What is the cheapest way to call home?

[newfiegirl]

I live in newfoundland and we are with Bell Aliant, does anyone know the best and cheapest way to call home from Disney? We are going for 2 weeks and would like to make several calls back home.

 

[Kat&Dom]

I usually pick up a 7-11 phone card to take with me as it is good for both Canada and US calls. It has a 1-800 number that you call into and do your PIN number then enter the phone number you are calling - it is really easy and you don't get any surprise when you get home. Most hotels don't charge for making 1-800 calls so you should be okay on that end too. If not, there are lots of pay phones at the parks that you can call home from.

I bought a $10 card and we called home every day of an 8 day trip and still had $4.38 left on the card at the end of our trip.

 

[Tigman_NS]

I agree. We do the same thing! A piece of advice, if you both want to call home at the same time you need 2 phone cards, 2 calls at the same time can't be made with the same pin.

 

[Sue M]

I usually pick up a 7-11 phone card to take with me as it is good for both Canada and US calls. It has a 1-800 number that you call into and do your PIN number then enter the phone number you are calling - it is really easy and you don't get any surprise when you get home. Most hotels don't charge for making 1-800 calls so you should be okay on that end too. If not, there are lots of pay phones at the parks that you can call home from.

I bought a $10 card and we called home every day of an 8 day trip and still had $4.38 left on the card at the end of our trip.

Good to know, I thought it was just for calls originating in Canada to the U.S. at 7-11.
I have a Telus Calling Card & use this.

 

[sympatico]

If you have a Bell Aliant calling card you can call 1 800 555 1111. This will connect you with Bell Canada first then you punch in your calling card info, then the number you're calling. Everything gets billed to your home phone number at a decent rate. We usually do this instead of buying phone cards. You can call Bell and find out what the rate would be.
This is from their website: http://support.bell.ca/en-on/Home_p...calling_cards/How_to_use_my_Bell_Calling_Card

 

[You'vegotafriendinme]

We too pre-purchase a long distance phone card (usually at Zehrs or No Frills, too, I think). It's such an economical way to phone back home to Ontario when we're away with no phone charges to the room or expensive Bell charges billed once we're home. We've never had a problem using the card at any of the parks or Disney hotels, works great!

 

[Tiger926]

We too pre-purchase a long distance phone card (usually at Zehrs or No Frills, too, I think). It's such an economical way to phone back home to Ontario when we're away with no phone charges to the room or expensive Bell charges billed once we're home. We've never had a problem using the card at any of the parks or Disney hotels, works great!

President Choice cards are the cheapest option: no service fees, no activation fees, no public phone fees.

It is .04cent/minute. It is run by Bell.

Tiger

 

[weewuvvdisney]

We used a President Choice's card last time and it was great.

One word of caution - make sure that you won't have any surcharges if using the card in your room.

We made our phone calls from the lobby to avoid fees. We got caught in the past. We used a Bell calling card from our room and incurred costs on every card. Wasn't cheap calling from the room.

The one thing of having a calling card like the PC one is that you can call from the parks, the hotel, anywhere! No hassles!

 

[seashoreCM]

If you have a Bell Aliant calling card you can call 1 800 555 1111. This will connect you with Bell Canada first then you punch in your calling card info, then the number you're calling. Everything gets billed to your home phone number at a decent rate.

Isn't there a hefty connect charge or per-call charge or operator assistance (even through it's automated) charge?

Usually prepaid calling cards without their own connect charges or per-call charges are the best. More so if you can get the cards on sale which some drug stores like Rite-Aid offer.

 

[TheBig2na]

I usually grab a card at ORlando International. not sure how good the rate is, but it gets the job done if you forget.

 

[Sue M]

Isn't there a hefty connect charge or per-call charge or operator assistance (even through it's automated) charge?

Usually prepaid calling cards without their own connect charges or per-call charges are the best. More so if you can get the cards on sale which some drug stores like Rite-Aid offer.

There isn't a connect charge with my Telus Calling Card.

 

[Tigman_NS]

I totally agree with the President Choice calling cards. Like OP I'm pretty sure they are the cheapest ones going. That's all we ever used!

 

[Mike2023]

Are you bringing a laptop? Skype is like 3 bucks a month for north American calling.

I have skype on my iphone and setup a wireless network in my hotel room. Works the best for me.

 

[TheBig2na]

Skype is free if the people on the other end have it. of course then you have to pay the $10 a day resort internet fee. So it looks like the PC phone cards are the winner. Gotta remember that

 

[stefanospops]

I have a Magic Jack which gives unlimited north american calling but like Skype it requires an Internet connection. For us it works perfectly because as DVC members we get free Internet in our rooms.

 

[newfiegirl]

thanks, i think after listening to everyone the PC prepaid card is defineatley the cheapest, as long as pop doesnt charge me for my usage.

 

[Tigman_NS]

We never used the cards from the room. We always used the pay phones in the main lobby or by the elevators of each of the room sections at POP. Also wherever there was a pay phone in the parks. Didn't want to take a chance of phone charges to the room.

 

[Celidh]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that there is a charge for each call you make from your Disney resort room. I think it was 75 cents, even if it is an 800 number.

I know my kids will want to call home to their grammie or daddy and even if it costs 75 cents, I would rather pay that than to stand in the lobby or a payphone elsewhere to make the call. I think it would be too noisy and not private at all. That would only be $7.50 for our 10 days plus the cost of the card. Not too bad to keep the kids happy imo.

 

[Tiger926]

thanks, i think after listening to everyone the PC prepaid card is defineatley the cheapest, as long as pop doesnt charge me for my usage.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that there is a charge for each call you make from your Disney resort room. I think it was 75 cents, even if it is an 800 number.

I know my kids will want to call home to their grammie or daddy and even if it costs 75 cents, I would rather pay that than to stand in the lobby or a payphone elsewhere to make the call. I think it would be too noisy and not private at all. That would only be $7.50 for our 10 days plus the cost of the card. Not too bad to keep the kids happy imo.

Yes, Disney just charge for using resort room phones (except to those of us who are DVC members). This has nothing to do with PC though, as you pay the .75 charge to Disney. It will be on your room charge for each call you make.

If you want no telephone charges, make the calls using your PC card at a pay phone in resort lobby, parks or Downtown Disney.

Tiger

 

[Mike2023]

Skype is free if the people on the other end have it. of course then you have to pay the $10 a day resort internet fee. So it looks like the PC phone cards are the winner. Gotta remember that

Indeed. Being DVC I forgot you have to pay for internet.