Starting today - more resort TV Channels

[DeeCee735]

It's about time! The TV choices were ridiculous last time we were there, especially in comparison to the area hotels/resorts.
Hopefully everything is up and running smoothly very soon!

 

[HtomSirveaux]

Please tell me they still have soapnet?

After March 23rd it's not going to matter

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Disney-Junior-SoapNet-March-1041380.aspx

 

[KemlynUltra]

After March 23rd it's not going to matter

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Disney-Junior-SoapNet-March-1041380.aspx

It's always baffled me (and confused my 3 yr old) how at home we have two 24 hr disney junior channels but in disney world (and i assume the rest of the us) it is restricted to certain times in the morning. Looks like this is changing now.

 

[johnkrusinski]

can someone post a full list of the channels that are in the rooms

 

[DVC-Don]

Not added at OKW as of check out yesterday @ 11 AM.

 

[jimmytammy]

Cool, thanks for sharing this Doc.

 

[Debbie Jean]

Watching the Giants game at OKW. No change in any channels. I'll believe it when I see it! LOL

 

[CMOORE185]

It's funny, Bill O'Reilly was just joking about Disney finally letting him in. I didn't get at first, but he meant that FOX channel would now be on at Disney.

 

[shalom]

can someone post a full list of the channels that are in the rooms

Ditto that. The limited TV channels are a big part of why some of my kids would rather do offsite than DVC (we don't do broadcast TV at home).

 

[sherylcin]

Subbing! Heading to the world in 3 weeks and hoping it's all up and running by then!

 

[childsplay]

We rarely watch TV at Disney so it didn't really matter to me, but I never did quite understand the the limited channel selection.

 

[hakepb]

We rarely watch TV at Disney so it didn't really matter to me, but I never did quite understand the the limited channel selection.

It seems Disney decided to operate their own cable system for cost and content reasons vs contracting out tv service (to cable or sat like other hotels)

Unfortunately they made that decision back in the days of 30 channel cable systems. And while cable companies have been forced to invest and upgrade their backbone technologies to keep up with satellite. Adding a channel is not as easy as adding another tuner in the office. Wiring, amplifiers, splitters... All have to be compatiable with the frequency and or modulation used for the new channels.

And then broadcasters make things more expensive in today's HD world. If you own a little hotel and go to Best Buy and buy a bunch of inexpensive flat screens, you'll find out you can't get HD content (besides locals)on those new screens because the content industry requires Pro:Idiom encryption equiped TV's so us evil guests don't tap into open hd feeds and rip content.

 

[edk35]

It's funny, Bill O'Reilly was just joking about Disney finally letting him in. I didn't get at first, but he meant that FOX channel would now be on at Disney.

We saw that show.

 

[KevGuy]

Where is ABC, ABC Family, and ESPN, ESPN2?? They own all those networks so it doesn't cost to add them. CNN would be nice too.

 

[dvc_john]

Where is ABC, ABC Family, and ESPN, ESPN2?? They own all those networks so it doesn't cost to add them. CNN would be nice too.

Those channels are already available.

 

[childsplay]

It seems Disney decided to operate their own cable system for cost and content reasons vs contracting out tv service (to cable or sat like other hotels)

Unfortunately they made that decision back in the days of 30 channel cable systems. And while cable companies have been forced to invest and upgrade their backbone technologies to keep up with satellite. Adding a channel is not as easy as adding another tuner in the office. Wiring, amplifiers, splitters... All have to be compatiable with the frequency and or modulation used for the new channels.

And then broadcasters make things more expensive in today's HD world. If you own a little hotel and go to Best Buy and buy a bunch of inexpensive flat screens, you'll find out you can't get HD content (besides locals)on those new screens because the content industry requires Pro:Idiom encryption equiped TV's so us evil guests don't tap into open hd feeds and rip content.

Thanks for the explanation. Very interesting.
Does anybody have any idea how much it costs to have "cable" in every villa at a place like OKW. They don't charge each villa what they charge an individual customer at a private home, right?
There must be some type of "resort discount".

 

[hakepb]

From what I've seen with DirecTv,
Hotel rates are based on per room pricing, but does appear cheaper than residential. Also commercial accounts can get more ala-carte pricing

..But I think hotels pay a lot more up front for equipment and installation..

If you are interested, here's a link to directv pricing: directv.com/DTVAPP/content/business/hotels/packages

 

[RobPickles]

Yay! No more staring at the Disney Parks Schedule or Hotel Events stations! That music gets into your head after a while!

LOL! Seriously though..it is about time...

We only watch tv when we get back to our room at night, but it is nice to finally have a few choices other than those few channels they used to have.

 

[Debbie Jean]

Is there anyone there now who can report that the new channels are actually available? We left OKW on Monday and they were still not working.

 

[dvc_john]

Is there anyone there now who can report that the new channels are actually available? We left OKW on Monday and they were still not working.

I left at 10am this morning (Friday the 20th), and no changes yet at that time.