Woo Hoo! High Speed Internet Access Coming Soon!

[Terry S]

Just got a note in my room that In-Room High Speed Internet Access will be available soon to the BCV. The are in the process of installing and testing it and it will official launch by year end.

 

[DoeWDW]

This is EXCELLENT news!! Thanks for sharing! It will come in handy for our 2 week trip next June!

 

[tinkgrl]

Hi,

Great news!! It will be there @ the end of May!!!!

Allison an associate

 

[GrimGhost]

I hope this isn't a stupid question, but what will that cost?? Or will it be provided at no cost to members??

 

[Peddler]

This is great news hopeflly they plan to do this at all the DVC resorts.
I look for this feature at all the places I stay now!!

 

[arminnie]

Did they mention a fee for the high speed internet access?

I've stayed in several hotels that advertised high speed internet access and in the fine print you find out that it is $9.95 per day.

Another hotel advertised "free high speed internet access" and that meant for one computer in the lobby.

I hope this means that SSR is being built with high speed internet access included.

 

[marley]

this was posted on wdwinfo.com

On Oct 1st, Disney began rolling out High speed internet access in its hotel rooms at the Coronado Springs Resort. Over the next several months, Disney will introduce this service at many of it’s convention resorts as well as the Disney Vacation Club resorts. In addition, Disney will offer Wi-Fi (wireless high speed internet access) at select resorts as well.

Resorts that will have in room high speed internet are:

Coronado Springs – Oct 1, 2003
Yacht Club / Beach Club – Nov 4, 2003
Grand Floridian – Dec 2, 2003
Boardwalk Inn & Villas – Dec 30,2003
Wilderness Lodge Villas – Feb 27, 2004
Old Key West – April 2, 2004
The cost for in room access is $9.95 per day billed to your room. You will need a LAN (local area network) cable, and a suitable network card in your laptop in order to connect.

Wireless Access will be at the following resorts as well:

Contemporary Resort (Front Desk area, Concierge sitting area, Outer Rim Bar, Convention center lobby, Pool area)
Coronado Springs (Hotel lobby, Convention center lobby, Pool area, Francisco’s Lounge)
Grand Floridian (1st floor lobby area including Tea Room, Convention Center lobby, 4th floor concierge sitting area)
Yacht & Beach Club (Main Lobby area, concierge sitting area, convention center lobby, Stormalong Bay pool)

Wireless Internet requires a Wireless Interface Card. WIC’s are available for purchase in the resort’s business center.

 

[owensamo]

Originally posted by GrimGhost
I hope this isn't a stupid question, but what will that cost?? Or will it be provided at no cost to members??

According to the Resorts forum (http://disboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=448832), it looks like the cost is going to be $4.95/hr or $9.95/day. A number of the resorts (actually, most, I think) already have WiFi in the lobby/common areas. I think the pricing is likely to be the same for both - though for in-room, you may not get the per-hour option.

I would be surprised if there is a DVC discount on this. While I would be happy to see DVC members get free high-speed access, the installation cost has to come from somewhere, and I'd rather pay for it up-front if I'm using it during a stay than have it rolled into my dues. Hopefully, once it's paid for, they'll drop the price. I can't see it continuing to be competitive to have to pay $10/day for access when more and more hotels are adding it, and even including it in the room fee.

Mur!

 

[arminnie]

$10 a day can add up fast.

I use a Treo 300 phone/pda through Spring PCS to get my email on the road. It's kind of awkward for web browing, but it works. The new Treo 600 is due out anyday now and if the promos are correct it will be a great little phone/pda/camera device with a lot more web browsing capabiity.

I get unlimited access to the web plus 2000 anytime voice minutes for two phones for $85. I do love being able to check my email from almost everywhere.

The last time I looked I could add a month's worth of laptop wireless access through Sprint for $80 a month and that would not just be a hot spots.

 

[timC]

Thanks Terry.

Does anyone know if the in-room charges and wi-fi charges are separate? If I use my PC in the morning, incurring the $9.95/day charge, will I also get dinged with an additional charge if I then access the internet via the wi-fi services?

Of course, I'm hoping that the $9.95 is a single charge, allowing you access to both services.

Anyone?

 

[owensamo]

Since the in-room service will be wired, I expect the fees will be separate. It would be nice if they were combined, but I doubt it.

Current WiFi in the resorts are by a contractor (SmartCity), and from what I recall reading on wdwig (http://www.wdwig.com/hnews.htm#929), your credit card is billed directly by them when you connect to their service - Disney isn't actually doing the WiFi billing. The in-room broadband is added to your room charge.

Mur!

 

[dcfromva]

Terry S,
Do you think it will be available before the Nov 4th date for the BCV? Does one have to bring their own ethernet cable or are they supplying the rooms with them?

-DC

 

[golfnut1264]

I will continue to pay 35cents per call and use dial up..i only access for about 30 minutes a day when i am there just ck email,stocks,sports and news..$10 a day is too exspensive for me just to gain a little speed...i have never had a problem connected thru the phone and it speed is acceptable..i have cable modem at home and love it but if it was $10day i wouldnt have it...it should be a prorated charge of your lenght of stay..if it would normally be $50 a month and you are staying for week than they should charge $12.50..for your stay...that will never happen...if that was the case many more people would use it instead of the dialup..

 

[RobDoc]

While I do spend considerable time online while at WDW, I will likely stay with the .35 per call for dialup service. Broadband is nice and I do miss it while away, but for most online activities for me, dialup meets my needs while on vacation.

I'm not bothered by the $9.95 daily cost- as that is the widely used rate for this service. There are a few hotels that have built the cost into the room rates, but most have a user fee arrangement. For DVC resorts, a built in cost would come from dues.

I'm sure I'll try the broadband at some point, but can't imagine it replacing dialup for my vacation internet needs.

 

[owensamo]

Since we have broadband at home, and no dial-up numbers or access included with our plan, high-speed access in the resorts sounds great to me. However, I'd probably be more likely to pay $5 for an hour of WiFi in the lobby than $10 for a full day's service in the room.

However, for my DH, who is 24/7 on-call and almost always has to put out fires at work when we're on vacation, broadband in the room could be a godsend (or some version of hell, depending), as if something breaks at work, he can easilly and quickly fix it while we're on vacation. The up-side to that - he can expense the broadband fee! The downside is he'd actually be working on vacation - Yuck!

If I remember correctly, the Swan/Dolphin already have broadband access to the rooms, and that is included in the $10/day resort fee that's tacked on to the room rate. While some have managed to have this waived, I've seen other reports recently that they weren't able to waive the fee even though they didn't want anything it covers. So at least at Disney resorts, you're not being charged for the access if you aren't using it. It looks like the Swan/Dolphin are hitting you for it (for the same price, granted other stuff is tossed in) regardless if you want/need it or not.

Mur!