4 Walt Disney World Resorts to accept dogs

[Andrew C]

First, that's not what she said when I replied. Second, this is about dogs in a hotel room. Nothing in the press release talks about park access. The dog is in a room, then goes outside on a leash, and then back to a room. I could walk my dog around ANY of the resorts right now. No rules against that.

it is not unreasonable to conclude there will be more dogs walking around the resort now that they are allowed dogs in guestrooms. This will make some people uncomfortable. You may be a responsible dog owner, but not everyone is. And I would imagine this uncertainly is what makes some uncomfortable.

 

[trampdog]

1. Disney made the parks for human families, especially those with children. It's their business model to cater to families with children. No one expects a child-free environment. And human beings have evolved to mostly tolerate human offspring. No one has an allergy to children (yes, I'm sure there's a few people somewhere who have a freak allergic reaction to people, I'm sure you all get the point).

2. Humans can behave badly, yes, and can ruin other people's experience. But I've never had a human bite break skin. I've never had a strange human child lunge at me threatening serious physical harm. Children don't get left in hotel rooms to bark or whimper all day. I don't need to get tetanus shots because of humans. The feces of children generally goes in toilets and diapers. The feces of dogs generally always winds up on the ground.

I wouldn't mind a dog resort if it was sufficiently walled/fended off from the other areas of the resort and WDW could guarantee I wouldn't be staying in the same complex where there are dogs or where a non-working dog was in the room before me. But to put the general non-dog population in the same wing/complex as the dog population... that's really, really stupid.

How do you possibly survive on a daily basis with so many dogs all around you outside of Disney?

 

[Lucky]

My kids don't urinate and defecate anywhere outside of a toilet. They also don't sniff each other's butts or lick their own privates.

Just wait until they join a fraternity...

 

[JenniferS]

There's a dog in front of every Disney park every day sniffing for explosives. Sometimes they are even walking around the parks. Has that every bothered you?

Even recognizing that these are fully trained, professional dogs, the answer is - yes, sometimes.

If it’s a German Shepherd, then for sure. I was attacked by a Shepherd as a kid. 45+ years later, I still have the scar on my face.

Fear is fear. Please don’t make light of it.

 

[G8rchamps]

This whole issue reminds me of mobility scooters.
For every one good one, there will be ten plus negligent people who don't need one - taking advantage of the situation and making things worse for everyone else.

Ouch - you want to take on the ECV crowd and the pet crowd at the same time. Those who want these things will defend them till the end and those who do not care for them will spew their take as well.

I agree that the few % who take advantage ruin nice things for all of us.

 

[Andrew C]

Just wait until they join a fraternity...

 

[Wdw62114]

Well, now I know which 4 resorts NOT to stay at from now on.

 

[SeanWM48]

i own a dog and love fort wilderness and never in a million years would i try and combine the two

 

[Mander]

I just really don't think this is going to be used enough to warrant the reaction it is getting.

I have no kids and never intend to. My fiance and I travel together frequently. We have two dogs that we are fairly obsessed with. We will also not every be bringing them to Disney World. First, I don't want to pay $50-75/night to have them there when they can stay with my family for free. Second, just because they are allowed in the rooms doesn't make Disney this ultimate dog friendly vacation. We take our dogs with us when we go camping and will be going places they are allowed to be. That's pretty much it. I think you'll find most people are the same.

I also think that most people willing to pay that kind of money to bring their dog to Disney tend to be the responsible type. Sure there will be issues from time to time- but there always are. I say this as someone who has worked a busy front desk and has had to ask a guest to leave due to an unruly dog. I just don't see things going as poorly as some seem to think.

 

[SirLink]

Something that really surprises me is how this impacts the child-safe environment that Disney works so hard to preserve.

With this new rule you have the potential for dangerous dogs to be on the loose around the resorts. The dogs on the loose problem exists in people's neighborhoods, and I think they welcome the escape from that when they stay at a Disney resort.

Still scratching my head over this decision.

Not only that the first young child that goes to pet the dog with the parents backs turned and the dog bites the child, will the spell the end to this. As the Orlando News media will be all over them.

 

[bhg469]

I would agree with this if this was occurring at a standard resort. But WDW is unique...so it makes me hesitate

Exactly!! the people staying there are in a whole different mindset. The ones that will screw it up are far more common than the ones that won't.

 

[75disney]

I never stay at a resort/ hotel that allows dogs so I will not be staying at those 4 resorts. Pets belong at home, not public places, like planes, buses, restaurants, etc. The dogs should not be allowed on Magical Express or any Disney transportation. They want dogs on property, build a Pluto boutique hotel just for dog owners and charge a ridiculous amount to stay there like they are doing with the Star Wars hotel. Disney could make a fortune.

 

[Andrew C]

Pets belong at home, not public places, like planes, buses, restaurants, etc

Side note...the problem dogs are the dogs who do not go out in public places and as a result, are never socialized with other people or animals. So while point taken about how you feel about dogs staying at the Disney resorts, keeping dogs away from all public places is probably not a great idea generally.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

It would be a problem for my allergies. My issue with dogs isn't outside at all. Dogs outside don't trigger my dog allergies.

While I do take allergy shots each month, My allergies still do act up. I went to relatives homes for Christmas growing up and my allergies did act up despite them putting away their dog or cat depending on the house. What allergy shots do is prevent asthma attacks.

The other thing is I think Disney is opening up a big problem if all rooms in the hotel are dog friendly because not everyone develops allergies right away after they are born. I didn't dog allergies as a baby, but I did by the time I turn 6 or 7 years old. How I knew was my parents were dog owners.



What I am getting is very possible for a person on vacation to suddenly discover they have allergies to dogs depending if they don't have dogs at home.

 

[DisneyJoe]

i own a dog and love fort wilderness and never in a million years would i try and combine the two

Fort Wilderness has always had pet friendly loops - so it has been allowed for many years, this latest change allows them in the cabins.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Love how people cut out parts of my post as if they represent the entire post.

If you cared to read further down - I'm cautiously mixed -- due to Disney seemingly responding in a knee-jerk fashion to this. That - and I think there is an overestimation of how many people will actually be using this. A bit to early to jump to conclusions.

I don't know about that for sure. I am going by Orlando's own airport on my last WDW trip. I seen a lot of dogs at the Orlando airport as I was waiting for my flight.

I actually think there are more people bringing their dogs on their trips than they did back in the 1980s or 1990s. Before I developed allergies, my parents never brought our family dog along any trip and she was part german shepherd and part collie.

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

No problem - we don't stay at those Hotels. And never will.

WDW? Don't try this with DVC - it's not in the contract.

 

[beertiki]

We stayed at the Poly with two pugs during Irma. People went out of their way to come say Hi.

I don't think this is about more money, I think they are trying to keep some resorts pet free. There are a lot of bogus service animals at Disney, now they will all be in one place.

 

[erikjp]

Good lord, people on here are acting like WDW just set a bomb off at the 4 resorts. At the price point there's going to be a minor increase in in the presence of dogs. I bet 90% of you will not even notice a difference.

It's nice knowing this option exists. I take my French bulldog everywhere I can, so it would be nice to be able to take her to Disney World as well. She's a retired child therapy dog and she LOVES kids.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I don't think this is about more money, I think they are trying to keep some resorts pet free. There are a lot of bogus service animals at Disney, now they will all be in one place.

I would have hope of that happening if there wasn't a hefty fee for Fido. The people who try to pass off pets as service/working dogs would have no moral qualms about continuing to do so to avoid the fee. Disney can't charge extra for service/working dogs.

Though, I wonder if they would make service/working dogs stay in the same area as pet dogs?