Why are Disney Resorts so behind the times(internet access)

[JimmyBlaze]

On a recent trip to Disney I researched and found only a handful of hotels have internet access for your laptop. So I selected the Contemporary resort which was very high priced over $250 a night when I stayed there in July. But the internet in the room did not work! The tech guy said it is hit or miss. So I had to trek down to the lobby and use the wireless connection in the hotel. Very disapointing for a $250 a night hotel!

The hotels that have or claim to have internet access(from my research) in the rooms are Floridian(wayyyyyy overpriced) Contemporary, Yacht Club. Coronado Springs(always booked to capacity it seems, so forget about staying here), and Swan and Dolphin.

With all the money that Disney is raking in, why don't they upgrade all their resorts with internet access in the rooms?

I have stayed at Universal Resorts and all 3 have internet access that works in the rooms. It is a must for me to use my laptop daily and Disney strikes out in this category.

 

[ducklite]

Very simple. ROI.

Most people who visit WDW are not there on business. The great majority of guests do not use a laptop.

WDW has a CBA with an outside vendor to install and provide Internet access. The vendor did the wiring and hubbing, and gets a good portion of the Internet usage fees.

They offer DSL in the rooms at the CSR, GF, CR, BWI, BWV, YC, BC, and BCV. Thesse are also resorts that have convention centers and business facilities. There are simply not enough people requiring high speed access at the other WDW resorts that are willing to pay the connection fee (keep in mind that business people get this fee paid for by their companies) to make it worth adding the infrastructure and support for the other resorts.

IMHO WDW has planty of options for people who need to log on daily. They can choose a resort which offers in room high speed access, they can work in the lobby using WiFi at resorts that offer high speed access, or they can pay a small fee to use the business center at one of the above hotels.

It all comes down to the bottom line. If the vendor thought there would be enough interest to allow for a suitable ROI on all the resorts, I'm sure they'd be adding access at all the resorts. WDW does a LOT of surveys, and I can't imagine that they didn't research this before they sent out RFP's to various vendors about it.

Anne

 

[zagafi]

I go on vacation to get *away* from the real world. The last thing I'm worried about is internet access.

 

[KathyTX]

Originally posted by JimmyBlaze
With all the money that Disney is raking in, why don't they upgrade all their resorts with internet access in the rooms?

Because they don't need to. They're not having any trouble filling rooms with the amenities currently offered.

And although you find the rooms "overpriced", the fact is that the rooms are filled at these prices. So the laws of supply and demand have determined that they are not overpriced. If they were, they'd be sitting empty.

As Anne has pointed out, there are several onsite hotels offering DSL in the rooms as well as WiFi hotspots. There are also many offsite hotels offering various levels of internet connectivity, many at lower rates than onsite Disney hotels.

A little research, and I'm sure you can find a room that better fits your budgetary and connectivity needs.

 

[JimmyBlaze]

Originally posted by zagafi
I go on vacation to get *away* from the real world. The last thing I'm worried about is internet access.

Some people have to use the internet daily, like me for business it is not a luxury but a must.

 

[Sammie]

All Disney resort room have Internet access, all don't have DSL.

All the resorts with conference centers have DSL access.

 

[JimmyBlaze]

Can someone explain to me how you use dialup internet in the room? I could get an external dialup modem for my laptop. But I am not certain of the procedure to access the internet via dialup in the rooms. Thanks.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by JimmyBlaze
Some people have to use the internet daily, like me for business it is not a luxury bust a must.

Then you should have made arrangements to stay at a resort with high speed access. Instead you book a hotel you know doesn't offer that, and then come back and complain. That's simply absurd! With all the choices at WDW (inclding renting DVC points and staying in a studio at the BW often for the same cost as a moderate), surely you could have planned a little better...

Anne

 

[sandersiii]

According to the OP, he did select a resort with high speed internet access - The CONTEMPORARY! I stayed there in March and had no problems. He said he recieved a bum room - at least regarding the access. Disney is behind when it comes to internet access but they'll catch up quickly. Too much competition. If a room costs $200+ a night it should include high speed internet access!

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by sandersiii
According to the OP, he did select a resort with high speed internet access - The CONTEMPORARY! I stayed there in March and had no problems. He said he recieved a bum room - at least regarding the access. Disney is behind when it comes to internet access but they'll catch up quickly. Too much competition. If a room costs $200+ a night it should include high speed internet access!

Actually he just got back from a stay at POR where he was complaining he didn't ahve high speed access on another thread.

I've used the high speed access without problems at BW, BC, and YC with no problem that wasn't quickly corrected by a call to tech support.

When I know I'm going to need to log on for business reasons during a trip, I plan accordingly and book a resort with high speed.

I disagree about Internet being included in rooms. I've stayed at Hampton Inns for $59 where it was included, and I've stayed in the royal suite at a Fairmont which cost me over $1000/night and it wasn't included. Last weekend I was in a luxury inn in the mountains, $500/night, dial up only, and I was lucky to get 24k speed! I didn't expect anything more, because this is a romantic getaway type spot as opposed to a business type spot.

It depends 100% on the business drivers. As Safetymom pointed out, they don't offer it because they don't have to. WDW is having no problem filling rooms in their resorts. People are not staying away in droves due to lack of high speed access. At any given time I would estimate less than 10% of guests have a laptop with them, even less at the resorts not wired for high speed or WiFi. With those numbers, why would they invest in something which isn't needed?

Anne

 

[totalia]

Originally posted by zagafi
I go on vacation to get *away* from the real world. The last thing I'm worried about is internet access.

I agree completely. When I go on vacation, I'm leaving the rest of the world behind, including internet access.

 

[TDC Nala]

Most WDW resorts are not catering to guests who must conduct business.

Next time try the Swan and Dolphin - that big ole $10 daily resort fee covers high speed internet access.

 

[NoodlesTheRabbit]

The last thing on my mind is Internet access when I'm vacationing too.

 

[sandersiii]

Perhaps he did just return from another resort but this post says and I quote the original post "So I selected the Contemporary resort which was very high priced over $250 a night when I stayed there in July. But the internet in the room did not work! The tech guy said it is hit or miss. So I had to trek down to the lobby and use the wireless connection in the hotel. Very disapointing for a $250 a night hotel!"

Disagree if you like but it's the way the world has moved. We're not talking about a remote location. If Disney wasn't having problems filling their rooms, they would not continue to off discounts. They would fill them all at rack rate. They are not dumb, they know they must continue to upgrade in order to stay with the market which is why they are making the upgrades. Some folks have job responsibilities that don't allow them to completely be disconnected from their jobs. Laptop connectivity may be the only way they can even take a vacation.

As for paying $1000 for a room, I would never waste money in such a fashion.

BTW, DCL is on Travel Channel right now!!

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by sandersiii
Some folks have job responsibilities that don't allow them to completely be disconnected from their jobs. Laptop connectivity may be the only way they can even take a vacation.

Yup, I'm one of them! I plan accordingly.

As for paying $1000 for a room, I would never waste money in such a fashion.

Considering the circumstances surrounding that trip, I didn't find it a waste of money at all. In fact we were able to help some friends take a trip that they never would have been able to take otherwise by booking that suite (three BR's). If spending time with friends is a waste of money, then I guess I'm guilty--and don't feel at all bad about it.

Anne

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I'm glad that WDW does not have free wi-fi access. If they did I probably would bring my computer, and I don't want or need that temtation when I'm on vacation.

I'm also clueless how to use dial-up. My DH thinks that I'm a bit behind the times, but it's why I keep him around.

T&B

 

[DebbieB]

You can use dial up internet in any WDW room, there is a dataport on the phone. I bring my laptop to use in the room in the evening, I check e-mails, keep in contact with those at home, and surf a little. Dial-up is sufficient for me, I wouldn't pay $9.95 a day for high speed.

 

[kelscross]

Oh boy...we switched our ressie to the GF from the Poly just so my DH can have High Speed access. It is hard for him to be completely away from his business for 6 days, and that's the only way he was gonna go. Anyhow after paying an additonal 40.00/day for the room and another 10.00/day for the access it better work or he'll flip!

 

[JimmyBlaze]

The highspeed internet access in the room did not work but down in the lobby did which was wireless. In the room you get an ethernet cable that you plug in. The tech guy came up to my room and looked everything over. He said it works for some people but doesn't for others. He had no explanation why it doesn't work for everyone. Weird.

Can someone explain how you get dialup internet in the rooms at Disney resorts? Do they give you a phone number that you direct your modem to dialup and then connect? Is there a fee? Thanks.

 

[totalia]

Its very easy.

You have to have your own modem. Local calls at a hotel are usually free in any hotel (though not always. You should check on that first as well as the number that will get you out of the building (usually 9)).

Find your local access phone number for your provider and tell the modem to dial that (the number to get out of the building) and then the local access number for your provider.

Voila, your on the net.