WDW vrs. CELL PHONE

[WDW1st-timers]

Has anyone bought a cell phone from Florida or Orlando area to be able to use for cheaper rates then your Canadian cell phone? If so how much was this phone with a credit? I don't want to pay more than 30-40 dollars. I just called my cell phone provider and they told me it's $1.90 roaming charge and then .99 a minute. Just looking for a cheaper way than this. Any ideas?

 

[bunnyfoo]

If your cell phone is "unlocked" and takes SIM cards, you could buy a pay as you go SIM card instead of buying a new phone. I haven't done this myself so I'm not sure what the rates are like but I think SIM cards generally sell for $20-$30.

You could also ask your cell phone provider to put a long distance package onto your plan for the month.

HTH

 

[WDW1st-timers]

If your cell phone is "unlocked" and takes SIM cards, you could buy a pay as you go SIM card instead of buying a new phone. I haven't done this myself so I'm not sure what the rates are like but I think SIM cards generally sell for $20-$30.

You could also ask your cell phone provider to put a long distance package onto your plan for the month.

HTH

Yeah my phone is the pay as you go and they said that they can add on the long distance (US) package on for $5.00 but that don't give me no discounts. I'm still paying 3 bucks a minute for a call. That would be super if I could get another card put on just for the states. Any other ideas anyone?

 

[kelsco99]

Are you wanting to use your phone in Orlando to phone home to Canada or to keep in touch with others while there?

 

[WDW1st-timers]

Are you wanting to use your phone in Orlando to phone home to Canada or to keep in touch with others while there?

To call home maybe if I can find something that isn't a bad price; but mostly for when I'm off with the baby I can call hubby and see where him and the girls are at.

 

[kelsco99]

To call home maybe if I can find something that isn't a bad price; but mostly for when I'm off with the baby I can call hubby and see where him and the girls are at.

I went in January with some friends and I bought a tracfone for $20.00 - it was a basic Nokia phone and it came with 120 minutes. It was perfect for the trip.

They don't ship to Canada so I had a friend get it for me and bring it with them but it worked out great for what I needed

I used it to call home too but I don't know what the cost of that broke down to.

check out www.tracfone.com

 

[CanadianGuy]

The tracfone website has info on a lot of this stuff..

Since I need to be able to receive the odd call from my employer (they just can't live without me) .. I have to take my phone. So, I just added the 60 USA minutes for 40$ .. to my Rogers phone.. that's what I did last year.. Worked out great.

J

 

[Disney Ontario]

Hi. Sister inlaw just told us that in Florida you can buy a cell phone with so many minutes then throw it away when minutes are done. A disposable one, just like cameras.

 

[WDW1st-timers]

Hi. Sister inlaw just told us that in Florida you can buy a cell phone with so many minutes then throw it away when minutes are done. A disposable one, just like cameras.

I'm assuming you can prob. go to a Wal-mart there and pick one up?

 

[WDW1st-timers]

I went in January with some friends and I bought a tracfone for $20.00 - it was a basic Nokia phone and it came with 120 minutes. It was perfect for the trip.

They don't ship to Canada so I had a friend get it for me and bring it with them but it worked out great for what I needed

I used it to call home too but I don't know what the cost of that broke down to.

check out www.tracfone.com

Thanks this info help out alot. Thanks to everyone who posted to this thread!

 

[WDW1st-timers]

Just wondering have any of you ever use a walkie-talkie/two way radio in Disney? Would it work? Maybe I should just go that way. It would be cheaper. Let me know what you think.

 

[F4disneyfan]

Just wondering have any of you ever use a walkie-talkie/two way radio in Disney? Would it work? Maybe I should just go that way. It would be cheaper. Let me know what you think.

We use the Cobra GMRS 2 way radios with a range of 26 KM they worked great they have the ability to use over 2000 codes so you are pretty sure you will have a channel with no one else on it they were 89 bucks for the pair at Home Depot and they come with NIMH batteries and chargers.

 

[minnie56]

Not sure who your Cell provider is..but with Bell you can buy a 'Florida Calling' plan..or called something like that!? For $20 you get 100 minutes incoming and outgoing calls. Worked great for me.

 

[WDW1st-timers]

Not sure who your Cell provider is..but with Bell you can buy a 'Florida Calling' plan..or called something like that!? For $20 you get 100 minutes incoming and outgoing calls. Worked great for me.

It's PC Mobile. Which is Presidents Choice. They came out with a awsome pay as you go service anyways they said that I can use the phone in the states for a $5.00 monthly charge and the price of the incoming/outgoing calls that I make over there basicly at $3.00 a minute plus taxes that's robbery. I wish that I would of had the florida plan that would be so nice.

Anyways....we might have to go with the cobra 2 way radios and the cell phones for emergency ONLY. So far hubby and I each a over $75.00 in phone credits on our phones, so by the time we go to Disney in September it will be over a $100.00 credit on each of our phones. I just don't want to waste all that phone credit on just a few calls. That works out to about 33 minutes of talk for $100.00 Now that's scary.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Certainly the TracFone deal is pretty good. You get a phone and 120 minutes of talk time for 19.99. Hard to be a deal like that.

J

 

[WDW1st-timers]

Certainly the TracFone deal is pretty good. You get a phone and 120 minutes of talk time for 19.99. Hard to be a deal like that.

J

Yeah that is a super deal. Now I wonder how long activation takes? Would you happen to know if it takes effect right away?

 

[CanadianGuy]

The Trac Fone website says activation takes about an hour or two at the most.

 

[WDW1st-timers]

The Trac Fone website says activation takes about an hour or two at the most.

thanks for the info.

 

[dancin Disney style]

What about text messaging each other? I have Bell mobility and there are not long distance charges for sending or receiving a text. It is the same rate as when at home. 15 or 20 cents per message.

If you want to call home to Canada buy a long distance phone card(land line). I bought one for $12 at the airport in Buffalo and it included 120 minutes anywhere in the USA. Long distance was extra but I called home 3 times and talked for about 10-15 mniutes each time and there is still time on the card.

 

[CanadianGuy]

I use PINGO.com for a calling card. I do all my long distance calls thru them. Year around.

The rates are amazing.. And everything is spelled out on their website. No surprises... and no connection charges for each call.

Carefull with Bell Mobility -- their website says the following :

" International text messages are not included in the Text Messaging bundles. * International text messages must originate in Canada "

In other words.. sending a text message from the states may incur additional charges if you haven't got some kind of package for roaming.