Using my UK phone in WDW

[sunset30]

Hi UK Disers!

I am flying out to WDW on 7th October, and getting married there on 10th (WOOHOO! Getting close now!)

Our wedding party etc are meeting us there and we thought it would be a good idea to be reachable by mobile that day just in case of problems / to tell the best man and best woman our room number etc.

I know my Orange PAYG phone is triband, so should technically work in USA (it's an LG KC550 for anyone who knows more about this than me)

Can I just use it like I usually would (I know that works in Europe) with the same number and everything? How astronomically expensive will it be?

And, on a side note, can I use the WWW on it without paying the WDW wi fi charge? (for the same cost as using the www on it in this country?)

Thanks to anyone who knows about these things.

 

[Lisa x]

Unfortunately I cannot help you with your query.....

I just wanted to wish you a magical trip and I hope that your wedding day is AMAZING!

Your wedding date is definitely one you will not forget! I got married in Orlando on 8th October last year and it was the best day of my life .........I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!

 

[2Tiggies]

You need to ring Orange to double check what your costs will be. Mine (not Orange) on PAYG is 40p to receive and 40p to send texts. I don't remember the call costs but they were similar. You just dial the UK mobile number as usual. Triband is fine. My triband phones have worked with no problems. When you get there it will automatically search for a US network. I do suggest that you make sure your voicemail is switched off though. You will be charged for those too and you have no control over who leaves messages.

 

[sunset30]

Thank you! I shall ring Orange then - or pop into the store tomorrow, sounds like it shouldn't be a problem, and since I don't want to use it too much, won't be TOO expensive.

Thanks for the good wishes too!

 

[igk]

You need to ring Orange to double check what your costs will be. Mine (not Orange) on PAYG is 40p to receive and 40p to send texts. I don't remember the call costs but they were similar. You just dial the UK mobile number as usual. Triband is fine. My triband phones have worked with no problems. When you get there it will automatically search for a US network. I do suggest that you make sure your voicemail is switched off though. You will be charged for those too and you have no control over who leaves messages.

That's better than my Vodafone pay monthly - £1/min to make and £1.35/min to receive

I'm going to take an old phone and see if I can get a sim card - though that doesn't seem as straightforward as I would have thought.
Another thing that is surprising is how expensive it is to get a mobile broadband dongle in the US - here for £20 you can get a Vodafone dongle with 3GB which lasts a month. Nothing like that seems to be available in the US at anything near that cost...

Edit - congrats on the wedding Sunset and have a great time!

 

[sunset30]

I have asked Orange and should have NO problem, so, for anyone else on orange who needs to know, prices are as follows...

Texts send 45p recieve free
phone call £1.30 per min
and yes, you do pay for answer phone messages

 

[2Tiggies]

I have asked Orange and should have NO problem, so, for anyone else on orange who needs to know, prices are as follows...

Texts send 45p recieve free
phone call £1.30 per min
and yes, you do pay for answer phone messages

Thanks for posting the info. A bit OT but just want to wish you a magically special wedding trip. It must be hectic around your house at the moment!

 

[skelfbsfb]

Im with vodafone and was charged a fortune when we used our mobile this year. Will definitely use different sim whe we go next year.

All the best for the wedding.

 

[sunset30]

Thanks guys! yes it's manic here right now.
The plumbing has packed up and NEEDS fixing before we can leave and I have just started a 2 year college course that has an away weekend THIS weekend. And we are *fingers crossed* flying out next Thursday!

 

[JulieSharp]

Just wondered if anyone had any prices with O2Payg?

 

[2Tiggies]

Just wondered if anyone had any prices with O2Payg?

I don't know about O2 but Tesco Mobile rides on tehe O2 network. Not that it makes a difference I suppose, but I just checked my charges with Tesco Mobile PAYG sim and they are 40 per text to send/receive and 89p per minute to make or receive calls.

 

[2Tiggies]

Another thing that is surprising is how expensive it is to get a mobile broadband dongle in the US - here for £20 you can get a Vodafone dongle with 3GB which lasts a month. Nothing like that seems to be available in the US at anything near that cost...

Are you wanting internet outside of your room? Not wireless but the Disney hotels charge about $10 for 24 hours wired access. Still cheaper than buying a US dongle unless you plan on using it out of your room or for a lot of the time you are there.

 

[igk]

Are you wanting internet outside of your room? Not wireless but the Disney hotels charge about $10 for 24 hours wired access. Still cheaper than buying a US dongle unless you plan on using it out of your room or for a lot of the time you are there.

Yes I thought it would be nice to have internet access wherever I was, so thought that if a dongle was available similar to what you can get in the UK (at a similar price) it would be ideal. Still surprised it isn't really... I'm staying with friends in Sanibel before WDW and they have Wifi, so I'll be OK there, and as you say there's the $10/day Disney fee so I can do that.

 

[scottish mum]

Glad you got your phone prices sorted, Just wanted to say huge congrats on your upcoming wedding and also that we fly out on the same day as you

 

[sunset30]

woohoo! have an awesome time!

 

[Loftus]

Just to say if when you say can you use www on your phone without using Disney wi-fi you mean 3g then don't! Roaming costs for data are prohibitive.

 

[igk]

Just to say if when you say can you use www on your phone without using Disney wi-fi you mean 3g then don't! Roaming costs for data are prohibitive.

I wasn't very clear sorry. I was hoping to be able to either get a 3g sim for my phone, or a dongle for my netbook. Failing that I'll use the wired Disney internet on the netbook.
After the volcano this spring I found having internet access invaluable so I'm nervous at the thought of being thousands of miles away from home without the internet!

 

[2Tiggies]

After the volcano this spring I found having internet access invaluable so I'm nervous at the thought of being thousands of miles away from home without the internet!

That was the very thing that made the decision for me too. Reading Wayne's live TR in April made it a no-brainer for me. I will just pay for wired room access when I need/want it though. Still, my days of travelling laptop free appear to be over for now. If I go, the laptop comes too.