Dog experiment ending in October?

[ClapYourHands]

Service dogs are also highly trained (noise/soiling/reactions to strange things/people aren't as much of a concern due to the extensive training they receive) so if I saw a real service dog at a resort/park/bus (anywhere really) I wouldn't think twice. With emotional support dogs, there is a big variation of training --- from zero training to significant training and no way for the average person to know which type of dog they were dealing with. The dogs reaction to things other than their owner is less predictable. We've seen this in airport/planes/tourist spots in our travels this week (some instances were just annoying while another instance was downright dangerous.)

While I believe there is a place for genuine emotional support animals, I also think there are waaaaayyyyy too many people who abuse the system. A co-worker was telling me she rents an apartment that charges a fee for pets, but not for service animals, including emotional support animals. She didn't want to pay the fee, so she just got her two dogs "certified" as emotional support animals (zero requirements, just free on-line registration). She freely admits they are just pets, they are not trained to do anything special, and she doesn't have any special emotional needs; she just didn't want to pay. So, yeah, I don't take any registration of emotional support animals at face value.

 

[markman04]

I've called and so far guest services has said that they have no official word that the trial is ending. I have a reservation with a dog in a cabin for December. I wish they would actually release their statement if it is ending in October.

I have a reservation in the cabins with a dog for December as well. I called today and they told me to hold onto my reservation for now, as they don't really have any official word yet.

Hopefully they allow dogs in the cabins moving forward (at least in specific loops) since Fort Wilderness has always been pretty dog friendly.

 

[HopperFan]

I've called and so far guest services has said that they have no official word that the trial is ending. I have a reservation with a dog in a cabin for December. I wish they would actually release their statement if it is ending in October.

If they decide to end it, I would expect them to stop accepting new reservations at some date, and maybe still honour reservations with dogs before that.

Well ... you never know what they will do. In their minds you can just book your dog at the kennel, and for less money. The last thing they want you to do is cancel your reservations so they will wait. I remember the outrage when they announced they were renovating ASMu food court right when Free Dining started. They could have said something sooner so folks could move ... but they didn't want that. It happens at Disney, often, and given there are likely few guests that will be impacted I can see them not worrying about it. I would likely make backup plans just in case.

I have a reservation in the cabins with a dog for December as well. I called today and they told me to hold onto my reservation for now, as they don't really have any official word yet.

Hopefully they allow dogs in the cabins moving forward (at least in specific loops) since Fort Wilderness has always been pretty dog friendly.

I was & am against Disney hotels being "pet dog friendly" for a variety of reasons ... and my dogs are spoiled. BUT I completely believe that the cabins should be dog friendly. It's a CAMPGROUND where dogs are part of the culture, the area is already dog friendly and no reason it shouldn't be FW wide. Guests who want the space of the cabin do have some other options on property if they are bothered by it. I would be happy to see the policy end everywhere but kept at FW.

 

[Mom loves Disney]

We have made alternate plans and booked our dog a villa at Best Friends if they cancel the trial. I also have another room booked at CBR to be closer to Best Friends than the Fort.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

We have made alternate plans and booked our dog a villa at Best Friends if they cancel the trial. I also have another room booked at CBR to be closer to Best Friends than the Fort.

POR is across the street from the Kennel or thereabouts.

 

[Micca]

It's always "lack of demand".

...Except when a policy that results in cutbacks of amenities is implemented. Then it's "Guest feedback has indicated..."

 

[Dean Marino]

Sort of up to WDW.... but for us? We won't get anywhere NEAR a "Dog Resort". We know where they are, and we personally chose to go no where near them.

So wondering if others, like us, have had an impact on this WDW decision? As in: Reduced income?

All personal opinion - I'm not necessarily right, no one else is necessarily wrong.

 

[Tink-osophy]

...Hopefully they allow dogs in the cabins moving forward (at least in specific loops) since Fort Wilderness has always been pretty dog friendly.

Oh, I hope they don't! Where else can you vacation in that kind of environment without other people's dogs (i.e. unknown dogs + not all, but too many inconsiderate dog-owners) on your doorstep? I'd love it if there were no off-lead dogs at FW at all, but at least keep the cabins free and quiet, so people with pets can choose the campsites and people without can choose the cabins. After all, dog-specific loops still really means, in reality, dogs in any loops (gotta be realistic! ).

BTW, I like dogs , but unfamiliar and therefore unpredictable dogs with unfamiliar and unpredictable owners can be a problem in close proximity on vacation - a problem I'd rather avoid when I want to relax.

 

[Tink-osophy]

...BUT I completely believe that the cabins should be dog friendly. It's a CAMPGROUND where dogs are part of the culture, the area is already dog friendly and no reason it shouldn't be FW wide. Guests who want the space of the cabin do have some other options on property if they are bothered by it. I would be happy to see the policy end everywhere but kept at FW.

There ARE reasons for it not to be FW-wide.

It doesn't have to be part of the culture 100%. Nicer if that kind of campground culture is more inclusive by having the cabins area dog-free. There aren't really any similar options elsewhere on Disney property. (Or, really, anywhere, so, it would make a nice change.)

 

[Lehuaann]

There ARE reasons not for it to be FW-wide.

It doesn't have to be part of the culture 100%. Nicer if that kind of campground culture is more inclusive by having the cabins area dog-free. There aren't really any similar options elsewhere on Disney property. (Or, really, anywhere, so, it would make a nice change.)

I would like to see the kennel reopened at FW.

 

[Sydney2977]

Oh, I hope they don't! Where else can you vacation in that kind of environment without other people's dogs (i.e. unknown dogs + not all, but too many inconsiderate dog-owners) on your doorstep? I'd love it if there were no off-lead dogs at FW at all, but at least keep the cabins free and quiet, so people with pets can choose the campsites and people without can choose the cabins. After all, dog-specific loops still really means, in reality, dogs in any loops (gotta be realistic! ).

BTW, I like dogs , but unfamiliar and therefore unpredictable dogs with unfamiliar and unpredictable owners can be a problem in close proximity on vacation - a problem I'd rather avoid when I want to relax.

That's what I hate in general about other dog owners- the unpredictability! I should add that when we stayed in dog friendly room at DS's military base, as I noted in my post above, that the guy staying in the room next to us kept going outside with his small dog off leash. I guess he thought since it didn't run away it was ok. But we kept having to watch to make sure he didn't have it out when we came and went. Once when DH was taking our dog on leash out to go to the bathroom, that guy walked out with is dog and it ran up to ours and started yapping and biting her. Well ours snapped back and ended up biting it back. Because she's part pit/part Dalmatian of course she looks like the aggressor. The guy was pretty understanding but I know most owners wouldn't be- even though he was at fault since his dog was off leash and he wasn't controlling it. Just so we didn't have to have further troubles DH offered to pay for him to take his dog to the vet and it just needed a few stitches. In WDW it's just hard to "make" people follow the rules of keeping dogs on leashes.

 

[Bob Dolewhip]

Agreed that it’s problematic when some dogs are well trained and their neighbors aren’t. We saw this situation recently with a fake service dog and a real service dog in a store. The fake vested dog saw the other and flipped out, barking, pulling, jumping around. The real service dog looked at his owner, the owner said “hold” and the service dog was steady and did not react.

I don’t like the situations this could create in a hotel hallway.

 

[Greylover]

In one of the posts it says they will honor reservations that we're made before this decision. I have taken my greyhound and she is well behaved. I board her during the day at the kennel and she stays with us in the room at night. I was there in May and was told by POR that they were keeping the dog hotels but not adding any additional ones.

 

[Greylover]

Yet Disney, if it's true, will not let dogs stay in only 4 of their many hotels but is strongly for Amendment 3 which will allow more gambling in the state of Florida. Wondering if Disney is thinking of placing a casino on their property.

 

[gwynne]

In one of the posts it says they will honor reservations that we're made before this decision. I have taken my greyhound and she is well behaved. I board her during the day at the kennel and she stays with us in the room at night. I was there in May and was told by POR that they were keeping the dog hotels but not adding any additional ones.

I believe the official Disney position is that the dog "friendly" hotels were a test and only a test.

Yet Disney, if it's true, will not let dogs stay in only 4 of their many hotels but is strongly for Amendment 3 which will allow more gambling in the state of Florida. Wondering if Disney is thinking of placing a casino on their property.

I'm pretty sure that's not happening.

 

[dansdad]

Yet Disney, if it's true, will not let dogs stay in only 4 of their many hotels but is strongly for Amendment 3 which will allow more gambling in the state of Florida. Wondering if Disney is thinking of placing a casino on their property.

They are not.

 

[Zarasmum]

Just picked up on this thread. Love dogs, have two a Mastín and a Border Collie IMHO Disney is NOT the place for dogs. My dogs are working dogs , very obedient and clean. I would not take them anywhere as crowded as WDW for several reasons including interaction from other people who do not understand dogs. Service animals are different , they are trained to be around crowds etc and they’re dogs that NEED to be with their owners. Why would you want to take a dog to Disney and then leave it in a room alone all day. I don’t want to sleep in a room previously occupied by a dog be it deep cleaned or not. It’s a stupid policy and I hope it goes

 

[HopperFan]

Yet Disney, if it's true, will not let dogs stay in only 4 of their many hotels but is strongly for Amendment 3 which will allow more gambling in the state of Florida. Wondering if Disney is thinking of placing a casino on their property.

What does dogs have to do with gambling?

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

What does dogs have to do with gambling?

 

[Gryhndmom]

In one of the posts it says they will honor reservations that we're made before this decision. I have taken my greyhound and she is well behaved. I board her during the day at the kennel and she stays with us in the room at night. I was there in May and was told by POR that they were keeping the dog hotels but not adding any additional ones.

Hello fellow Greyhound parent! If I lived within a closer driving distance and not a two day drive from Texas, I MIGHT want to bring the terrific trio and they all said they would want the poly bungalow so they could layout on the patio and have people come by on the lake and admire them!for now they will just have to stay home with their pet sitter and be spoiled