I'd Love some DW Free Wireless!

[forbella]

I know I may be going out on a limb here, but geez do I wish Disney would offer up free, dare I say it...FREE wireless internet with any resort stay (more so at the Value Resorts). The big and small hotel chains offer up said free wireless. I just wish Disney would see it as a way to get more people in (not that they would really need to) or happier (more accommodated). I'm not one that surfs all day and night- I'm at DW, but I'm an avid blogger and would love to be able to post to my sites in the evenings without paying a charge for the internet access...do I sound like a scrooge here, sorry! Anyone else out there feel me, "understand me?" Okay, I know I could go out and get either a wireless card or iphone or even hook up my cell phone and burn up some data blocks...but really, I do wish I could have my cake and eat some too...

Power to the Nerdy Educators I say!!!

[medic9016]

I sent an email to Disney a few weeks ago asking about the same thing. I got the corporate reply. Thanks for your concern, we will look into this and forward this to the correct department.

[sleeping beauty77]

No kidding. My Dh has had to work out of town and stayed at a hotel for $60 a night and had free internet. Not to be so negative, but when you spend $400 a night on a " cheap " room in deluxe it's kinda of frustrating to have to spend anything additional to that. I think Disney could afford it. Don't get me wrong, I know I'm lucky if we get to stay at a nice resort, but most all hotels have free internet. And a cheaper pricetag. I'm done now. Whew!

[jonahbear2006]

I agree with this. Disney should offer free wi fi to deluxe resorts $325+ a night is enough to pay for a room without paying for wi fi too. I also believe that getting a wi fi card is a great idea. There are an unlimited amount of uses for this and well, we would love to have one, my husband being a geek agent and all. He always finds great uses for these gadgets that people never thought up. Thanks for the idea. I just might get one of those for the trip.

[Young@Heart]

Honestly, I think think they should offer in all their resort, in every single room! Heck, I can get free WiFi at McDonalds! I'm shocked that we still can't at WDW.

[Seasonscraps]

This was always one of my gripes. It doesn't even need to be WiFi; free wired access would be great. Or a length of stay type package 3 days for $23, 5 days for $35, etc. Disney finally caved and offers free service to DVC members staying in villas using points.

[TheRustyScupper]

1) No.
2) No.
3) No.
4) No.
5) No.
6) If you want internet, then pay for it.
7) Someone has to pay for the costs of internet access and equipment.
8) Why should I subsidize folks who want to bring a laptop?
9) The majority of people do not bring laptops, so they shouldn't pay.

NOTE: I am not going into the argument as to why people would want to bring laptops on vacation. I am only addressing who should pay for, or share the cost of, internet. At budget hotels, the cost of internet is spread across all room rates.

[Seasonscraps]

1) No.
2) No.
3) No.
4) No.
5) No.
6) If you want internet, then pay for it.
7) Someone has to pay for the costs of internet access and equipment.
8) Why should I subsidize folks who want to bring a laptop?
9) The majority of people do not bring laptops, so they shouldn't pay.

NOTE: I am not going into the argument as to why people would wnt to bring laptops on vacation. I am only addressing who should pay for or share the cost of internet.

That can also be said about other ammenities at DW. Not everyone uses magical express, the resort playgrounds, the pools, disney transportation, etc.

[Disney_Barbie]

There're not technically disney-owned and it's not WiFi (haha, so it's pretty much not at all what you're requesting) but the next closest thing (in my opinon) is that the Swan/Dolphin have unlimited free (kinda, it's included in your $10/nt resort fee) High speed in your room.

[Polynesian Dweller]

There're not technically disney-owned and it's not WiFi (haha, so it's pretty much not at all what you're requesting) but the next closest thing (in my opinon) is that the Swan/Dolphin have unlimited free (kinda, it's included in your $10/nt resort fee) High speed in your room.

Hmm. But their web site says for all room types, "Charges Apply". They are a Starwood hotel and Starwood as a chain charges for internet.

I agree with everyone else, that Disney should move toward that, at least with wired free access. They still have lots of infrastructure to install before they are ready for wi-fi and my understanding, and maybe a CM can help us here, is that their internet is being provided by a contracted company.

[forbella]

I agree, to me it's just another ammenitie- just more towards the 21st century. A telephone in the room? Running water? The cost of internet access for DW is really, really, really low in comparison to the cost of some of park ammenities most people don't use. Honestly- I'd trade the hotel's phone for some wired internet. Maybe that could be a package...you never know.
If anything offering up wireless internet (or wired) could actually make DW more money in terms of scheduling seating at venues, dinner arrangements, park schedules, special events...I could go on and on and on and I'm sure the marketing team has looked into this as well.

[hokies4life]

This is one point that is making it hard for me to convince DBF to stay on property when we make our trip to WDW. Neither of us really spends much time away from our computers. He works with computers as his job and majored in Comp Sci in college and I've just grown accustomed to having one with me all the time. I could spend the week or so without a computer (I'm in Disney for gosh sakes) but I don't think he could (he's not as Disney obsessed as I am).

Are there any public computers avaliable to use anywhere?

[Disney_Barbie]

[QUOTE=Polynesian Dweller;1690311]Hmm. But their web site says for all room types, "Charges Apply". They are a Starwood hotel and Starwood as a chain charges for internet.
QUOTE]

I know! I LOVE the Swan/Dolphin but I will admit they need to keep a better handle on their website. There are many things included in the resort fee that they do not list on the website. But I can varify that it is free (well, ya'know not really, you're paying $10/nt for the resort fee, but you all know what I mean)

[Disney Doll]

I think there should be free net access in all Disney resorts. The majority of folks might bring laptops if the access was easier and cheaper. I know I would. I don't have any crucial work to do while on vacation, but I've love to be able to check my email and upload a few vacation pictures to share with friends and family. I would trade the hotel phone and TV for free internet. Seems like the Disney resorts do try to go above and beyond for their guests and it just seems odd that they haven't been able to offer a better option for internet.

[Polynesian Dweller]

[QUOTE=Disney_Barbie;1690511]

Hmm. But their web site says for all room types, "Charges Apply". They are a Starwood hotel and Starwood as a chain charges for internet.
QUOTE]

I know! I LOVE the Swan/Dolphin but I will admit they need to keep a better handle on their website. There are many things included in the resort fee that they do not list on the website. But I can varify that it is free (well, ya'know not really, you're paying $10/nt for the resort fee, but you all know what I mean)

Just to clarify, wasn't being critical. It would be nice to see Starwood go completely free as well. If the Swan and Dolphin can lead the way maybe the chain might learn something. I guess they and Disney don't see it as necessary to attract customers. But at some point Disney will need to see that the internet is becoming a necessity of life.

[Young@Heart]

9) The majority of people do not bring laptops, so they shouldn't pay.

I have a feeling that the majority of people would bring laptops if there was free internet access available. I know we're bringing ours to use on the drive down (our hotel during our stops down/back has free internet), and we'll also upload pics from our digital camera each day to maximize space on our memory card.

[KayDee]

What's a wireless card? And where can I get one? How do you go about using them?

[SillyOldBear]

I would love to have internet included...and most hotels out there include it...we bring the laptop...same reason with the pics...download everyday, and I also would love to blog and post to friends and family during the trip...and also not have so many e-mails to check at the end of 10 days! Of course, we have a car and may drive to a Starbucks or something...

[Vito]

Here's my take on this...

As much as I would use broadband/wireless internet access at WDW, I think there are a couple of reasons ($$) that WDW doesn't have it.

I'd like to be able to quickly check weather forecasts, do some online grocery shopping if I had to, post an internet update of my trip, etc. I can still really do that, as I have Road Runner at home and they offer free dial up access numbers all around the country, so when on vacation I get free dial up. All it costs is a local phone call from the Disney hotel.

But anway, as for the reasons I believe that Disney doesn't do it:

1) I don't think demand is all that high. Yes, we here at intercot, for example, are probably avid computer/internet users, and are therefore not a typical sampling of Disney guests. We're more tech savvy and more interseted in computing.

2) Cost. Disney, while forcing certain costs to be incorporated into your overall experience (such as Magical Express), does NOT want add what are essentially luxuries that would bump up hotel room costs for all. They want to make those costs as low as possible, because that's the most attractive aspect of getting budget concious families to come. If the rates at the value resorts went up, that has a direct impact on visits.

3) Disney doesn't want you using the internet. (I can hear you already... "Say WHAT?" - let me explain). It's not that they don't like you using the internet... It's that they want to isolate you from the real world as much as possible. You stay happier this way. They don't want internet-addicts turning their Disney-resort minutes on the internet into hours that they could be spending doing other things around the resort (which includes spending money). Broadband can sometimes lull you into the internet world while everything passes you by before you know it. Then you've wasted an hour or two online and you're grumpy when you realize it (no pun intended )

4) Internet access would take away some Disney revenue. Not a lot, perhaps, but it would have an impact. The more you can use the internet, the easier it is for you to find out other places to go while you're at WDW. It becomes easier to order tickets online, simpler to call for a taxi or town car service, simpler to rent a car and go off-property, simpler to order groceries from an online grocer, etc, etc, etc. All these factors result in the "outside world" encroaching in on the guest's "Disney Experience" and that's exactly what Disney wants to avoid.

I almost think that some of these things are actually for our own good, even if Disney does it for the wrong reason. I think a disconnection from something that's part of our daily lives (like the internet) can help keep us in our fantasy world at WDW. If we can spend some time on the internet, it almost zaps us away from our vacation and right back into what we have at home - fingertip access to all our internet favorites. It can almost make your WDW experience more "generic" in a way by allowing parts of your daily life to creep back into your Disney life.

So while it may be frustrating that Disney isn't with the times yet in something that's becoming widespread in most other hotels, I can see where they're coming from. Honestly, it's not all that big of a deal to me.

The added convenience of having the net there when I need it would be kind of nice, but I'm also kind of glad it's not so easily accessible. It forces me to give up on all my typical internet activity and in turn forces me to stay immersed in the Disney experience, helping to prevent real life from making an appearance.

[big blue and hairy]

1) No.
2) No.
3) No.
4) No.
5) No.
6) If you want internet, then pay for it.

I really wish you'd stop tiptoeing around the subject and give your opinion....