Connected to the "real world" while at WDW?

[KCheatle]

One of the things I always aim to do while I'm at WDW is disconnect from the "real world." With the new FP+ and other things that require me to have my smart phone handy, I don't get as much disconnect as I'd like. But, that's neither here nor there. My biggest struggle is when we're in the room at night and the kids go to sleep -- do I watch TV or not?

It's my habit to watch TV at night to fall asleep, but I strongly dislike hearing the news and about all of the bad things in the world when I'm at WDW. I get enough of that at home. Last year, my DH and I decided we would pack some bottles of wine and spend each night out on our patio talking and drinking wine instead of watching TV. It was such a wonderful experience!

Do you try to disconnect when your at WDW?

 

[Master Yoda]

For the nighttime TV thing I have 2 words for you...Discovery Channel.

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

I don't check work emails while I'm at and I won't respond to a text message from a co-worker but we do watch TV, usually ESPN, the Golf Channel or USA. We don't spend a lot of time in the room so not a lot of time to get sucked up in the news.

 

[copcarguyp71]

Always too exhausted to watch TV. Usually just zone out watching resort TV and then wake up three hours later to turn it off.

 

[jimbo mack]

Switch off! Disney hols are the only times in life we get to

 

[MickeyisMyBestFriend]

I don't go on the computer and only use my phone for checking wait times, when our next fp's are, etc. We do watch nighttime tv. Typically food network

 

[tk924]

One of the things I always aim to do while I'm at WDW is disconnect from the "real world."

I like to think that while I'm there I am in the "real world". Sometimes this everyday life just doesn't seem very "real".

 

[WDWVolFan]

We would take breaks from the parks and go back to the room and my son would watch Disney XD lol...so most likely we would fall asleep to Disney XD...
I became a huge fan of Phineas and Ferb, Lab Rats and Kickin' It. LOL

 

[LucyK]

I'll watch my favorite tv series no matter where I am, so on Wednesdays I'd make a point of watching Criminal Minds and CSI and on most days I'd left the tv on Food Network or Discovery Channel while we got ready for bed. No 7PM News for us!

 

[Ben_since_1971]

I check my work email, but only because I am always on-call for one of my company's clients (and they are never needy, so it's all good). I check my personal email for any emergencies. I usually flip on the news while getting ready in the morning, but mostly for the weather report. Other than that - I consider myself switched off.

 

[wogwog]

I personally "forbid" TV on any vacation. Talk to your friends and family instead. Might surprise them and yourself how interesting you can be..

 

[Konor]

As we stay on property and never leave we completely immerse ourselves in Disney. There is no work, there is no e-mail, there is nothing from "outside of the walls" so to speak. My entertainment for that week/week and a half is the parks, my news is what the kids thought of the day, my weather is how sunny it was that day.

 

[MY_NAME_STITCH]

I carry my phone just so we can receive text messages from the pet sitter. However, some of my coworkers have seen this as an open invitation to contact my DW and I while we're on vacation. Mind you none of the reasons for the texts or the calls couldn't wait until my return. That coupled with the fact that I never do the same to them perturbed me to no end. I like to disappear when my DW and I are on property. That's one of the main reasons we go.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I do everything I usually do on a daily basis when I'm at Disney. Not watching television or refusing to look at my phone doesn't enhance my experience. Then again, going to Disney for me is like going to the mall or to the movies.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

I rarely watch tv on vacation...Except for this channel while I get ready in my room and then it's off.

 

[acishere]

I keep up with work while away. I usually spend an hour a day responding to any press releases I wrote before leaving. It just makes me look more essential than I really am...

I usually watch TV at some point every day. In Disney it is usually the late night shows. I'm usually out of the room for prime time stuff so that is left for the DVR at home.

 

[Roo Bear]

I am currently torn between taking my phone to see wait times/update FPs etc & not having it at all as I like to disconnect from pretty much everything while I am at WDW. We always leave an emergency contact number back in the UK so usually figure that if anybody needs us that urgently we are contactable eventually. Really not sure what to do at this point. Any suggestions people?

 

[PigletIsMyCat]

our trip in october will be our first trip with the app, so i'm excited to use it. but we almost never fully switch off. we do watch tv in the room, but i don't even know what we watch lol. we keep our phones with us and i usually bring my macbook with us to watch on the plane and in the room... this year i'll have my iPad instead, but i'm sure i'll check my emails and watch movies or whatever. i don't like to fully disconnect because i have ill family members and will be leaving my pets with a sitter or family member and we have friends in orlando that we're hoping to connect with.

 

[Foolish Mortal]

Absolutely positively NO NEWS !! I don't voluntarily watch news at home. Same crap different day, don't care don't wanna hear it ! If I put a local station on for the weather it's usually late in the broadcast when they tend to do weather. Only non resort thing I watch if I'm awake is Letterman. Just need to get NHL network now.

 

[JerseyDad]

.....we (wife + me) ...both have our own businesses ...so keeping 'connected' is a must. My wife has an at-home Spa Party business ...and I've seen her book numerous parties while waiting in the stand-by lines ...and sitting at a bar at the resort ...or in one of the eating venues. She also needs to coordinate said parties with her employees while we're away .....

....that said ...when it comes to being 'connected' while back at the resort room ....the TV choices are pretty sparse to begin with ...unless you 'need' Stacy ...24/7.

....funny story: At home ...in our bedroom ...the TV is on ALL NIGHT ....because it keeps the dog company (seriously) ...and drowns out some of the outdoor noises that may spook him (like wind or rain on the roof ...which he hates). So ...we go to WDW ...and there is no dog in the room of course ....and turn off the TV as we go to sleep ...and find that WE CAN'T GET TO SLEEP ....because of being accustomed to the TV on ...all night ...for the past 8 years!!!!