Do I need to bring my phone?

L

LadyBlue

New Member
Original Poster
This will sound silly.

Do I need to bring my phone to WDW? I'll be going for a week in September with my folks. They are bringing their smart phones. We've been to Disney 10+ times. I rather bring my Apple 7th Generation Ipod and not take my phone with me. In the past, I've lost my phone or it has cracked while sitting in my backpack in a otterbox case. I have a Z Flip 3, and I love it, but it appears more fragile 0.0

I've looked into insurance for my phone. There all scams. Like I still have to pay to have my phone fixed. 0.o Plus monthly payment. I like carrying backpacks with me to the parks. Also, I plan on wearing rompers everyday to the parks and no pockets.

So I'm wondering, couldn't my Ipod do the same thing as my phone? I will be purchasing Disney+, and I can download My Disney Experience App onto my Ipod. I'll be staying at Beach Club, so I can easily make fast passes from my hotel room. We are also bringing a laptop. If I'm in the parks I simply need to use Disney WiFi. I know it's not perfect though. But I'm willing to take the risk. MWAHA.

Also, Plan B, I could always borrow my folks phone to use my Disney experience. So we'll my Ipod plan work? Thoughts? I will be flying to the parks.

What will I need my phone for?
 
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castlecake2.0

castlecake2.0

Well-Known Member
That all sounds like it would work. You can also visit Guest Relations or the Guest Experience Team around the park for additional assistance with My Disney Experience and Genie offerings. My phone has died at the parks a few times and I survived without much hassle.
 
R

Raxel7851

Well-Known Member
LadyBlue said:
So I'm wondering, couldn't my Ipod do the same thing as my phone? I will be purchasing Disney+, and I can download My Disney Experience App onto my Ipod. I'll be staying at Beach Club, so I can easily make fast passes from my hotel room.
Click to expand...

I’m thinking you “probably” could get away with using just your iPod, although I’d be more comfortable with a phone. As long as you have your messaging working, if you got separated or in some kind of crazy situation, you could text your parents. I hope you meant you can easily make Genie+ reservations, because Fast Passes are long gone. I try to purchase the Apple Care when I get a new phone or iPad. It’s $59.
 
correcaminos

correcaminos

Well-Known Member
Raxel7851 said:
To further expound on @helenabear post, depending on where your room is located, WiFi can be spotty at best. I rely on cellular as much as possible.
Click to expand...
True. I have had a couple rooms where I had to be in a specific spot to use but I do think as a whole for my experiences it's not been a huge issue for causal use (I bring a computer or tablet for work sometimes) more recently. Though 7am quickness I always used my phone.
 
StarWarsGirl

StarWarsGirl

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
LadyBlue said:
This will sound silly.

Do I need to bring my phone to WDW? I'll be going for a week in September with my folks. They are bringing their smart phones. We've been to Disney 10+ times. I rather bring my Apple 7th Generation Ipod and not take my phone with me. In the past, I've lost my phone or it has cracked while sitting in my backpack in a otterbox case. I have a Z Flip 3, and I love it, but it appears more fragile 0.0

I've looked into insurance for my phone. There all scams. Like I still have to pay to have my phone fixed. 0.o Plus monthly payment. I like carrying backpacks with me to the parks. Also, I plan on wearing rompers everyday to the parks and no pockets.

So I'm wondering, couldn't my Ipod do the same thing as my phone? I will be purchasing Disney+, and I can download My Disney Experience App onto my Ipod. I'll be staying at Beach Club, so I can easily make fast passes from my hotel room. We are also bringing a laptop. If I'm in the parks I simply need to use Disney WiFi. I know it's not perfect though. But I'm willing to take the risk. MWAHA.

Also, Plan B, I could always borrow my folks phone to use my Disney experience. So we'll my Ipod plan work? Thoughts? I will be flying to the parks.

What will I need my phone for?
Click to expand...
I would not recommend you skip bringing your phone. Disney WiFi is absolutely terrible. My brother doesn't have a phone; only an iPod, and my dad doesn't have a data plan. My brother can't contact anyone only using his iPod, and both of them have trouble with the WiFi. We rely on my mom's iPhone and my Galaxy a lot.

Do you have a cheaper one where you could swap the SIM card and just use that for a week? You could even pick up a $100 unlocked Android and just use that for the week and leave your expensive Galaxy at home.

What sucks is normally I'd say put an OtterBox Defender case on your phone, but they don't make them for the flips.
 
Walt Disney1955

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
Bring it to WDW, sure. But the parks? You don't need it. Sorry, but you don't. I'll tell you how I know. Everyone uses their phone to navigate around the parks, and relies on it far too much for line waits and stuff on rides. I don't. Barely anyone uses the old 1990s methods to avoid lines anymore. Here is an example. Islands of Adventure Universal 2018, we get into the park and immediately start walking towards the back. We ride Spiderman, King Kong, Jurassic and Harry Potter all within the 1st hour. We strolled around and then did the Dr. Seuss land and came back around with the Toon Lagoon and Marvel sections again. Then we were able to do things multiple times. And the park closed at 6pm too. This is how we did it back in the day, you go to the back of the park and work your way back there while everyone does stuff at the front. By the time others catch on you've done many great rides.

It worked in the 1990s, but it works even better today because everyone is glued to their phone telling them what to do. Same thing happened at Epcot. I had a relative looking at wait times on his phone and I just told him to follow my lead and we did World Showcase first and then the stuff at the front. We saw every single attraction at Epcot, piece of cake. He was amazed.
 
danlb_2000

danlb_2000

Premium Member
Big Phil said:
Bring it to WDW, sure. But the parks? You don't need it. Sorry, but you don't. I'll tell you how I know. Everyone uses their phone to navigate around the parks, and relies on it far too much for line waits and stuff on rides. I don't. Barely anyone uses the old 1990s methods to avoid lines anymore. Here is an example. Islands of Adventure Universal 2018, we get into the park and immediately start walking towards the back. We ride Spiderman, King Kong, Jurassic and Harry Potter all within the 1st hour. We strolled around and then did the Dr. Seuss land and came back around with the Toon Lagoon and Marvel sections again. Then we were able to do things multiple times. And the park closed at 6pm too. This is how we did it back in the day, you go to the back of the park and work your way back there while everyone does stuff at the front. By the time others catch on you've done many great rides.

It worked in the 1990s, but it works even better today because everyone is glued to their phone telling them what to do. Same thing happened at Epcot. I had a relative looking at wait times on his phone and I just told him to follow my lead and we did World Showcase first and then the stuff at the front. We saw every single attraction at Epcot, piece of cake. He was amazed.
Click to expand...

Phone at WDW goes beyond just navigating the park, they offer a lot of other potential convinces..

- Genie+ and Lighting Lane
- Mobile food ordering
- Mobile merchandise checkout
- Virtual queues for standby at restaurants.
- mobile hotel check-in so you don't have to go to the front desk
- Interacting with thing in Galaxy's Edge.
- Virtual queues. There aren't any at the moment but I wouldn't be surprised to see them come back when new rides open.
 
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correcaminos

correcaminos

Well-Known Member
danlb_2000 said:
Phone at WDW goes beyond just navigating the park, they offer a lot of other potential convinces..

- Genie+ and Lighting Lane
- Mobile food ordering
- Mobile merchandise checkout
- Virtual queues for standby at restaurants.
- mobile hotel check-in so you don't have to go to the front desk
- Interacting with thing in Galaxy's Edge.
- Virtual queues. There aren't any at the moment but I wouldn't be surprised to see them come back when new rides open.
Click to expand...
None of those are required to do though. If GotG does a VQ, you likely won't even be in the park to try.
 
Ayla

Ayla

Well-Known Member
Yes, you will need a phone, for all the reasons already listed. Get a small crossbody purse to carry it in.
 
Ayla

Ayla

Well-Known Member
Big Phil said:
Bring it to WDW, sure. But the parks? You don't need it. Sorry, but you don't. I'll tell you how I know. Everyone uses their phone to navigate around the parks, and relies on it far too much for line waits and stuff on rides. I don't. Barely anyone uses the old 1990s methods to avoid lines anymore. Here is an example. Islands of Adventure Universal 2018, we get into the park and immediately start walking towards the back. We ride Spiderman, King Kong, Jurassic and Harry Potter all within the 1st hour. We strolled around and then did the Dr. Seuss land and came back around with the Toon Lagoon and Marvel sections again. Then we were able to do things multiple times. And the park closed at 6pm too. This is how we did it back in the day, you go to the back of the park and work your way back there while everyone does stuff at the front. By the time others catch on you've done many great rides.

It worked in the 1990s, but it works even better today because everyone is glued to their phone telling them what to do. Same thing happened at Epcot. I had a relative looking at wait times on his phone and I just told him to follow my lead and we did World Showcase first and then the stuff at the front. We saw every single attraction at Epcot, piece of cake. He was amazed.
Click to expand...
Your last trip was 2018 according to another post. It's a totally different ballgame now.
 
danlb_2000

danlb_2000

Premium Member
helenabear said:
None of those are required to do though. If GotG does a VQ, you likely won't even be in the park to try.
Click to expand...

True, not required, but they could make for a better experience. Disney seems to be leaning heavily into mobile and it may lead to people not having a phone getting a second rate experience.
 
correcaminos

correcaminos

Well-Known Member
Ayla said:
Your last trip was 2018 according to another post. It's a totally different ballgame now.
Click to expand...
If it was 2018 how on earth did they do WS first unless they never arrived at park opening while having people looking on their phones so much? WS only recently opened same time (pandemic hours) after not having it that way for about 30 years.
 
correcaminos

correcaminos

Well-Known Member
danlb_2000 said:
True, not required, but they could make for a better experience.
Click to expand...
Yes and no. I'm a tech person who likes my phone. I also cannot always do mobile orders due to allergies. You also can do the walk up list in person. Disney won't get my money for Genie+ I did VQs in my room or on the plane. I have never done any interacting with GE and only see people doing the Starcruiser on their phones. I don't think I'm missing out.

If someone wants to have access like the OP seems to then a phone is superior to an iPod IMO. But you can go on the fly. I know I did my last 2 trips.
 

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