Update 11/3/2019: For now, Disney has decided to not move forward with the $3 FuelRod swaps.
For the past few trips, we’ve used a FuelRod as my main phone charger. With a one time cost and unlimited swaps, it made more sense than buying and charging multiple chargers every night.
However, with the news of a price increase going into effect, I can no longer justify using it as my sole charger anymore.
No Longer Worth the Cost
Starting November 1, 2019, Walt Disney World and Disneyland Parks and Resorts are charging $3 for all swaps.
Since the Free Unlimited Swapping is what made these chargers popular accessories in the first place, this is a dramatic increase.
Between the My Disney Experience App, Play Disney App, and constant photo taking, my phone battery drains extremely fast.
That’s why I loved the convenience of having this machine close to the main entrance of the Resorts. And I wouldn’t even bother charging it overnight since I could just swap it out in the morning as I was leaving for the Parks.
Having machines in the Parks also meant that I didn’t bother bringing other chargers with me, either. I would just swap one out as I needed to.
However, I am not willing to pay extra for a charger that does no more than a standard phone charger.
Convenience vs Cost – Which is more important to you?
I recognize that there is a huge benefit of using FuelRod as your sole phone charger in the Parks. But, cost most definitely means more to me than the convenience.
I did purchase my FuelRod online, which was a better deal than purchasing one in the Parks.
But, on average, I swap out my FuelRod at least 2 times per day. This means I would have to pay an additional $42 per trip if I wanted to continue using this as my only phone charger.
The convenience was nice while it lasted. But, from now on, I will be going back to bringing multiple phone chargers with me to the Parks.
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