Free WiFi

[Disaddict]

So, I'm sitting here on my last vacation day watching Samantha Brown: Passport to Latin America and she is sitting in a (decent) hotel room in Granada, Nicaragua (The poorest city in the region) and she said that she had free WiFi. Come on Disney!! Now 3rd world countries are passing you up on this issue!! :ROFLOL:

 

[paul436]

I have to agree that the time has come that free WiFi is a common standard in the hotel industry and should be implemented at WDW.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

It's been said before here, but I'll post it again. It's somewhat common in the industry that the nicest hotels usually charge for internet. Free WiFi is used as a marketing ploy (similar to free breakfasts) to get people to stay at your hotel. Disney doesn't have to provide any more incentive for people to stay at their resorts, and as such can charge for Wifi because it isn't a deal breaker for someone. I would venture to guess that no one changes their hotel plans because they don't have free internet in the room. When I traveled through Europe a couple of years ago, the nicer hotels I stayed in charged me for the internet. The cheap and beat up hotels let me use the internet for free.

 

[nngrendel]

This was in the budget to add free WiFi to all resorts but has since been scrapped to reallocate dollars to the upcoming Avatar Land. :ROFLOL:

 

[princessmelinda]

That's hilarious. It is frustrating though!!

 

[Disaddict]

It's been said before here, but I'll post it again. It's somewhat common in the industry that the nicest hotels usually charge for internet. Free WiFi is used as a marketing ploy (similar to free breakfasts) to get people to stay at your hotel. Disney doesn't have to provide any more incentive for people to stay at their resorts, and as such can charge for Wifi because it isn't a deal breaker for someone. I would venture to guess that no one changes their hotel plans because they don't have free internet in the room. When I traveled through Europe a couple of years ago, the nicer hotels I stayed in charged me for the internet. The cheap and beat up hotels let me use the internet for free.

I've stayed in some pretty nice hotels before and I have had free Wifi.

 

[nngrendel]

Free WiFi is used as a marketing ploy (similar to free breakfasts) to get people to stay at your hotel. Disney doesn't have to provide any more incentive for people to stay at their resorts, and as such can charge for Wifi because it isn't a deal breaker for someone.

Ditto! To be honest I dont think I have ever chose a hotel on if they had free wifi or not. Last thing I have time for when I am visiting Disney is getting online.

 

[MichWolv]

It's been said before here, but I'll post it again. It's somewhat common in the industry that the nicest hotels usually charge for internet. Free WiFi is used as a marketing ploy (similar to free breakfasts) to get people to stay at your hotel. Disney doesn't have to provide any more incentive for people to stay at their resorts, and as such can charge for Wifi because it isn't a deal breaker for someone. I would venture to guess that no one changes their hotel plans because they don't have free internet in the room. When I traveled through Europe a couple of years ago, the nicer hotels I stayed in charged me for the internet. The cheap and beat up hotels let me use the internet for free.

I do choose hotels in part based on free wi-fi. It is somewhat ridiculous that the $50 red roof inn gives free wi-fi, but the $300 JW Marriott or Animal Kingdom Lodge does not. Usually, the nicer hotels charge more and give you something better. With wi-fi, not the case.

That said, it's just a business decision. While I choose hotels based on availability of free wi-fi, not enough people do, and so hotels can make a choice to charge or not. Obviously, the cheaper hotels almost universally think they'll lose business if they charge for wi-fi, while more expensive ones have more of a mixed view. It isn't unlike those infernal bag charges the airlines all charge now. If we all stopped flying airlines that charged for bags, they'd have to change, but we don't.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I do choose hotels in part based on free wi-fi. It is somewhat ridiculous that the $50 red roof inn gives free wi-fi, but the $300 JW Marriott or Animal Kingdom Lodge does not. Usually, the nicer hotels charge more and give you something better. With wi-fi, not the case.

That said, it's just a business decision. While I choose hotels based on availability of free wi-fi, not enough people do, and so hotels can make a choice to charge or not. Obviously, the cheaper hotels almost universally think they'll lose business if they charge for wi-fi, while more expensive ones have more of a mixed view. It isn't unlike those infernal bag charges the airlines all charge now. If we all stopped flying airlines that charged for bags, they'd have to change, but we don't.

I probably should have chosen my wording differently. Sometimes it can make a difference depending on what the purpose of your trip is and if you know that you must have an internet connection. However, in the context of WDW where you are going to spend the majority of your time out of your room and away from your computer, I would venture to guess that it isn't the breaking point for someone who is determining if they are staying on property or not. They either are or aren't and it won't be based off the availability of a free internet connection.

 

[MichWolv]

I probably should have chosen my wording differently. Sometimes it can make a difference depending on what the purpose of your trip is and if you know that you must have an internet connection. However, in the context of WDW where you are going to spend the majority of your time out of your room and away from your computer, I would venture to guess that it isn't the breaking point for someone who is determining if they are staying on property or not. They either are or aren't and it won't be based off the availability of a free internet connection.

This is true. And it's why we shouldn't hold our breaths for free wi-fi. I could see the convention hotels providing it at some point, but even they are more likely to just offer it free to convention attendees, rather than everybody.

 

[Master Yoda]

All I can say is that every place I have had "free" internet, wifi or hard line, it has been worth every penny I paid for it.

 

[MichWolv]

All I can say is that every place I have had "free" internet, wifi or hard line, it has been worth every penny I paid for it.

I have found that the quality of internet service in hotels bears absolutely no relation to the stated charge for the service. I've had great and crappy free service, and great and crappy expensive service. Just returned from a trip to Germany where the internet charge was 19 euros a day, and the speed seemed little better than dial-up. OTOH, two weeks ago at a Marriott Courtyard in New York, the "free" internet service allowed streaming from abc.com with no delay at all.

 

[Disaddict]

Maybe those that stay around the pools (that they put so much effort into making really nice) would like to get online on a laptop or tablet. Not offering wifi so people will not stay in their rooms is, at best, a weak argument. You've paid for the room, you've paid for the park ticket's, and you will eat so if the food is in the resort or at the park makes no difference. They have your money already no matter where you are at for a few hours each day. And I seriously doubt people go to Disney to stay in their rooms on a wifi connection. But it would be nice to have one for times when we are at the pools or later at night after the parks are closed.

 

[Master Yoda]

I have found that the quality of internet service in hotels bears absolutely no relation to the stated charge for the service. I've had great and crappy free service, and great and crappy expensive service. Just returned from a trip to Germany where the internet charge was 19 euros a day, and the speed seemed little better than dial-up. OTOH, two weeks ago at a Marriott Courtyard in New York, the "free" internet service allowed streaming from abc.com with no delay at all.

As always your millage will vary but so many of the cheep hotels on 192 that people use as a comparison do nothing more than put up a few wifi routers onto their DSL connection and call it a day. They typically spend more on the sign outside the resort that says free wifi. I know you travel considerably more than I do but every single time I have had access to free wifi at a hotel it has been absolute crap. The only place I have paid for internet has been at WDW and it has been a fair to good connection. I would much rather pay $10 for a decent connection than have free wifi that borders on useless which I fear is what it would turn into if it was free at WDW as every singe person on preperty with a smart phone would be hooked into it.

 

[nngrendel]

As always your millage will vary but so many of the cheep hotels on 192 that people use as a comparison do nothing more than put up a few wifi routers onto their DSL connection and call it a day. They typically spend more on the sign outside the resort that says free wifi. I know you travel considerably more than I do but every single time I have had access to free wifi at a hotel it has been absolute crap. The only place I have paid for internet has been at WDW and it has been a fair to good connection. I would much rather pay $10 for a decent connection than have free wifi that borders on useless which I fear is what it would turn into if it was free at WDW as every singe person on preperty with a smart phone would be hooked into it.

I work in an IT dept for a hospital. Our Free WiFi consist of one single DSL modem that has one single cat5 going to a switch. It then is shared to all of our WAP's in the hospital. Around 7am in the morning the service is useable. However after 8 or 9am it takes half a minute to open Google.com.

We also do not support this connection. The level of support we supply is powering off and powering on the modem when its not functioning. If Disney provided free WiFi I am pretty sure they wouldn't want to support it either.

 

[MichWolv]

Maybe those that stay around the pools (that they put so much effort into making really nice) would like to get online on a laptop or tablet. Not offering wifi so people will not stay in their rooms is, at best, a weak argument. You've paid for the room, you've paid for the park ticket's, and you will eat so if the food is in the resort or at the park makes no difference. They have your money already no matter where you are at for a few hours each day. And I seriously doubt people go to Disney to stay in their rooms on a wifi connection. But it would be nice to have one for times when we are at the pools or later at night after the parks are closed.

I don't think anybody said it's a strategy of Disney to get you out of your room. What DisneyInsider was saying is that because travelers to Disney are going for the parks and everything else on site, the lack of free internet isn't likely to cause people to stay elsewhere instead.

I actually think Disney could use free wifi for on property guests as a way to get more folks to stay on property. Put wi-fi service in all the parks, hotels, restuarants, and other public areas. Have some content easily accessible via wi-fi that isn't available (i.e., firewall) via 3G. Those staying on property get free access to property-wide wi-fi and all that content, while those staying off-site need to pay.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I don't think anybody said it's a strategy of Disney to get you out of your room. What DisneyInsider was saying is that because travelers to Disney are going for the parks and everything else on site, the lack of free internet isn't likely to cause people to stay elsewhere instead.

I actually think Disney could use free wifi for on property guests as a way to get more folks to stay on property. Put wi-fi service in all the parks, hotels, restuarants, and other public areas. Have some content easily accessible via wi-fi that isn't available (i.e., firewall) via 3G. Those staying on property get free access to property-wide wi-fi and all that content, while those staying off-site need to pay.

The was exactly the point I was saying. I don't think Disney cares if you are in your room or not if you are paying for the room and tickets already.

 

[mrsdanalind]

So, I'm sitting here on my last vacation day watching Samantha Brown: Passport to Latin America and she is sitting in a (decent) hotel room in Granada, Nicaragua (The poorest city in the region) and she said that she had free WiFi. Come on Disney!! Now 3rd world countries are passing you up on this issue!! :ROFLOL:

I get so annoyed especially when I need to do coursework online and I have to be tied to the table to do it.. WDW needs to join the 21st century in communications. If the third world nations have it so should WDW.

 

[Disaddict]

The was exactly the point I was saying. I don't think Disney cares if you are in your room or not if you are paying for the room and tickets already.

Maybe they dont but each time I see a wifi topic in a forum that is the reason that is given. :shrug:

 

[PlaneJane]

I work in an IT dept for a hospital. Our Free WiFi consist of one single DSL modem that has one single cat5 going to a switch. It then is shared to all of our WAP's in the hospital. Around 7am in the morning the service is useable. However after 8 or 9am it takes half a minute to open Google.com.

We also do not support this connection. The level of support we supply is powering off and powering on the modem when its not functioning. If Disney provided free WiFi I am pretty sure they wouldn't want to support it either.

You need to come up to Chattanooga to see a fast network, our residential Fios is blazing fast and cheap