Wifi/Internet at the Fort Question

[BeachMama13]

Saw on someone's blog that the Fort checks out cable modems? Is this for all loops or just certain areas?

Do you know if it's just a modem or if it's also a wifi router, as well? Wondering if we need to pack our router for use while we're there.

Thanks!

 

[tiggerdad]

As far as all recent reports are going the Fort is now on Wifi so no need for the cable modems any longer unless you specifically request one, but you should not need it.

 

[North of Mouse]

Saw on someone's blog that the Fort checks out cable modems? Is this for all loops or just certain areas?

Do you know if it's just a modem or if it's also a wifi router, as well? Wondering if we need to pack our router for use while we're there.

Thanks!

Just there, and no issues logging on and 'staying' on!!
Think they finally have it right!!!

Also, was able to access MDE easily everywhere on property and change/make FP's!

 

[bama_ed]

Saw on someone's blog that the Fort checks out cable modems? Is this for all loops or just certain areas?

Do you know if it's just a modem or if it's also a wifi router, as well? Wondering if we need to pack our router for use while we're there.

Thanks!

I was at the Fort the day they cut to the new WIFI system for good in March 2016.

I was back in January 2017 and it was okay. No problems.

Bama Ed

 

[BeachMama13]

Thanks everyone!

 

[peg110]

When I was there in August and again in late November 2017, I found the WiFi to not be very reliable in that if it was a "Busy" time, your connection was slow, I experienced frequent drops. I did by a HooToo so as to have a bit more of a stable connection and it also helped to "Extend" my range a bit. Will be going back down in a month and hope the bugs have been worked out.

I don't think they give out the cable modems any more. Even when they did give them out, there was no WiFi associated with it. You would have needed to bring your own anyway. (I still like to bring my own WiFi for stability and security, that's why I use the HooToo as well).

 

[Nevaland]

We were just there at the end of April for a few weeks and we were 1 spot removed from a comfort station. For us the service was awful. Had trouble holding connection (on many different devices) and was extremely slow. After 1 day we forgot the Disney network on all our devices and reverted to our cell service. Thank God for unlimited service, but AT&T surely didn't make any money off of us last month after using 189gb!!!! Hopefully other loops have better service than the one we were in.

 

[bama_ed]

We were just there at the end of April for a few weeks and we were 1 spot removed from a comfort station. For us the service was awful. Had trouble holding connection (on many different devices) and was extremely slow. After 1 day we forgot the Disney network on all our devices and reverted to our cell service. Thank God for unlimited service, but AT&T surely didn't make any money off of us last month after using 189gb!!!! Hopefully other loops have better service than the one we were in.

Well it's free. So guests should not expect service levels like they receive at home (where they pay).

Antennas are not at Comfort Stations but spread around the loops on poles among the campsites. Obviously, people who try to stream their Netflix accounts (or any other video) will drag the service level down. In the evening at peak usage times this is common - I encountered it on my visit this past January. Loading the DIS or checking email doesn't drag it down - it's video. It's worth what you paid for the WIFI service.

Only Reedy Creek engineers (or their subcontractors) know the specs that the network was designed to carry. (It's free-did I mention that?).

To be honest, every SINGLE campground I've EVER stayed at that offered "free WIFI" was not worth using. During slack usage periods, you can get by. During peak usage periods, forgetaboutit.

It's an issue of setting expectations. Use Disney WIFI in the morning for email or the DIS (Bama Ed loves uploaded FW pictures-he's also full of it when he talks about himself in the 3rd person) but after that, don't expect a whole lot.

It's simply packets on the information superhighway. Sometimes you have to wait to merge and then you have to accelerate. Sometimes the road is crowded. Don't expect an open road 24x7.

Bama Ed

 

[peg110]

It's worth what you paid for the WIFI service.

Well...... Sort of. I will say the Cable Modem service was MUCH better, of course you had to bring your Own WiFi then.

It's free-did I mention that?

Ed, you are usually SPOT ON with your advice, but I will disagree here. NOTHING is free, particularly at Disney. Just because they don't call it out on the Bill as a separate cost, doesn't mean it's free. It's built into the cost. It's just those that don't use it end up paying "Extra" for their stay (because they don't use the included service)

Bama Ed loves uploaded FW pictures-he's also full of it when he talks about himself in the 3rd person

Paul also loves the pictures, but In know when Paul is at the Fort, Paul has experienced WiFi issues much like Nevaland describes. Paul also agrees with Ed's assessment of how slow the WiFi is during peak times, but that's typically when Paul (as well as most others) want to use it. Paul Guesses that is why the call it a PEAK time.

Unlike Ed, Paul does not think that Paul is "full of it" when Paul Talks in the third person, but Paul does get a little bit "Loopy" (as opposed to looping) when talking in Third Person.

While Paul is doing the Third person thing, Paul would like to make others aware that while "Paul's" user name is peg110, peg110 is not a female user, (such as Peg or Peggy), rather it's an old Penn State Userid representing Paul's initials (and a 3 digit number) that Paul finds very unique when registering on various websites.

Paul thanks you for this opportunity to speak. Now back to your regularly scheduled show.

 

[BeachMama13]

Well...... Sort of. I will say the Cable Modem service was MUCH better, of course you had to bring your Own WiFi then.
Ed, you are usually SPOT ON with your advice, but I will disagree here. NOTHING is free, particularly at Disney. Just because they don't call it out on the Bill as a separate cost, doesn't mean it's free. It's built into the cost. It's just those that don't use it end up paying "Extra" for their stay (because they don't use the included service)

I have to agree wholeheartedly with this. Nothing is free, especially at the House of Mouse. I'm just trying to be prepared as we plan on spending lots of time at both the parks and campground during our stay. I want all of us to enjoy our time, even if that means letting the soon to be teenage son get in some quality electronics time.

While Paul is doing the Third person thing, Paul would like to make others aware that while "Paul's" user name is peg110, peg110 is not a female user, (such as Peg or Peggy), rather it's an old Penn State Userid representing Paul's initials (and a 3 digit number) that Paul finds very unique when registering on various websites.

Thanks for clearing that up, I'll no longer think of you as Peggy.

 

[FortForever]

We have always found the wifi signal to be excellent. Then again, never tried to stream anything on it.

 

[bama_ed]

When I was there this past January with DD (and her Netflix account), I accused her of slowing down my DIS updates.

 

[Nevaland]

I would respectfully disagree with that it is NOT free. Its part of the amenities that Disney charges a premium for. When they had cable modem service and we set up our own wifi in our campsite and we had no problems establishing and keeping an internet connection. Also, we still continue to stay at various Disney resorts throughout the kingdom and have far far less problems, and we set up our own private wifi in our rooms on top of that. Although I do agree that during peak hours it can slow down. However, a popular misconception is that streaming causes a huge drain on the infrastructure. Streaming requires far less data usage than people realize. I'm a cord cutter so I know all about data usage! When we regularly have 24 devices connected to our home wifi we still have speeds regularly over 200gb's so its entirely possible to have a proper wifi set up and functionable, actually expected at a premium campground. It is afterall 2017, not 1999 waiting for dial up to connect!! Did I mention that Disney charges a premium for their campground!!

 

[peg110]

I would respectfully disagree with that it is NOT free. Its part of the amenities that Disney charges a premium for. When they had cable modem service and we set up our own wifi in our campsite and we had no problems establishing and keeping an internet connection. Also, we still continue to stay at various Disney resorts throughout the kingdom and have far far less problems, and we set up our own private wifi in our rooms on top of that. Although I do agree that during peak hours it can slow down. However, a popular misconception is that streaming causes a huge drain on the infrastructure. Streaming requires far less data usage than people realize. I'm a cord cutter so I know all about data usage! When we regularly have 24 devices connected to our home wifi we still have speeds regularly over 200gb's so its entirely possible to have a proper wifi set up and functionable, actually expected at a premium campground. It is afterall 2017, not 1999 waiting for dial up to connect!! Did I mention that Disney charges a premium for their campground!!

Wifi in hotels is much different then Wifi at the Fort. Hotels (generally speaking) are much more compact and as such it's generally easier to locate WiFi antenna to fully cover the area with good signal.

The Fort is much more Geographically disperse and as such, it's more costly to have the antenna's set with a good overlap. Additionally, weather conditions are now a bigger factor.

Speed of the network depends on A LOT of things, particularly with WiFi. The quality of the signal (and not just strength) is a HUGE factor. You could have a strong signal but there could be interference (i.e. static in the air) which causes more errors which requires re-sending of data (error checking) slowing things down. Of course the amount of users on line at the same time is a huge factor.

Back to Ed'S "Super Highway", the merge on/off may be slow but once on you can move quicker, but adding to the analogy, Have you ever gone to Maine? We were going to Acadia Park (beautiful by the way) and by the map, it looks like taking US Route 1 would be the quickest route... certainly the shortest route versus taking I-95 North of and then cutting across and down to Acadia. However, when you take 4 lanes of traffic (one direction) and shove it down to 1 lane.... You are bound to be in a back up.

So you have (Potentially) the fort usage being increased couple with potential problems on the ISP side.... Well, you know how it ends.

Me... I don't do a lot of "Streaming" while I am at the fort/wdw, so that's not an issue, but I do end up doing some "Work". I usually just end up using my phone as a hot spot. It's more secure, quicker and more reliable overall.