>> Dog-Friendly Resorts FAQ <<

[Lynne M]

I think it's time for a FAQ thread on Disney's dog-friendly resort policy. This will be run in the same general way as the Smoking FAQ and will be a place to ask questions about the policy and share your knowledge to help those who are planning a stay at Disney resorts with their dog. Like the smoking thread, it can also be a help to those who wish to find out where dogs may be found so they can be avoided.

The purpose of this thread is to provide useful planning information to travelers. It is not a place for debates or rants, and those posts will be removed without comment, just as they are on other FAQ threads. If you just want to announce that you don't like the policy, or that you want Disney to change the way they classify service animals, or that you saw a lot of dogs in the Magic Kingdom the other day and what is the world coming to...send it to WDW.Guest.Communications@disneyworld.com.

I'm going to close the Help us gather information on Disney's policies on dogs at resorts thread and the Experiences at Dog Friendly Resorts thread, as that sort of information should now be posted on this thread.



The following is an overview of what we currently know about Disney's dog-friendly resort policy. If you know of any updates or corrections to this information, post it on this thread and I'll try to keep the overview updated. Keep in mind that some of this information was relayed by CMs who may or may not be familiar with all policies, so unless you see it in writing on an official Disney website or document, take it with the proverbial grain of salt.

A big thank you to everyone who posted on our information-gathering and experience-sharing threads! Your contributions were very helpful in putting this FAQ together.


Which Disney resorts are currently allowing guests to have dogs in their room?

Guests may have their dogs stay with them at four Disney resorts:

Disney's Art of Animation Resort
Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside
Disney's Yacht Club Resort
The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort

Disney Parks Blog: Dogs Welcome at Select Walt Disney World Resorts


Will I pay more for a dog-friendly room?

Yes. Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside, Disney's Art of Animation Resort and The Cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort charge an additional fee of $50 per night, per room if you wish to bring a dog. Disney's Yacht Club Resort charges $75 per night. Guests with dogs will receive Pluto's Welcome Kit, which includes an ID tag, dog training pads, bowls and a mat, waste disposal bags, maps of dog-walking areas at your resort, and a door hanger to let staff know that there's a dog in your room.


Are there any restrictions on the number or kind of pets I can bring?

Guests may have up to two dogs in their room. There are no size or breed restrictions. No other types of pets are permitted in resort rooms.


Any special rules I must follow while my dog is in the room?

Here are the basics:

Dogs may not be in the room alone for longer than seven hours. If you are contacted by the resort and asked to return to the room due to a problem with the dog, you must do so within 30 minutes.

The guest is responsible for managing the behavior of their dog, and cleaning up after their dog. If the dog is causing a disturbance to other guests, the resort has the right to require you to house the dog elsewhere or to leave the resort.

While the dog is in the room, the provided hang tag must be placed on the door to notify staff.

When you check in, you will be given an agreement to sign detailing the full terms and conditions for your stay with your pet. A sample pet agreement from Port Orleans Riverside can be found on PortOrleans.org.


What about housekeeping? Will they come into the room while my dog is in there? What if I'm out at a theme park?

Housekeeping will not enter a room if a dog is present. Contact housekeeping by pressing the button on your in-room phone to schedule a cleaning time when the dog will not be there. I interpret this to mean that the dog must be removed from the room while the housekeeper is working, so it's a good time to plan a walk.


Where can I take the dog for a walk?

There are designated dog-walking areas at each of the four dog-friendly resorts. Waste disposal bag dispensers and trash cans are located in these areas.

Dog Relief Areas: Disney's Yacht Club Resort
Dog Relief Areas: Disney's Art of Animation Resort
Dog Relief Areas: Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside
Dog Relief Areas: The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort

Dogs must be leashed or crated at all times when not in the guest's room and are not allowed in pool areas, club level lounges, food and beverage locations, or fitness centers.


Will I need to bring proof of vaccination for my dogs?

Vaccination records must be provided to the resort upon request, so do bring them. According to the sample pet agreement mentioned above, DHPPv/DA2PPv, Rabies and Bordetella vaccinations are required.


Can I bring my dog on Disney transportation?

Dogs can ride on Disney's Magical Express and the Minnie Vans, but must be crated at all times. Dogs may not ride Disney buses, boats or monorails.


I thought dogs were already allowed at some campsites at Fort Wilderness. Does the new policy affect guests who are camping?

No, the campsite policy remains in place. Fort Wilderness campers can still request a pet-friendly loop for an additional $5 per night. The Fort has its own pet policies, so see The Campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort at DisneyWorld.com for more information. If you have questions about pets at the campsites, post them on the Camping at Disney World board here on the DISboards.


What if I have second thoughts about having the dog in my resort room, or I don't want to leave the dog alone in the room while I'm out all day?

Best Friends Pet Care's "pet hotel" is located on Bonnet Creek Parkway, across from Port Orleans Riverside. They offer boarding, day care and grooming services. Call 877-4-WDW-PETS, 877-493-9738 or visit bestfriendspetcare.com.


My child has severe dog allergies. Can I be guaranteed that we will be given a room that has never had a dog staying in it?

There is no way to guarantee that a particular room has never hosted a dog, as service animals can stay at any resort, and I have never heard any cast member say that Disney tracks rooms where dogs have stayed. However, Disney does do a deep clean on any room that has been occupied by a dog before assigning it to the next guest. It's certainly worth mentioning when you make your reservation or add requests that you have an allergic family member.


Are dogs being hosted in specific buildings or floors of resorts? What if I don't want to be near other guests' dogs?

Disney has stated that dogs will only be placed in certain areas of resorts. If you wish to avoid dogs during your stay, you may request to be placed in an area that is not being used by guests with dogs. According to Disney, approximately 250 rooms property-wide are being designated as dog-friendly. That's less that one percent of their total room inventory.

According to portorleans.org, dog-friendly rooms are located in buildings 15, 24, 80 and 95 at Port Orleans Riverside. Guest reports indicate that dog-friendly rooms at Art of Animation are in the Little Mermaid and Cars buildings. I have not seen specifics on the location of dog-friendly rooms at Yacht Club.


How do I make a reservation for a pet-friendly room?

There doesn't seem to be a way to indicate that you need a pet-friendly room when making an online reservation, so I would strongly suggest that you either make your reservation by phone (407-934-7639) or call to inform Disney that you will be bringing a dog after you've made an online reservation.


Can I bring my dog to the theme parks or Disney Springs?

Dogs may not be brought into the theme parks, water parks or Disney Springs, with the exception of service dogs assisting guests with disabilities.


This was a trial program and was to end in October 2018. Do we know whether it will be renewed?

There have been reports that the program will continue beyond October, but Disney has not released any official statement. Stay tuned.

 

[3DisneyBuggs]

I planned a trip for early October and resort pickings with a discount are slim. I chose Yacht Club because it was available. I wanted a deluxe resort. I asked to be away from dogs and for an allergy clean. I look everyday for other availability with no luck. I know it will be fine but my worrying self imagines a room smelling like dog, dog barking next door and my DD with hives. Feel free to share your experiences and to tell me Im being silly.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

I stayed at Riverside last week and saw exactly one dog, and that particular dog was not barking. The owner had it on a leash it and it was in a designated dog area outside.

 

[disny_luvr]

We stayed at both POR and YC in June and saw three dogs total, all at POR. I read on these boards that dogs are kept in certain areas of the resorts. I think at the YC, dogs are on the first floor only. Honestly, I wouldn’t worry about it. When I was younger, I had an allergy to pet dander that was bad - hives on neck, swollen and itchy eyes - but I’ve seen to have outgrown it. Anyway, at first I was worried about the dogs (and honestly I’m not a fan of dogs only because we never had one because of my allergy), but got over it quickly after reading these boards and many noting that they aren’t a problem. I wouldn’t let it dampen your stay. When checking in, I’d mention that you’d like a room away from any dogs that might be staying at the resort and they’ll try their best to accommodate you.

 

[AngiTN]

We've yet to see a dog at a resort since they started the policy change. No allergies here so can't comment on that part but I can say we have been at resorts that allow dogs and haven't been impacted by them.
Oddly, the only time we were bothered by a dog in a room near us was before the new policy came in to being so it was case where the new policy wouldn't have had any impact anyway.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

I don't think you're being silly at all.

In April I saw two dogs in the Yacht Club lobby. They were in the line to check in. I think this is allowed by the policy, so you might also encounter dogs in the check-in line. I also saw a dog urinating in a grassy area behind the Yacht Club, that was not marked as a pet relief area, as the dog's owners watched.

I personally would prefer to stay offsite in a no-pets hotel, rather than onsite at a hotel that allows pet dogs.

 

[Sue M]

I agree, it’s not like resorts are over run by doggies. I think you are doing the right thing for you, asking for an allergy clean because any room can have had a service dog in it. That’s for any resort. They aren’t limited to resorts that allow dogs.

 

[gillep]

We have stayed twice at YC, and my husband has stayed once at POR, we have seen no dogs at YC and he said he saw one at POR outside walking on a leash with the owner. Neither one of us has heard any barking or other dog related noises on these trips.

 

[Lynne M]

I'm going to merge this into the new Dog-Friendly Resorts FAQ, it'll make a nice kickoff for that thread. There's a link in the first post to this thread...

Experiences at Dog-Friendly Resorts

...which you may find helpful, OP.

 

[Lurch]

With all due respect Lynne, why do you lock down any discussion thread about the hot topic items such as room checks and dogs on property into one of your limited FAQ threads? Perhaps some of us would like to have a discussion about the policies outside one of those threads?

I just can't for the life of me understand why certain topics are not allowed to be discussed freely on this forum.

 

[Lynne M]

With all due respect Lynne, why do you lock down any discussion thread about the hot topic items such as room checks and dogs on property into one of your limited FAQ threads? Perhaps some of us would like to have a discussion about the policies outside one of those threads?

I just can't for the life of me understand why certain topics are not allowed to be discussed freely on this forum.

There are no topics that are not allowed to be discussed on the Resorts board, so long as they're related to Disney's resorts, and you're certainly welcome to start a thread on the Resorts board on room checks or dog-friendly resorts. The only reason I moved this one to the FAQ was that it was a great question, just the kind of discussion that others might be interested in, and would give our new FAQ a good start.

As for other threads on the Resorts boards, the DISboards does have rules of conduct for our posters, and a thread will sometimes be shut down if it's repeatedly dragged off topic by arguments, personal attacks, or other inappropriate behavior. Our core mission here on the DISboards is to help those who are planning Disney travel, and while I do try to give people plenty of opportunity to express opinions, sometimes a thread on a hot-button topic will deteriorate into a repetitive argument between a handful of people who are expressing the same points over and over again. That's not of any use or interest to anyone except the small group of people who are participating in the argument.

We have a couple of different kinds of FAQs on the Resorts board. The general-use FAQs like this one, the smoking FAQ, and the delivery FAQs, are here mostly as a convenience to our posters. They're topics we get a lot of interest in, and it's helpful to have information gathered in one place so posters don't have to search all over the boards for it. We have ground rules for these FAQs in order to keep them on-topic and focused on sharing helpful information.

The "post your experiences" FAQs are much more tightly moderated. Using the room checks as an example, every discussion on that was a mix of about 40% what-if posts about things that weren't happening, 50% heated arguments, and 10% factual information about what was actually happening at the resorts. The room check experiences thread was a way to make that information easier to find for those who just wanted to know what to expect during their stay and didn't want to wade through a few thousand "I don't like this policy!" posts to find it. You'll note that I posted at the top of the thread that those wanting to ask questions or discuss the policy should post a thread on the board.

There's no requirement that posts on dog-friendly resorts be made only on this thread. We do encourage posts on topics that have a FAQ to be made on the FAQ, but that's mostly for the sake of organization.

 

[JewelofAlderaan]

I saw the biggest fluffiest white (golden retriever maybe?) dog at Yacht Club during mid-late July last month and I loved him. It would be so cool if he belonged to someone here.

 

[sfbank]

I bet that was the same dog we saw strolling on the Boardwalk. We were there mid July. I was surprised as it had no service animal indication and was on the Boardwalk. Maybe the rules have changed who knows.

 

[Christine9125]

We were at YC the end of July, beginning of August and out neighbor had a small dog. I had not read the 1st post in here with their rules they were to follow or I would have called the front desk or gone and spoke with a manager. It barked (or yipped) all day. Not sure what time its human's left for the day and we only heard them one evening around 9 pm. I did not notice a tag on their door either. Now we were not in our room all day long, but we did not do parks this trip so were in and out most of the day and felt really bad for the doggie.

 

[Scott MC]

I bet that was the same dog we saw strolling on the Boardwalk. We were there mid July. I was surprised as it had no service animal indication and was on the Boardwalk. Maybe the rules have changed who knows.

And i think this is the worry for many. I am not allergic to dogs, am not afraid of dogs, and do like dogs (though I'm more of a cat person). We've stayed at countless hotels that allow pets and never had a problem. Last weekend, we got married at a local historic hotel, and the morning of the wedding, saw two precious corgis getting off the elevator. My (and I think many others') concern comes with dog owners not following the rules. From what I've read (and correct me if I'm wrong), that big fluffy, adorable dog was not supposed to be walking on the Boardwalk. There have been countless reports I've read here, Trip Advisor, and other travel sites that complain that the issue is that Disney isn't strictly enforcing the rules. There have been reports of non-service dogs at Stormalong Bay at BC/YC, in food courts, in CL lounges and in parks. In fact, one HIGHLY respected Disney travel site/channel/blog did a review of the poiicy at YC and the "reviewer" wasn't even hiding that she'd released her dog to do its business without its leash!....This is against the rules!

This is very concerning to me, and to keep this on topic with the thread, I'd like to ask if anyone has had any experiences (positive or negative) with seeing dogs....well...let's be honest...their owners, breaking rules and Disney's response. What is the course of action if for example you see a dog off of a leash, report it, and it's clear nothing is being done?

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

Have there been any updates regarding what buildings dogs can be in POR? I love dogs dearly (have one non shedding dog) but my husband has severe dog allergies and we would much prefer to be in a building that does not allow dogs.

 

[ahpm414]

We just returned from an eight night stay at the Yacht Club, August 4-12, and we did not see or hear any dogs. We are personally not dog lovers, so I was a bit worried about staying here, however there were no issues. From the look and smell of our room (2067), it did not appear that a dog had ever been in the room.

 

[WVU Disney Fan]

Have there been any updates regarding what buildings dogs can be in POR? I love dogs dearly (have one non shedding dog) but my husband has severe dog allergies and we would much prefer to be in a building that does not allow dogs.

Would like to know this as well

 

[Jen1995]

And i think this is the worry for many. I am not allergic to dogs, am not afraid of dogs, and do like dogs (though I'm more of a cat person). We've stayed at countless hotels that allow pets and never had a problem. Last weekend, we got married at a local historic hotel, and the morning of the wedding, saw two precious corgis getting off the elevator. My (and I think many others') concern comes with dog owners not following the rules. From what I've read (and correct me if I'm wrong), that big fluffy, adorable dog was not supposed to be walking on the Boardwalk. There have been countless reports I've read here, Trip Advisor, and other travel sites that complain that the issue is that Disney isn't strictly enforcing the rules. There have been reports of non-service dogs at Stormalong Bay at BC/YC, in food courts, in CL lounges and in parks. In fact, one HIGHLY respected Disney travel site/channel/blog did a review of the poiicy at YC and the "reviewer" wasn't even hiding that she'd released her dog to do its business without its leash!....This is against the rules!

This is very concerning to me, and to keep this on topic with the thread, I'd like to ask if anyone has had any experiences (positive or negative) with seeing dogs....well...let's be honest...their owners, breaking rules and Disney's response. What is the course of action if for example you see a dog off of a leash, report it, and it's clear nothing is being done?

From what I have read on these boards, by far the most common response from CMs when someone has reported a dog owner breaking the rules is that there is "nothing that can be done." So I guess at that point you would have to take the CM's name and escalate the complaint to management.

Edited to add: congratulations on your wedding!

 

[VAfamily1998]

"Pet relief area" at the YC: It looks like it is very close to the quiet pool?
Kind of gross question, but if you are sitting in the hot tub there, can you see it? I can't think of anything I'd rather not see, than a pet relieving itself while I'm trying to relax in the hot tub!
I guess on a similar note, is the pet relief area visible from the rooms on that side of the building? For example, room 1032-40, and all the rooms above those on each floor?
They appear to have a direct view of the hot tub, and I just wonder if you're outside on your balcony, would your view include the pet relief area?
Thanks!