Shut up, hang up and enjoy the experience.

[the-reason14]

Use my phone daily while at WDW. Texts, emails, web browsing, convo's anything and everything pretty much. I still enjoy myself, and wouldn't vacation any other way.

 

[plaz10]

I like to have mine...

1. In case we split up and can't find one another
2. To help ease long wait times (for attractions or restaurants)
3. To find fun facts or to prove I'm right to my fiance (I wonder who the voice of Ariel is...It's Jodi Benson...you don't know that...yes I do...look it up)
4. Save pictures to my phone to use as backgrounds
5. Post pictures to Facebook to make everyone at home jealous! :lol:

 

[epcotisbest]

While your advice is sound, it flies in the face of what Disney itself is working toward... Smartphone compatibility for FP's, interactivity, etc, will all make the cell phone problem WORSE in the parks, as opposed to better.

Disney is also working toward getting all my vacation time and most of my dollars, yet we still manage to make it to Seaworld, Universal and offsite restaurants when we choose. Our Disney experience is what we make it, not what Disney makes it for us. If they insist on making everything smartphone compatible, I'll insist on b__________g the trend.

 

[epcotisbest]

Not sure why that was blanked out:ROFLOL:

buck the trend
to be noticeably different from the way that a situation is developing generally, especially in connection with financial matters

 

[C.FERNIE]

over the years we have taken less and less to the parks! i take my phone on holiday but generally its in the safe in the room! For some reason i do take it though when i go off property not really sure why??? this year i might take it in with me but there could be 12 of us going!!! and it would just be to check in with everyone so we could organise dinner plans and where to meet! Dont think to this day ive actually taken out my phone and used it at wdw! its one of the only times i were a watch to (i usually use my phone for a clock!) :wave:

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Disney is also working toward getting all my vacation time and most of my dollars, yet we still manage to make it to Seaworld, Universal and offsite restaurants when we choose. Our Disney experience is what we make it, not what Disney makes it for us. If they insist on making everything smartphone compatible, I'll insist on b__________g the trend.

You're stronger than I. I feel like if I don't exploit every angle I can find to give my family an advantage, I'm not doing my job.

So there I sit, a month before my trips, deciding where I'm going to eat dinner weeks in advance.

And I'm dreading every new interactive que being developed and every bit of FPP info that comes to light... Knowing full well I'm going to have to follow the masses and use it whether I like it or not. Bah. :brick:

 

[captainkidd]

Like others have said, I keep mine on me for emergencies or if we split up. Just because we say we're going to meet at a specific time doesn't always mean it happens.

 

[Lucky]

Our first trip was in 1982...if you wanted to communicate with someone on the other side of the park you were pretty much limited to smoke signals...but we managed:ROFLOL:

The guidebooks used to recommend bringing walkie-talkies...like those things ever worked.

I wasn't in any hurry to get a cell phone, but finally did around 2003 in part so we could use them basically like a better-functioning set of walkie-talkies for our WDW trips.

I've never been a phone person and think the world would be a better place if cell phones were designed to self destruct whenever someone tries to talk or text on them more than 30 minutes a day.

 

[real mad hatter]

Pain In The Butt!

I use my mobile at home for emergencies,the amount of people who are walking around texting,I don't even get out the way now,just them them bump into me with my elbows facing outwards.Ouch!sorry,didn't see you due to you not seeing me whilst texting! By all means take them to the parks if req and switch them off when not req.:goodnevil

 

[epcotisbest]

You're stronger than I. I feel like if I don't exploit every angle I can find to give my family an advantage, I'm not doing my job.

So there I sit, a month before my trips, deciding where I'm going to eat dinner weeks in advance.

And I'm dreading every new interactive que being developed and every bit of FPP info that comes to light... Knowing full well I'm going to have to follow the masses and use it whether I like it or not. Bah. :brick:

See, I am just the opposite. I feel if I am on a phone, using an app, making dining plans we have to rush to keep, then I am taking away the most precious and special part of the WDW experience...time with those I love. No technology will ever replace that.
And we go in the off season, so that makes a huge difference.

 

[Sunshineglow68]

Honestly, this is why we don't let my MIL come with us anymore. She's helpful with the kids, but she spends every second possible on her cell phone. She has to have 3 phones so she can charge the others and always have one that is fully charged because she's on it so much. No lie.

That is really sad. Smart choice not to bring her with you.

 

[Phonedave]

Like others have said, I keep mine on me for emergencies or if we split up. Just because we say we're going to meet at a specific time doesn't always mean it happens.

Exactly

Somtimes you get delayed.

In the "old days" if we were going to meet somewhere at 4:00 and you were late for some reason, I would just stand there and wait until you showed up.

Now you can send me a text - "Got stuck in the line at ToT when it went 101 for 30 minutes - be there at 4:30" and then I know I can go wander around for half an hour.

Aside from my phone, I do carry a camera - a small one. I take maybe a dozen pictures a day, thats it.

-dave

 

[Rowdy]

Car keys, wallet, and a phone, is all I ever have with me.


Why a phone? In case someone kidnaps me, you can never be too safe.

 

[c-one]

I understand the anti-phone sentiment, but remember: you use the technology, the technology doesn't use you.

Not if you don't allow it to, anyway.

 

[MrsWhiffo]

It's all about instagram baby!

Unless your me and the data roaming costs as much as my holiday...

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

I always bring my phone with me but I don't really use it that much. I like to take pics to send to people or post on Facebook or Twitter. I also like to ease the pain of long lines by checking out other wait times in the park or submitting wait times.

But if I do choose to spend time on my phone while at WDW, that's my choice and no one else's business.

 

[epcotisbest]

I understand the anti-phone sentiment, but remember: you use the technology, the technology doesn't use you.

Not if you don't allow it to, anyway.

I'm not so much anti- phone as pro experience and enjoying the escapism that is a trip to WDW. For us the escape is part of the trip. The phone, backpack...all that stuff is like a chain to the real world...technology is great...so are multi-lane highways. We just prefer the scenic route sometimes.

 

[SuprDav]

Cell phone use is out of control everywhere it seems.:lookaroun

 

[epcotisbest]

I always bring my phone with me but I don't really use it that much. I like to take pics to send to people or post on Facebook or Twitter. I also like to ease the pain of long lines by checking out other wait times in the park or submitting wait times.

But if I do choose to spend time on my phone while at WDW, that's my choice and no one else's business.

From my original post....I'm not saying what you should do, that's your business. Just saying what works for us.

 

[epcotisbest]

It's all about instagram baby!

Unless your me and the data roaming costs as much as my holiday...

The only thing more useless than instagram is....wait, can't think of anything.