Disneyworld Radio operations

[stmills]

I just finished a nice trip to WDW and now have a few questions hoping there are some WDW experts who can help me.
I noticed that in park ops that there appeared to be at least 3 ops talk groups-
Ops 1 on ride / attraction operator radios, Ops 2 ride / attraction supervisors, Ops 3 entrance staff and staff setting up signs and ropes for special events - channels labeled MK or AK etc OPS #, Parks housekeeping were on _ _ Cust, Security was on Security Mike, Security Sierra, Transportation I only made out the Trans prefix. My question is do the users talk to a single Comm center, just other users, a park comm center, or a mix.
I noticed while boarding the raft to Tom Sawyer Island the Supervisor in the loading area had an SL7000 on the right side with an ear bud and a Motorola i365 Iden radio on the left side- I know it was the i365 because I manage communications for a team still using 40 of these in the direct talk mode since the shutdown of Nextel. Anyone know what operation WDW is using the i365s for?
Thanks

 

[K4SVT]

Private comms...and TRBO is Encypted..and Reedy Creek is also so its kinda of a dead end there.

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[stmills]

I am aware that the WDW and RC systems are Encrypted. I am interested in info on communications structure- how they use the radios not how to listen to them.

 

[K4SVT]

Oh...

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[jcardani]

Hi,

Wow great question! I was wondering the same thing. The last time Disney was monitor able was when they were on the 800 MHz Motorola system "2000". Then they moved to IDEN. Maybe they kept those i365's to use in direct mode.

I live very close to MK. Can hear the fireworks every night.

I know that like the other fellow said, the comms are MOTOTRBO, Linked Capacity Plus, and use Enhanced Privacy and RAS. So they are secure to the T.

I have a friend that works as an engineer at the park. Not sure if he has a radio but I can see if he or anyone he knows has the answer to your questions.

 

[peter_x]

There was a great article in CQ a few months ago describing the history of Disney World comms. It included input from one of the people who worked in the radio shop.

 

[stmills]

Very interesting article.
http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/cq_...5_08_cq/2015_01_02_cq_many_mouse_ears_ago.pdf

 

[w6sev]

WDW Radio

As of right now, beside some hotel staff stuff (housekeeping,etc.) the only monitorable radios anywhere on WDW are the Magic Kingdom Parade ops. They still use an older 450 MHz radio. I drive a Mears shuttle on Disney Property, and always have my 436HP with me.




All the best!
Scott Vawter
W6SEV/WQVJ418

 

[jcardani]

Hi Scott,

I live very close to the parks and I can also say the only Disney ops in the clear and analog is the 461.3000 Parade channel. Just moved here from NJ.

Would be nice to meet up and compare notes. Can I PM you?

I have been logging many trunked systems in the area. Mostly LTR and Capacity Plus systems. There's so much that's not listed in the RR DB! In fact not sure why but the Mears Destination info shows they are conventional. They actually use an LTR system, or several systems with sites in LBV & Destination Parkway. I can't verify the site at Bithlo since I can't receive that far away with my antenna setup now.

 

[jcardani]

This is what I know so far for the Disney (actually Radio One) trunked system.

It's MOTOTRBO Linked Capacity Plus. They use RAS and enhanced privacy throughout the system.

There are 13 sites I have logged so far. Some have up to 16 channels (8 repeaters). Sites include the Contemporary, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, AK, 2 sites on the Bonnet Creek radio tower, and the rest spread over Disney hotels and resorts. I use WinDSD and DSDPlus to map the system out. WinDSD has the ability to show the linked capacity plus site numbers that DSDPlus does not. That's very helpful with sorting out the dozens of repeaters. They also have many 454 MHz Part 22 leased freqs that are a pain to look up in the FCC database. Hint the FCC licenses are not real helpful while figuring this out.

Anyway they have loads of talkgroups on the system. I would say at least 100 or more.

Joe

I just finished a nice trip to WDW and now have a few questions hoping there are some WDW experts who can help me.
I noticed that in park ops that there appeared to be at least 3 ops talk groups-
Ops 1 on ride / attraction operator radios, Ops 2 ride / attraction supervisors, Ops 3 entrance staff and staff setting up signs and ropes for special events - channels labeled MK or AK etc OPS #, Parks housekeeping were on _ _ Cust, Security was on Security Mike, Security Sierra, Transportation I only made out the Trans prefix. My question is do the users talk to a single Comm center, just other users, a park comm center, or a mix.
I noticed while boarding the raft to Tom Sawyer Island the Supervisor in the loading area had an SL7000 on the right side with an ear bud and a Motorola i365 Iden radio on the left side- I know it was the i365 because I manage communications for a team still using 40 of these in the direct talk mode since the shutdown of Nextel. Anyone know what operation WDW is using the i365s for?
Thanks