Phoning home (UK)

[Disneybub]

we're going to WDW in October, and i normally use my mobile/cell phone to call home but it can be quite expensive.

So im just wondering how everyone keeps in contact with family at home but keeping the costs down as well

 

[real mad hatter]

Cards or Cash.

Well you can purchase phone cards at WDW or just put another quarter in the juke box,oops sorry,phone kiosk at your resort.:wave:

 

[SMS55]

CHeck with your cell service provider. When me parents traveled to Europe a few months ago, they were able to switch their plan, or add something that allowed their bill to be significantly lower while making international calls. Phone cards are another good option. Only problem is they are trial and error. Depending where you call some are better than others. Also just try to keep it to a minimum. I'm 34 years old, married with kids, but when I travel my mom worries like I was 20 years old and partying at the clubs til 4:00am. I make sure to call once we arrive on site. We drive and it's a little under 4 hours so I can uderstand some of the worry. Once on property I keep it to a minimum. If she wants to call once in the evening to see how the kids are doing that's fine, but I keep it short. I'm on vacation. I'll tell you and everyone else all about it when we return.

 

[C.FERNIE]

last time we used email to contact anyone back home and that worked well! :sohappy:

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I suggest taking advantage of the free wireless that the resorts now have and use Skype. The per minute rates are probably a lot cheaper than your cell phone provider would charge.

 

[dave&di]

We never take our phones with us, it nice to be cut off from reality! We always buy phone cards once we arrive. NEVER call the UK from your resort room phone, it's unbelievably expensive!!!

 

[Crush Dude!]

Agree with DisneyInsider, all resorts now have free wifi so definitely go with using Skype, it will cost an awful lot less:wave:

 

[TWICKERS]

I am with T Mobile and always picture text for 20p as long as the person you are texting can receive picture texts. Check with your network.

 

[DisneyDebNJ]

If you bring your laptop, stay in touch that way. With free WiFi, wouldn't cost a thing Save your phone for pics! We only call home when we land in Orlando, other than that, everyone has the phone number to our resort. Have a great time

 

[stuart]

Travelex Phone Card (forget who provide it for them) is the best one we've found for using. Its a toll free access number so no problems to call it off the room phone - at WDW hotel anyway.

As has been said, never phone internationally from the room, prices are from Mars and then AT&T add on a 55% surcharge - WDW hotels anyway.

If your planning on using your mobile a fair bit, add on a bundle.

We take our mobiles but never use them, simply for anyone to get in touch with us if they need to. For when we are there, we get a couple AT&T sims before we go out, and buy credit online using mypinzoo, again before we go out.

With the free wifi - your best off emailing using that. The last couple years I've added a data bundle on for going to the states to email a couple friends back home (never bother with facebook or checking whats been happening news wise). It works out a damn lot cheaper adding a data bundle on than texting when you think of how much you can say in a text and cost per text compared to your data allowance.

 

[Andyjshort]

Skype is cheapest

Skype is about 4p connection fee and 2p per minute, I've just been researching the same thing.

If you got a smartphone or a laptop just download skype and connect to the free WIFI as people have said above.

 

[durangojim]

I suggest taking advantage of the free wireless that the resorts now have and use Skype. The per minute rates are probably a lot cheaper than your cell phone provider would charge.

This or google voice.

 

[WendyTinkerbell]

Something to think about is the connection to the free WiFi. We were at Pop last week, and the connection was awful. I've only used Skype at work, so I'm not sure how strong of a connection you need, but we had many problems with the resort WiFi for basic internet usage. I'm excited the WiFi is now free, but it is not better than before. We ended up using my Verizon hotspot thing instead.

 

[Disneybub]

I work in IT so taking my laptop is a no-no.... i want to get away from work!

but does anyone else from the UK use skype? maybe i could take my laptop if i really needed to.

Thanks guys

 

[Pioneer Hall]

This or google voice.

That works too. When I last traveled abroad a few years ago there really wasn't a google voice so I went with Skype. At 2 cents a minute it was without question the cheapest option I had to make a call from Europe. It also helped when I got home and had to call France when one of the hotels accidentally double charged me.

 

[Tiggerfanatic]

My daughter is studying abroad in Scotland and she told me about an app called Kakao Talk. She has an I-phone and I have a Droid. It's a texting app and works a little like Skype in that both parties have to have the app, and you have to be on each others friends list to text. It works for us like a charm, and the texts actually go through immediately, unlike my Verizin texts here at home which sometimes take 15 minutes just to get to the next room.

Oh, and the app is free.

 

[UKDisneyAddict]

We took advantage of the free WIFI and used skype. I put £10 credit on before we left and only used £3 of it. We were there for 2 weeks and phoned home approx 6 times.

 

[maryszhi]

depending how long you are going to be i would recommend a phone calling card. you may also call ur provider to see what the rates are.