renting cell phones

[Minnie's Northern Friend]

Hello All--

Anyone ever rented a cell phone or have more information on it?? OR can direct me to the right place for this??

Thanks!!
~L

[playdead88]

wow - no i have never heard of that - the closest thing i can even think of would be a track phone - where you buy the phone with only a certain amount of minutes and there is no contract to a service - you just buy more minutes when you need them - walmart and places like that have them i think - good luck with that

[CAS]

Right. Most carriers have pay-as-you-go service and the phones are free or next to free. No need to rent. :mickey:

[Itchy]

I did a Google search for cell phone rental for Disney world and did get some hits.

I saw one that was $19 a day but did not look to get any further information.

As the previous poster suggested I would go to Walmart or similar store that carry cell phones and get a pay as you go phone.

I don't know if you are wanting to use them in the parks or just general phone calls. If you have a cell provider where you live talk to them and they might be able to help with your problem.

good luck :mickey:

[ILoveLegos]

From my travel experience I've seen that phones, DVD players and devices like that can be rented at international airports usually. That's how foreigners get the correct type of cell phone that works in the country they are visiting. They are not cheaper than the forementioned Walmart phones though.

[ILoveLegos]

On the internet I saw references to the following locations having cell phone rentals (I do not know if you have to be a guest staying at the hotels to use this service however).
A) Hyatt @ MCO
B) Disney's Grand Floridian
C) Ritz Camera in Orlando
However, I'd call first to make sure the information is true and up-to-date and also get the rental rates for your stay.

A round trip cab ride to an Orlando area Walmart and a purchase of a "pay as you go phone" probably would be easier, especially if you make frequent visits to the USA.

[KylesMom]

A round trip cab ride to an Orlando area Walmart and a purchase of a "pay as you go phone" probably would be easier, especially if you make frequent visits to the USA.


I purchased a TracPhone for my mom for emergency use and renew the subscription for service and minutes yearly, so I do have experience with this.

The above situation, unless you have a computer available to you, wouldn't work since you have to activate the phone online (or you did a few years ago).

Another thing to think about. Unlike a regular cell phone, they charge "units" instead of minutes. Depending upon where you activate the phone, it costs "x" amount of units per minute. So if you are calling long-distance, it uses up more units than if you were initiating the call locally. I think my mom drained her 200 "units" in three short phone calls from Denver to Chicago. Just something else to keep in mind when thinking of utilizing the TracPhone. It's a great solution for emergencies, but if you're using the phone to call home every day, it may not work as you'd like it to.

I "rent" compatible phones for my VPs when they go abroad to Japan and such. The last expense report I turned in was $175 for two weeks' usage. Ouch!