BoarderPhreak
Well-Known Member
Swaps aren't going away... Just free ones; they'll be $3/per going forward.
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Fuel Rod swaps now $3 at WDW
- Thread starter NemoIncognito
- Start date
My phone won't even come close to lasting an entire day. And yes, it's fully charged. And no, I don't use social media. In no particular order:
- MDE App making FP+s, checking dining/menus, checking wait times
- Poor signal/lots of people causes phone to work harder for a signal draining the battery faster
- Sunlight = Bright screen
- 3 years ago we ditched the DSLR and went 100% camera phone...lots of pictures and video for our family of 5
- Also generally have PhotoPass so we check those photos out in real time
- Our family of 5 (plus sometimes extended family) guarantees that we're going to split up...which means texts and "Find My" app usage to see where the other people are
- While our family is generally low phone usage while in the parks (none of the 3 daughters are on social media), there are those times standing in line when we all decide the best way to pass time is to play phone games with each other and/or look up trivia
- Real life continues while in WDW...there are sometimes texts/emails/calls that need to be responded to
awoogala
Well-Known Member
eh. ok. done using them. I have a few real chargers, not worth it unless it's free. I liked how small they were, because we don't do bags, but unless it's free, and my teens can go off and exchange, we will all deal with the heavier bricks that fully charge our phones.
UNCgolf
Well-Known Member
This is correct. Beyond that, the legalese isn't automatically fully binding even if the customer actively agrees to the terms. There's a lot of nuance in contract law (adhesion, unconscionability, etc.) that allows certain clauses to be eliminated from contracts without voiding the whole thing (the whole contract can be voided too, of course). This would absolutely be an adhesion contract.
Also, the fact that they had "free unlimited swapping" plastered all over the kiosks makes for a pretty easy argument for the plaintiff's attorneys.
trainplane3
Well-Known Member
If you need to use the Disney apps throughout the day (which they want everyone to use), you'll learn how bad they are and that's not even including the load timeouts you may get. I hate Disney World app so much that I put my FP+ itinerary into my Google calendar app because that all won't fail to load or hit the battery hard for just checking something so minor.
A small battery that costs about $40, fit in your pocket, and can charge your phone twice is something that is nice to have. Even if it only takes battery anxiety out of your list of worries (which can be a problem if you're trying to make the most of your day. Dead battery=have fun getting a FP at a kiosk). I bought some for my parents and they love having them.
Is there a photo of the alleged verbiage? We've been down this side-street before, with the "forever" refillable resort cups...
dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
Just peel off the "$3 charge to swap beginning 10/1/19" stickers to see. Not that I would ever suggest vandalizing property, WDW or otherwise.
Unlike the mugs, these signs existed in an era when photographs were cheap and easy, so plenty of people documented it. Heck, I bet there were dozen or hundreds of "New WDW attraction" posts on the blogs when they first launched, each extensively documenting the machine from multiple angles.
Gringrinngghost
Well-Known Member
When I talked to them a while back, it was $1 at Airports. This was a perk of those at Disney. This is of my knowledge of Fuelrods Swap prices:
Airports - $1
Disney - Free (Till 11/01/19)
Seaworld - $3
Universal Orlando - $3
Wonder Works Orlando - Free still(?)
There is a competitor to them that charges $50 for, alas they are only at one Orlando Hotel.
Doug Means
Well-Known Member
This is the last straw, I'm never going back to WDW!
At the end of the day:
“Company reserves the right at any time to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, the Company Services (or any part thereof) with or without notice. You agree that Company shall not be liable to you or to any third party for any modification, suspension or discontinuance of the Company Services.”
fuel-rod.com
“Company reserves the right at any time to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, the Company Services (or any part thereof) with or without notice. You agree that Company shall not be liable to you or to any third party for any modification, suspension or discontinuance of the Company Services.”
Terms of Use
Version Date: Effective November 18, 2024 TERMS OF USE AGREEMENT This Terms of Use Agreement (“Agreement”) constitutes a legally binding agreement made between you, whether personally or on behalf of an entity (“user” or “you”) and Tricopian, Inc. (DBA: FuelRod) and its affiliated companies...
fuel-rod.com
AEfx
Well-Known Member
At the end of the day:
“Company reserves the right at any time to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, the Company Services (or any part thereof) with or without notice. You agree that Company shall not be liable to you or to any third party for any modification, suspension or discontinuance of the Company Services.”
Terms of Use
Version Date: Effective November 18, 2024 TERMS OF USE AGREEMENT This Terms of Use Agreement (“Agreement”) constitutes a legally binding agreement made between you, whether personally or on behalf of an entity (“user” or “you”) and Tricopian, Inc. (DBA: FuelRod) and its affiliated companies...
At the end of the day, what they put up on a website (that the average buyer never had to visit to begin with) isn’t some binding contract. EULA’s and the like are actually not well legally tested. Just because someone decides to put up wording somewhere doesn’t automatically make it legitimate or binding.
Not so much a comment on this situation in particular, just something to keep in mind - people seem brainwashed into thinking that whatever a company writes is some binding final word. It isn’t for many reasons.
homerdance
Well-Known Member
If you use/purchase the product, that was advertised as "Free unlimited", and unless you explicitly agree to the TOS and the location of said TOS, anything on the website is moot. Will be interesting to see how this lawsuit proceeds.At the end of the day:
“Company reserves the right at any time to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, the Company Services (or any part thereof) with or without notice. You agree that Company shall not be liable to you or to any third party for any modification, suspension or discontinuance of the Company Services.”
Terms of Use
Version Date: Effective November 18, 2024 TERMS OF USE AGREEMENT This Terms of Use Agreement (“Agreement”) constitutes a legally binding agreement made between you, whether personally or on behalf of an entity (“user” or “you”) and Tricopian, Inc. (DBA: FuelRod) and its affiliated companies...
dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
Pretty sure that courts have struck down shrink wrap EULAs. IE you can't see the terms until you open the package containing the software, but the terms say you agree to them by opening the package. This strikes me as being somewhat similar. Terms aren't clearly visible upon purchase/usage of product. Heck, by the very nature of the product, if I need to use it, odds are my phone doesn't have enough juice to view your TOS anyway.
I can't see anyway for them to actually grandfather in old chargers that were promised unlimited swaps without a complete redesign of the battery & swap station. Wouldn't be too surprised to see them throw in the flag and just pull em from WDW rather than deal with any hassle.
BeentoallDParks
Active Member
Disney could have included guest consumer protection in its vendor contract. It could have made continuation of the contract contingent on maintaining the same payment system.
BeentoallDParks
Active Member
At the same time, it was selling these cheap, outdated batteries at an extreme markup of $30 each. A good accountant could have made a lot more money out of that.
n2hifi
Active Member
More likely a class action suit would result in a refund of purchase price for those in the suit. Probably less than a dollar after legal and lawyer fees.
Monorail_Orange
Well-Known Member
Could be wrong, but I think this will be the ultimate outcome, although not because of any hassle, but because the value in the product has evaporated. As many others here have already pointed out, there are cheaper and better alternatives that many guests have already in their possession. The FuelRod's main selling point was the free, unlimited swaps. As such, I think they'll now wither away into non-use to the point that it will no longer be a profitable operation at WDW, so the machines will be removed.
While you are technically correct, that in of itself doesn't make this Disney's fault...however, there have been some members here that have suggested the fee is split $1 to FuelRod and $2 to Disney. IF that is correct, then this is a moot point because Disney is behind at least part of this increase.
Minthorne
Well-Known Member
I heard from a bus driver that all electrical outlets on property will soon require a magic band to activate. You will be charged at $5.99 an hour for activating an outlet. Hotel room outlets will also be included, even ones for TV and lamps. Or you can buy the plug and play add on for $199 for the length of your stay (up to 3 days)