I’ve no drawback admitting after I’m mistaken. Simply ask Sarah. Really, don’t. She’ll inform you simply how widespread of an prevalence it’s, doubtlessly undermining my ‘correctness credibility.’ (For no matter it’s value, I’m incorrect principally about issues pertaining to the kitchen and different supposed widespread sense topics—not Walt Disney World.)
Nonetheless, “I used to be mistaken about…” is especially its personal style of posts on this weblog, together with however not restricted to Animal Kingdom’s excellence and full-day standing and crowds through the starting of spring break. And guess what? There are two extra such topics within the drafts folder, awaiting publication. I’ve realized to personal my errors and take them in stride.
I want this had been extra widespread. These days it looks as if folks type snap judgments and don’t deviate from entrenched positions. One thing is both unquestionably superior or irredeemably terrible, and never worthy of reevaluation. Clearly, this extends far past Disney. Simply because it isn’t wholesome in different elements of life…it isn’t right here, both.
On this case, I’m not a lot admitting I used to be mistaken as I’m being open to evaluate new info and altered circumstances, and ‘evolving’ my opinion because of this. One other factor I want had been extra widespread, however that is about me coming round on one thing I’ve beforehand, fairly vehemently, disliked.
Towards that backdrop, it’s time to take a contemporary take a look at FuelRods, one of many few issues that this weblog has been nearly obstinate about since their introduction a number of years in the past. For many who are unfamiliar with FuelRods, they’re moveable chargers that may be bought at kiosks all through Walt Disney World or Disneyland (together with airports, conference facilities, and so on.) parks and used to recharge your iPhone or different machine on the go.
The ‘twist’ with FuelRods is that once you’re achieved utilizing them, you possibly can commerce out your depleted FuelRod for a fully-charged one on the many kiosks all through Walt Disney World and Disneyland. The enchantment is thus the ‘limitless’ cost the FuelRods supply by advantage of swapping them out. When put that approach, it’s simple to see the enchantment of FuelRods.
A part of my dislike for FuelRods, I’ll admit, was a response to the over-hype because it was the product itself.
I had heard so many rave evaluations that, after I lastly tried FuelRods myself, I used to be left befuddled as to why so many Walt Disney World and Disneyland followers cherished this, a product that was inferior to mainly each different battery available on the market. As lined within the simple We Don’t Suggest FuelRods, the machine was higher in idea than actuality.
Earlier than you get apprehensive–no, this isn’t a sponsored put up nor did “Huge Gasoline” lastly get to me. As an alternative, it’s the circumstances which have modified since I final used FuelRods. It actually took lengthy sufficient, particularly as time had way back handed by the primary technology of the machine, however a few months in the past, FuelRod rolled out its first-ever product overhaul.
This launched the next:
- Extra Energy: The brand new FuelRod boasts an elevated capability of three,200 mAh (over 23% extra energy than the unique FuelRod), offering longer-lasting energy to maintain your units charged all through the day.
- Extra Management: With USB-C compatibility, the brand new FuelRod presents versatile charging choices for a variety of contemporary units. It additionally incorporates a energy button and 4 LED battery gentle indicators, giving customers better management over their charging expertise.
- Similar Swap: Sustaining the simplicity and comfort that FuelRod is thought for, the swap course of stays easy. Simply go to any FuelRod kiosk, insert your previous FuelRod, and obtain a completely charged new one immediately.
Right here’s a take a look at the previous (left) vs. new (proper) FuelRods:
Swapping stays free at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. There was a category motion lawsuit just a few years again that resulted in FuelRod giving “Founder’s Standing” to anybody who purchased their units earlier than late 2019. For some time, this was verified at kiosks at Disney places, which then supplied free swapping.
The verification not happens for no matter purpose, which means there’s no cost for swaps at Disney no matter when/how/the place you purchased. FuelRod has began to introduce free swaps at different places, so I’m not apprehensive that is going to vary at any second. The machine would have so much much less enchantment to me (mainly none!) if I needed to pay something for swaps.
The improve course of can be free at Walt Disney World. All you do is stroll as much as any kiosk, click on the swap button, place your unique FuelRod into the kiosk, and comply with the on-screen directions. The machine will mechanically acknowledge you’ve submitted the previous technology of FuelRod, and provoke the improve course of freed from cost. You’ll obtain the brand new FuelRod Equipment, which incorporates the upgraded absolutely charged USB-C FuelRod together with new cables and adapters. For free.
The opposite circumstance that modified was the value of FuelRods. I found that Amazon sells FuelRod 2-packs for less than $30. Once I noticed this as an early Black Friday deal, I simply needed to pull the set off. Paying $15 for an okay charger with a small dimension and free swaps was a no brainer. It’d be like if PizzeRizzo had been providing infinite pizza. Positive, it’s not my favourite meals…however I’ll nonetheless eat an embarrassing quantity if it’s limitless!
To place the Amazon value into perspective, the payment for FuelRods at Disney Parks has truly gone up elevated lately. The price of a single FuelRod is up from $30 to $38, two rods are actually $76, and three rods are $114. In different phrases, Amazon is promoting two for lower than the value of 1 at Walt Disney World…which is about par for the course.
I additionally like the thought of getting two of them. Sarah and I can every carry one, making the swapping much less inconvenient (ditto charging–our batteries often run low across the identical time after we’re on the parks collectively). Though I’m coming round on FuelRods, there’s nonetheless no approach I’d suggest a household of 4 carry solely one among them. That’s simply unworkable. Everybody in your celebration who has a telephone ought to most likely have their very own (until they’re like my dad who solely carries his telephone for emergencies and goes days with out even turning it on).
The ultimate circumstance that modified was I discovered myself in a state of affairs the place a FuelRod would possibly truly turn out to be useful! My current backup batteries may be inadequate for a current journey, in order that plus the early Black Friday deal plus the machine upgrades felt like an indication that it was time to provide the machine one other probability. Because it turned out, there ended up being just a few explanation why the FuelRod labored out to be advantageous over this go to.
To start out with, I used to be flying into Orlando Worldwide Airport only some hours previous to the Christmas celebration. I often like to provide myself a giant buffer, however that simply wasn’t doable right here. And as luck would have it, my flight was delayed, which means that I needed to take an Uber (as a substitute of my regular Mears Join) to Pop Century earlier than dropping off my baggage and instantly heading to the park.
Usually, I’d spend about an hour on the resort, giving myself—and my units—time to recharge. That wasn’t doable, so I went into the night time with an nearly completely drained battery. A number of FuelRods later, and I left the occasion with a full cost—and a full FuelRod—regardless of utilizing my units extensively.
The opposite upside of this was that I didn’t should cost my regular Anker Nano Moveable Charger in a single day. The Anker 3-Port Charging Block has turn out to be my go-to energy adapter, however it solely has 3 ports: one for my telephone, laptop, and watch.
Something past that requires switching units after I invariably get up through the nighttime (about 50/50 that I keep in mind to do that since I’m half awake, at greatest), or doing so instantly within the morning (additionally about 50/50 for comparable causes).
The massive particular ‘use case’ purpose I purchased the FuelRod bundle was as a result of I used to be planning on doing a day of Early Entry, TRON testing, and Lightning Lane Multi-Move at Magic Kingdom on a day when the park was open from 8 am till 11 pm. On high of that, it was ABC vacation particular filming day and the Detroit Lions had been taking part in on Sunday Night time Soccer. Suffice to say, the stage was set for a historic day for my machine utilization at Walt Disney World.
Not that it’s actually related, however I’m not one among “these guys” who goes to Walt Disney World begrudgingly, face buried in telephone watching soccer. Exterior of final yr’s playoffs, I’ve by no means achieved this. It was a particular circumstance, as I used to be watching the Disney ABC Vacation Specials being filmed that night time and had so much of downtime in between takes of the musical performances.
The above photograph could not appear to be a lot, however this was my “workstation” for the night–Sunday Night time Soccer, Peppermint Brownie Sundae from Plaza Ice Cream Parlor (maybe multiple), and an ideal view of Cinderella Fort with fireworks exploding overhead about each 10 minutes or so. It was an ideal night time.
For his or her half, the FuelRods carried out admirably. I did burn by just a few of them that day, however I additionally arrived on the park at round 7 am, stayed till after midnight, and used my telephone so much. Had I taken my regular go-to charger, it might’ve run out of juice by halftime. That means I’d’ve had a useless machine earlier than Jake Bates nailed a game-winning subject objective within the sport’s closing seconds to safe an unbelievable comeback for the Lions. I’d’ve left Magic Kingdom feeling a bit defeated, assuming they’d misplaced, as a substitute of on cloud 9. The FuelRods paid for themselves with that night’s vibes alone.
Altering out FuelRods that night was exceedingly simple, as there’s a kiosk lower than 100 yards from the place I used to be sitting in Casey’s Nook. But it surely was additionally simple all through the journey.
I knew FuelRod kiosks had turn out to be pretty ubiquitous round Walt Disney World, however I used to be shocked at simply how usually I randomly noticed them. So even when my battery was nonetheless half full, I’d make a fast swap when passing a station on the best way to the bus or leaving a counter service restaurant, and so on. By no means as soon as did I’ve to exit of my method to trade a depleted FuelRod.
I used to be additionally pleasantly shocked by the pace with which the FuelRod charged my telephone. Don’t get me mistaken, it’s nonetheless gradual in comparison with any trendy Anker battery, however this stuff was once glacial. I’d nonetheless like to see the machine cost a little bit faster and have barely increased capability, however it’s adequate now–particularly with kiosks everywhere.
In the end, the second technology of FuelRods have exceeded my expectations and are actually our go-to batteries for Walt Disney World and Disneyland. The capability is enough, swapping is straightforward, and it’s extra handy for us than utilizing conventional chargers as we’ve been for years. Particularly now that we’ve a child and are sometimes “distracted” when getting again to our resort for the night time–typically plugging in every thing slips by the cracks.
I do need to supply the caveat right here that we’ve decided FuelRods are proper for us, however that doesn’t essentially imply the identical is true for you. We’re Annual Passholders on each coasts and spend a ton of time within the parks. We’ll simply swap FuelRods over 50 instances in 2025. Possibly over 100 instances. (I ought to’ve stored rely of what number of instances I exchanged them on this one journey, as I really feel prefer it was properly over a dozen.)
For those who’re a Walt Disney World or Disneyland first-timer or rare customer, the calculus is completely different for you. For those who’re judging the machine itself, FuelRods are nonetheless not an objectively product. These chargers are nonetheless properly behind the competitors and I’d by no means suggest them for every day at-home use or for non-Disney journey. The place FuelRods excel is as a service. It’s the free limitless swapping that holds the entire enchantment, so should you can reap the benefits of that considerably frequently, we extremely suggest FuelRods.
For those who can not, we nonetheless don’t. By which case, we nonetheless suggest buying one of many Anker units on our checklist of the Finest Backup Batteries for Disney. There’s a variety of fast and high-capacity moveable chargers on that checklist, most of that are quicker and cheaper than FuelRods. For what it’s value, you most likely will want a conveyable charger within the parks. The whole lot from Cell Order to checking wait instances to discovering showtimes to Lightning Lane Multi-Move at Walt Disney World and Disneyland are critical battery drains.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about inns on our Walt Disney World Lodges Opinions web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Opinions. To save cash on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a novel take a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Trip Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, one of the best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every thing you could know!
Your Ideas
What do you consider FuelRods? Excited concerning the second-generation improve that gives increased capability units and quicker charging? Suppose the machine/service is a no brainer given the present value of solely $30 for a 2-pack at Amazon? Will you give FuelRods an opportunity at Walt Disney World or Disneyland? Or have you ever already been utilizing them for years?! Do you agree or disagree with our new FuelRod evaluate? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
