We recently cancelled our reservations for ten nights at POR because of this trial. We have called and cannot get a straight answer as to where the dog rooms will be located. I was first told only rooms in buildings 15,24,80 and 95 would be dog rooms. Then I was told that all available standard and garden-view rooms, with no floor restrictions, would be used. Also, that they will have four designated areas so the dogs can "go". Now I see that only 250 rooms out of all the resorts are to be used. really! What is the correct answer?
I understand the frustration in not being able to get a straight answer. I think you'll find this happens across the board with many policies, more important ones and less important ones, not just this one. CM's are CM's (at virtually every big company) and you can call and ask a question one minute and call back and get a different answer from someone else the next. With brand new policies, I'd expect confusion from the average 407-W-Dis operator.
I would hope the CM's working at the specific dog-friendly hotels would have been better trained on this and may be more helpful. If not, and it was important to me, I'd call that hotel and ask for a supervisor if I wasn't confident in the answer I was being given.
With all that being said, the correct answer, IMO, is to book a different hotel if possible.
I just called to try to change resorts for an April trip, currently booked for three rooms at POR. There were no options within our hotel bracket, so we were offered to either downgrade to All-Star/Pop, or pay an additional 1300 per room for Beach Club (Old Key West was available for a little less, but we strongly dislike that hotel). We put in a request to stay in a room that hasn't housed a pet, but it doesn't seem guaranteed. Customer Service seemed just as surprised/unsure of the policy. They were very helpful and friendly, but it's indisputably surprising that Disney isn't offering some sort of contingency plan to guests affected by this.
I break out in hives when I'm in close contact with pet dander, so I'm just trying to avoid oozing during my vacation (or overdosed on Claritin all week). And some members of my party don't handle animals well. This isn't about being angry over the policy, just trying to make our vacation actually enjoyable.
This was a very well-reasoned, non-hysterical post that makes a lot of sense. Would that there were more like this. I hope this ends up working out for you.
What difference would that make?
The picture was posted second or third-hand. For all we know, it could have been taken a few weeks ago during Irma, when dogs were allowed, no dog policy at all was in effect, and I'm guessing that moment was harder to control, if CM's even knew what to do.
I think a lot of the issue boils down to the anxiety of the possibility. Vacations only last a week, but the anticipation is a lot of the fun. If staying in a dog-friendly hotel makes you anxious for any reason, it only makes sense that you would want to change your plans.
But the issue is more complicated if you are passionate about a hotel, like many people are about POR. Do you ‘risk’ the possibility, deal with the anxiety, and keep your reservation? Or do you change hotels?
This anxiety isn’t necessarily rational, but it happens. And I think it’s reasonable that people don’t want to deal with it when they’re paying 2 grand per person for a week’s vacation.
Another well-reasoned, well-put post. Thank you. It's easier to empathize with a post like this than with someone taking a fit, as has been the norm on this thread.
I do think this could/should have been rolled out with more notice and better training, and that anyone affected should have been accommodated within reason. (If there are no more rooms, I don't know what they can do.)
