Fuel Rod Portable charging batteries available now at WDW kiosks

[lazyboy97o]

Yes. But my other local theme parks(or anything else I'd need a charge during day) don't have this fuel rod thing....so when I'm at their parks I need something to charge my phone. So my $20 one from Amazon that can charge my phone 3 times before I need to recharge is a better option for me.

Penetration is always a hurdle for any service. The one device to one device comparison is not entirely even. A family or group with more than one phone amongst them can all share one of these batteries throughout a day. A group of four would need two of the batteries you have for each person to each get one full recharge.

 

[ford91exploder]

Your analysis seems to be skipping over the ability to swap the batteries for no charge. FuelRods is more selling a service than a single product.

They are also sold/exchanged at most major airports

 

[officialtom]

Sorry to revive an old thread but does anybody know the output of the fuelrods? 1A or 2A? I'm considering buying a power bank at Best Buy today because I hear the fuelrods don't give a full charge for most phones, but at the same time I love the idea of being able to exchange them in the parks. But if they only have a 1A output (slow charge), that'll be the nail in the coffin and I'll just buy a decent one that I can charge overnight.

 

[GlacierGlacier]

Sorry to revive an old thread but does anybody know the output of the fuelrods? 1A or 2A? I'm considering buying a power bank at Best Buy today because I hear the fuelrods don't give a full charge for most phones, but at the same time I love the idea of being able to exchange them in the parks. But if they only have a 1A output (slow charge), that'll be the nail in the coffin and I'll just buy a decent one that I can charge overnight.

They are 5V/1A, however, I've never had a problem with it in my use. When in the park, I either keep my phone basically on an umbilical cord with the battery, keeping at 100% and swapping the rod anytime I'm near a kiosk, or just charging anytime I get low. My iPhone 6 gets a full charge from these fuel-rods, as they're 2600mAh batteries and the iPhone 6 has an 1810mAh battery.

I go to the parks with my family all the time, and I end up just finding the fuel rod more convenient than a large, multi-charge battery. I wrote an app, too, to tell me the nearest locations in the resort. Quite convenient.

If you're wondering, numbers-wise, there's 34 kiosks in WDW, with 5 of which in MK, 3 in epcot, 2 in DHS, 1 each in AK, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, 3 in WWoS, 3 in Disney Springs, and the remaining 15 scattered around the resorts. Disneyland has a comprable 13 kiosks.

 

[officialtom]

They are 5V/1A, however, I've never had a problem with it in my use. When in the park, I either keep my phone basically on an umbilical cord with the battery, keeping at 100% and swapping the rod anytime I'm near a kiosk, or just charging anytime I get low. My iPhone 6 gets a full charge from these fuel-rods, as they're 2600mAh batteries and the iPhone 6 has an 1810mAh battery.

I go to the parks with my family all the time, and I end up just finding the fuel rod more convenient than a large, multi-charge battery. I wrote an app, too, to tell me the nearest locations in the resort. Quite convenient.

If you're wondering, numbers-wise, there's 34 kiosks in WDW, with 5 of which in MK, 3 in epcot, 2 in DHS, 1 each in AK, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, 3 in WWoS, 3 in Disney Springs, and the remaining 15 scattered around the resorts. Disneyland has a comprable 13 kiosks.

Thanks for the info! May pick one up.

 

[wdisney9000]

Thanks for the info! May pick one up.

I will second what @GlacierGlacier said in terms of the fuel rod giving your phone a full charge. I also just keep my phone attached to it and swap out when its empty. It was a great investment for the one time fee of $30.

 

[AEfx]

It's so ironic that the phone manufacturers are heck bent on making these devices lighter and thinner every year, often by sacrificing battery life, just so people can carry around bricks to keep them charged that are more bulk than the phones would be to begin with if they had decent batteries in the first place.

 

[GlacierGlacier]

I've got an android app to locate the kiosks as well as an iOS one in development, but IDK the rules about self-advertising so I won't link them here

 

[AEfx]

I've got an android app to locate the kiosks as well as an iOS one in development, but IDK the rules about self-advertising so I won't link them here

Hopefully it doesn't put too much strain on battery life...or that could be a bit counter-intuitive, LOL.

 

[GlacierGlacier]

Hopefully it doesn't put too much strain on battery life...or that could be a bit counter-intuitive, LOL.

That'd just means people would swap batteries more, using the app more muahahah

 

[TCGatorSJU]

I will second what @GlacierGlacier said in terms of the fuel rod giving your phone a full charge. I also just keep my phone attached to it and swap out when its empty. It was a great investment for the one time fee of $30.

A little tip for people. You can get them cheaper at places outside of Disney. For example, I got mine at Philadelphia Airport in Terminal E. They were only $20 there. I have then traded multiple times at Disney for a fully charged one.

 

[rocketraccoon]

A little tip for people. You can get them cheaper at places outside of Disney. For example, I got mine at Philadelphia Airport in Terminal E. They were only $20 there. I have then traded multiple times at Disney for a fully charged one.

You can also buy the kit at their website for $25 shipped anywhere in the US: https://www.fuel-rod.com/

Do note that if you have a USB Type-C phone, you'll need to carry your own cable with you since it doesn't come with one for that.

 

[Gabe1]

I bump’d this thread as an update

Over the last week we’ve noticed these rods are mostly now only good for a single charge. At 20% it will bring you to about 85%. If you do a long charge turn it in. Also check before you leave machines as 2 of the exchanged rods were dead ove a weeks span.

 

[nicb88]

I do wonder how often the Fuel Rod technicians come to check the units and make sure they are all working.

Though on the plus side, it appears that Sea World/Busch Gardens parks now offer Fuel Rod, too.

 

[wdisney9000]

Disney World has had these for over a year now. I got a Fuel Rod last June for $30 and have exchanged it for new ones many times. It is absolutely a great one time purchase if you use your phone for pics and videos. Unlimited exchanges and no expiration as of yet.

 

[GlacierGlacier]

At this point I just swap every time I'm near a kiosk and constantly trickle-charge when I'm in the park. I switched to an S8 this past December from an iPhone and the doubling in battery volume doesn't help much with fuel-rod lifespan. I made a few apps too to let me find near ones, but at this point it's all memorized.

 

[ford91exploder]

Your analysis seems to be skipping over the ability to swap the batteries for no charge. FuelRods is more selling a service than a single product.

Most US airports also have FuelRod dispensers, Convenient service get one at the airport charge phone on flight, exchange for a fresh one on way out of airport. However you only get the cable set when you buy a new one.

 

[disneygeek90]

Why aren't people just buying their own on Amazon and charging each night?

 

[jakeman]

Why aren't people just buying their own on Amazon and charging each night?

I think it's just personal preference.

We've used them a few times and it's just generally easier to drain them and swap them out then keep up with our own and have another cord to deal with at night.

 

[Bairstow]

Why aren't people just buying their own on Amazon and charging each night?

For the same reason not everyone has sunscreen with them- not everyone knows how much they'll need it or remembers to bring it.

Personally, the last several times I've visited a theme park I've had a battery pack with me, since I use my smartphone as my only camera and tend to shoot a lot of pictures and video. The battery packs that Fuel Rod offers were acceptable in 2016 but are now far outstripped and outclassed by more recent packs from Anker and other companies. On my last trip I carried an 11,000 mAh pack that was just strong enough to get me through a full day of photos and other usage.