Hello,this is my first post so forgive me if I make any mistakes.Firstly,our condolences to those affected by Hurricane Katrina,our thoughts are with you...with regards to Sheraton Safari myself and my wife stayed there in Oct '03 and really enjoyed it.We asked for an upgrade on check-in and were given a suite,not sure if there were any bigger suites but it was nice.There was no door between the sleeping area and the lounge area,just one big living space.We didn't see a Golden Corral on our travels but within walking distance (5 minutes or so) were Dennys,Olive Garden,Chili's,Bergamos,Damons and our personal favourite,Orlando Ale House.The Safari does a good buffet breakfast for about $8 and the you can eat in the bar at night for about $8-$15.We walked from the hotel to DTD,it took about 30 mins,a cab costs about $7-$9.Sorry,we can't help with regards to pets as we had to leave our cat at home when we went Stateside...I think you'll like the hotel,the pool's good if a little cold.