Free WiFi locations....

[MouseHead]

Has anyone compiled a list of locations in the Disney World area that have free WiFi access?It was easy to find internet info for the resorts but I am trying to make a listof places [public-ie:Starbucks,bookstores] within short driving distance [ieDowntown Disney] in case we are out & about and have the opportunity to check mail etc.--We are bringing our mini netbook so we won't need access to a computer.

[TheRustyScupper]

Here's the list of Free WiFi at WDW:
. . . McDonald's near CSR
. . . WWoS

Here's the list for near WDW:
. . . most non-Disney budget hotel parking lots

NOTE: Sorry, but there is no free WiFi at DTD. There might be some at Crossroads Shopping Center off DTD. Other than that, there is little in the way of free WiFi near Disney. Near Disney is mainly tourists, and there is just not much of a call for tourist WiFI. Possibly someone else could ofer suggestions, or you could get a card for your mini netbook.

[Phantasia]

I found even the pay wifi at Disney resorts was patchy. I was applying for a job while down there last year, and it wouldn't let me send attachments ... and that was after fighting for at least a half-hour to get connected!

(I ended up pasting the whole text of my resume into the body of an e-mail ... far from ideal, but it got me the job, so it must have been okay. )

Great thread, though ... I might have to make stops at McDonald's a regular part of this trip.

[BelleLovesTheBeast]

Here's the list of Free WiFi at WDW:
. . . McDonald's near CSR
. . . WWoS

Here's the list for near WDW:
. . . most non-Disney budget hotel parking lots

Thanks! I'll have to remember that about McD's.

[Rekenna]

Honestly, in this day and age-hello Disney it is 2009-the new millennium-you would think that there would be complimentary and reliable WiFi at all hotels. (And non-Disney hotels as well). I get that they want you out at the parks spending money, but the truth is everything is digital now. While I do not like to work while on vacation (hence the term vacation). Sometimes it's just a necessity. And no the price of the room shouldn't go up to accomodate this, and you shouldn't have to pay extra and it should work without a hassle. Give us some some of that old fashioned customer service to make all of our lives easier. Good grief!

Plus too-if you want to check rates to come back (maybe bounce back offer) I always like to do my research on the web before deciding.

I will make sure to make out a comment card/letter while I am there next month.

And I as well would be interested in free, reliable WiFi! Good luck!

[Polynesian Dweller]

Honestly, in this day and age-hello Disney it is 2009-the new millennium-you would think that there would be complimentary and reliable WiFi at all hotels. (And non-Disney hotels as well). I get that they want you out at the parks spending money, but the truth is everything is digital now. While I do not like to work while on vacation (hence the term vacation). Sometimes it's just a necessity. And no the price of the room shouldn't go up to accomodate this, and you shouldn't have to pay extra and it should work without a hassle. Give us some some of that old fashioned customer service to make all of our lives easier. Good grief!

Plus too-if you want to check rates to come back (maybe bounce back offer) I always like to do my research on the web before deSent from my iPodciding.

I will make sure to make out a comment card/letter while I am there next month.

And I as well would be interested in free, reliable WiFi! Good luck!

Ok, got to put on my hotelier's hat here. To start hotels are businesses and are there primarily to make profits. Services provided are done so to provide competitive edge so as to... Yep make money.

Wifi costs the hotel something to provide. It is usually outsourced via contract. The outsourcer usually requires a minimum payment as part of that contract. So the hotel either charges directly (like Disney for it's Internet and most upscale chains) or buries the minimum cost in it's room rates (like most other hotel chains). Either way it isn't free.

To ask room rates or some other revenue stream to not go up is asking the hotel to reduce its profit. And the hotel is there primarily to make a profit.

That said, Disney will have to increase WiFi access but they won't reduce their profits to do so.

[Ian]

Yeah and really ... most hotels and resorts in tourist traps charge for Internet access. The only places you get free Internet are in hotels that have to give it away to draw business.

I find Disney's Internet charges to be pretty reasonable, all things considered. On a recent business trip to Reno, I had to pay $13.95 a day to get Internet in my room and then a separate $6.95 if I wanted to be able to access Wi-Fi in the public areas!

[Phantasia]

But like another poster said, then at least make the wifi RELIABLE! When I was there last year, it was nearly impossible to get it to work. I spent HOURS fiddling with it, calling help lines, etc. Ended up going to the front desk and then settling in in the business centre cubbyhole.

It's true, I didn't really want to work on vacation either, but it was something that needed to get taken care of, and SHOULD have only taken about 30 min. Ended up taking the better part of an evening.

I'm fine with paying, but then make it easy to use.

[Ian]

I've actually never tried the wi-fi ... only the wired connections.

In the past, I did have some connectivity issues even with the wired service, but that seems to have cleared up in recent years.

[azcavalier]

Ok, got to put on my hotelier's hat here. To start hotels are businesses and are there primarily to make profits. Services provided are done so to provide competitive edge so as to... Yep make money.

Wifi costs the hotel something to provide. It is usually outsourced via contract. The outsourcer usually requires a minimum payment as part of that contract. So the hotel either charges directly (like Disney for it's Internet and most upscale chains) or buries the minimum cost in it's room rates (like most other hotel chains). Either way it isn't free.

To ask room rates or some other revenue stream to not go up is asking the hotel to reduce its profit. And the hotel is there primarily to make a profit.

That said, Disney will have to increase WiFi access but they won't reduce their profits to do so.

Yeah, most people don't even realize what it takes to set up wi-fi at a resort. For a restaurant it's easy. One wireless router plugged in to a DSL line can cover a restaurant. But a hotel or resort? You have to first have a large enough data connection from the telephone company to handle it, which isn't cheap, and THEN you have to set up a switch with lots of wired connections, and then run the wiring to strategically placed wireless routers in order to ensure good coverage. That's a lot of work, and a large expense. Especially for some of the huge resorts that Disney has. And how would you run the cabling from building to building? And none of this includes the software that they have to set up to ensure that only Disney guests can use it.

I would LOVE "free" wi-fi at the Disney hotels when I go. But, nothing is really free.

[Ian]

Yeah, most people don't even realize what it takes to set up wi-fi at a resort. For a restaurant it's easy. One wireless router plugged in to a DSL line can cover a restaurant. But a hotel or resort? You have to first have a large enough data connection from the telephone company to handle it, which isn't cheap, and THEN you have to set up a switch with lots of wired connections, and then run the wiring to strategically placed wireless routers in order to ensure good coverage. That's a lot of work, and a large expense. Especially for some of the huge resorts that Disney has. And how would you run the cabling from building to building? And none of this includes the software that they have to set up to ensure that only Disney guests can use it.

I would LOVE "free" wi-fi at the Disney hotels when I go. But, nothing is really free.

That's true to an extent, but a good portion of that infrastructure would be economized across all of the resorts, so it's not exactly like each individual resort has to bear up under all the costs.

For example, once you get the website up and running that controls access, every resort can just tap into it. Also, I'm fairly certain they just use an off-the-shelf product that's re-skinned for Disney's use, because I've seen very similar applications in other hotels around the country.

As far as the local networking hardware goes, yeah ... that could get pretty pricey. Especially for far-flung resorts like Saratoga Springs or Caribbean Beach. My guess is that each resort has a huge pipe running in from their ISP (probably one or more T3's) that they then split off into the wireless router(s) in each building.

That's quite a lot of infrastructure and overhead to support for free.

[VWL Mom]

If you are a Verizon Fios subscriber you can get free wifi at the Swan. I just got an email about it yesterday.

[TheRustyScupper]

On a recent business trip to Reno, I had to pay $13.95 a day to get Internet in my room and then a separate $6.95 if I wanted to be able to access Wi-Fi in the public areas!

I would have asked to go double-or-nothing on the fees.

[diz_girl]

I would think that WDW would have free Wifi at their convention locations (CR, GF, BC/YC and CSR). Not in the hotel rooms, but at least near the conference facilities.

[Polynesian Dweller]

I would think that WDW would have free Wifi at their convention locations (CR, GF, BC/YC and CSR). Not in the hotel rooms, but at least near the conference facilities.

It's also $9.95 for a 24hr period and I believe $4.95 for 60 minutes in the convention areas.

[CanadianWDWFan]

I was able to pick up free WiFi from our balcony at the BWV. It was from Big River Grill on the Boardwalk. The signal strength wasn't the best but it was good enough for a quick hookup.

[Wayne]

I would think that WDW would have free Wifi at their convention locations (CR, GF, BC/YC and CSR). Not in the hotel rooms, but at least near the conference facilities.

I've spent a lot of time in convention facilities over the years and have rarely had access to free wi-fi. More often than not it comes at a price.

[Ian]

I've spent a lot of time in convention facilities over the years and have rarely had access to free wi-fi. More often than not it comes at a price.

Agreed.

I think people who travel to non-Disney hotels and are used to getting free Internet probably aren't traveling to convention hot spots or big tourist traps, because outside of the odd Marriott Courtyard in the middle of nowhere, I'm pretty used to being charged for Internet.

I would like to point out, however, that there's one way to actually get free Internet in Disney World ... join DVC.

[momof3boysinTN]

Double Tree at Downtown Disney had it when we stayed there prior to our checking in at POR. I could connect at the bar, lobby and room. But as others pointed in everything "free" usually comes at a price esp in a tourist area. But these days not only do we want it sometimes we need to stay connected..as we are self employed sometimes we need to work on vacation... I do hate it but some things cant be helped!!

[Ian]

Double Tree at Downtown Disney had it when we stayed there prior to our checking in at POR. I could connect at the bar, lobby and room. But as others pointed in everything "free" usually comes at a price esp in a tourist area. But these days not only do we want it sometimes we need to stay connected..as we are self employed sometimes we need to work on vacation... I do hate it but some things cant be helped!!

You have to be careful, though, about saying Internet was free.

A lot of non-Disney hotels in the area tack on a mandatory "resort" fee of $10-$20 a day that covers Internet. So while they're not outright charging you for access, you're still paying for it just the same.