Disney With No Cell Phone, No Gadgets, No Camera...

[lbrad]

I ALWAYS have my camera ... NEVER my cell :0

 

[bamillerpa]

I have no problem if someone takes a camera or a phone into the park. What I don't like is seeing the screen on either of them during a dark ride or someone talking on a phone during a ride. That being said, I always have a camera with me. Sometimes it's my dslr and sometimes just a point and shoot but I always have one. It might be the same picture of the castle but the picture of my kids in front of it are different everytime. I love looking at the age progression with them. I always manage to find something new to photograph or a different way to photograph the same thing. I wouldn't like going without my camera. This doesn't mean that I'm not enjoying the park or being present in the moment. It's one of the things I look forward to on my Disney vacation.

I also bring in my phone. I like looking at the Lines app but that's not a must for me. What is a must is having the peace of mind knowing that if separated or going on different rides my family can always text each other to find each other again. We aren't on the phone talking and texting except to check in with each other and I never have the screen on during a ride (this includes my camera and also including the flash).

I feel that as long as I'm not annoying people on rides it shouldn't matter if I want to use some kind of electronic gadget elsewhere.

 

[FettFan]

Though...I find it interesting that @Bob Saget mentioned "gadgets".

Man, what I wouldn't give for a James Bond-style watch that could remote-hack a FastPass machine. I'd be the most popular man in Orlando.

I've got your Soarin' right here...

 

[scoobygirl39541]

I could never do this!! My cell phone is my camera and I couldn't risk missing any of those one of a kind photo ops/memories! Also, I use it excessively for the time. Plus I'd simply feel like I'm missing an arm without my phone.

 

[copcarguyp71]

I remember the 70's, 80's and 90's how on earth did we get along without these pieces of mind candy?????

We stayed together like a family on a family vacation...if we split apart we made arrangements to meet back somewhere at a certain time...if home needed us they left a message at the hotel for us....and work, well the heck with that!!! Yet somehow the human species managed to not obliterate itself during these electronic dark ages, we had a good time and there were no brazillian tour groups...hmmm cell phones might just be a tool of the forces of evil...or the Chupacabra!!

 

[Foolish Mortal]

Man, what I wouldn't give for a James Bond-style watch that could remote-hack a FastPass machine. I'd be the most popular man in Orlando.

Yeah with WDW security and possibly the Sheriff's department.

I could easily do the parks with no cell phone. And many other places in daily life. Just because we have the technology doesn't mean we HAVE to use it !! Cameras on the other hand are a must have. Look at the picture of the day threads. Some amazing/funny shots that we wouldn't have seen if the taker left his/her camera at home or at the resort.

 

[rodserling27]

I have done WDW without all that stuff before. A few years ago I went in January with no phone or camera or anything. It was great! Very "free" to walk around with just my wallet to worry about in my pocket. It was a refreshing change of pace and somewhat relaxing. Everyone should try it at least once.


Edit: Here's my thread about it from a few years back: http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/going-to-wdw-w-o-conveniences.681992/

 

[bdearl41]

I think its a fantastic idea. Whenever I get the opportunity to be away from my cell phone I take it. Love being disconnected. You actually can enjoy the present.

 

[JillC LI]

I have never taken my cell into any of the parks, why would you need to phone anyone? You're on vacation forget about work and everyone else. Cells are just a massive annoyance and distraction. A camera is a must have though.

I need to be able to phone my hubby to know where and when to meet up after he takes DS to a thrill ride and I take DD to the Tea Cups (which I personally consider a thrill ride as well! LOL).

 

[JIMINYCR]

Our cell phone is brought with us for two reasons. 1.To contact dear son to remind him where and when to meet us for the dining reservations. He can easily forget those details when he is having fun away from us in another area of the park. And 2. To contact the person who is responsible for operating our business while we are vacationing, so we will have a business to return to when we finish vacationing.

 

[6laurac]

We used to go with only our camera but didn't use it since we already had "the picture in front of the castle" BUT now we have our wonderful 2 year old and I am certainly going to be taking pictures this time.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

this is hardly a revelation. Though to be fair I tend to leave m phone at every opportunity, makes it harder for the current mrs sak to track me down

 

[thomas998]

I can agree with no cell phone (phones in movie theaters are annoying enough. If I see the glow of some moron's cellular lighting up the POTC caverns, they won't need Typhoon Lagoon to go swimming) or gadgets (Ive seen people tinkering with handheld GPS units in the park. in today's overly techno-electronic age, apparently nobody knows how to use a paper map anymore)...but no camera?

I mean, either a camera or a video camera is kind of a necessity. Photopass CMs can't be everywhere at once, and there are always chances of unscripted Disney randomness breaking out when you least expect.

I've done it for a day during a trip... and am tempted to do it for more days in the future. Sure I wouldn't be snapping photos like a madman, but then when I get back home I realize that no one wants to see those photos... Even the good ones aren't really viewed more than maybe once or twice and then they are probably doing me less good than my memories as at least I have those memories every day.

 

[acishere]

I don't think I can go without a phone. I would have nothing to look at when my family has an awkward silence while waiting in a long line.

Also, if the person covering for me at work massively screws something up, I'd like be reachable.

I just keep it on vibrate and know when pulling out my phone and updating my photos to Facebook is inappropriate.

 

[jamesgf]

I always have my iPhone with me, for park related apps and as my camera. Luckily when I am away from work no one bothers me (as a bioanalytical chemist I can get away and not worry about work when I am on vacation). I do not play games in lines or mess with my phone on rides, I am there to see the park and not be glued to my phone.

 

[kerri dutrisac]

We never have cell phones when we are WDW. I ask my 17 yr son to leave it back at the hotel. We are on vacation and enjoy the family time without the distractions. I usually use the photo pass mainly, so I hardly bring out my camera. The professinal pictures are so much better. We have 4 boys so I find it much easier to have less things to pack around the better

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Remember the days when Bell+Pacific was a Huge Sponsor of Epcot and These Bad Boys were everywhere in the parks....I think they are an exhibit now at the park...And the cheapest way to call collect was either with 10-10-220 or 1-800-Collect.....Those were the days..

 

[Goofyernmost]

Remember the days when Bell+Pacific was a Huge Sponsor of Epcot and These Bad Boys were everywhere in the parks....I think they are an exhibit now at the park...And the cheapest way to call collect was either with 10-10-220 or 1-800-Collect.....Those were the days..

Ah, the memories! 10-10-220, I had forgotten about that. Good times!

 

[flavious27]

If he said this in 2001, this would not stick out. Nowadays, it does just because we usually have these devices with use on a daily basis and more of them while on vacation.

 

[cslafferty]

I leave my cell phone in the room but DH has his on him all the time, and we use it only for park apps. I usually pick a "camera day," when the sun is out and I take the camera where ever we go and take all our pics. But, after that, I leave the camera behind and go gadget free - and I LOVE not having anything to carry!! And, since not bringing the camera means not having to bring a bag to carry it, extra battery, and extra lens, I get to bypass the security check!!