Unplugged....literally

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

I was in Disneyland on Saturday for the 55th Birthday, when the unthinkable happened. After only a few hours of taking pictures, checking Facebook, updating Twitter, chatting with friends and checking the boards....my iPhone battery gave out. I guess sometimes all green doesn't really mean a full battery.

So, I spent the next 11+ hours in the park without technology, relying on friends to let me text my wife (or even tell me what time it was). I kept resisting the urge to reach into my pocket for my phone. It wasn't fun. Worse yet, I was supposed to be doing my "job" and Tweet live from the Park about the 55th.

What did we ever do in the olden days before cell phones?


Just out of curiosity:
How much do you rely on your phone in the Park??
Full internet, FB, Twitter, etc?
To make contact with others in the Park?
Or just in case you need to contact the outside world?

Have you ever (by choice or by accident) gone completely unplugged at Disney?

Checking eBay now for a portable charger.

 

[mikelan6]

Wow. That's terrible. Had you charged the iPhone before going???

 

[tlcoke]

My battery died in May - I just ordered a portable charger from Amazon, it should be here by the end of the week.

I ordered the 3GJuice - Based on my research it is one of the better ones on the market.

 

[simonkodousek]

When in the parks, I only use my phone to communicate with my family (I tend to go off by myself and explore the smaller details) and if someone absolutely NEEDS to contact me from home. I very rarely text or call friends from the resort.

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

Wow. That's terrible. Had you charged the iPhone before going???

It was low when I woke up, so I charged it in the car all the way down there (3 1/2 hours). But it wasn't a full charge and definitly wasn't enough for the kind of usage I had that morning.

 

[k5jm]

I keep my Sat Phone with me in the parks.

 

[ADP]

My IPhone has become an all in one device. I text, surf the net, write trip reports with photos uploaded to Photobucket, talk to people, etc, etc. My hands would be shaking without it.

 

[mainegal]

I have not fallen into the iPhone trap.

In a one week vacation, my Tracphone was used only when sibling called me to tell me Mom was in the hospital and I later called to check up on her.

I have a wonderful time totally unplugged.

Here's the odd thing - when making ADRs online a required field is "phone while on vacation". Why is that required? Do they really expect that everyone has a mobile phone? I live very well without one.

 

[BriarRosie]

I was using mine all week for updates for my trip. I took video and photos with it rather than using a regular camera, and I probably annoyed half my friends list on Facebook with foursquare updates.

 

[MM32830]

Here's the odd thing - when making ADRs online a required field is "phone while on vacation". Why is that required? Do they really expect that everyone has a mobile phone? I live very well without one.

A "phone will on vacation" could be your hotel phone number. In case something happens to your ADR while you are on vacation, it would be nice for Disney to have a way to contact you.



__________________
Armand

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I always used to text from the parks. It was a way to keep connected with local friends before they arrived or those follow my trip from home. My iPhone has only enhanced my fun. I love the ability of posting pics of where I am on Facebook and commenting right away. It turns into a live trip report which is a lot of fun. I text, talk, take pics, go on the DIS or other apps while waiting in line, use the wait time apps, etc. It really makes the experience that much better.

Lyn, I think the reason they ask for a phone number while you're on vacation is in the event of an emergency. If for whatever reason they could not open the restaurant they would contact you. I think it is a fine courtesy.

 

[mainegal]

Although I do not have a smart phone that does twenty gazillion things other than "phone home", I do enjoy reading and viewing what other people post from their phones.

 

[sau418]

I unplug while at the parks. I do surf, text, etc, while the kids nap. I require my husband to unplug as well.

In our day to day lives we are plugged in ALOT, so vacation becomes a time to unplug and just enjoy hanging out together, this may not work for all, but it is great for us.

 

[bdoyledimou]

SO and I each have an iphone. and they remain at home.

WE did pick up some Net 10 phones on our last trip to Michigan, but since we both work remotely, and our phones are the umbilical cord to the mother ship, we MUST unplug, otherwise our vacation would be ruined with work.

 

[AlbertZeroK]

We have a spare phone on our Verizon account, NOBODY has that number but my wife and her mother! I left my crack berry at the house last year, and LOVED it! ... But not as much as my wife loved it!!!

 

[RutgersAlum]

What did we ever do in the olden days before cell phones?


Just out of curiosity:
How much do you rely on your phone in the Park??
Full internet, FB, Twitter, etc?
To make contact with others in the Park?
Or just in case you need to contact the outside world?

At WDW, we often split up with our two kids (divide and conquer, lol) and rely heavily on texting to let each other know when/where to meet up next, when we're getting on/off ride, etc.

We also use our cell phones to touch base with plant-waterer/pet-sitter back at home.

I'm not a huge fan of updating FB while on vacation, because I'm paranoid about letting all the FB "friends" know we're away. I might just be vague and say "On Route 95" which could be near my house or 1000 miles away in FL. That's just me, though! Or I might just put up a family & Mickey picture and not label with date/time--folks know we go to WDW every year and will probably just think I put up an old one (I hope...).

Have you ever (by choice or by accident) gone completely unplugged at Disney?

On a trip to France last year, our family spent at day at Disneyland Paris. Because being overseas my iPhone would have sucked up "data" and run up a fortune in charges, I had to essentially turn it off (airplane mode) for the trip The inability to text each other as to where/when we were meeting up was incredibly disconcerting! I have only become a WDW fan in the cellphone era--went only once for just one day as a kid.

I just don't know how we did it then! We <3 our cellphones in the parks.

 

[mainegal]

When I was down for a week with my friend who is good company, but not a Disney fanatic. Her condition was that she could "work". While we were in line and on the bus, her nose was in her phone. It was oay, but...

 

[Disneybridein2k3]

My IPhone has become an all in one device. I text, surf the net, write trip reports with photos uploaded to Photobucket, talk to people, etc, etc. My hands would be shaking without it.

I'm with you Aaron - totally OCD about my iPhone.
Tom - I use a Richardsolo 1800 and LOVE it. It works well to recharge while on the go and also gives you a 2nd charging device when you are connected to an outlet.

 

[Cherinva]

I usually carry my cell phone, just in cases of emergency...or if we go off in different directions..we text where to meet. Other than that, before I leave, I tell all my contacts that I'm on vacation and not to blow up my phone...as for work..I tell them that I will be unavailable..afterall...I'm on VACATION.