A nationwide outage is affecting AT&T cellular users, and some Verizon and T-Mobile users seem to be affected, as well.
If you’re in Disney World or traveling there today, here’s how this outage could affect your vacation.
According to CNN, the AT&T outage is resulting in no service for many customers, who have reported having trouble even contacting emergency services through 911. Problems reported with other cell services seem to stem from those customers trying to call AT&T, and the calls not going through.
UPDATE: Wireless service has been restored for AT&T users as of the afternoon on February 22nd.
Near Disney World, rideshare rates have skyrocketed this morning. A Lyft ride to Orlando International Airport from near Disney World is running nearly $100 this morning, when on a typical morning it would be around $35. This is presumably because many drivers who would be out working this morning do not have cell service at this time and cannot use the apps to find and accept rides.
If you are in Disney World today, expect some hiccups and pack your patience. Disney World has many time-saving features that are dependent on mobile phones, such as Disney Genie+, which allows you to make reservations to skip the lines on certain rides and attractions, and mobile order, which allows you to place food and drink orders at many quick-service locations in advance.
If your cell service is out, you will want to connect to the free wifi in Disney World Parks, at Disney Springs, and in the resorts. The wifi network you want is “Walt Disney World Resort.” If you have trouble connecting, you can call (407) 827-2732 for assistance. Disney also offers wifi service on bus transportation throughout Walt Disney World Resort.
Keep in mind that the wifi network in Disney World is not always the fastest, and there will likely be more people trying to connect today. If you have joined the Virtual Queue for TRON: Lightcycle / Run or Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, you may want to check digital signs in the parks that show which boarding groups are loading, as you may not receive the notification on your phone.
If you are checking in at Disney World today, you may have trouble using the resort’s mobile check-in service. If that’s the case, try to connect to the wifi, or check in at the front desk of your resort.
If you need to make or alter a dining reservation today, and you are unable to do that through the My Disney Experience app, call (407) 939-3463 to reach the Disney World Dining Reservations Hotline.
If you are traveling today, remember that with no or limited cell service, you may not receive push notifications on flight changes or other important information. It will be best to check your airline app as you can.
AT&T has not released any official statement regarding the outage or possible repair time at the time this article was published, but we will continue to look for updates. Keep following DFB for more.
Mark says
Good thing Disney did away with the Magical Express!
Keep those drivers employed with those exorbitant rates
Danielle says
WOW! That had to be a disaster!