using your cell at Disney

[mamabear0222]

So I thought about texting my DH if we split up while in Florida but it looks like rates are through the roof in the US when you travel. Do you use your cell while away???

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[wdwmom3]

Most companies will let you add on us texting or calling before you leave and it's not that expensive. On my last trip I added on unlimited us texting for a month. I think it cost me $25 or $30. I then just used text to communicate with everyone. I also turned my data roaming off and just used free wifi at the resort. I'm with telus but I know my parents got a similar deal with bell.

 

[Maddysdaddy]

If you look up about 3 or four posts, there is a 30+ page sticky on this, with many good suggestions on mitigating the costs for using your phone while down south.

 

[disneyfreak89]

Depending on what phone service you have, we have Telus and we are going to get their US Plan of unlimited texting for $40 (1 mth) for our upcoming trip so we can communicate with family/friends at home and while in Disney. Worth the peace of mind IMO. If you don't buy the US plan, the cost of each text is like .60 each which is fine if you only plan on sending a few of them, but they can add up otherwise.

I should admit, we've never done this before, so not sure how smoothly it will work, but shouldn't be a problem.

 

[mamabear0222]

Thanks I will look for the sticky. Seems super pricy. Bell charges $50 for the service and if I'm calling cell to cell i'll likely have to get it on both phones...

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[mamabear0222]

If you look up about 3 or four posts, there is a 30+ page sticky on this, with many good suggestions on mitigating the costs for using your phone while down south.

I skimmed the thread and it's mostly American info. I'm interested in Canadian cell phones unless I'm looking at the wrong thread.

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[Maddysdaddy]

Haven't read thru the thread in a few months, but if you work your way thru it, it talks quite a bit about out-of-country plans thru the Canadian carriers, options to swap out your Canadian sim card for a US carrier, purchasing cheap phones while down in the US, etc.

I personally swap out my sim card for one from T-Mobile when I go down south and have unlimited US calling, texting and data for $3/day (and I have posted about that process in the sticky).

 

[mamabear0222]

Haven't read thru the thread in a few months, but if you work your way thru it, it talks quite a bit about out-of-country plans thru the Canadian carriers, options to swap out your Canadian sim card for a US carrier, purchasing cheap phones while down in the US, etc.

I personally swap out my sim card for one from T-Mobile when I go down south and have unlimited US calling, texting and data for $3/day (and I have posted about that process in the sticky).

Seriously? Do you have a locked phone? I just got this phone. I'll have to go look now thanka

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[Maddysdaddy]

Seriously? Do you have a locked phone? I just got this phone. I'll have to go look now thanka

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I had my iPhone unlocked by Telus when they started doing so last summer.

 

[Lizard Valley]

I have an old iPhone (now unlocked) and got a sim card from AT&T. I use their pay-as-you-go service call "gophone". I do travel often to the US, so I maintain the plan. I buy a 100$ card and it's good for 365 days. If I top up before it ends, unused funds roll over to the next year.

It doesn't use up any $ if I don't use it. If I do, it's 2$/day. So the first text is $2, then unlimited texts to Canadian or US numbers, and really cheap calls to Canada. I'll be there for 12 days next week, and assuming I use it every day, it'll use up $24 of my $100.

 

[keltiesmom]

We just got back from DL last week, while we were down I used roam mobility. I had telus unlock my phone for $35, bought a roam mobility SIM card for $20, and bought a week and 2 days of usage. I had unlimited texting and calling in the US, as well as calling to Canada and 100mb of data a day. If doing this for 2 phones it can add up, we could have saved the $20 SIM card fee by going with Verizon but we couldn't call Canada for free we are going to wdw this fall so it was worth the cost to us, and our phone # is ours, we don't have to use the card every 6mths or something to keep it active. My parents are going to Take my SIM card next time the head south for the winter.

 

[Belle599]

If you're at the parks, resorts or DTD they all have wifi.

I know on my iphone 5 my imssg uses the wifi so DH and I could text for free. Does your Samsung have this?

If not, just turn Skype on and call or mssg each other in Skype.

Or get old school and email each other

Plenty of options without using data.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

There's an App called WhatsApp that you can use to text anyone anywhere in the world at no cost to you. You can use it over Wifi or your phones data plan. It doesn't mater what phone you have s long as the person you are texting has the app.

 

[fredgirls]

Rogers US plan was only $10 a month last year to use your current plan in the US.

Of course, you have to be with Rogers...which isn't always a good thing!

 

[Fivers]

We don't use our cell phones while we're in Disney. If we split up, we just pick a time and a place to meet, and go with that. I guess if one of us got stuck somewhere it would be nice to be able to let the other person know, but we've been lucky, and never had that problem! We use email to keep in touch with people back home. I actually find it very relaxing to not have my cell, although I'm sure not everyone would agree with me, lol!

 

[minnie mum]

We're old school too when we're on vacation. We carry DHs phone in case of emergency, and will use wi fi for the park apps, but that's it. When we're with anyone else and need to meet, we just specify a time and place ahead of time.

But at 60 cents for a text, if we weren't going to use it often, we'd be OK with that.

 

[disneyfreak89]

We don't use our cell phones while we're in Disney. If we split up, we just pick a time and a place to meet, and go with that. I guess if one of us got stuck somewhere it would be nice to be able to let the other person know, but we've been lucky, and never had that problem! We use email to keep in touch with people back home. I actually find it very relaxing to not have my cell, although I'm sure not everyone would agree with me, lol!

That's exactly what we've done most trips but this upcoming trip we're going with DMIL and DSIL and need to keep in touch with them before, during and after their departure.

 

[disneyfan2]

off topic but how do you get Telus to unlock iphone? my contract is up in a few months and i went to one of those kiosk and they said they would charge $150 but i didnt know telus would for alot less

 

[Maddysdaddy]

off topic but how do you get Telus to unlock iphone? my contract is up in a few months and i went to one of those kiosk and they said they would charge $150 but i didnt know telus would for alot less

If anybody other than your cell provider says they can unlock your iphone, they are lying to you. Unlike other phones which have the secret built in code, iphones require your provider to link up with Apple's internal database, and the unlock actually occurs on the Apple end.

Assuming you are with Telus, just call them up and ask about unlocking your phone. I did it when they first began offering it last summer, and it was $50 then - I understand that the price may have dropped to $35.

Just so there is no confusion, Telus will only unlock Telus phones.

 

[disneyfan2]

so yes i am with Telus, and i have to wait til the contract runs out correct to get it unlocked? then will i be able to use it at any carrier with the new carrier sim card?