Should Disney offer Free Internet Service for their resort Guests?

[WDW Peak Seasons]

This is my blog this week on my website. I would like to know your thoughts about this as well.

Also subscribers to my weekly newsletter will be entered into a special contest in the next month or so, so make sure you head over to www.wdwpeakseasons.com and sign up. Details to follow in the upcoming weeks.

Should Disney offer Free Internet service for their resort guests?

Many guests to Walt Disney World take their laptops on vacation with them to stay in contact with the rest of the world. They may need it for business, information, or just for leisure. Regardless, Disney does not offer free Internet service to its guests who stay on property. In today’s world, most hotels offer this convenience free of charge as a perk to stay at their hotel.

I have read hundreds of posts on message boards of guests who return from a trip to Walt Disney World and complain that they had to pay for Internet service. Disney offers guests two options, $4.99 for one hour, or $9.99 for 24 continuous hours of service. Opinions vary on whether this is appropriate or not. Some say this is fine, as they do not need access every day, and are willing to spend the money every couple of days. Some feel like if they have spent thousands of dollars for a vacation, then what is a bit more money. Others feel like if they have spent a good chunk of money for a vacation to Walt Disney World, then the least Disney could do is to offer this service free of charge to them.

Disney does not have to offer this service as a complimentary feature because most of its resorts are full throughout the year. Other hotel chains use this option as a perk that may get people to stay at their hotel instead. Disney has recently begun the implementation of giving free Internet service to its guests who are Disney Vacation Club members. This is a good start considering DVC members have paid thousands of dollars on Disney and are set to vacation there for the next 50 years.

Where do I stand on this issue? I believe that with technology being such a part of most peoples lives, Disney could relax its current policy and offer free service to those who are staying at their resorts. Disney has plenty of other avenues to generate money, by raising ticket prices, merchandise, and food options etc…. Disney already offers guests so many perks by staying on property, but with the infusion of Vacation Homes, and other high quality resorts in the Orlando area seeking to get guests to their properties, Disney would be wise to eat this cost and give one more complimentary service to its guests.

[Iluvdisney]

Funny someone posted this same thread on another board.
I do think they should. Many places do and I sure that people say the price is tied in with the room but with what WDW charges for a deluxe/convention resort they should offer it.

[Lindsy1052]

Originally Posted by WDW Peak Seasons

This is my blog this week on my website. I would like to know your thoughts about this as well.

Also subscribers to my weekly newsletter will be entered into a special contest in the next month or so, so make sure you head over to www.wdwpeakseasons.com and sign up. Details to follow in the upcoming weeks.

Should Disney offer Free Internet service for their resort guests?

Many guests to Walt Disney World take their laptops on vacation with them to stay in contact with the rest of the world. They may need it for business, information, or just for leisure. Regardless, Disney does not offer free Internet service to its guests who stay on property. In today’s world, most hotels offer this convenience free of charge as a perk to stay at their hotel.

I have read hundreds of posts on message boards of guests who return from a trip to Walt Disney World and complain that they had to pay for Internet service. Disney offers guests two options, $4.99 for one hour, or $9.99 for 24 continuous hours of service. Opinions vary on whether this is appropriate or not. Some say this is fine, as they do not need access every day, and are willing to spend the money every couple of days. Some feel like if they have spent thousands of dollars for a vacation, then what is a bit more money. Others feel like if they have spent a good chunk of money for a vacation to Walt Disney World, then the least Disney could do is to offer this service free of charge to them.

Disney does not have to offer this service as a complimentary feature because most of its resorts are full throughout the year. Other hotel chains use this option as a perk that may get people to stay at their hotel instead. Disney has recently begun the implementation of giving free Internet service to its guests who are Disney Vacation Club members. This is a good start considering DVC members have paid thousands of dollars on Disney and are set to vacation there for the next 50 years.

Where do I stand on this issue? I believe that with technology being such a part of most peoples lives, Disney could relax its current policy and offer free service to those who are staying at their resorts. Disney has plenty of other avenues to generate money, by raising ticket prices, merchandise, and food options etc…. Disney already offers guests so many perks by staying on property, but with the infusion of Vacation Homes, and other high quality resorts in the Orlando area seeking to get guests to their properties, Disney would be wise to eat this cost and give one more complimentary service to its guests.

Wow, what a concept. Disney offering something for free. I worked for Disney for 10 years. Let me tell you a little tid bit. At Walmart you pay 50 cents for a can of coke. At the Disney Reservation Center, we paid 75 cents for a can of coke. Disney get coke for FREE......

[danyoung]

While I wish Disney wasn't charging for internet access, it is an incredible revenue generator for them. Doing a little off the cuff math, there are 40,000 rooms on property. Let's say that half of them will have a computer in them, and that on average they log in every other day. Even at $4.99 an hour, that's almost $50,000 a day. That's a serious chunk of change for them to give up, and there's really no need for them to. They have a captive audience, whereas the average freeway hotel has to advertise free internet access as an incentive. I know when I'm driving, it's one of the main deciders for where I'll stay the night. But I'll be spending money on a Disney room regardless of whether access is free or not. It's sad that it's not free, but I really don't blame Disney for the practice.

[halltd]

The on-property rate for internet is $9.99 for a 24-hour period. This really adds up if you use it every day for a 10 day vacation.

edit: I've never seen the hourly charge. Is this offered with the regular $9.99 one or only in certain resorts? Or, am I blind?

Disney offers Magical Express for "free". They also offer on-property transportation "free". So, I'm not quite sure why they don't just build internet into the price of the room. Not everyone uses Magical Express or the buses/monorails, and not everyone will use the internet. In the end, it would all average out.

[Lindsy1052]

Originally Posted by halltd

The on-property rate for internet is $9.99 for a 24-hour period. This really adds up if you use it every day for a 10 day vacation.

edit: I've never seen the hourly charge. Is this offered with the regular $9.99 one or only in certain resorts? Or, am I blind?

Disney offers Magical Express for "free". They also offer on-property transportation "free". So, I'm not quite sure why they don't just build internet into the price of the room. Not everyone uses Magical Express or the buses/monorails, and not everyone will use the internet. In the end, it would all average out.

Believe me, Magical Express is not free. It is built into the price so everyone is really paying for it whether they use it or not. Disney gives nothing for "free." They are losing nothing on Magical Express.

[donaldduck675]

I wish they offered this free. It seems crazy that we get free internet at the HoJo and yet, when I'm spending $1,ooo on a trip, I have to pay 9.99 a day for internet. But, oh well, it's not ike I'm going to stop going to Disney.

[All4dISNEY]

I absolutely think they should. Wireless would be nice.

[nbodyhome]

You can go on dial-up for free.

I do think eventually, the broadband or wireless will be included. Just like trundle beds, the small refrigerator at the mods/deluxes, etc.

[halltd]

Originally Posted by Lindsy1052

Believe me, Magical Express is not free. It is built into the price so everyone is really paying for it whether they use it or not. Disney gives nothing for "free." They are losing nothing on Magical Express.

I fully realize that, hence the quotes around free. That's why I think they should just build it into the price of the room like Magical Express and Disney Transport. People won't notice, but will love the "free" internet.

[Lindsy1052]

Originally Posted by halltd

I fully realize that, hence the quotes around free. That's why I think they should just build it into the price of the room like Magical Express and Disney Transport. People won't notice, but will love the "free" internet.

I was going to follow my post with a second one when I saw your quotation marks. I realized it too late, sorry. "FREE" is not a word in the Disney vocabulary, but I agree if it was built into the price like everything else, it would be more palatible. It's like going to Friendly's for ice cream and they charge you 10 cents for nuts, 10 cents for whipped cream, just put it in the price and I'll tell you if I don't want it. It just sounds so cheap on their part to do it that way, it's not the 10 cents.

[disneyreporter]

I think that is a service that could easily be complimentary, and now adays, most people expect that. Personally, I'd be having to much fun at Disney to want to waste any time at all on the computer. A vacation should be spent enjoying yourself away from the computer, where we spend a good amount of time everyday.

[danyoung]

Originally Posted by disneyreporter

Personally, I'd be having to much fun at Disney to want to waste any time at all on the computer.

It's not like I'd go on a surfing spree while at WDW. But many business people (myself included) really need to keep somewhat in touch during their vacations. Gone are the days when I can simply drop everything for a week at a time. I still need to keep on top of many situations, and email is the best way to do that.

[nbodyhome]

Originally Posted by disneyreporter

I think that is a service that could easily be complimentary, and now adays, most people expect that. Personally, I'd be having to much fun at Disney to want to waste any time at all on the computer. A vacation should be spent enjoying yourself away from the computer, where we spend a good amount of time everyday.

There are many people who take their computers for work-related purposes. I certainly have done that countless times. I also like to have it to keep up with general emails, it's a nice way to wind down.

It'd be like saying that there shouldn't be a TV in the room. I am not in the parks 24/7, so it's nice to have the entertainment.

[WDW Monorail]

Should there be free internet service?

Absolutely not. You must realize that the price will be raised somewhere else. It happens all the time in every business.