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Wifi at AKL
- Thread starter 828tnt
- Start date
And when they are done installing "free" wifi you will be paying $310-$410 per night. Nothing is ever free.
ThatMouse
Well-Known Member
What exactly did they end up installing? WiFi access points are mounted on the ceilings outside the rooms. You wouldn't have modems inside the room - maybe a hub or switch. And I doubt they would offer it for free, because that would mean changing a vacation club benefit, and it sounds like they oversold their last project!
Many other deluxe resorts around the world that I have visited for business as well as pleasure charge for Wifi.
Monty
Brilliant...and Canadian
- In the Parks
- No
They were installing at Kidani, which is DVC.
ectomaster
Member
And that's how they get you to stay there. Think for a moment, the cheaper the resort/hotel the more likely they'll have WiFi. Why? To get you to stay at that resort. Staying at Disney is like staying at a higher end resort. Yes sure, Pop and the All Stars are nowhere near Grand Floridian but it's still Disney that you're staying with.
It's the same thing about the continental breakfasts. Again, they do that to attract you there. Those are also attractions for business people. "oh I get free internet and free breakfast, I'll stay there." Disney isn't about businesses coming in but about families taking vacations. Hence, no free internet no free breakfast no matter where you stay.
That being said I have heard some rumors about WiFi making it's way into the "hot spots" on resorts properties (ie. pool and lobby).
GrumpyFan
Well-Known Member
I understand this strategy, and it's an accepted practice in the hotel industry. However, I think WiFi is becoming pretty much a basic standard, much-like cable tv, hair dryers, iron and ironing board, etc.
If I were Disney, I would offer free WiFi for resort guests, but only allow access to Disney-owned and specific sites that might be related to the resorts like ticketing and dining and entertainment reservations. I'm just speculating here, but I'm going to guess that over the next few years, the parks and hotels are going to get a lot more web-friendly. If so, then people will need to be able to access these somehow. Disney could easily set up their own intranet and allow guests to access just those sites for free. Then, if guests desire access to external sites, charge a fee, much like they do now for daily access to the internet.
bhg469
Well-Known Member
I have been at hotels that have a small unit in the room that has a wireless access point as well as jacks for an ethernet cable built into it. Was the only hotel that I have ever had a solid wifi signal too. Seems like whenever I go anywhere for work im just barely outside the range.
As easy as it might sound setting up resort wide wifi, free or not, will easily be a 7-8 figure investment. The bean counters will want to see that money back.
ThatMouse
Well-Known Member
Haha! I know that's the direction Disney wants to go, but their IT people have a long way to go. Lack of WiFi, especially in public areas tells me Disney is in the dark ages in technology. They have a very broken reservation system that is not linked correctly to your accounts. Also, don't try to make a reservation using Firefox if you have a heart condition. I actually got a response from their support team claiming they just don't support Firefox.
GrumpyFan
Well-Known Member
Indeed, it is a huge investment, and as an IT professional, I know it's not easy. But, as you know, sometimes they have to do things just for guest satisfaction. I think this may be one of those, just like flat screen TVs, bigger beds or other guest-related improvements. They will probably not see a full return on the investment in a financial sense, but happier guests do tend to spend more money and they do come back more frequently. That's not to say that no WiFi is a deal breaker for whether somebody will stay on property or not, but it is one of those points of contention where people who travel frequently are accustomed to and in a lot of cases expect to have it, free or not.
Again, if I put on my "If I were Disney" hat, I would only make WiFi available in the rooms at Deluxe resorts, and maybe Moderates. For the Value resorts, I would only have it available as hot spots in the lobby and dining areas. But, I would still make it free only to their intranet, and public/outside internet access would be on a pay-basis.
koryadams
Active Member
well thats great lol I was just at Kidani in May and payed for internet. I mean it was worth it, but I am so used to hotels all over the US having free wifi, that it doesn't make sense for the vacation kingdom to not try to out do everyone else by having free wifi everywhere! But I am never on the internet much at all when I am at WDW because there is so much going on around you!
Scuttle
Well-Known Member
Your right, but atleast fool me into thinking it's free. Like I said it's just bad business. It makes them look like they are penny pinching.
PhilharMagician
Well-Known Member
If they are just installing wireless routers it can't cost too much. I think there is a total of 324 units in Kidani and purchasing in large qty they probably are not paying more than $50 per router. Add in labor and a cable and they are probably under $100 per unit.
I still do not understand why they would do that since the guests staying on points already have free internet unless there have been a large amount of complaints about it? I personally would be happy if it they installed wireless and I could hang out on the balcony and get some work done instead of being tied to the desk.
If this was all they were doing and they went property wide you are looking at $2.7 million dollars as WDW has more that 27,000 rooms.
roadtripper
Member
Kidani Village has wired access that you have to put a credit card number in to access, but they say they will not charge the room. Never tried it but will this coming trip. I assume most DVC rooms are the same. They also have wireless in the lobby but I think you still have to give them a CC number.