Nextel Service at Disney

[scottb8888]

I am thinking of changing our cell phone service to Nextel. Has anyone had experience at the parks and the Disney resorts with Nextel?

 

[WDSearcher]

The Special Events crews use them a lot, and they seem to like them. The biggest problem with them that I've seen is remembering to turn them down (or off) during a show. While it's annoying to have a celphone ring during a particularly quiet moment in Philharmagic, it's much more annoying to hear, "Dad! Dad! Are you there?" coming across loudly on the Nextel.

 

[andromedaslove]

The biggest problem we had with our nextel phones were inside buildings. Almost every building we went into we lost all of our signal. And I have to second the pp, make sure you turn it off on rides and shows!! Though it probably won't matter much. "O" and don't take it on Kali River Rapids. We killed Dh's phone that way!!

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by WDSearcher
While it's annoying to have a celphone ring during a particularly quiet moment in Philharmagic, it's much more annoying to hear, "Dad! Dad! Are you there?" coming across loudly on the Nextel.

even when using direct connect - the phone will still "ring" or beep before you hear the other person talking. You won't just all of a sudden hear a voice coming out of someone's bum....errr...back pocket.

 

[WDSearcher]

True ... but the voice comes pretty darn close after the beep/buzz/ring -- I've never seen anyone get to their Nextel quickly enough to avoid "the voice!"

 

[NHDisneyKid]

You can also avoid alerting someone and talk to them directly...When I keep my Nextel flip-phone closed and scroll through my latest direct connect numbers, I can connect without alerting someone first...so just be aware that your back pocket might be talking to the person behind you in line, lol

 

[stinkerbelle]

"Um, excuse me sir - what did you bum just say to me?"

heheh - ok, guess I was wrong...I thought my DH's nextel just beeped and beeped until he 'answered' it and then he played 'direct connect' with his buddy. hheh

 

[NHDisneyKid]

"Playing with" is the key in that statement!! My fiance convinced me to get Nextels in Dec...I swear it's only because it brings back childhood memories of walkie-talkies!

 

[crzy4mk]

We were there with another family in February and our Nextels were invaluable! We never had an instance where we didn't have reception. It was great to be able to communicate when we split up for a while. But I agree with other posters, please set your phones in silent mode when on rides or in shows. And this can be done with Nextel phones just like any other phones. Just turn your ring all the way down until it goes into vibrate mode.

 

[scottb8888]

Thank you for the replies. I just got my phones. It seems the direct connect feature can be switched from speaker to handset..thus eliminayting the voice booming over the quiet restautrant.

 

[beattyfamily]

We LOVE our Nextel phones. Best reception we've ever had.

Shutting off or putting the phone on vibrate is true for all WDW guests. It's just the proper thing to do!

 

[crazywig]

heheh - ok, guess I was wrong...I thought my DH's nextel just beeped and beeped until he 'answered' it and then he played 'direct connect' with his buddy. hheh [/B]

this is direct connect 'etiquette' one should always 'beep' first and wait for an answer before talking.

 

[plutosmyfav]

I have used my Nextel on my last three trips. No problems at all! We even tested out the long distance direct-connect and it was crystal clear. I'm not sure I always remembered to shut my ringer off, but it never rang inside a show.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

In 2003 we used the motorola 2ways-
if you think nextel is bad with "voices from the bum," you would hate the 2 way radios!

This year we are taking our nextel's so I don't have to hear everyone else in the park....
I want a dime for every time I heard "hey (so&so), you there?"
We went as far as to give each other nicknames so we could tell if it was one of our own that was calling.

BTW, there is a little button on all nextel's that looks like a speaker-it is a shortcut to turning the direct connect (walkie talkie) on & off. The ringer can be turned up & down with the volume control on the side of the phone.