4 Disney World Hotels Becoming Dog-Friendly
Four Walt Disney World resort hotels are now dog-friendly as part of a pilot program that we’d expect will expand to other hotels if successful. In this post, we’ll share details about WDW’s dog-friendly program, fees, and what we think of this change.
August 14, 2018 UPDATE: The one-year pilot program was quietly extended with an email notice yesterday, and Walt Disney World’s FAQ page about this policy now reflects that it is an “ongoing pilot program.” The email contained no new details, and did not elaborate on future plans. As Walt Disney World’s dog-friendly hotel policy has been hugely controversial, we no longer expect this to be expanded to other resorts–at least not in the immediate future.
If the dog-friendly program is expanded, it will likely be done by quietly updating that FAQ and certainly without a splashy press release. From what we’ve heard, Walt Disney World was caught off-guard by the blowback to this policy, and given the low percentage of guests taking advantage of this program, it’s unlikely it was worth the initial blowback. At this point, it’s one of those, “what done is done” kind of things–but not worth reopening that divisive can of worms. In any case, what follows is the original info about the dog-friendly policy, which will remain accurate through 2019…
First, the details. As noted, this is starting at only four Walt Disney World resort hotels, which will each have a number of designated rooms that are dog-friendly. This means that there are still 20+ hotels at Walt Disney World that do not accommodate pets, along with all of the rooms in those 4 hotels that are not dog-friendly. Below is each hotel’s per night/per room pet-cleaning rate is:
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort – $50/night
- Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort – $50/night
- Disney’s Yacht Club Resort – $75/night
- Cabins at Disney’s Ft. Wilderness Resort – $50/night
A maximum of two dogs per room can be accommodated. Each guest room will have easy access to outdoor pet walkways for exercise and green spaces with pet relief areas. Guests will also receive an amenity at check-in called “Pluto’s Welcome Kit” that includes a mat, bowls, a pet ID tag, courtesy plastic disposable bags, puppy pads, a doggie do not disturb door hanger, and dog walking maps.
There are also rules: while dogs will be allowed to stay in guest rooms, they will be expected to be well behaved, leashed in public resort areas and properly vaccinated. This being a change at Walt Disney World, of course it has been met with some degree of controversy…
As soon as Walt Disney World announced this change on the Disney Parks Blog, social media blew up. To be fair, a lot of the comments were of the positive and excited variety, but a disproportionate (in our estimation) number were outrage over this program.
I was honestly a bit taken aback by the comments expressing intense disapproval. Not because I think anyone who dislikes dogs is a heartless monster, but because it’s only four hotels. Moreover, it really isn’t some ground-breaking program. It was an inevitability given the larger hospitality industry. While I can empathize with those who have pet allergies, this is a growing movement among hoteliers, and the practical reality is that service animals have been staying in hotels for ages, and if you didn’t notice an issue then, you probably won’t going forward.
It’s not as if Walt Disney World is suddenly going to become Canine City, a lawless place overrun with dogs, fleas, and feces. What will prevent this (aside from rules, responsible pet owners, and a cleaning staff) is the fact that bringing a pet on vacation is prohibitively expensive and inconvenient for most guests. For a minority of visitors, that’s not the case, and this represents a nice option for them.
We know this because the concept of a pet-friendly hotel is not something Walt Disney World invented. It has been a growing trend in the hotel industry for the last several years (if not longer) and is a feature that is prominently advertised because people like–even non-owners. In fact, Hotels.com indicates that around 25% of the hotels it lists are pet-friendly. Another report by Fortune shows the number as high as 60%.
This is another reason why the outrage comes as a surprise. A growing number of hotels welcome pets, and not just the ‘run-down’ ones, either. As those articles points out, W Hotels, Loews, Park Hyatt, and Kimpton welcome pets, as do other posh and trendy luxury hotels (an estimated 80% of luxury hotels are pet friendly). It’s also increasingly commonplace among boutique hotels and other segments of the industry, so it should really come as no surprise that Walt Disney World is finally catching up with this industry standard.
This is especially the case given that Walt Disney World has far greater latitude than the average hotel in simultaneously accommodating both pets and those with pet allergies. With each of the four hotels above either having multiple wings or separate satellite buildings, it’s easy for Disney to designate one section pet-friendly, and reserve those rooms for pet owners, while leaving the rest of the hotel ‘normal.’
Walt Disney World has indicated in its FAQ that this separation will occur with “Certain floors or sections of a hotel will be designated as dog-friendly, while the majority of areas will remain canine-free to accommodate Guests with allergies or other concerns.” (Given the ease with which Disney hotels can accommodate dogs while also accommodating others, we would be surprised if this pilot program does not expand to many additional hotels at Walt Disney World.)
That’s how it works at many other hotels in the world who welcome pooches, and the problems are not nearly as dire or widespread as the ‘sky is falling’ crowd on social media is anticipating. We spend a ton of time in pet-friendly hotels every year (never with our own dog, since he’s not exactly…uh…”social”), and we’ve yet to have an issue with a barking dog or pet-soiled room. To the contrary, we rarely even see dogs in hotels, except for in hotels that are aggressively catering to dog owners. (Shorebreak Huntington Beach is a great choice if you want to see plenty of doggos on your vacation.)
Numerous other hotels have managed to figure this out (along with pretty much the entirety of Europe), so there’s already proof of concept on pet-friendly hotels. It can work. Hotels already do offer stays without incident for dog-owners and those who dislike dogs or have allergies. We don’t utter the “trust in Disney” cliche often, but this is probably a scenario where you can safely trust that Walt Disney World will be able to handle something that so many other hoteliers have done just fine with implementing.
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Your Thoughts
Do you agree or disagree with our take on 4 Walt Disney World hotels becoming pet friendly? Are you concerned about allergies, noise, smell, cleanliness, or some other issue? Excited to see more dogs at Walt Dogsney World? 😉 Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Bill,
My dog was always very friendly, loved to go to the dog park and play with other dogs, no hint what so ever that he might be aggressive , zero, zilch, nada. Until one day I was walking him at a craft fair. He was on a leash, and let me add properly trained to heal by my side, stop and sit when I stopped walking etc.
I stopped to look at a craft and the vendor had a little dog, I thought nothing of it until the next moment my dog had this little tiny dog in his mouth shaking it violently. All hell broke loose. What if that had been a child. The little dog ended up at the vet and was ok thankfully. I never bring my dog out where he might get close to another dog .
I just think this could be a dangerous situation for guests and their pets to be at Disney. Like I mentioned my dog had loved to play with other dogs until one day for whatever reason he snapped. This could have been a child . I know it was mentioned that service animals have been going to Disney for a while without issue but service animals are professionally and selected for their temperament. Just like myself there are people out there who have their dogs very well trained and think their dog would never in a million years attack but it happens.
Personally I don’t see a need to take a dog on vacation, but we also don’t have pets. What I don’t see is a problem with adding pet friendly rooms. I worked in hotel housekeeping when I was in high school and college (at a Residence Inn so not a super luxury brand, but not sketchy possibly rent by the hour either) and I know what I’ve told friends and family who’ve complained about pet friendly hotels (and my grandmother hates dogs with a passion) is that rooms that were pet rooms the night before were probably the cleanest room in the building since we had a very detailed cleaning protocol that included washing everything including the curtains and couch cushion covers and shampooing the carpets. When I worked there we hadn’t moved to white bedding yet, and the standard for cleaning comforters and blankets unless they were very obviously dirty was once a quarter. I’ll take a pet room that’s been properly cleaned over that any day.
As a dog owner myself, I would never travel to Disney with my dog and I have an extremely well behaved, non barking dog! Most who travel with their dog, are probably in the room more or in and out of their room to tend to the needs of the dog. A typical Disney day is out of the room for 12 hours a day. That’s animal cruelty for a dog.
And a rebuttal to change resorts if you don’t want to deal with dogs: our favorite resort is Yacht Club but now I will either have to change resorts or deal with dogs. That’s not fair to me.
I am NOT happy about this, having allergies and a fear of dogs (any type) are my main reasons, also the potential barking, when I am on vacation I don’t want to woken up by a barking dog, what if a dog bites someone? I think people should come first dogs second, we have stayed at the AoA for the last 3 yrs, and love it, now we I’ll have to deal with dogs, what if I try to get in an elevator and there is a dog in there? Excuse me me dogs first! Yes I can change hotels, but should I have to? I have nothing personally against dogs, I know they are man’s best friend, but when I work so hard to save for my vacation, I don’t want to spend it around animals,
I really am baffled by some of the comments I’ve been reading since this announcement. The biggest complaint I’ve seen is that people are concerned if the dogs are not well-behaved that it can ruin their vacation. As Tom pointed out, this is only going to be at 4 hotels to start. If you are THAT concerned that a dog might ruin your vacation with an early “wake up call”, choose a different hotel. It’s not as though they have chosen all the value resorts or only moderate/deluxe resorts. There should be other options for you to choose in the WDW hotel bucket. What I really want to point out is, as someone who doesn’t have children, my past Disney vacations have been less than ideal at times due to behaviors of some people’s unruly children. Listening to screaming toddlers at midnight on the bus ride back to the hotel is no picnic. Neither are the early “wake up calls” from a crying baby, having my toes rolled over by stroller after stroller, being coughed on and sneezed on by children while waiting in line, etc. Sometimes bringing a pet is the only way for people to be able to take a vacation, so IMO I think it’s great that Disney is beginning to offer this option. While we all want to have the perfect Disney vacation, I don’t think that exists and that’s in large part because you will be surrounded by people at Disney, whether in the resorts or in the parks, and not everyone is as considerate as you would like them to be.
I agree with you! Never understand why babies that aren’t going to remember the trip don’t stay with grandparents . Absolutely everyone would have a better time. Stroller drivers can be hazardous to your health.
I took my dauchund on a trip one time, he slept a lot better than some babies unfortunately that were next to us.
I can certainly understand the anger from those who have a fear of dogs, or are maybe traveling with children who don’t deal well with animals, but this isn’t a brand new idea. It’s just a brand new idea to Disney. We all spend, most likely, thousands of dollars on our Disney vacations, and being inconvenienced is really irritating so I do understand. I just never thought it would be THIS controversial. I have three 20 lbs, hypo-allergenic dogs, and I wouldn’t consider taking them with us (even if Disney would allow 3 in a room) purely because we are gone for close to 10+ hours a day when we are there. That’s not fair to our dogs. But honestly, sometimes it’s incredibly hard finding someone to watch the 3 of them for more than a long weekend, and I can’t stomach the idea of a kennel. Again, I can see both sides, I just didn’t think 4 hotels would be this controversial.
Just what I for a fun vacation. Barking dogs in the room next to me ( as if screaming kids, loud drunks, and smokers hanging over the railing aren’t enough sometimes!) and wet dog stench, pee and dog hair left from previous guests may make off property look a lot better in the future! And I love dogs!
Would love the idea of some pet free rooms, same as smoke free rooms in some hotels.
I have to say I find it a bit amusing and unsettling that nearly every site about Disney (including this blog) has an ad pop up to “Register your Service or Support Animal” for only $79.99. And if you need a Doctor’s Letter (for airlines, etc.) they will even arrange a “consultation” for you (for an additional fee I am sure). No room for abuse here! I predict we’ll be seeing more animals not only in the pet-friendly resorts but in the parks as well. Because if you are going to spend $50-75 a night to bring your dog to WDW why not another $80 to bring them to the theme parks.
Just to be clear–ads on this blog (and the vast majority of the internet) are contextual, based on your browsing history. If you are reading a lot of sites about service or support animals, you’re going to start seeing more ads about dogs and such services. (Clicking on the ads only makes them more likely to appear in the future.) Same goes for political ads or other potentially objectionable ads.
I wish I had more control over what ads can be blocked, but I can’t. :-/
Tom,
I have some understanding of how it works and I am not upset with you in any way. I have not done any searches for service animals, etc. or clicked on an ad (until just before my post about them). But they have shown up on several different Disney related sites that I have looked the last few days, most of which entailed looking at menus or dining reviews. I visit these sites regularly and had not seen these particular ads prior to the pet-friendly announcement from Disney. Sometimes it’s a little scary how accurately they are able to target potential customers. It’s just sad that someone can essentially “buy” ceritification for an “emotional support animal”. This is an affront to people who need service animals (or truly need emotional support animals). We see more and more people insisting on bringing their animals everywhere they go. This type of abuse can cause people to question the use of service animals even when that use is valid. And these companies profit while walking a thin line. You should taken a closer look at their ads if you haven’t done so. It’s just so disheartening.
I didn’t think you were upset–just wanted to make sure you (and anyone else reading this) knew why those ads were appearing. I’ve received a surprising number of angry emails and comments about political ads “we” put on the site. 🙂
I agree that the type of ad you’re describing is sad and disappointing. Fortunately, I have not seen that ad appear here (or anywhere). I wish there were a way I could block those ads via Google, but there’s no way of doing that.
As someone who’s recently stayed at a Deluxe Disney Resort during Irma (when they were accommodating families with pets to shelter them from the storm) I can’t say I’m happy with this.
The room next to ours welcomed a family with two small dogs. Had they been well behaved we wouldnt have minded. As you probably guessed: they were not. Every morning from 7am till we would give up and get breakfast at 8am they would bark (assumedly because their owners had left the room).
We approached the front desk about the issue but nothing was done besides a “We will keep an eye on them.” Regardless, the 7am wake up call continued for 4 days until the family checked out.
To think it’s something they are now openly encouraging leaves me baffled. Perhaps a “Dog/No dog” filter for room request should be accomodated (and not for a higher price point, either!)
As you note, WDW hotels were accommodating dogs because people were being evacuated from the coast.
The dogs you’re going to encounter during a normal stay are not the same as those that were there during Irma. We would never take our dog to Walt Disney World on a leisurely trip because he barks incessantly when he’s anxious. However, if the situation was leaving our dog at home to potentially die or take him with us as we evacuated, we would absolutely take him.
Tom, thank you for posting the situation differance from Irma to pet friendly. It has now been a week since Disney implemented there Dog friendly policy at four resorts. What I think would be a great idea is if we can get some honest, unbiased accounts of thier experiance from guest who have stayed on the four properties. Did it effect thier stay or if it did effect thier stay? How were the policies enforce? For the most part were people in compliance? We’re the dogs Comfortable? Were the rooms kept clean. Was there a noticeable presence? I Think actual accounts and experiences may have more fare for both parties than all the speculation (again from both parties). Thank You
I, too, want to hear from people that have stayed at the four hotels since the policy went into effect. But i honestly don’t believe very many families have taken advantage of this. It was just as sudden for them, as for everyone, and most people make their pet care plans well in advance. Changing those plans can be as difficult and expensive as it has been for the non-pet people to change theirs. And to make all new last minute plans…well, most people have to make arrangements regarding work and/or school, in addition to pet care.
We already have a reservation for Art of Animation in a month. No way could i make last minute plans and expect to get off work, get the kids out of school, and get a reservation at one of the four resorts in question. I imagine only retirees, and maybe self-employeed, could do that with ease.
Also, our dog sitter reqires full payment at booking, and you only get a refund for a cancellation if the dog is sick and under a vet’s care, or you cancel your entire vacation, or she can book another dog in place of yours.
I am certain there have been some dogs on property but, I think, very, very few so far.
I agree that circumstances were different for Hurricane Irma. Obviously, you are a considerate person who would not force other guests to endure your barking dogs. But, sadly, there are a lot of people who will put what they want to do above what is best for other guests. And if you happen to have a room next to one of these people it could make for a miserable experience.
I am very interested to hear some first hand accounts of guest experiences during this trial period. At least guests booking from this point forward will be able to choose whether or not they want to vacation with dogs (theirs or someone else’s).
Its not too soon but we will be there beginning of December if you want I’ll post a honest one
Thankfully, we were able to resolve this issue for our trip next month. I did learn that, rather than a particular location, the pet-friendly rooms at the Yacht Club Resort will be a particular type (Garden/Woods View or Standard). Though not all rooms of these types will be pet friendly, there could be pet friendly rooms anywhere in the resort where there are these room types. The outdoor “pet relief” areas will be in locations away from the high traffic public areas. I was very specific in my questions and made sure I understood the answers. There is so much information being shared that it is hard to know what is fact, what might be a misunderstanding, and what is simply supposition. I feel confident that I have the correct answers to my particular questions. I just wish I had thought to ask if the pet ID tags will actually be RFID.
I emailed and got a response within 48 hours, they will not offer me a non-pet resort because I booked with a TA. They did however say they would follow guide lines strictly with people who have pets. The CM was pleasent but not very helpful it seems wdw is forging ahead with pets regardless of concerns that others have. I’m set to go to PORS the week after TG and im staying at standard which means I may be dealing with issues that were not there when I initially booked. This will the final time I visit or stay at a resort and will also have front desk on speed dial if I hear barking or see any dog shit lying around ,it’s not the dogs I’m worried about , it’s the owners and wdw is quite liberal in assuming guests are responsible.
Oh my God! This is just crazy!
Just stay home if you’re so concerned about s dog POTENTIALLY being in the same building as you! Don’t ever leave you’re home, just in case you encounter one… c’mon folks! Get a life…just go on vacation and you have a better chance of encountering a dangerous smelly human than a dog! Really…..
My son has allergies and autism and he’s going to the yacht club in a few months…..
Am I concerned about him running into s dog? NO!
I’m more concerned about CRAZY HUMAN BEINGS…..
This is a hot button issue for my family. My daughter is extremely asthmatic. She had her first asthma attack when she was two and could not speak. Her triggers are change of weather and pet dander (dogs being the worst). The condition is genetic since her uncle and grandfather both have it. The condition is so bad that when we go to a place with a coat check we cannot hang her coat because the dander from an adjacent coat will cause her to wheeze. In elementary school she would place her coat in a bag before placing it in the closet. We just spend a week in the Yacht Club resort in August and requested a deep cleaning because of service animals are always allowed. (The deep cleaning was never done but since the room did not have a carpet and looked like it was just renovated i did not complain) We had a wonderful time but her school is having a senior trip to Riverside in May which i have already paid for. We are waiting for a resolution from Disney but my daughter can not stay at Riverside or any room that has had a service dog. For your info dander can remain months after a pet has left a room. When we travel because of my daughter’s condition we map out the route to the nearest hospital just in case. We have stayed only in pet free hotels but have seen other guests taking dogs up the back stairs.
I know most people are not aware of this and think they are doing no harm but your pets can kill someone like my daughter. It is not an allergy with just sneezing or a running nose. It is like trying to breathe out of a straw.
We don’t currently own a dog but our adult children and their families do. Simply having the option is good as they like to include their dog on family vacations. Being able to stay on site, wonderful! We’ve stayed in the cabins before, they wôuld be ideal for pet. As you said everything would be separate from those with allergies or whom dislike dogs. I’m afraid during this day in time people are outraged over anything and everything. Thankfully they kept 20+ other hotel choices open for them.
I just spoke with four different Disney reps, and this is what I have learned.
At this point in time, this is a LIMITED TIME PILOT PROGRAM, and every Disney employee that speaks to someone about this has to then fill out a form about what was said, good or bad, in favor or against. Disney will use that information, along with what actually happens, to either “fine tune” their program, scrap their program, or consider an alternative program (such as one or two hotels that are entirely dog friendly).
If a dog does not behave and the owners are unable to make their dog behave, they will be asked, in the nicest way possible, to leave the resort.
There are only a specific number of predetermined rooms that allow dogs. If they are full, they will not allow other rooms to have dogs, and the people trying to book will be told they are full. Someone posted on here that they were told that anyone wanting to bring a dog would be accommodated with the first available room. Well…first available DOG FRIENDLY room that has already been placed in that category, not first available room in the entire hotel, or even that wing of the hotel. Disney will even give you a list of which rooms, in each hotel, allow dogs. During the pilot phase, as least, no more will be added, even if demand is insanely high.
For those with allergies, they can be GUARANTEED rooms that have never had dogs in them, or near them. And since the areas where dogs are allowed at Disney are far more restricted than in most neighborhoods across the country, it would be more likely you would walk past a dog back home, than at Disney, unless you decided to hang out in the areas Disney has set aside for them.
Now, do I agree with how little time they allowed between announcement and roll-out? No. Absolutely not. But given the fact that a lot of people book WELL in advance, how much time SHOULD have been allowed? I think you can book a year or 18 months in advance. Is that the amount of time that should have been allowed? Who decides what is too short a time, or too long a time? The person with a vacation 3 months away will say “three months”, while the one with a vacation a year away will say “a year”, and the dog lovers will say “bring it on, the sooner the better”. So Disney made a decision, and it could have been done better, but what’s done is done.
Have you considered that the tags the dogs are to be given have a transmitter in them similar to those in Magic Bands? Perhaps that is how Disney plans to keep track of whether a dog is in the room for too long, or if he was the one who did a number two and no one picked it up. I don’t know if that’s the case, but if it isn’t, they should consider it. They could use that tracking, combined with security cameras, to make owners behave, as well as their dogs. You don’t have to touch your Magic Band to anything for them to know you’re there, btw. How else do you get pictures from Space Mountain, Mine Train, Splash Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, Frozen Ever After, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc? The dog tag could work the same away, only maybe stronger, and over a greater distance. But this is just speculation, which I should probably not do. We really need to stop all the disinformation and misinformation being thrown around out there already, not add to it.
Well researched and said. Common sence in place. Thank you for taking your time to get and post sensible information.
I love the idea. We have wanted to stay on the grounds forever but due to our four legged family member we could not. He always travels and stays with us.
Thank you Disney
I get some of the cabins at Ft. Wildnerness…but Art of Animation? Lots of families with members with special needs go there, and because it’s so heavily themed, it’s not like there are a lot of similar alternatives if you wanted to go elsewhere, whereas there would be for dog owners.
The person who mentioned the dog hotel had a good idea. That being said, is there’s an issue with https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/best-friends-pet-care/ ? We thought about using it when we were going to get “pocket pets” (as Disney calls them) before even they proved to be too much of an allergy issue.
Is there an issue with Best Friends? Not as such, per se. They are top of the line when it comes to kenneling your dog. But there in lies the problem. Kennels, by their very nature and definition, are very, very, very small. The largest kennel that Best Friends provides, which is almost as expensive as a room at one of the All Stars, is about the size of my walk-in closet. All concrete, even the outdoor part, and my dog is used to going to the bathroom in grass, not on concrete. We use a dog sitter that has 5 acres of fenced in lightly wooded land, and allows dogs on her furniture and even in her bed. We had to kennel our dog when he was ill (at the vet’s, for treatment), and although we had no other choice at the time, we felt awful. I would never chose to kennel a dog while going on vacation if I could hire a pet sitter, or take him with us.
So…I guess there is an issue with Best Friends.
I teally wish people would read the polocies set forth by Disney and have ssome faith is Disney.. It seems many people are overlooking this and the word designated and and desiding polocies on there own as insisting that what they decided will be how it is. Disney is very strick. Resd yhe polocie and stop making rules of your own
Having policies (rules) and enforcing those rules are two completely different things. For example, one of the rules is that dogs are to be silent while in the room. Someone please tell me how they are going to enforce that consistently. Another policy is that dogs should not be left alone more than 7 hours without being checked on. Again I ask, how are they going to monitor and enforce this rule. And the list goes on and on…policies that sound great but are, for the most part, unenforceable.
We have complained about loud parties, loud TVs and screaming kids in rooms. Disney took care of it every time. I see no reason they will not also respond to complaints about barking dogs. If people know their dogs bark incessantly, and they cannot keep them quiet, they should know not to bring them, as they WILL be asked to leave if they cannot control the noise.
And as for enforcing the rule on checking on your dog…hello, Magic Band, anyone? Disney knows every time someone goes into a hotel room. They know when, and how often (which is why, if we are pushing the 11 AM checkout time, we prop the door open during the last few minutes so no “hits” show from our Magic Bands. I’m sure that if there is no activity from Magic Bands to enter the room, they will look into the situation.
Have you ever seen someone try to light a cigarette in a non designated area of Disney. If you have the you are aware that Disney does not take inforcing policies lightly. Also as someone pointed out the tags they will provided for each bog will probably have the same chip as a magic band to monitor the dogs activity. Time without movement from the room, areas the dog has been in both in and out of restricted areas. And if the tag has not been applied do to stagnation. Believe me, Disney’s attorneys, insurance advisors and liability exports researched every possible scenario before allowing disney to roll this out. Although in impossible to garenty 100% All the time, they are sure to keep it to the barest minimum of disregard of policies. So how will they enforce, technology. Fantastic new world we live in.
As a dog owner I support Disney trying to accommodate dog owners. As a dog owner I would also like to point out to non-dog owners and haters of all things dog that I don’t want my dog on vacation with me. I suspect a lot of owners feel the same. My dog is work. I love him but he has to be walked and watched and cleaned up after and played with and fed and so on, and I will happily pay a small fortune to our kennel, where he is very well looked after, to take a break from him. I have taken my dog on vacation (like camping), but I would never do so to Disney, because to me Disney is a place to be waited on, and not lift a finger unless I have to. Yes there are people who can’t bear to leave Fido behind. I suspect are happy to do so and carry on as though the policy doesn’t even exist, especially considering the prices are far higher than even the best pet care at home.
1. Obviously, not everyone is going to bring their dog(s) with them to a Disney hotel, no matter how much they love them. It will, in part, be a cost issue, as well as a potential hassle if they are the type to spent all day at the parks. Also, not all dogs have the temperment to be left alone in a hotel room all day. I honestly do not foresee any Disney hotel being over-run with canines as a result of this policy.
2. There are ALWAYS, unfortunately, bad apples in every bunch. Just as there will always be a few misbehaving kids, teens running wild, and “entitled” adults with no manners to speak of, so too might there be some pet owners that choose to not follow the rules. But complaints from others about a barking dog, or one that is where it shouldn’t be, will work as well as complaints about a too-loud TV, public intoxication, smoking in a no-smoking area, teens sneaking into the pool after it is closed, or other adult misbehavior. Disney will make the offender stop the bad behavior, or leave the resort. Period. In the past 35 years, i have rarely had to complain, but when i have, Disney not only took it seriously, they fixed the problem, and one time upgraded us, and another time comped a night of our stay.
3. I truly believe that the vast majority of people that bring their beloved furbabies will be similar to my family. I used to be at the park before it opened, and stayed until after it closed. But i am older now. Much older. And tired. And not entirely well. I take my dose of Disney a few hours at a time, interspersed with swims in the pool, and naps in the room, as well as a movie before bedtime. Our beloved Spike would have naped the few hours i was gone, gone for walks with me on my return, and happily slept by the bed while i napped or watched TV. In other words, he was a well mannered, quiet, calm, low energy dog that was happiest with his family, and not upset by strange rooms. What did upset him was being put in a kennel (do you know how tiny those things are?), or extended periods with all of us gone, if we got a dog sitter. Usually, we simply did not vacation together. I stayed home with Spike, because he was family, and just as important as any of the rest of us. I wish this policy had existed just a few months ago, so he could have been with us on our last trip before he passed.
4. Only 4 hotels, and limited rooms and areas. I get it, though. You do not want to take a dog to Disney, or do not like dogs, or have other dog issues, therefore, NO ONE should be allowed to take a dog to a Disney hotel. If you dont like it, it should not be allowed. Talk about an “entitled” adult! I could understand if it was ALL Disney hotels, and every room at every hotel, but it is JUST FOUR.
5. And btw, to those who already had reservations and claim everything is booked solid so they cannot switch…how is someone with a dog going to get a reservation if, as you say, everything is booked solid? Either there are rooms available to switch to, or the people with dogs won’t even be able to GET a reservation. It cannot be both.
6. Also…6 hours on the phone to change your reservation? I do it myself online in minutes. Try it. It works great.
Kalebsmon, the start date for dogs at the hotels was Sunday, 10/15. All anyone with an existing reservation has to do to add their dog to their reservation is call Disney. I don’t think many people have said that no dogs should be allowed at Disney. I think the problem is mostly with random room selection, and particular family issues, like children who fear dogs or autistic children.
According to front desk cast members, they were told to assign rooms on a first come, first serve basis, and in all buildings. This poses a problem for those who cannot stay in a room where a dog has previously stayed. I’m sure you can understand that. It’s not really fair to call people entitled because they have medical issues, or do not wish to be near a room with a barking dog. Not everyone is a responsible pet owner.
Yes, a woman and her husband was on the phone for six hours, 2 1/2 hours on hold and the rest speaking with cast members, supervisors and managers trying to change her reservation, without it costing her thousands of dollars more. Try to see the other side of this problem. And condolences on the loss of your beloved pet, Spike.
Why does everyone keep bringing up autistic children? Having autism does not make a person fearful of dogs. Many autistic people have service dogs to help them. If your child has autism so severe that a dog is too much to see, then perhaps Disney is not the place for them to be, and you should reconsider your child’s ability to cope with situations that you are unable to control. As a parent of a child with autism it is my responsibility to ascertain what my child can deal with, and recognize that it is up to me to remove her from an issue, but it is never alright for us to expect an environment to conform to her disability. There is also no such thing as an allergen free environment. If you are deathly allergic to pet dander then it is your responsibility to give Disney medical evidence of such an allergy, and I’m sure they will do their best to accomodate you. If you are afraid of dogs then I don’t know what to tell you. I’m afraid of spiders, but I don’t expect every place I go to guarantee that none will be near me. Sometimes you just have to learn to accept that life will not always be comfortable for you at all times. I don’t say this to be mean, or uncompassionate, but because sometimes you have to realize that you are not the only person with fears, and many of us have to live life in spite of our fears and phobias.
I would think that Disney did not just suddenly make the decision to make these four resorts pet-friendly. So it makes sense that they would have left whatever rooms they were going to designate for this purpose open until they announced it. Therefore, I can see that it would be quite possible for someone to book a “pet-friendly” room even if other resorts have no availability.
As far as booking on-line, I do that all the time with no problem. Just booked a 1-night stay at All-Star Music because we are arriving a day early, but late in the evening. However, when you have booked a vacation almost 8 months in advance it’s usually not possible to modify it on-line. As a dog owner, I think this is a bad idea for a lot of reasons. As a guest who booked a special anniversary trip at the Yacht Club Resort months ago, I think is is inconsiderate not to have given guests who had reservations at these resorts more advance notice. The least they could have done was to send an email to guests booked at these resorts informing them of the changes and giving them an option to change resorts before announcing it. We booked the Yacht Club Resort because we stay there or at the Beach Club each year. We love the location, the pool and the ambiance of these resorts. We chose the Yacht Club this time because of sentimental reasons. We celebrated our 35th Anniversary there and wanted to return for this anniversary trip. But had we known this change was coming we would have booked the Beach Club instead. Now less then 40 days out, there is no availabilty at the Beach Club resort. And we don’t want to stay at any other resort.
And yes, I have spent hours on the phone in the past trying to modify a reservation that could not be modified on-line.
So you might want to consider how this may be affecting guests even before they arrive at their resort and maybe back off a little with the condescending tone.
Read my previous posts, and you will not see a condescending tone in any of them. But after seeing all the ugly, hateful, biting, mean posts on here, i think the fact that the worst i have been is condescending in my last post.
I also spoke with cast members on the phone, and what I was told, by all of them, is far different from what the anti-dog brigade have been waving as weapons.
BTW, i had an 11 day Disney vacation planned 9 months in advance, and a month prior changed it ONLINE, costing only $108 more total. It is possible.
I am simply getting tired of hearing the same thing over and over, as if anyone on this blog has a hope in h*** of changing this policy. Negativity breeds misery, and most of the people posting here seem to be both negative and miserable.
If in time we rescue another dog that would be a good traveller, and we book a Disney vacation for all of us, and two days out Disney cancels their new policy and I have to change my plans, i will be upset, and i might post one rant, but then i will move on to other arrangements.
I do not want to be negative or miserable. And actually…i do not much want to be surrounded by such people, so this is it for me. I feel as if i am being dragged down to the same level as all those repeatedly bashing every aspect of this policy, so…enjoy yourselves. You must be, or you would have moved on by now yourselves.
Changing within a month of going is very difficult. N I am a seasoned Disney diehard, this November being my 30th time. As well my trip in 4 weeks is during American thanksgiving which is very busy, so please don’t belittle those saying they can’t change. I was told there was no availability to change more than 10x and just now have been able to. As well due to family size (6) there is no availability online. Again, the roll out of its implementation is the greatest issue, taking away some’ opportunity to change due to fear/phobia/allergy/preference. Some are travelling 1000s of miles and spending 2-3 weeks so I get their opposition, I have the same. Dog lovers don’t have to have the same opinion, but should respect an opposing opinion instead of attacking people ( parents, grandparents, children).
Hold on…I’m looking for “all the ugly, hateful, biting (I take it that no pun is intended), mean posts”. Sure there are a few, but mostly I see people who say they like the idea and why, people who say they don’t like the idea and why, and a few people who don’t care one way or the other. I also see a number of people who are upset that the change was made AFTER they booked one of 4 resorts. And finally, I see a number of people, most who seem to not be affected personally by this new policy, telling the above mentioned group “just change resorts” and even insinuate they are not being truthful when they say there are no rooms to “change to”. So I must ask why those people even feel the need to comment if it only to be critical of other people expressing their opinion or sharing their experiences or concerns. If you agree with the policy, say so. If you don’t, say so. But don’t make it personal by being condescending or belittling the opinions or experiences of others.
I spent a total of 12 hrs trying to change my resort. The last telephone call found accommodation only after I said I would incur expense for the move. The big issue for me was roll out. There should have been adequate time before roll out. Because someone likes their”rottie” doesn’t mean everyone does. As well, most dog owners posting seem from their posts considerate of others feelings as well as their own. Reality is, “Not everyone likes dogs” and that is okay. It is respect for everyone. Again, Disney wants to pilot pet-friendly, fine…..but implement it in a manner considerate of all guests. 12hrs on the phone with international calls kind of lets you know my feelings/fears of large dogs. Again, I can now rest easy that because of agreeing to pay more I can enjoy my vacation in 4 weeks. I also have a 3 week DisneyWorld/cruise combination planned next year. Knowing the 4 resorts involved will allow me to know where not to book. One thing I do find shameful is the deceitfulness of people who guise their dogs as service dogs. Our world of entitlement and “it’s all about me” is sad and unfair to those who truly need and have service dogs. Disney should start holding those misusing aides for disabilities accountable. Prove disability with paperwork, whether it be service animals or physical disabilities. I get some have a hard time walking, I do to due a significant back injury, but I don’t place may self in the same category as someone unfortunate who through a stroke or physical disability can’t get up out of their wheelchairs and actually walk. Disney should be commended for allowing someone with a disability the opportunity to enjoy what most able bodie people take for granted. Shame on the ablled bodied who use disney’s accommodations for the disabled to be deceitful at others expense. Our problem today is we don’t hold people responsible for abusing the system.
Debbie, there are many forms of disabilities, some unseen. Legally, Disney is not allowed to ask for medical proof. Even if you volunteer it, they will say it is not necessary. But they sometimes don’t mind if you explain it. I have an unseen disability (but not a service animal) and have been issued a disability access pass by Disney. If you saw me, you’d never know. I can walk, but only for so long, so if we go to a park, we grab a wheelchair.
As for dogs in the hotels, I too will probably have to change my reservation, as I have an allergy. It’s sad because we really enjoy staying at Riverside. We spend very little time at theme parks because it is mostly a resort vacation, and Riverside’s quiet pool area is perfect for that. I don’t think it’s fair to make guests pay more for a vacation booked months in advance and with a particular budget in mind.
This new pet policy was grossly mishandled. It’s almost as if a newly hired nephew of one of the higher ups said ‘I have a great idea. What if we let pets stay at our hotels. We’ll make a bundle. Let’s start on Sunday.’ You get the drift. It seems as if no one thought this through.
We are going next month, after Thanksgiving, and will check the situation out at that time. Maybe I’ll get some answers to my questions. Maybe I won’t have to change my reservation (one can only hope).
Debbie, once again I feel the urge to reach out to you. First let me say I’m glade you were able to get you resort issue resolved so you can relax and enjoy your vacation. I’m in disapproval of in having to be at an additional cost to you as again this was sprung on you as a surprise.
You seem like a very reasonable and respectful person. Unfortunately initial reactions can sometime be heated and misunderstood from both sides especially with a surprise element and inadequate information available. I love Disney but in this case of the roll out on new pet policies, shame on them.
Once again I agree with you regarding service dogs and actually thought about this early on. Disney states only licenced service animals will be permitted in public areas. I hope the there staff will be well trained in the differance of license and certified. As almost anyone in America can get certification for there dog with just a prove of a emotional or medical documentation of need. Licencing is much more strict on ongoing. I hope that people will respect and not take advantage of those with a dire need of a service animal and the license clause will be strictly enforced.
I’m sorry that your experiance with dogs had been a negative one. Of cause like humans there are some bad ones, but for the most part they are loving, loyal, happy souls who only want the same. Being associated with resume I can tell you for the most part there are a lot more evil and cruelty in humans then the master majority of animals. Many days I wake up crying and go to bed crying. So please understand for some in goes allot deeper then just wanting cute little animal a exerted by all.
That being said I wish you and your family a peaceful, relaxed and stress-free vacation. Enjoy
Worst decision EVER. Next there will be dogs in the parks with people claiming they are “service” dogs. (if there re not there already) It is out of control everywhere and this is just opening a cans of worms. Pet dander and smell will be all over the hotel whether it is a pet friendly room or not. The AC ventilation will carry through the entire hotel. And I am sure just like other hotels, non-pet friendly rooms will in reality be pet friendly although they say not. I know of people who have had dogs in rooms that they hotel specifies as never having dog in it. I can smell it and have severe allergies so I can tell if a dog has been around. Who is going to “police” and determine if the dog is well behaved?
Totes agree but my family and I have been asked to back off
Could not agree more!