this!

 

[Dizneydaz]

My DSis brought some on a trip in 2004. They were a pain. They didn't work that well and they ate up the batteries! Since then we've signed up for free national calls with our cell phone carrier and now we just use those. Also we can call home without paying excessive phone charges from the room or long distance charges on payphones. Hope this helps!

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Can the OP add an update to the title: "Yes, Everyone Agrees They Suck!"

 

[madamy]

We use our 2-ways for boating and skiing because the cell reception can be spotty in the mountains and they work great. For Disney I will leave the radios at home.