Why is there a fee...

[Man_Of_Leisure]

to connect to the internet in your rooms at Disney? A vast majority of the hotel chains provide free wireless internet access. With Disney striving to be on the cutting edge of technology I would think this would be a given.

Man Of Leisure

 

[dianeschlicht]

Disney contracts this service out to a sub-contractor. The fee goes to them, and not Dinsey.

 

[bavaria]

With Disney striving to be on the cutting edge of technology I would think this would be a given.

Sorry, I must have missed something. I swear that Disney contracted out the design of their reservations system to Goofy years ago, and he in turn sub-contracted Chip and Dale...

 

[CarolMN]

IMHO, since internet access is not free, those who use it should pay for it - to me it is like long distance telephone service.

Best wishes-

 

[Deb & Bill]

They want you to be in the parks, dining, shopping, not on the internet.

 

[Chuck S]

Have you noticed something else about those hotels that offer "FREE" internet conections? The room prices have gone up the last few years. Since, at least for DVC, the costs associated wth the internet service would be tacked onto our dues, I'd much rather see folks that use it pay for it. At some point in the future, the vast majority of guests may want to get on the internet while on vacation, but I do not think that it true at this time...so "pay as you surf" seems reasonable.

 

[JimFitz]

They want you to be in the parks, dining, shopping, not on the internet.

Exactly! Same reason the TV choices in Disney World are horrible.

 

[Doctor P]

And most upscale hotels are still not providing free access even though their family of brands provides free access at their budget and moderate hotels.

 

[CarolA]

I use the Internet at the DVC resorts and I think they should charge. It is only fair that those of us who use pay. Otherwise the dues go up for everyone.

 

[Blue&Gold]

In time, DVC will have to follow the industry leaders. I doubt every member uses the DVD player in the rooms, but "we" all paid for them. Certainly weren't in the rooms in 1992 when this all started. Expectations and demands will shift over time.

Anyone out there who thinks Disney isn't getting a cut of the internet connection fee (or phone charges for that matter) is out of touch. Various ISPs undoubtedly bid for the right to wire the Disney resort chain.

 

[DebbieB]

I have a conference coming up at a Marriott, it's $9.95 a day for internet, same as Disney. The chains like Hampton Inn use free internet as a loss leader to compete for business travelers. Disney doesn't need free internet to attract customers.

 

[DVC-Don]

Not all free: Recent stay at a Fairfield Inn in Vermont = $9.95 per 24 hour period. Recent stay at a Clarion in Massachusetts - $9.98 per 24 hour period.

 

[gjw007]

In time, DVC will have to follow the industry leaders. I doubt every member uses the DVD player in the rooms, but "we" all paid for them. Certainly weren't in the rooms in 1992 when this all started. Expectations and demands will shift over time.

Anyone out there who thinks Disney isn't getting a cut of the internet connection fee (or phone charges for that matter) is out of touch. Various ISPs undoubtedly bid for the right to wire the Disney resort chain.

While I have seen hotels that offer free internet, most that I have seen do charge with a fee of $9.95 per 24 hour period. I don't disagree with paying a fee, but I think $9.95 per day is outlandish. Maybe for a week it would be good, but not for a 24 hour period.

Most telephone exchanges for hotels/resorts lose money. It is a necessary but expensive part of doing businesss. Working in the telecommunications industry, the cost of installation, equipment, etc. is extremely high. We're not talking home equipment which may hit $100 but switches that are in the millions of dollars. But think how many lines Disney must have to pay for. Granted, Disney with over 25,000 rooms (we also have to recognize that the costs ramp up to meet this scale as well) may actually have enough guests that it may have the critical mass necessary to overcome its expenses, something that most hotels and resorts don't, but the assumption that it is also making a profit off the telephone service needs a closer examination. I do agree that Disney is probably getting a fee per internet user as part of its agreement. I also think in time that it will become part of the standard features. And just as sure, fees will be raised to cover this cost.

 

[Chuck S]

In time, DVC will have to follow the industry leaders. I doubt every member uses the DVD player in the rooms, but "we" all paid for them. Certainly weren't in the rooms in 1992 when this all started. Expectations and demands will shift over time.

But VCRs were in the rooms in 1992, and the DVD players replaced them as part of a standard planned rehab. It isn't like it was a new technology that was "added" in addition to VCRs, a newer (and cheaper) technology replaced VCRs that were already scheduled for replacement...just like the TVs have been replaced with newer models.

Comparing the DVD/VCR replacement to adding high speed internet is comparing apples to oranges.

 

[Doctor P]

9.95 for 24 hours is a bargain, IMHO. When I use the Internet in a hotel, I will usually use it several hours per day. Even if you use the net for only 1 hour, that works out to 16 cents per minute. Hardly outrageous, IMHO. If you use it four hours, it's 4 cents per minute. Cheaper than using a phone or cell phone to keep in touch, generally. LOL, based on the per minute rate, we paid for our $90 per week Internet package on our DCL cruise by the end of the second night!!!!

 

[Blue&Gold]

Chuck, my main point with the DVD players is that they are now part of the "package" and folks come to expect them. I think eventually, internet access will be as common as cable TV access in most hotel chains. Expectation creep... My real home has high speed internet... Therefore my home away from home should have high speed internet. For now, I'm comfortable paying, though I think the rate is a bit much. Then again, a 6 pack of Coors Light cost me $12 at the BWV store last may! I don't go to WDW to save money, but I did buy into DVC with the expectation that the facilities would rival high-end hotels. Sooner rather than later, all high end hotels will provide high speed internet.

 

[Beach_Bound9]

Put me among those who feel we are getting gouged for wireless internet access at Disney. This "they want you in the parks" nonsense doesn't wash when people could use the internet to plan thier park activities, check showtimes, etc. Current internet fees are too high at Disney. Many inexpensive hotels offer very low cost internet access.

 

[Renate_do]

Hi,

$9.95 is not cheap but...I would be glad to have these rates here at Europe. IF you find a hotel with WIFI it comes unually up with 9€ = 11$ for 2 hours or 29.95€ = 35$ for 24hours


Greets Renate

 

[Caskbill]

$9.95/24 hours? That's only $3631.75 a year.

I don't mind paying if something has real value, but face it, that is one huge mark-up.

Would you be willing to pay $9.95/day for the television cable? That would probably be a similar mark-up. (Figuring a DSL line at home runs about the same monthly as cable TV. Although in my case our DSL is considerably cheaper than our TV (satellite) costs.

 

[OneMoreTry]

I don't buy the fee either. I want to see that the money is going into the condo association -- and that I recoup it through reduction in dues, etc.

It's MY home away from home. I may not want to go to the parks. Or I may want to find out if a surprise pin has been released -- which has to be done on line. Or I may want to post a LIVE from DVC thread with a web cam off the balcony.

I stood up for DVC on some of the reservation preference issues, but not on this.