A lot of dogs at FW?

[LMHB]

This will be our frist trip to FW cabins, and as I was just reading over another post, I am getting the impression that there are a lot of dogs at this property. Is that the case? We are not dog lovers. Thank goodness the cabins do not allow them, I think that would be disgusting. However, I also do not want my family exposed to dogs while walking around the property, we have small children. And I don't care what anyone says, there ARE some breeds which are just plain dangerous, and any dog is unpredictable with strangers. Are there dogs being walked on the trails or near the petting zoo, pool, or playground? Is this a good property for small children if you don't want to constantly clamp onto them for fear of dogs on too-long leashes? Our kids will be 7, 5, and 2 1/2. Thanks!

[mel64]

Hi, I'm sorry I can't answer your question, but just in case you get slammed by the dog lovers. I'm right there with you. I can't stand being around a bunch of dogs. I love my small pooch but, she stays in the kennel when we go on trips.

[mel64]

I found this, hope it helps

Specific areas of Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground have been made available to Guests with pets. These are full hook-up campsites. There is a $5.00 per day pet charge. (This is a per day, per site charge only, not per pet.) Sorry, Guests in tents and pop-up campers may not keep pets at their site - they must be kenneled.



The guidelines for Guests with pets are as follows:



* Pets will be restricted at all times to the designated pet loops during the Guest's stay.

* Pets must be walked on the pet path along the canal only. The owner is also responsible for picking up and disposing after their pet.

* Pets may not roam freely in their campsites. The pet must be kept on a leash when being walked or tethered when on the site. This tether can be no longer than 8 feet.

* Guests may not leave pets unattended in their site, which causes them to bark or whine, disturbing other Guests.

* Pets will not be allowed on pargos (electric carts).



NOTE: Pet owners not following these policies will be asked to kennel their pet.

[welovemickey]

We just got back today and found that during this trip there were a lot of dogs. We were in a Preferred Pet Loop (300). I've never seen any dogs outside of the loops, just inside being walked on their leashes. We brought our dog with us this time so it was our first experience in a pet loop.

[tim5055]

Pets are restricted to the pet loops and the area around the kennel. Staying in a cabin you should not even see them.

[DMRick]

When we walked around the campground, I was surprised to see dogs outside of the loops (we weren't camping there, but had in the past and just wanted to walk around). When the security truck came by us, and stopped to ask some kids on a noisy gas scooter, to put helmets on, I asked about it, and was told their goal was to make guests happy, and if the people had a leash on their dogs, they had no problem with them being walked out of the loop. This particular person we saw walking their large dog, was young and had no control (and no doggie bag, when it dumped..it was left there). Guess those guests were happy, but I'm not so sure the guest who might step in it and drag it into their RV would be.

[tci1212]

I don't think you have to worry about dogs. We have been going to FW for years and we stay in the cabins. I don't recall seeing any dogs walking around. :D

[ugadog99]

You won't see any dogs in the cabin loops. The dogs are contained, for the most part, inside their loops and pet walk areas. The cabins are wonderful and I'm sure you will enjoy them. Our next trip is in June with our camper (for the first time) and our THREE doxies!

[mrskti]

We just left FW this a.m., there are lots of dogs at FW, but most people are very good about them. We've never ran into any problem with them at all. I can't imagine going to any campground and not running into a few pups!! Maybe you should consider another resort if you hate them that much, dogs aren't allowed in them.

<a href='*******************************************ZSzeb008_ZSxdm314' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_1_133.gif' alt='Dog Munching' border=0></a>

[Rhonda]

mrskti: LOL - I just had to say I love the smiley at the end of your post! :flower:

[mrskti]

mrskti: LOL - I just had to say I love the smiley at the end of your post! :flower:


:earboy2: I know, me bad!!!!! ah heck, I can't help it, I like dogs. I'm still bugging my husband to let me get another....And it will definately go to FW!!

[mousy_in_canada]

You won't see any dogs in the cabin loops. The dogs are contained, for the most part, inside their loops and pet walk areas. The cabins are wonderful and I'm sure you will enjoy them. Our next trip is in June with our camper (for the first time) and our THREE doxies!

I am very glad to hear this.. my daughter was mauled when she was 2 years old by a dog and I have not liked dogs ever since.. to hear them barking on my vacation would not be a treat.. I could stay home to hear that next door.. lol.. I just don't trust dogs at all.. so the less I have to see them the better.
Sorry all dog owers I just can't handle them anymore, I used to like them but no more.

[risy]

Hi LMHB,

We stay in the cabins a couple time a year with our very small children (young & petite). That said, I have no desire to run into a poorly trained animal. I myself am intimidated by large dogs.

Fortunately, we have never seen a dog (that I recall) in all of our visits. We go back & forth from the cabins to the marina area and have never seen a dog.

(Good question, too!) You'll love it!!

[We4mickey]

1600,1700,1800 and 1900 loop are for pet owners. No pets are allowed in cabins.
And if pet loops are full there are other loops that they use.

[tim5055]

1600,1700,1800 and 1900 loop are for pet owners. No pets are allowed in cabins.
And if pet loops are full there are other loops that they use.

Actually they have added loops for pets.

As noted 1600, 1700, 1800, & 1900 loops were the original standard pet loops to that they now use the 800 loop all the time. Additionally the 300 and700 "preferred" loops are pet loops all the time. The 500 loop is an overflow preferred pet loop when additional pet sites are needed.

So, to summarize:

800, 1600, 1700, 1800, & 1900 are standard (full hook up) pet loops

300 and 700 are "preferred" pet loops.

The 500 loop is an overflow preferred pet loop when additional pet sites are needed.

[firenurse]

If we request loop 300, but don't have a dog do we still get charged extra because we are staying in a preferred pet loop?

[John VN]

If we request loop 300, but don't have a dog do we still get charged extra because we are staying in a preferred pet loop?

Nope

Last time we were at FW they also had doggie bags and A "No Pets Beyond This Point" sign in the 900 loop. I believe that is also a pet overflow loop now.
Will double check in a couple of weeks.

John

[RocklandRVers]

Not everyone who stays in pet loops has a pet. I don't think anyone is charged for a pet unless they have one. The charge is for the pet not the loop.

Some choose those loops for their own reasons. Although we do bring our dog and prefer 1900, we would choose 1900 regardless since we find its more "isolated" and quieter.

In 4 trips to Fort Wilderness since May 2003, I have never been disturbed by dogs barking or people not controlling them. Responsible dog owners are like responsible parents and keep their dogs in check.

To be honest, I am more annoyed by the parents who let young kids run around out of control on the golf carts than I have ever been by dogs. Last summer we saw a 2 youngsters with a rental golf cart doing "donuts" along the canal pet walk. I winced at one point when they made a high speed turn and went on 2 wheels. Never saw horrid behavior from dogs.

[Rabbit&Tigger'sMom]

How many dogs are you allowed to have with you? Is there a size limit on the dogs?

Is there a kennel on site? Does anyone know the price? Can you just kennel for the day and keep the dogs with you at night?

I am new to this!!!

Thank you in advance.

Tracy

[RocklandRVers]

I am not sure if there is a limit on the number of pets or the size. There is an additional $5 per pet though. I have seen some of the teeniest Chihuahas to big Labradors. I think the most I have seen is 2 per site, but again not sure of the limit on the number. Lots of other campgrounds limit it to 2.

We have never used the Kennel, but there is one at the Outpost (thats where you check in) in a building east of the big bus stop and at the north end of the overflow parking lot. Its about $10 per day and from what I have read, you can leave them during the day and pick them up at night to have them stay with you as long as its not in a cabin or tent and only in a motorhome or hard sided travel trailer that the dog(s) cannot get out of. They also ask you to come walk them twice during the day since the staff does not walk them and only give them food and water.

We have never used it. We keep our little dog (Jack Russell Terrier) in the motorhome with the AC (when its warm) and leave a radio or the TV on. He is used to being home all day by himself at home so its not a problem. We also don't stay gone all day. We generally hit the parks early in the morning and come back to the site for lunch and give him a nice walk and go swimming and then go back to the parks late afternoon / evening.

[FWCamper]

The kennel is crates not dog runs at the outpost. My dogs got very agitated since they have never been crated. I ended up picking them up. We usually leave them in the rv , but it was out for service. My cats however were fine. I'm not sure but the magic kingdom might have runs, i have used MGM kennel as well but can't remember if it was crates.

[rapriebe]

The $5 pet fee is per night not per dog. Whether you have one dog or two, the rate is still only $5 per night.

RocklandRVers - totally agree on the kid situation. I see more kids out of control than I have even seen with pets. I have never seen a dog running loose and only occassionally have heard any barking. But since I have dogs, I do not get upset with barking dogs. Dogs will bark just like kids will yell and scream.

[John VN]

rapriebe

I have not seen dogs running loose either, however, I have seen people running with dog in tow outside of the pet loops on the main roads. Can not blame the dogs for this since I am pretty sure they can't read the "no pets beyond this point" sign at every pet loop exit. I am worried about the owners though because if they can't read the signs then they shouldn't be driving.

John

[tim5055]

The kennel is crates not dog runs at the outpost. My dogs got very agitated since they have never been crated. I ended up picking them up. We usually leave them in the rv , but it was out for service. My cats however were fine. I'm not sure but the magic kingdom might have runs, i have used MGM kennel as well but can't remember if it was crates.

The last time I was there FW still had about 10 covered outside runs. You have to ask for them, the CMs usually don't volunteer them.

[FWCamper]

Thank you for the information. I never would have know that they had runs. I learn so much insider info from these boards!

[tim5055]

Thank you for the information. I never would have know that they had runs. I learn so much insider info from these boards!

Now, with the information be careful. I know I wouldn't leave Natasha outside in July - very hot!

[bhanback]

This will be our frist trip to FW cabins, and as I was just reading over another post, I am getting the impression that there are a lot of dogs at this property. Is that the case? We are not dog lovers. Thank goodness the cabins do not allow them, I think that would be disgusting. However, I also do not want my family exposed to dogs while walking around the property, we have small children. And I don't care what anyone says, there ARE some breeds which are just plain dangerous, and any dog is unpredictable with strangers. Are there dogs being walked on the trails or near the petting zoo, pool, or playground? Is this a good property for small children if you don't want to constantly clamp onto them for fear of dogs on too-long leashes? Our kids will be 7, 5, and 2 1/2. Thanks!

I am new here, and really hesitated to make this my first post, but as a dog owner who is really excited about our "family" trip to Fort Wilderness for the fIRST time, I just had to respond to this. I am the Executive Director of an SPCA as well, so everyone please forgive me, it is my job to stand up for the animals. I own a Chesapeake Bay Retriever who is a show dog and obedience dog, we frequently stay in nice hotels when on the dog show circuit, and almost every trip we find evidence of more disgusting behavior from human beings in our lodgings than my dog could ever dream of. I won't go into the gory/tawdry details here. In addition, I am personally familiar with several dogs who SAVED the lives of their human owners at great risk to thier own.

Both my dogs (the other is an SPCA Beagle) routinely travel to classrooms to visit with children and it is so gratifying to see a child who was afraid of dogs leaning up over my big brown dogs back, exploring with delight his wavy brown fur. Statistics show that chidren who learn how to interact in an appropriate way with dogs run less risk of being bitten, even if they are not "dog lovers" per se.

Each day at the animal shelter I see more horror inflicted on cats and dogs by the human race for no reason, and yet these animals are still willing to respond to love, kindness and responsible handling. If only humans could be so tolerant and forgiving.

I guess I really feel more pity for this poster than anything else, since her family will never experience the feeling of sittng by a fire, with a dog curled up at your feet, who is gazing up at your face with unconditional love.

And lest we forget, many charcaters at Disney World are BASED on those horrible, disgusting animals, so watch out for Pluto and the gang! I don't know if "THe MOUSE" falls into the category the poster is describing, if so, she's at the wrong place!

We (and our dogs!) are looking forward to our visit! We hope to see a lot of you at the campground!

[rapriebe]

bhanback,

Well said, I totally agree with you. I would also like to praise you for your work with the SPCA; it's people like you that make many of our furry friends have happier lives. :cheer2: :cheer2: :cheer2:

[DMRick]

I guess I really feel more pity for this poster than anything else, since her family will never experience the feeling of sittng by a fire, with a dog curled up at your feet, who is gazing up at your face with unconditional love.

*************

Some people just don't want to own a dog, and I think she was nervous about any uncontrolled dogs that may be around. Some people don't take responsibility for their dogs, and let young children, who can't handle them be in charge of the dog. Sometimes, that is not good. While most dogs are harmless, there are dogs who are not...and for that one in several hundred, it's hard to know in advance which it would be...and someone with a fear, doesn't want to take that chance. I'm sure your animals are sweethearts, but not all are, unfortunately. I love animals, and there are some that would be brought into our practice, that made me nervous. The owners always start out with..hey, don't worry, he'll never bite you. Some of those have been brought back in because they did bite someone.

Working for the SPCA, I'm sure you have seen what I have seen. Dogs brought in to be put down, because they have been out of control and injured a human. While it may ultimately been the humans fault for not training the dog, or not treating it right, there are, as the poster said, some dogs, more agressive than others, and those seem to be the ones adopted or bought by people who do not train them or treat them right. I love animals, and have had many of my own "saves", but I certainly understand someone's fear of animals. They don't have to fear the Mickey Mouses and Plutos, since those are cartoons, and not real. I think it's only fair that we understand that not everyone likes "real" animals, for all different reasons, and may just want to know if she/he will be around them.

While it's good that you teach kids to not be afraid, and to lessen their chances of being bitten, in our area (and many other areas), the kids where not doing anything wrong or initiating anything to be blamed for being bit or mauled. Some dogs are agressive, and that's just the way life turns out. Most dogs are not like this, but for some people, the fear is there, and we may not know their reasons, and the fault may not lay with them, but because of something that happened to them. When my daughter in law comes to visit, our cat (our sweet, gentle 18 year old cat), has to be locked upstairs (not that she minds, since she is often upstairs on her own), not because SHE has ever bitten, but because of something that happened to my dil as a child. She is very fearful, and although she understands our cat would never harm her, it's something, that even with help, she has not been able to get over.

That said, the answer is no, you shouldn't see the dogs near the petting zoon, pool, etc. They are suppose to stay in their loops, although you may occasionally see them being walked out their loops.

[Weegie]

We have always taken our three cockers to FW. This year it will be only two because we lost one of our babies to cancer in December. We have never observed loose or out of control dogs. We have never seen any dogs outside of the pet loops. I don't recall ever seeing anyone not cleaning up after their pet at FW. I respect your feelings about dogs even if I don't agree with them. At least Disney has special camp sites for people with pets so that people who feel as you do don't have to be bothered with them. I've never stayed in another campground that does this. They really do try to please everyone.

[John VN]

... We have never observed loose or out of control dogs. We have never seen any dogs outside of the pet loops...

This past weekend we were staying in the 1400 loop and we did indeed see a dog being walked within the loop. Granted it was on a leash but none the less it was still in a non pet loop.

John