Will Disney's Technological Advances Propel Me To A New Mobile Device and Service?

Disney just announced that free Wi-Fi service is now available for guests at the Magic Kingdom.  This comes after free Wi-Fi service became available at all of the Walt Disney World Resorts.  The other parks and Downtown Disney will be offering free Wi-Fi in the near future.  All of this is, reportedly, is to help launch Disney’s Next Gen initiatives for tickets, Fastpass, etc. 

We did use the free Wi-Fi at our Disney resort in March with the iPad.  It worked fairly well and I was able to check e-mails.  The only downside was that you had to re-log-in daily and agree to the terms of the service.  Speed and availability were just fine.

Are Disney’s technological advancements enough to propel me to a Smartphone and data plan?  I’m certainly wavering.

Yes, I know there are opportunities to check wait times, Fastpass return times, and make ADR’s with mobile devices.  I know that soon these mobile devices will be able to do even more when it comes to Disney.  Not to mention the everyday uses, etc.

So what is holding me back?  Well, cost for one.  I got a new phone yesterday and inquired about the cost of adding a data plan.  $25 a month with no other discounts available like I have on my cell account right now.

E-mails.  I have two e-mail accounts—one for work and one at home.  I do not want to read and/or respond to emails when I am walking, standing, driving, or talking to someone else. 

And, speaking of walking, I don’t want to be one of those Disney guests that stops in the middle of traffic to check my mobile device for various information.  Ugh!

When I got the phone yesterday, the great salesperson indicated I had 15 days in which to return the phone if I didn’t like it—it has no data plan and is not a Smartphone.  I think I’m going to need more than 15 days to decide.  I just started texting a year and a half ago.  Don’t rush me!  But the husband is due for a phone upgrade in about six months.  Hmmm. . . we could upgrade his phone to a Smartphone, change it to my line, and he could have my old phone which was new yesterday. Yeah, I should be able to make a decision by then.

Mobile blogging?  That might get me to add a data plan!

In the meantime, I will download my Disney ringtones from the microSD card to my new phone and enjoy hearing “Under the Sea” and “Pirates Life for Me” when people call.