Phone charging in the parks

[tnolan]

I have used Fuel Rod for years, and it has always been a great solution for me. Order online at their website and it's $20 plus $5 shipping. You get the Fuel Rod and some adapters, which I now hear even include one for USB-C.

 

[wvjules]

Where do you order them from?

 

[SinCityMMAFan]

Where do you order them from?

https://www.fuel-rod.com/ I ordered from them and it came rather quickly too within a few days. Saves you $5 as well when you order from the actual website and have it shipped to you.

 

[jo-jo]

Add me to the fuel rod list. However, if Disney starts to charge for swapping, that's a whole other story. Last trip we had several phones and several fans all using the ONE charger at some point. I would just swap for a new one whenever we passed a kiosk.

One trip I had a brick charger that I left in the room and the fuel rod for the parks. I had forgotten to pack the wall charger for the phone and couldn't find a USB port in the room at BLT. I managed the whole week, just swapping out fuel rods. As we left the parks, I got a fuel rod. Charged my phone. At Contemporary , got a new fuel rod and used it to charge the brick ( well, part way). Next day, just repeat again.

Yes, I was too cheap to buy a wall charger.

 

[shocker]

I always go back to the room for a nap mid-day, so I have a charged phone w/a charged portable charger & cord in my bag, I leave a different portable charger plugged in in the room. I come back for a nap, recharge my phone & swap the portable in my bag, before heading back to parks.

That said, Tiffins & Nomad Lounge share a charging station behind the hostess counter, Nomad Lounge has outlets all along the walls & under the bar. I found plugs in line at Soarin' & Little Mermaid & waiting to enter movie at One Mans Dream. There are plugs inside every bathroom (if desperate). I plugged in at most meal stops like Satuli and Backlot Express & the food court at the resort. I asked at TS locations & usually was accommodated with an outlet like at The Wave & Kona Cafe.

I will say the demands on the battery are higher at WDW, using it for wait times, modifying FP's, texting & calling others in the group, taking pics & videos, playing line games & Pokémon Go.

 

[wvjules]

I think I’m going to get the fuel rod. I never thought about needing to charge the stroller fan during the day. DGS is hot blooded. He gets it from me. Lucky him. lol

 

[dachsie]

I have the fuel rod. But just before my trip in Feb I bought the iPhone Xr and had no problems with battery not lasting. Totally recommend that phone!

 

[jo-jo]

I think I’m going to get the fuel rod. I never thought about needing to charge the stroller fan during the day. DGS is hot blooded. He gets it from me. Lucky him. lol

Since we used a single fuel rod for so many items, we were always charging something. Don't wait until the phone/fan is down to 50% before using the fuel rod. They are small chargers, you don't want to have 4 of almost dead items and then everybody needs.

 

[snappy]

We are DVC members so we sometimes recharge at the lounge in Epcot. Of course who knows how long that lounge will be open. Refreshing for FP’s eats up my battery. Interesting about iPhone XR. My 7 still works phone though. Hard for me to justify a new phone.

 

[Michelle Carter]

Well that stinks if you have to pay to swap the fuel rods because I ordered several of these just yesterday! Hopefully they stay free in Disney. I looked for the articles and did read that you can swap for free if you download the app, which I did and it gives 5 free swaps, not unlimited. The only reason I decided on this expensive version of a cheap lipstick charger was the free swaps!

I have never heard that you have to pay to swap it?? I think you just pay the $30 in the park or $25 online and have it mailed to you, and then you swap it as much as you want to for free. Has that changed?

 

[SinCityMMAFan]

I have never heard that you have to pay to swap it?? I think you just pay the $30 in the park or $25 online and have it mailed to you, and then you swap it as much as you want to for free. Has that changed?

Some locations do charge. The ones at Disney do not and I'm sure they will be staying that way.

Also for anyone who is wanting to buy a Fuel Rod from the website there's a special promo they are running now on their website. This is what it says:

The Luck of the Irish is with You!
Save $3 on a Power-to-Go Kit
or use code for a Free Swap
at locations that charge for swaps
Code: LUCKY19

 

[billlaurie]

Disney doesn't charge for the swap, but Universal charges $3 (which is kind of high because I thought I saw them in airports for $1). Someone upthread mentioned it so I searched for the Universal/Fuel rod article. I believe Universal just started offering them, based on the tone of the article? We are going to both parks this summer so I downloaded the app to get the free swaps in Universal.

I have never heard that you have to pay to swap it?? I think you just pay the $30 in the park or $25 online and have it mailed to you, and then you swap it as much as you want to for free. Has that changed?

 

[billlaurie]

https://attractionsmagazine.com/fuel-rod-orlando-parks/

here's the link.

 

[abbyandangel]

I bought a fuel rod for upcoming trip. Where are the kiosks to swap?

 

[billlaurie]

You can find the locations on the MDE app. Click on the map. Then wait times at top. Choose guest services then show list at top. Look for Portable Phone Charging System Kiosks and click on it. Shows the locations.

 

[Michelle Carter]

Disney doesn't charge for the swap, but Universal charges $3 (which is kind of high because I thought I saw them in airports for $1). Someone upthread mentioned it so I searched for the Universal/Fuel rod article. I believe Universal just started offering them, based on the tone of the article? We are going to both parks this summer so I downloaded the app to get the free swaps in Universal.

Well that’s stupid!!! Why is Universal charging? People use them bc it’s convenient and they only get charged once!!! That’s annoying. I’m sorry I’m glad you are doing the free swaps though.

 

[Michelle Carter]

Some locations do charge. The ones at Disney do not and I'm sure they will be staying that way.

Also for anyone who is wanting to buy a Fuel Rod from the website there's a special promo they are running now on their website. This is what it says:

The Luck of the Irish is with You!
Save $3 on a Power-to-Go Kit
or use code for a Free Swap
at locations that charge for swaps
Code: LUCKY19

That was nice of you! I had no clue. Crazy!!! I think I’ll just buy a power bank for my backpack for Disney.

 

[samsonjs]

I don’t use fuelrod but I do carry a bigger batter. It’s about 20000 mAH and lasts me at least 3-4 days in the parks before the battery needs to be recharged. It’s definitely bulkier than a fuelrod but I typically have a backpack with me anyways.

I also have a larger one. It's about the size of an iphone and it is a 15000 mAH. I can get about 5 full charges and it has two usb ports so you can charge two phones at once. It's very reliable and recommended by Apple, which is why I bought it.

It's actually been very useful outside of Disney and I keep it fully charged in case of a power outage.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I have 2 portable batteries that I picked up on Amazon - one of them gives me 2 charges. I play Pokemon Go in the parks so it can really eat up the battery on my phone.

I much prefer the portable batteries to having to sit for an hour while my phone charges!

 

[WEDWDW]

Fuel Rod all the way for us.

It is so cool to just drop a "used" one in and out pops a "new" one ready to go!