WARNING: do not use disney's pay phone, NEVER!!

[Phonedave]

to the op:

Just wondering if the person you were calling is from outside the US. If you call a number that is not in the States you are charged an international connection fee which I think is about $15.

It's ridiculous that they could be 3 feet away and you're charged this fee but I've seen it happen in other pay phones in the US so I'm not surprised that it happened in Disney.

They should inform you of the charges, though. It's pretty shady just to put the call through without informing you or to assume that you would just know that you would be charged an outrageous amount.

My aunt had a similar problem and was told by the credit card company that if they could prove that they were not informed of the fees they could reverse it...but guess how she had to prove she wasn't informed...by getting a letter from the shady phone company stating that they didn't inform her of the fees :hammer: Like they would write a note so she could get the charge reversed. :brick:

She ended up getting the charges reversed by taking a picture of the phone that showed only coin charges listed but it took about 7 e-mails and a dozen phone calls and 4 months.

Start by calling your credit card company and explaining the situation, and maybe someone on here would be kind enough to take a picture of the pay phone the next time they're in WDW in case you need it.

1) Disney has limited to no involvement in this. Pay phones are installed by whoever wants to install one, either the local phone company or a COCOT (Customer Owned Coin Operated Telephone) who then chooses an Operator Service Provider (OSP) which is your long distance handler.. Disney most likely contracts with a COCOT to provide the pay phones. The choice of LD carrier is up to the COCOT. The LD company is supposed to disclose charges, it may not be up front, but the need to provide a simple way to get the charges (such as "press 3 for charges") You also have to right to use a dial around service - the "10-10" numbers or a direct 800 number to get to the long distance carrier of your choice. It is against federal law for them to block access to these alternate carriers.

2) Even if you are calling a cell phone 3 feet from you, that call may be routed to who knows where. Once the call enters the PSTN, circuits (or virual circuits) may have to be built half way across the country and back to get that call connected.

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

1) Disney has limited to no involvement in this. Pay phones are installed by whoever wants to install one, either the local phone company or a COCOT (Customer Owned Coin Operated Telephone) who then chooses an Operator Service Provider (OSP) which is your long distance handler.. Disney most likely contracts with a COCOT to provide the pay phones. The choice of LD carrier is up to the COCOT. The LD company is supposed to disclose charges, it may not be up front, but the need to provide a simple way to get the charges (such as "press 3 for charges") You also have to right to use a dial around service - the "10-10" numbers or a direct 800 number to get to the long distance carrier of your choice. It is against federal law for them to block access to these alternate carriers.

2) Even if you are calling a cell phone 3 feet from you, that call may be routed to who knows where. Once the call enters the PSTN, circuits (or virual circuits) may have to be built half way across the country and back to get that call connected.

Yes, exactly my point, which is why if the charge is to be disputed I suggested they contact their credit card company but that they may have to prove that they were not informed of the charge which is a tricky task.

That's also why I asked where the OP was from because I know that calling a canadian cell phone is an international call even if the person is standing next to you. The amount the OP indicated suggests to me this is a possibilty since I believe the fee is usually $15 plus the charge for the call.

The routing of the call may also be part of that charge.

Contacting Disney regarding this would be pointless...it is a dispute between a person and a phone company and possibly their credit card company if they believe they have been fraudulantly charged.

I think the OP realizes now that they had other options but at the time obviously they didn't. It's good for everyone to know things like Disney can charge your phone or how to ring through to whichever long distace carrier you choose. Hopefully this will prevent anyone else from getting a nasty surprise on their bill.

I have an international calling card that bills directly to my home phone. I called my bfriend from Disney on my last visit...calls were about 20 to 30 minutes long and cost around $6.

 

[Phonedave]

Yes, exactly my point, which is why if the charge is to be disputed I suggested they contact their credit card company but that they may have to prove that they were not informed of the charge which is a tricky task.

I went and looked, just to be sure.

Federal Law (FCC) is not that they have to be informed of the charges.

It's that they have to be informed that they can hear the charges if they want to. The process for hearing those charges cannot be more complicated than pressing two buttons.

So if, as soon as they get on the phone, there is a quick "welcome to ABC pay phone, to hear a list of charges press 99, to make a call press 1" then their bases are covered. Is it honest, no. Is it a crappy thing to do, yep. But it does satisify the law, if thats the way it happened it does.


-dave

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

I went and looked, just to be sure.

Federal Law (FCC) is not that they have to be informed of the charges.

It's that they have to be informed that they can hear the charges if they want to. The process for hearing those charges cannot be more complicated than pressing two buttons.

So if, as soon as they get on the phone, there is a quick "welcome to ABC pay phone, to hear a list of charges press 99, to make a call press 1" then their bases are covered. Is it honest, no. Is it a crappy thing to do, yep. But it does satisify the law, if thats the way it happened it does.


-dave

That sounds familiar with the info my aunt had when she went through the same thing (not at Disney). It wasn't that they specifically asked if she was told what the charge would be but more like, was there access to information regarding the charge.

Sneaky, I guess but a lesson learned for a lot of people

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Just call collect and stick the charges to the other person. Or just say your meeting point real fast instead of your name. meetatspacemountain

 

[unkadug]

Just call collect and stick the charges to the other person. Or just say your meeting point real fast instead of your name. meetatspacemountain

That won't work if you're billing to a credit card.

Totally different rules - totally different billing methods.

That's the whole problem, most people don't realize this because it's not posted at the phone.

__

Pay phones are going the way of the Dodo bird, nobody uses them anymore, not since the proliferation of the cell phone
(except in an emergency.)

Caveat emptor
then call the BBB.

 

[DisneyChik17]

Just call collect and stick the charges to the other person. Or just say your meeting point real fast instead of your name. meetatspacemountain

"Bob Wehadababy It'saboy" :ROFLOL:

What a funny commercial!

 

[Uncle Lupe]

"Bob Wehadababy It'saboy" :ROFLOL:

What a funny commercial!

Exactly.

 

[Phonedave]

"Bob Wehadababy It'saboy" :ROFLOL:

What a funny commercial!

We used to do that as kids.

If we needed a ride or something like that we would call home, and then give the number of the pay phone.

That only worked for a while, and then they started blocking that.

-dave

 

[larryl9797]

a 5$ prepaid card sounds like cheap insurance against this kind of skuldugery.


Question, Was this a payphone near POC? :hammer:

 

[fl_actuary]

Just in case everyone doesn't know, Disney can charge your cell phone for your when you are at the parks. Just ask at Guest Service and they will be glad to assist you. :wave:

We had disney charge our camera when we were at the parks. Not the same thing but close enough to corroborate your comment

​

 

[coasterphil]

We had disney charge our camera when we were at the parks. Not the same thing but close enough to corroborate your comment

If you have the charger. I don't know many people that walk around with their cell phone charger in their pocket. If a person is that prepared then their phone is probably fully charged to begin with.

 

[RiversideBunny]

WDW should feel some obligation to warn people about possible high rates at pay phones in the parks or elsewhere on property.
People trust Disney to be honest and family friendly.

WDW should not allow installation of pay phones by less than honest providers.

 

[toetheline29]

If you have the charger. I don't know many people that walk around with their cell phone charger in their pocket. If a person is that prepared then their phone is probably fully charged to begin with.

You can get digital cameras charged at Guest Services as well. During our last trip, my dad forgot his camera charger back home, so after the first day or so, his camera was dead. He went to Guest Services, to see if they could tell him where to buy a new battery, and they were able to charge it for him instead. He obviously didn't have his charger (or he wouldn't have had a problem). Now, he has a popular, name brand camera, so I don't know if they can charge ANY digital camera, but they can at least charge some.

And if they can charge cameras, I think it's a safe bet that they can charge cell phones, which many people "need" (whereas cameras are just nice to have). I would imagine that they can charge at least some cell phones without you bringing in the charger (ie, they would have a charger there; I would especially expect this with popular phones, like the iPhone, or Blackberries).

 

[mickey7879]

Whenever this has happeded to us, we always buy a phone card or keep one with us.

Last year my dh dropped me off at the Orlando outlet mall (can't remember the name but has Character Premier in it). Anyway, I mistakenly took both of our cell phones. I was supposed to just run into Character Premier and was going to call him to pick him up right after. Well......Just as he pulled away I realized I had both phone I looked for him, but no luck. So, I went to the shop anyway and while there he called me. He had realized it too, so went in and bought a phone card to use at the pay phone. He only bought a $5 card, but it took up the whole thing for a less than a minute phone call.

We both said afterwards that if he couldn't get ahold of me that we were planning on going back where he had dropped me off and just wait.....hoping each of us would be there.

Just shows another reason to decide on a place to meet up if everyone get separated!

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

And if they can charge cameras, I think it's a safe bet that they can charge cell phones, which many people "need" (whereas cameras are just nice to have).

See now I think on a Disney trip a camera is a "need" and a cell phone is just...well completely unneccessary :lol:

I have had my camera charged as well, both my Nikon and my Canon on separate trips. I have also seen cast members charging ECV's for people.

 

[TURKEY]

People lose their cameras, phones, and lots of cases (complete with batteries and chargers) all the time.

I'm sure they just dug through Lost and Found to find the right charger.

 

[bigorangeandy]

I had the same sort of issue years ago in New Orleans, instead of using the number on my card, I swiped it on the pay phone, to save a few seconds of punching in numbers. Well those few seconds were worth $7.95 each time I used it (thankfully only twice). I complained to the phone company, like the OP they said it was to an outside party. I now carry a calling card, its a little less than 2 cents a minute, I have to dial 35 numbers or so, but I get to keep my $7.95

 

[Captain Chaos]

My cellphone battery died, I lost the rest of my party, so I had to use one of the pay phones you can find in any restrooms in any parks.

I did not have any change on me, so I used my credit card, and followed the spoken instructions. At no time was I ever informed of what the rate would be. I'd assume a couple of dollars.

My phone call lasted 39 SECONDS.

The charge came on my credit card two days later: $16.55.

You are warned.

The scam company is ILD Teleservices, which if you google it, has hundreds of complaints.

Only in America such ripp off can be legal.

This company decided to start billing me for their service on my phone bill. I had to call them 5 times to get them to remove the service... And each time I called, I was told I signed up and they had the right to charge me.. It was only after threatening them with a multi-million dollar lawsuit and threats to have their business investigated for illegal practices did they finally stop charging me... I spoke to my phone company and they told me that they have been fighting the legality of there service for a while now and they keep losing... The FCC allows this to happen.. So complain to your U.S. Senators and Congressmen... or just sue...