Service Dog at GCH

[Lucysmom2]

My DD is being assigned a service dog. Our holiday trip to DLR will have a four-legged guest! We are staying at the GCH from December 17 through the 23rd. Has anyone had any experience at this hotel with a service dog? Any service dog advice at Disney would be appreciated.

 

[Bud Ice]

I would notify the hotel. They will accomodate service pets.

Would be interested in the final answer on this.

 

[DizMe]

Malcon10t is an expert on this! She trains service dogs and regularly takes them to DLR, including hotels stays.

 

[Malcon10t]

We have had no problem with Service Dogs at Disneyland. We are there monthly with 2 in tow. Note it on your reservation when you make the reservation. Request a room near an elevator. Best morning potty spot, go down the main elevator, cross the lobby and out the doors by guest relations.

Disneyland is relatively easy with a service dog (one that is properly trained.) Be forewarned. There are MANY untrained "service dogs". We've had our dog lunged at and barked at.

We do rider swap for rides the dog cannot ride. I will wait with the dog while my daughters ride, then my daughter will wait with the dog while I ride with my other daughter. There is a dog kennel for the dogs at the rides with heights that the dogs cannot ride. We will not use them. It is too easy for someone to get to the dog. We have seen kids feeding dogs in the kennels popcorn. We prefer to swap.

Since your daughter is just getting the dog, discuss this with your graduate team coordinator. They may have rules on what they feel the dog can ride.

We will be there during the same time frame (at the DLH). If you see a pretty brown golden lab cross or a black lab, say hi!

 

[taniahappy]

I am curious... what rides can the Service dogs actually ride? Examples?

 

[Malcon10t]

I am curious... what rides can the Service dogs actually ride? Examples?

Anything without a height requirement. For example our pups ride all Fantasyland rides (except Matterhorn), the ships of ROA, Pirates, Jungle Cruise, Pooh, HM, Autopia, Buzz, Nemo (watch the stairs going down), in DCA Monsters, most rides in Bugs Land, Toy Story, Ariel, King Triton....

Here are a couple:

We even dress them up for Halloween!

 

[Lucysmom2]

Thank you, thank you for this information!! Good to know about the kennels. Is the potty spot between GCH and GCH villas? Do you just put a potty bag in the trash or give it to a CM? We will not do fireworks, but would like to do Fantasmic and the parades. How does that work out with your doggies? Can you tell us where to potty in DL and DCA? I can't remember any grass.

 

[Lucysmom2]

Have you had any issue with restaurants? We love the sit-down places like Storytellers and Blue Bayou.

 

[taniahappy]

What a beauty!

 

[Malcon10t]

We have not had ANY issues on the DLR properties. (Issues with ART, which resulted in calls to supervisors getting us private rides because of their issues, but none since 2008, and one with a cab at Orange county airport that was solved with a police officer there!)

Clean up after your dog and deposit in the nearest waste can. Inside the park, there are potty spots in almost every land. At the hub, on the right side of the castle is a grassy area. Also areas as you near the Info Board by Jolly Holiday. There are gates. Look for the locking mechinism. Ask a CM if you need help. There is one by IASW, to the far right, in NOS by the train station, Frontierland, on the walkway between Fantasyland and Big Thunder (no grass). I can't remember one in TOmorrowland. In DCA, by Bugs Land, where the Mali Boomer used to be, in COndor Flats, and around Flos in Cars Land.

We have no issues with Fantasmic! or fireworks. Our pups sleep through them. Fantasmic! now has Fastpass, so get one for everyone in your group and find a nice spot for your group. We carry a puppy blanket (2'x3') to curl up on.

Dining - For us, our pups always curl up under the table. It is how they are trained. Ours have been in every restaurant on property.

If we are in a corner type table, we will put the pup in the corner so they are out of the way of servers.

 

[livndisney]

We have had no problem with Service Dogs at Disneyland. We are there monthly with 2 in tow. Note it on your reservation when you make the reservation. Request a room near an elevator. Best morning potty spot, go down the main elevator, cross the lobby and out the doors by guest relations.

Disneyland is relatively easy with a service dog (one that is properly trained.) Be forewarned. There are MANY untrained "service dogs". We've had our dog lunged at and barked at.




We do rider swap for rides the dog cannot ride. I will wait with the dog while my daughters ride, then my daughter will wait with the dog while I ride with my other daughter. There is a dog kennel for the dogs at the rides with heights that the dogs cannot ride. We will not use them. It is too easy for someone to get to the dog. We have seen kids feeding dogs in the kennels popcorn. We prefer to swap.

Since your daughter is just getting the dog, discuss this with your graduate team coordinator. They may have rules on what they feel the dog can ride.

We will be there during the same time frame (at the DLH). If you see a pretty brown golden lab cross or a black lab, say hi!

Wait, Disneyland allows untrained service animal (how is that a service animal?)? A dog lunging and barking could be very problematic for our trip. This is something you see often? May have to cancel first family trip.

 

[5forMickey]

OMG -- the mouse ears on the dog are so stinking cute!!! I'm not really a "dog person" but I really appreciate people like you who love and take care of your pets!!!!

 

[Malcon10t]

Wait, Disneyland allows untrained service animal (how is that a service animal?)? A dog lunging and barking could be very problematic for our trip. This is something you see often? May have to cancel first family trip.

Yes. We see it almost every trip. The issue is the laws. Disney is only allowed to ask "Is this a service dog?" and "What is the dog trained to do?" There are people who feel they must take their dog everywhere, and will take the dog in and lie. People really don't understand the stress on a dog taking them into a park like Disneyland. There is a pink poodle that is there often. The dog is very scared. She takes off everytime the owner (older woman) drops the leash. The dog isn't dangerous, just tends to wreak havoc in the stores.

If your dog is well trained, it shouldn't be an issue. Our dogs will just look at the dog like "Your momma is gonna be mad!" I have had a pack of Newfoundland "service dogs" pull their handlers off their feet trying to get to my daughter's hearing dog. In 12 years (we average 8 trips a year), we have probably only had 3 serious incidents. The rest of the time, you just think "Liars" and move on.

 

[Lucysmom2]

I will copy and paste your list of potty spots. Thank you for all of your help. This is a new adventure for our family. One that will help our daughter discover the possibilities in her life.

 

[Malcon10t]

OMG -- the mouse ears on the dog are so stinking cute!!! I'm not really a "dog person" but I really appreciate people like you who love and take care of your pets!!!!

Thank you. We work very hard to train the dogs to assit others. My daughter is hearing impaired. The brown pup is her hearing dog. The black dog is currently working with a woman who is paralyzed from the waist down and in a chair. Just to clarify, they are not considered pets.

 

[Lucysmom2]

It is a shame that people take such liberties. I could never imagine taking our pet dogs to DLR. When people are dishonest they cast aspersions on the folks who are legitimately in need.

 

[Malcon10t]

We will be there the same time as you (we arrive the night of the 18th for a couple weeks.) We will be at the DLH. Send me a PM if you need anything.

 

[purple figment]

I will copy and paste your list of potty spots. Thank you for all of your help. This is a new adventure for our family. One that will help our daughter discover the possibilities in her life.

The potty locations are also shown on the park guide maps.

 

[Malcon10t]

Yes, I was going to post a link, but couldn't get the web page to open. The sign is a person with a dog.

 

[purple figment]

Found this map. It's a couple years old, but it does show the sign for the potty spot which still looks the same as on the map we got 2 weeks ago. You will have to enlarge the map, but you can see the sign under the "N" in New Orleans Square, to the right of It's a Small World building, and in a couple of additional places:
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/media/dlr_nextgen/SiteCatalog/PDF/DisneylandParkMap_20130307.pdf