We've taken our dog to the kennel and it's not horrible. It's true that it is a hands off kennel, but they expect you to come and take care of your dog. They record your in and out times and will give your dog water if they need more. There are some larger kennels out back that we have used on cooler days, but I would not recommend them if it's really hot. The fans outside are just not as good as the air conditioning inside.
It's not my first choice maybe, but if I left the dog at home, she would do about the same. Plus we liked the break from the walking. We basically timed our kennel trips with our park hopping.
As far as the cast members go, we had mixed experiences. Some were there cause that was their assignment, and some really enjoyed the dogs and came out and played with us.
Also, just so you know, you can take your dog on the tram, but we chose to walk to get our puppy some exercise before a day in the kennel.