Walkie Talkies?

[Bonnie40]

Has anyone used walkie talkies inside the parks? I'm wondering if it would be useful to bring them along. It would allow the teenagers to go off someplace without me worrying so much!

 

[Cruisin]

I have never used them but I have seen plenty of people using them in the parks. They must work to some extent or people would not have them. I would think you would get a lot of interference and people all wanting to talk on the same frequencies.

 

[siobhan1997]

Hi, we used them last year at Disney & universal. They were horrible too many people using the same channels, never knew who you were talking too. Even when you changed the channel they still didn't read loud and clear.

Resort to the old meet you at a certain time in a certain place.

Good luck!

 

[Bonnie40]

That's what I thought too - too many people using them you'd be wondering who you were talking to! Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Canadave]

We used them last time at WDW (2002) and yes, there was sometimes a lot of people using the same channel, but make sure you have a backup channel, that will usually help. We found them very helpful and when our youngest DD didn't want to go on a ride with the rest of us, it gave her great comfort to know that she could still be in contact with us while she waited. (we turned off the w/t while inside the attraction and turned it on as soon as we exited). Our DD's also thought it was a lot of fun and gave them some sense of having some control...read 'being like an adult')

 

[Bonnie40]

Thanks for that info! I may now take them and give them a try!

 

[MikeJ]

We've used our FRS radios in the past, but always in conjunction with a meeting place and time. Often the radios won't work well from one end of a park to the other, but if we split up the groups would agree to meet one another at a certain location at a certain time. If one group was early (or late) we could browse the shops in the area and then get called when the other group returned. Because you're now in close proximity, the signal will be stronger and you can be assured you're talking to the correct person.

- Mike

 

[Canadave]

Good point MikeJ...we used them like that quite a lot too

 

[FatCow]

We bought a GMRS radio (like FRS but with much better reception).

In open-area like Disney, the perfect reception distance will be about 4 kms.

Between cars (lots of EMI and RFI) along the highway with many more cars around us, about 2 kms.

Between concrete buildings, about 2.5 kms.

We bought the lowest-end GMRS pair from Cobra, costs around CAD$80 including shipping with 256 total channels and sub-channels.

It also comes with 2 sets of rechargeable nimh batteries and charging stand for both radios.

 

[mbb]

Originally posted by MikeJ
We've used our FRS radios in the past, but always in conjunction with a meeting place and time. Often the radios won't work well from one end of a park to the other, but if we split up the groups would agree to meet one another at a certain location at a certain time. If one group was early (or late) we could browse the shops in the area and then get called when the other group returned. Because you're now in close proximity, the signal will be stronger and you can be assured you're talking to the correct person.

- Mike

That's how we use ours too...and we also give each other fun "call" names, something other than, "Dad?? Dad? Is that you?..."

Have fun!!

 

[jjohns]

We (group of four - DW, DS (8), DD (6)) use them in the parks quite regularly. In our little group, we often split into two pairs to go our own way for a while. The radios make the chore of getting back together a *lot* easier.

We haven't had too much difficulty with cross-talk. If you're using the FRS radios, *only* get the ones with the sub-channels - otherwise the things will be next to useless and you will just want to turn them off.

HTH, Jeff

 

[DSNY FN]

You can now buy FRS radios in the US that have a 5 mile range and we use ours all the time at Disney we use them at the resort and in the parks and usually have an obscure channell subchannell combo that most people would never think of.

 

[FatCow]

Originally posted by DSNY FN
You can now buy FRS radios in the US that have a 5 mile range.

It's called GMRS, as mentioned on my post above.

 

[DSNY FN]

We picked up a set of either motorolla's or Cobras not sure which and they were still marketed and labeled as FRS down there and they do have a range of 5 miles unless they have changed the title of the radios now not to sure all I know is that the FCC here hasn't given the ok for them yet

 

[FatCow]

That's correct, GMRS is currently only being sold for security purposes (for security companies). I think starting either this summer or next, it will be approved in Canada.

The same thing happened with FRS. It was available for 2 years in the US before it was introduced in Canada.

However, for private use, I think it's allowed because my package from US was opened inspected by Canada Customs and they let it through although it's written in humongous bold letters "GMRS/FRS 5-mile".

Please also note that there are also 8-mile and IIRC 10-mile version of it (or is it 6-mile and 8-mile versions).

 

[FatCow]

Forgot to give a link of the GMRS radio I bought from Cobra.

Here you go!

 

[DSNY FN]

looks like the ones we bought but ours were about 140 canadian I will have to dig them out and see what model it is but you are correct they are much clearer than the regular FRS radios.

 

[WCMouse]

We too, like most have tried the "Walkie Talkies" inside and around the parks, both in Orlando and California, and like many others the interference and reception was not the greatest.

Just recently we tried another idea that worked fairly well. In december of '03 we picked up a couple of "Prepaid" cell phones in the US. The sale price we got them for was about $49.00 (US) and that included some airtime. We registered them online, and we registered ourselves as being in Hawaii as that was were we would be over the last holiday season. It was smooth and quick and we got two hawaii (808) numbers.

Upon arrival to Hawaii we turned them on, called the kids in the back seat and were connected.

We liked this idea because we could reach the other half of our group and DW and DD16 like to shop were DS8 and I do not. In addition we could call for reservations, open hours and all for a flat rate with no roaming charge.

Sure we have to add minutes at least every 90 days, but we felt the added convenience, sercurity and flexibility was worth it.

It might not be a great idea for everyone, but it might work for some...

 

[pkitty]

We also use Motorola Walkie Talkies.Last year every frequency was taken but we gave each other little call names and on the one frequency we were sharing everybody seemed eager to let you have the air time you needed to establish contact witheach other.This was cool...it was like giving everyone on the frequency a turn!!We also find it invaluable...I mean who hasn't turned around for a split second before only to turn back and find out that you've lost track of someone!!!My DH is notorious for getting "side tracked"...ooh look something shiny!!!!!We used them and found them handy!!!Ladies they're like a "low jack"for the Dh...great!!!!!

 

[FatCow]

You'll be surprised with the number of people who didn't realized that their FRS radio have the option to go to sub-channels until I pointed the fact to them.

I'm also surprised that some people are "surprised" that everybody is flooding the same channel (at least nobody at DISboard is like this).

With the price of GMRS being so low (about US$60 including rechargeable batteries, desktop charger, at least double the range up to quadruple for the US$100 model, 800+ subchannels), I'm baffled that people will still go with the regular US$30 FRS.

Spend a bit more, in the long run (even from battery purchase alone) you'll save a lot with GMRS.