Smartphone preparation

The theme parks’ new reliance on managing your day via apps drains devices quickly. To have enough juice for a 13-hour day, carry a portable charger or battery. The theme parks have vending machines by FuelRod (www.fuel-rod.com) selling $30 pre-filled booster batteries, adapter included; find them in the photo stores by the front gate and sprinkled around the park (ask a cast member where). When the battery is depleted (they’re not very powerful—your own would be stronger), you pop it into any other FuelRod vending machine elsewhere at Disney or anywhere in the world and swap for a fresh one for $3. (FuelRods are about $10 cheaper if you buy one from home.)

At the Magic Kingdom, there’s a public charger in a fake tree stump among the benches across from Peter Pan’s Flight and in the big tent beside the Fantasyland railroad station; bring your own cord. At Epcot, there’s a floor-level outlet on your right as you enter The Land, but unfortunately, it's on a high-traffic walkway. Disney will also charge your phone for free at Guest Relations if you have the required cord, but that will often backtracking to the front of the park and then require waiting in line.

Telephones

Local calls in Orlando require that you dial the area code (407) followed by the seven-digit local number, even when calling just across the street.

Most long-distance and international calls can be dialed directly from any phone. To make calls within the United States and to Canada, dial 1 followed by the area code and the seven-digit number. For other international calls, dial 011 followed by the country code, city code, and the number you are calling.

Calls to area codes 800, 888, 877, and 866 are toll-free. However, calls to area codes 700 and 900 (chat lines, bulletin boards, "dating" services, and so on) can be expensive -- charges of 95¢ to $3 or more per minute. Some numbers have minimum charges that can run $15 or more.

For reversed-charge or collect calls, and for person-to-person calls, dial the number 0, then the area code and number; an operator will come on the line, and you should specify whether you are calling collect, person-to-person, or both. If your operator-assisted call is international, ask for the overseas operator.

For directory assistance ("Information"), dial 411 for local numbers and national numbers in the U.S. and Canada. For dedicated long-distance information, dial 1, then the appropriate area code plus 555-1212.

 

Internet & Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi abounds, including at Orlando International Airport, most Orlando area hotels (including Disney's and Universal's), and a large number of restaurants. All the theme parks also have their own free Wi-Fi networks, although the signal may die out while you're indoors, such as when you're waiting in line for rides.  

Many hotels will give you standard Wi-Fi speeds for free but charge you extra if you want a faster signal, but most of the time, even the free version is more than enough for most people. Often, such as at all Marriott-operated hotels, you can get complimentary speed upgrades simply by joining the hotel's free loyalty program.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.