DOGS and CAT in non pet loop..long

[John VN]

Just have to vent. Was I wrong?

We were at FW this past weekend. Stayed in 1000 loop. Had great site and good time but...
While walking to Marina with 2yo grandson, saw man and woman crossing FWT into 600 loop each with huge dog in tow. Rules say no pets outside of pet loops so I call OUTPOST and talk to CM and she says she will talk to MANAGER. While walking back, see man jogging on sidewalk towards us with huge dog in tow. CM is on cart so I stop him and tell him that they are heading our way. He radios to HQ and talks to them as guy jogs past. Return to site and there in chairs under awning is man and woman with huge dog and cat just sitting there. SHOCKED. This is a NO PET LOOP!
As we turn into site see jogger guy with huge dog in tow turn into said site and says "BUSTED". He leaves dog and takes off. Wife and 4yo grandson come walking back to site 5 minutes later and I see her and nod to take a look. Surprise look on her face. "This is not a pet loop" she says to me after seeing 2 huge dogs and a cat just sitting there. I call OUTPOST again and same answer, "Will talk to MANAGER".
Next morning having breakfast and see woman come out of MH with huge dog in tow and goes for a walk. That tops it all. Get on bike and head for OUTPOST. See CM at desk and she says that loop is not a pet loop and she will see MANAGER and have security out to site. Back to site and find out that woman came back and then took cat out for walk. I decide to take a relaxing walk around FW on the sidewalk with 2yo in stroller and by the time we come back the site is empty. Security never showed up so I am thinking that it was end of their stay so out they went.
Would you have complained or just kept quiet? When you check in you sign that you have NO PETS. Why would an adult lie? What message does this put forth for our youth?
By the way, there were empty sites in pet loops.

john

 

[gardendame]

After reading these boards while planning our upcoming trip, I would have probably done the same thing you did. The rules in all of the other onsite resorts are strictly enforced, as it should be in the campground.
I am a pet owner, but will not be vacationing with my poor, old dog (gets car sick). If I am in a non-pet loop, I expect there to be no pets. Period. There are so many loops that where pets are allowed, why would someone do this?
If I can't stuff 5 people in an Allstar room, can't refill a POR mug at the Grand Floridian, and can't pool hop, then pets should not be allowed in non-pet loops.
Good for you for calling. If CM's get too relaxed about guests following the rules, then FW will no longer be as awsome of a campground as I have read so much about (and looking forward to!!)

 

[JCJRSmith]

Pets in campgrounds are a big point of contention among a lot of campers - some love, some hate it, some don't care. We take our dog with us when we go for weekend trips (she's very well behaved, friendly and we ALWAYS clean up after her), but for longer trips, we board her with our vet.

In some campgrounds they will have special sites or loops set aside for pets. However what happens when the pet sites are all full and someone with a pet reservation shows up? They put them in a non-pet loop. Personally, if the animals were not being a nuisance, I would have let it go.

 

[my3princes]

We the pets behaving poorly or disturbing you in some way? If you were just upset about pets being in that loop I'm not sure that I would have complained, but if they were noisy or disturbing in some way then I would have complained. I have also read that non pet loops may be changed to pet loops in certain instances, perhaps when they checked in there was no open sites that would accomodate their needs in the pet loops. Anyway I'm glad that it didn't totally ruin your vacation although I can guess that it did put a slightly unhappy spin on it.

 

[PhotobearSam]

If I were walking in a Non-pet loop and someone came towards me with a big dog...IT WOULD BOTHER ME GREATLY...

I am terrified of dogs I don't know. When you don't expect them, it can jar you a little.

I know that these pets were probably on a leash but I would still be scared...If they change a loop to a pet loop should they not ask the new people checking in if this would bother them? If not then no problem but if it does then they should not have to stay in that loop...

Am I being to simple for this situation? Just my 2 cents...

 

[We4mickey]

I know in the past we have been a FW in a non-pet loop and had pets at other campsites in our loop. If they do not have campsites available within the pet loops they will put them wherever especially at this time of the year when it is so busy. As long as they don't bother me I won't bother with them.

 

[SPINNER]

WE SPENT jAN AND FEB in loop 800 and 1600 ....
we requested non pet loops both times but were told 800, 900, and 1000 were overflow loops when all other pet loops were filled...
we also saw a lot of pets out of the loops and in l600 one lady with two great danes would let them drink out of the ice machine overflow...yuk....the
loops I was in were pet loops and the dogs were quiet but did not once see a CM ever speak to anyone with a pet outside a loop or secreted in a non pet loop......
seems no one enforces much around FW ANYMORE...........
SPINNER

 

[GIGGLES266]

We just got back yesterday from Fort Wilderness and I can tell you that we saw CM's all over the place reprimanding people who had their pets out of the pet loops. Three separate people were jogging with their dogs and CM's on golf carts turned all of them back to their loops to leave the dogs.

We travel with our dog but understand the need to respect the rights of others not to have to deal with our animal if they don't want to.

 

[VAN]

We were just there for 2 weeks and got back on Saturday. My kids said I was the neighborhood watch person because I called and reported a couple of people even though I could have called on more.

The ones I reported were:

1. People just pulling in to set up in 1500 with a dog. I phoned the front desk and asked if 1500 was a pet loop ... they said no and so I told them that someone was just setting up. I later saw that they had been moved to a nearby pet loop.

2. Reported another large group having a loud get-together on one site in 1500 loop with 3 cars. Later in day there was only 1 car so know they were talked to.

3. Did not report other sites with 2 cars on sites overnight or the one who had a large (4 ft flames) wood fire in their grill !!!

I wouldn't get so excited about these things except we are specifically requested to sign a note saying that we know about 1 car per site, etc. As far as the pet on the 1500 loop.... hello!! All campgrounds have rules about pets so can't hardly believe it was an honest mistake that you wouldn't mention at registration that you had a dog. The pet loop would have cost them at least $10 more per night.

We pay a lot of money for camping (especially during peak times) and expect everyone to abid by the rules so that you can have a pleasant vacation.

All in all - I thought there were less infractions this year than in years past. I also thought Security was more visable this year.

ps - While we are talking about guest behavior .... the pool was very crowded but saw several people put towels out on chairs at 8:00 in the am and then did not return until late afternoon -- meanwhile people are sitting on the cement because there are no chairs !!!!

 

[GIGGLES266]

Oh my gosh please do not get me going on the beach chair issue! That was the most inappropriate thing I have ever experienced in my life! I would go for morning walks every morning at 6:30 am. By 6:45 at least 10 lounge chairs would have towels draped over them. I would get out to the pool at 10:30 and on two different days 5 of the 10 beach towel chairs had not been sat in at all from at least 10:30-3:30 when I left the pool area. Meanwhile on one occasion an elderly couple who were there with their children and grandchildren were forced to sit on the cement after asking the family of beach towel/chair mongers if they could use one of the chairs that had been empty for at least an hour. The mom told them that those chairs were for her children if and when they decided to come to the pool after their day at the Magic Kingdom!

 

[auntie]

I was at the Wilderness Lodge last May and people did the same thing with towels on the chairs at the pool. However, the pool staff did go around and remove towels that people did not appear to be using. The pool there is great, but small for a resort of that size and it was annoying to get there and find towels placed there by guests who were just saving spots for later in the day.
Re: the dog situation...we have a dog..so I'm not a dog hater. But I feel that you should stay in a dog loop and keep your pet in the loop. We have found this to be a problem in the campground that we stay at in upstate NY. The last couple of seasons we have kept our trailer on site for the entire season. we have run into similiar situations where people walk their dogs...and don't clean up after them...which really just ruins it for those of us who have pets and clean up after them. Also it is expressly written on the check in information that they are to be kept leashed...there is always the person who thinks that doesn't apply to their dog. I have been chased after by other dogs..while walking my dog...who doesn't get along with other dogs. (People he loves..dogs..he doesn't get that he is one!) Their owners usually yelling..."oh he's okay..he won't bite"...well guess what...my dog might bite yours...and I don't cherish the thought of getting between them and won't. They are animals after all. We always keep our tog teathered..give him plenty of room to move about without being able to leave the site. We always pick up after him. But have seen many others pause at our site and let their dogs do their business...and they act all surprised that Fido just did what dogs do...I have even told them "no problem..I've got a baggy for you!" They don't look pleased..but they clean it up.
Alot of pet owners just don't think the rules apply to their pets. I love my pup dearly...although I don't think I would bring him to FW..because he doesn't take well to the heat...and we'd probably be going durring the summer months...and that just wouldn't be fair to him.