Alternatives to Best Friends Pet Resort

[tribbleorlfl]

We're local Passholders with a 2 year-old hound mix. We typically utilize Best Friends for Doggy Daycare when we go to the parks because we they're open after the parks close where as other daycare options would require us to pick him up by 5 or 6 pm.

With the exception of when we first got him (which was a few months before the WDW pet friendly resort pilot started), we've never really had trouble getting a spot for him the week of deciding to go that Saturday or Sunday. Until now.

I called Monday and they informed me they're fully booked every weekend in October, and already booked for some weekends in November and December. It's kind of crazy, because I keep hearing how attendance is down, yet we haven't experienced this kind of crowding at BF at the same times in prior years. Are there just more people coming on
vacation with their pets as opposed to boarding them at home?

Anyways, we were able to fit him in at his vet this weekend, but it requires a whole weekend boarding with pickup on Monday instead of weekend Doggy Day Care with same-day pickup like we prefer.

Is anyone aware of any other pet resorts or Day Care facilities out by the parks that mimic Best Friends' model with extended weekend pickup hours?

Thanks!

 

[revancho]

We're local Passholders with a 2 year-old hound mix. We typically utilize Best Friends for Doggy Daycare when we go to the parks because we they're open after the parks close where as other daycare options would require us to pick him up by 5 or 6 pm.

With the exception of when we first got him (which was a few months before the WDW pet friendly resort pilot started), we've never really had trouble getting a spot for him the week of deciding to go that Saturday or Sunday. Until now.

I called Monday and they informed me they're fully booked every weekend in October, and already booked for some weekends in November and December. It's kind of crazy, because I keep hearing how attendance is down, yet we haven't experienced this kind of crowding at BF at the same times in prior years. Are there just more people coming on
vacation with their pets as opposed to boarding them at home?

Anyways, we were able to fit him in at his vet this weekend, but it requires a whole weekend boarding with pickup on Monday instead of weekend Doggy Day Care with same-day pickup like we prefer.

Is anyone aware of any other pet resorts or Day Care facilities out by the parks that mimic Best Friends' model with extended weekend pickup hours?

Thanks!

Hey tribbleorlfl. Sorry you didn't get an answer to this, but I have a question for you.

I'm considering boarding my dog at Best Friends at the end of April of this year. I'm not 100% sure of my plans yet, so I was wondering how soon this place normally books up.

Am I correct in reading your post above that you generally were booking the week of/before your trip? Up until you ran into an issue last October? Thanks for your help!

 

[nickys]

Hey tribbleorlfl. Sorry you didn't get an answer to this, but I have a question for you.

I'm considering boarding my dog at Best Friends at the end of April of this year. I'm not 100% sure of my plans yet, so I was wondering how soon this place normally books up.

Am I correct in reading your post above that you generally were booking the week of/before your trip? Up until you ran into an issue last October? Thanks for your help!

Hi @revancho, can’t answer your question but just wanted to let you know that you can tag someone like this, and they will get an alert if they have it set up.

@tribbleorlfl, can you help?

 

[tribbleorlfl]

Hey tribbleorlfl. Sorry you didn't get an answer to this, but I have a question for you.

I'm considering boarding my dog at Best Friends at the end of April of this year. I'm not 100% sure of my plans yet, so I was wondering how soon this place normally books up.

Am I correct in reading your post above that you generally were booking the week of/before your trip? Up until you ran into an issue last October? Thanks for your help!

Hi, yeah in the past, we typically were able to fit our doggo in at BFPC the same week we were planning on going (we even were able to get a same day reservation once). Unfortunately, it seems those days are gone. I'm not sure why. More people traveling with pets than prior years? Disney ending the pet friendly hotel program? BFPC decreasing kennels or staff? I'm not sure, I can't get a clear answer from them. All I know is I haven't had any luck getting a spot there since early summer.

Since they said in October they were already fully booked for various dates into December, if you are thinking of traveling in April, I'd go ahead and call them now. Even if your travel plans aren't firm, your deposit locks your reservation in and is refundable as long as you cancel a few days in advance.

 

[Think Tink]

I’m wondering if it may be due to some of the resorts now allowing dogs. That started in 2018 at the Yacht, AoA, and I think one other. Maybe more people are bringing their dogs with them? I would but coming from Ohio it’s a long trip for my one dog who is massive and impatient lol.