walkie talkies or text?

[disneymom]

Last time we were there we bought some cheap radios from walmart and crackled our way around the parks :lol:

Is this still the thing to do? I'd heard that so many people were using them that it was hard to get a free channel and so people had started using texts to stay in touch?

[PsychoAlice]

I think that texting is soooo much better

[foreverducky]

i think texting would be a way to go. :D

[Johnie]

Walkie talkies can be difficult to work in the parks. We tried that years ago and it was a mess.

Texting would be much easier.

[foreverducky]

Of course with all the noise you'll have to remember to check the phones. :D

I love going to disney as I leave my phone in the hotel for emergencies and maybe a quick chat. It's the one place I don't always have my cell on me.

[PsychoAlice]

I felt more like I had left a child behing when i left my cell in the room than I did without any children...I freak when I dont have my cell

[Johnie]

I always have my cell at WDW. How else am I supposed to call Dorothy from the middle of IASW? lol

[Jodie]

We bought two Net10 phones from Walmart and used them, walkie talkies only work within a certain radius and when the other person is free. Phones can be used wherever anyone is and a missed call or text will show when they get off a ride so no worries about missing them, theyll get the message or call eventually! Wether they respond to you is a whole other question....

[Tink]

We've used both. We like the walkie talkies when the people we are tying to stay in touch with don't have mobiles (clearly useful there LOL) or when they don't check their phones! UUUUUGH! LOL.

We have ones that cover a five mile radius so they work well.

Texting is very useful too, but only if the people you are texting have a plan that supports that, eh? :yes:

[Taja]

We've used both. We like the walkie talkies when the people we are tying to stay in touch with don't have mobiles (clearly useful there LOL) or when they don't check their phones! UUUUUGH! LOL.

We have ones that cover a five mile radius so they work well.

Texting is very useful too, but only if the people you are texting have a plan that supports that, eh? :yes:

And not on international rates.

Do texting charges vary for domestic and international? I don't text at all. If I don't have time to answer my phone, I certainly don't have time for texting! :lol:

[Tink]

Yes. They vary greatly. I had the international service put on my phone (a fee, plus text charges when used) but could never get a text to go through! I could receive some, but that was it. I had it removed. I can still get texts (at least from Wendy :D ) but can't send them back to her. :sigh:

Texting is sometimes faster than a phone call. :yes: On the other hand, I usually prefer a phone call when I am trying to work out something...

[Johnie]

Well if your coming to the states, it is probably cheaper to buy a prepaid phone at Wal-Mart and go that route. The texting can be pretty cheap that way.

[Tink]

Those prepaid phones have their own problems. :sigh: Just ask our Wendy. I can't remember the whole thing, but what a trial they went through trying to get the silly phone to work.

[Johnie]

Really? Oh good grief.

[Wendy]

We bought the phones the last time we were there so we could have them ready for when we arrived in December. The terms and conditions had changed and instead of it having the $10 credit, you had to put $50 on to get the credit :lol: there was something else as well but I can't remember.

We didn't bother this time, we will just go to Walmart and buy one when we get there - it will be easier :lol: We are sold on it now and will always buy a phone to use.

I would certainly advise it for anyone from the UK though, it is cheaper than using your UK phone for texting and calling. We had a bit of an emergency - I forgot to take enough medication with me :rolleyes008: and so we called Chris' Dad from the phone, we were talking for about 10 minutes and it only cost me about $4.

[Taja]

When you purchase a prepaid phone with a credit for minutes or purchase a card for minutes, most of the carriers require that it be activated and the minutes loaded within a certain period of time from date of purchase. Some are 30 days, some less, others longer. :shrug:

Be sure to read the fine print when your purchase either the phones or minutes and you should be fine. :thumbsup:

[Johnie]

Oh yes, you have to keep the phone activated or else it won't work and you'd have to start all over again.

[Taja]

And the definition of activation varies by carrier. :rolleyes: Some require that you maintain an account balance and add to it monthly, others consider it activated if you load minutes every 6 months.

Discovered that on my AT&T phone. Missed a tiny bit of fine print. :oops: Okay, didn't miss it, just lost track of time. So when I went to load time a 6 months and 10 days, I no longer had a valid telephone number. They hadn't reassigned it yet, so I got it back. :lol:

Now have T-Mobile, as I llike their terms better. Once I loaded $100 in time, minutes rolled over and time didn't have to be added monthly. I can add $10 once a year and maintain my phone with the minutes rolling over nicely. :yes: I think it took me two years to use $100 in minutes, but I finally got there! :lol: You can add it in one lump sum, but since my phone isn't used regularly, it made more sense to add it incrementally.