Name: Best portable charger for Disney World (and what is a Fuel Rod?) 2023
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Best portable charger for Disney World (and what is a Fuel Rod?) 2023

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Skip to contentThis post probably contains affiliate links. You can read the details about what that means here.&nbsp;Sharing is caring!Gather around, children, and listen to the tale of my family’s very first Disney World vacation …As soon as we entered the Magic Kingdom, we went to a kiosk to get little slips of paper called “Fast Passes.”Once we had these very important slips of paper, we headed to our first ride of the day, where we could see how long the wait would be.Of course we had no way of knowing what the wait time was when we were still on the other side of the park. That would be ridiculous!On our very first day, the first ride we got on line for was Dumbo the Flying Elephant.The wait in line was very hot, and the line moved very slowly.We joked with each other about how it was too bad that there weren’t TWO Dumbo rides next to each other, so the line could move faster.Also, wouldn’t it be great if they could somehow have the line be in the shade?We were really glad that we had just bought our first cell phones a few months ago. They were really cool phones, where you flipped up the top before you used them.The phones came in really handy, because we could call each other (my parents also came on the trip) when we split up into two groups and were ready to meet back up again.Did we use the phones for anything else?No … I don’t think so. What else would you use a phone for?&nbsp;&nbsp;Disney World certainly has changed a lot since our first visit.I could write an entire series of posts about those changes, but the big one that we’re talking about today is that now having a charged cell phone is practically a necessity at the parks.That means that if your phone dies in the middle of the day, it is a really big bummer.The most popular way to avoid this big bummer is to buy a portable charger before your trip.After reading this post, you’ll know:&nbsp;Well, I doubt that I’ll use my phone that much at Disney World, some of you might be thinking. I’m going to be having fun, not standing around texting all the time.Ha, ha, ha! If you’re thinking that, you obviously haven’t been to Disney World in a very long time (if ever).No matter what your relationship to your phone is in your normal life, it is very very likely that your battery will be done for the day before you are.That’s because you’ll probably use your phone to:Not to mention that you’ll want a portable charger if you’re using a USB Portable Neck Fan to help you stay cool.&nbsp;Read more info about neck fans, misting fans, and cooling towels here.&nbsp;Now that I’ve hopefully convinced you that:Your phone will probably dieYou will be very upset if it doesSo now lets’s talk about how to prevent that from happening.First we’ll take a close look at several popular portable chargers, and then we’ll discuss a couple other options.&nbsp;Note: Anker is generally considered the best in the industry (and is definitely a favorite over at the Disboard forums!) Click here to compare and shop all the different Anker portable chargers.This phone contains 5,000 mAh of power and it is ultra-compact, with a small, tubular design that’s 10 cm tall and 3 cm wide.It comes with a mesh carrying case with draw string closure.You’ll need a charging cord that has a USB male plug on one end and the proper USB type for your phone on the other end. (The USB-Micro B port on this charger is only for charging the power bank, not your phone.)Pros:Cons:&nbsp;&nbsp;This phone is available in several different colors (black, brown, blue, red, or orange) and has 2 USB ports, so you can charge two phones at once. At 0.5 inch, it claims to be the thinnest 10000mAh power bank on the market.It comes with a USB-A to USB-C cable and a cushiony bag that holds both the charger and cable. The USB-C port is for both input and output, so you might have less cords to worry about.Several reviewers who had used multiple chargers said that this one has the fastest charge, by far.Pros:Cons:&nbsp;Amazon reviewer Runner Jenn said this was a great portable charger for a day at Disney with teens:I got this last minute before we left for our 4 day Disney trip. This thing saved the day!!My teens drained their phones fast standing in line for rides and scrolling on their phones to pass time. All 4 of us took turns charging our phones the entire day in the park and this thing still had a little juice left later in the night when we got back to hotel. So impressive!!!!It takes several hours to recharge the unit to full battery, so give yourself plenty of time to charge it. But it is not slow to charge your phone at all. It’s not compact. It’s basically the same size as my iPhone. That was only downfall. But who cares, it charges so good that I didn’t care.&nbsp;&nbsp;This phone has a 6700 mAh capacity and weighs 5 oz, which is about the same weight as a baseball.It comes with the charger, micro USB cable ( the USB-C and Lightning cables are sold separately), and a travel pouch.&nbsp;Click here to see a size comparison photo.&nbsp;Pros:Cons:Not QC3 compatibleOnly one color availableCan get very warm when chargingSome reviewers said the charge indicator light was difficult to read&nbsp;&nbsp;This is Amazon’s Choice in the category of cell phone portable power chargers.Why? Probably because of its huge 20,000mAh cell capacity. This battery gives you:Plus it has two USB ports, so you can charge two devices at once.It’s available in either black or whiteAmazon reviewer Shannon Ellis describes her experience with this charger on her Disney World vacation:Recently purchased this for a trip to Disney World where I knew I’d be using my phone constantly and would want a charger. This was small enough to easily store in the front pocket of my backpack.I figured I’d have to recharge this every night but there wasn’t a need! My friend and I both shared this charger throughout multiple days and did not have to charge it once. It lasted almost 5 days with frequent use. I was shocked …&nbsp;Pros:Cons:&nbsp;&nbsp;This is the portable charger for people who don’t mess around, and who are willing to pay extra for all that power.It has 26,800mAh of power and charges most phones over 6 times, and tablets at least twice. It also has 3 USB output ports (see photo), so you can charge three different devices at the same time.Its dimensions are 3.21 by 7.09 by 0.87 inches, and it weighs 1.1 pound.Amazon reviewer Ellie T. says they bought this power bank for their Disney trip, but found that it had other great uses as well:… Other than our [Disney] vacation, we find it useful for other things.We take a lot of road trips. It charges so much faster than a car outlet. It’s so nice for when we are lounging on the couch, want to use our phones &amp; don’t want them plugged into the wall. Don’t get me started on how awesome it is for camping! I’m sure it would benefit if the electricity went out. It’s truly amazing. It’s worth the money 100%.Only Cons I will say:It’s heavy (but who cares!) &amp; it takes forever to charge. By forever, I mean like 18 hours forever, but still so worth it because it can last for like a whole week without needing to charge. Not an issue if you remember to charge …&nbsp;Pros:Cons:&nbsp;Looking for a convenient charging for everyone to use in the hotel room?Check out this Anker Power Strip or this 6-port Anker charging station&nbsp;An alternative to bringing a portable charger is to use a Fuel Rod during your trip.You can buy a Fuel Rod kit at kiosks which are at various locations at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and airports. (Keep scrolling to see a list of all the specific locations.)A Fuel Rod Kit includes:The kit has a one-time $30 fee, and the charger will last about 4-8 hours.Once your battery is drained (a red light will come on to let you know, although unfortunately there’s no indicator light to warn you in advance), you just swap it for a fresh one at one of the kiosks for no additional charge.&nbsp;Side Note: If you’re thinking to yourself, “Wait, I could have sworn I heard that you had to pay a fee to swap out fuel rods,” you’re not imagining it.Whether or not swaps would be free was a bit of a class action lawsuit an issue at one point. You can read more about it here if you’re interested in such things.&nbsp;Good question! The portable chargers listed in this post are cheaper, hold more charge, and you don’t have to run around looking for a kiosk in the middle of the day, so … what’s the point, exactly?We’ve never used Fuel Rods, so I set out to find who used Fuel Rods, who liked them, and why. In my opinion, this is basically what it boils down to:Fuel Rods are a a good idea if you:Fuel Rods are probably a bad idea for:Fuel Rod Tip:If Fuel Rods appeal to you (and honestly, some people do love them), don’t buy them at Disney.You can get two for practically the price of one here, and then you can still turn then in for charged rods for no cost at the Disney kiosks.&nbsp;If you do decide to get a Fuel Rod, it’s a good idea to know in advance where all the kiosks are so you aren’t wandering aimlessly around the parks when you need a fresh charger.Note that you don’t have to wait until your charger is dead to swap it out.So if you pass by one of these places and it’s been a few hours since you got your last fuel rod, you might want to go ahead and get a fresh one.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Video — Fuel Rod Locations at Hollywood Studios &amp; Animal Kingdom&nbsp;&nbsp;Relying on charging stations is not a good vacation planning strategy.However — and I hope this isn’t an upsetting thing to hear — things at Disney World (and life in general) don’t always go exactly as planned.Also, at some point during your stay in the parks you’re probably going to want to sit down to eat something, wait for other people in your family to use the bathroom, check the park map, whatever.And if you happen to be doing this sitting somewhere near an outlet, why not take advantage of it?Also, here’s a nifty little secret: You can drop your phone and plug off at any Guest Relations location in the parks, and the Cast Members will charge it for you.The downside to this, of course, is:You have to take the time to go to Guest Relations not just once, but twiceYou don’t have your phoneHowever, it’s a decent option if other people that you’re with have a working phone, and you’re near Guest Relations to begin with (or if you’re just desperate).Also, The Disney Details has a list of where you can find charing stations in the park.(Note: there list was obviously written some time ago. If you see anything here that isn’t true anymore, please let me know and I’ll update it right away.)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6 Delicious Recipes using Cream of Mushroom Soup and PastaWhat to Pack and Wear for Disney World in DecemberThree Kids, Three Cats, and a Husband is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Copyright © 2023 Kale

Skip to contentThis post probably contains affiliate links. You can read the details about what that means here.&nbsp;Sharing is caring!Gather around, children, and listen to the tale of my family’s very first Disney World vacation …As soon as we entered the Magic Kingdom, we went to a kiosk to get little slips of paper called “Fast Passes.”Once we had these very important slips of paper, we headed to our first ride of the day, where we could see how long the wait would be.Of course we had no way of knowing what the wait time was when we were still on the other side of the park. That would...

Best portable charger for Disney World (and what is a Fuel Rod?) 2023

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