Emotional Support Animal: DCL, OKW, and BCV

[PrincessLuce]

We will be traveling for the first time with a Service Animal and are looking for any tips and information. Lucie is an Emotional Support Animal for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

We will be staying at Old Key West 1 night, then going on the 4 night Bahamian Cruise, then staying 4 additional nights at Beach Club Villas. I have emailed Disney Cruise Line and received information regarding the vaccination paperwork I will need to bring for Lucie as well as the form we will need to fill out. If she's wearing her vest and we have her Emotional Support Animal ID card, is that all we need for her to be allowed on the ship?

What do I need to do to bring Lucie into the hotels? Is she allowed to walk (and use the bathroom) anywhere, or are there specific locations for that? Also, can we take her on the Magical Express and the Disney bus to/from the port?

Thanks for any help and information! We are looking for our first trip with a service animal to be productive and go smoothly.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals are not the same thing and are not allowed the same priviledges.

 

[PrincessLuce]

Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals are not the same thing and are not allowed the same priviledges.

Alright, that makes sense. Thanks for the clarification. I have confirmed with DCL that she will be allowed on the ship. I guess the next step would be confirming with WDW that she will be allowed in the resorts? Does that sound right?

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Hi there and welcome to Disney Magic!

Your best bet is to call the hotels and explain what lucie does for you or the member of your party!

There should be lots of threads at the top here with some amswers for you

Please stand by for sqaulls! There is changes in the rules supposedly coming and emotational support dogs do not have the same rights as properly trained service animals.

Many many people have used the idea of calling thier pet dogs a emotional support dog as a way to get there pets on the cruise ship and into WDW resorts and parks and for that matter anywhere in the country. I have read here its very easy to register as a emotational dog with group that really have no business certifying them..... the service vests can be brought on line without any papers so the vests are not proof.

This is very unfair to others and make problems for the people who have the real need for a support animal....

I hope this works out for you and a real emotational support dog like lucie and you have a great vacation

AKK

 

[PrincessLuce]

Hi there and welcome to Disney Magic!

Your best bet is to call the hotels and explain what lucie does for you or the member of your party!

There should be lots of threads at the top here with some amswers for you

Please stand by for sqaulls! There is changes in the rules supposedly coming and emotational support dogs do not have the same rights as properly trained service animals.

Many many people have used the idea of calling thier pet dogs a emotional support dog as a way to get there pets on the cruise ship and into WDW resorts and parks and for that matter anywhere in the country. I have read here its very easy to register as a emotational dog with group that really have no business certifying them..... the service vests can be brought on line without any papers so the vests are not proof.

This is very unfair to others and make problems for the people who have the real need for a support animal....

I hope this works out for you and a real emotational support dog like lucie and you have a great vacation

AKK

Thank you for the information and the welcome! In addition to Lucie's ID cards I also have a letter from the licensed mental health care professional I work with explaining Lucie's function and how/when she is able to provide emotional support. After talking with Southwest Airlines, I've confirmed that this is all I'll need to board with her, but I just feel a little nervous about the cruise portion of the trip. I like to have everything prepared and ready! I don't like surprises or feeling I don't have something in order or know all the necessary information.

I will call the hotels and Magical Express in the morning and see what they require in order for Lucie to be allowed.

Thanks again for your assistance. I'm brand new to this, so I really want to make sure I handle the situation correctly.

 

[livndisney]

Thank you for the information and the welcome! In addition to Lucie's ID cards I also have a letter from the licensed mental health care professional I work with explaining Lucie's function and how/when she is able to provide emotional support. After talking with Southwest Airlines, I've confirmed that this is all I'll need to board with her, but I just feel a little nervous about the cruise portion of the trip. I like to have everything prepared and ready! I don't like surprises or feeling I don't have something in order or know all the necessary information.

I will call the hotels and Magical Express in the morning and see what they require in order for Lucie to be allowed.

Thanks again for your assistance. I'm brand new to this, so I really want to make sure I handle the situation correctly.

From what I understand since Emotional Support animals are not classified as "Service Animals" (recent ada ruling), they are not allowed in Disney hotels or on ME.

Cruise lines and Airlines have different rules.


From the ADA "Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA."

 

[dclfun]

There has been a recent change in law from the DOT/ADA and ESD's are not allowed in public places where pets are not allowed- they never were, but the law just passed to give more definition. They ARE, however allowed on planes and in housing. If you are flying, the airline will need some kind of documentation, and they will be able to tell you what you'll be required to bring. There are more and more people needing ESD's, esp. our military troops with PTSD and while these dogs certainly help their handlers, they are still not considered service dogs with public access rights. If you got the dog from a program, you may want to speak with them to clarify also as they should not be representing an ESD as a SD. To make matters more confusing, there are also psychiatric service dogs vs. ESD's. It's enough to confuse anyone, and often people do not know the terminology, particularly a reservations agent with no knowledge of the law.---Kathy

 

[dclfun]

From what I understand since Emotional Support animals are not classified as "Service Animals" (recent ada ruling), they are not allowed in Disney hotels or on ME.

Cruise lines and Airlines have different rules.

Actually, airlines have different rules and they are allowed. Cruise lines follow the new law, same as the resorts and parks. If the OP does contact DCL, the Special Services department will know the law.---Kathy

 

[livndisney]

Actually, airlines have different rules and they are allowed. Cruise lines follow the new law, same as the resorts and parks. If the OP does contact DCL, the Special Services department will know the law.---Kathy

That is what I meant- I was just trying to point out that hotels and airlines do not have the same rules. Thank you for saying it a little clearer.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

By the way, I didn't mean my response to sound terse. I was heading out the door to work and it was all I could really get out. I had planned on swinging back on here to expand my response but pretty much everything I was going to say has been covered. My initial response was mostly because you refer to your dog as both a service dog and an emotional support dog. There are some people who use their dogs kind of as both, but a service dog is technically one who mitigates a disability ie blindness, deafness, a mobility issue, seizure alert. I don't mean to belittle your issue, just saying that the law classifies things one way or the other.

 

[PrincessLuce]

Thanks for the information, dclfun and livndisney!

It sounds like I need to speak with the special services department of DCL and see whether emotional support animals, or only service animals are allowed onboard. Can I just call the 800 number and ask to speak with special services?

I fully acknowledge that Lucie doesn't perform all the functions that service animals can/do provide, and I could travel without her. However, at the same time, I can't discount what she does provide or even begin to explain how much she helps me. Without her, the trip would go far less smoothly and would take more out of me.

I will report back after I speak with special services, magical express, and the WDW resorts.

 

[PrincessLuce]

By the way, I didn't mean my response to sound terse. I was heading out the door to work and it was all I could really get out. I had planned on swinging back on here to expand my response but pretty much everything I was going to say has been covered. My initial response was mostly because you refer to your dog as both a service dog and an emotional support dog. There are some people who use their dogs kind of as both, but a service dog is technically one who mitigates a disability ie blindness, deafness, a mobility issue, seizure alert. I don't mean to belittle your issue, just saying that the law classifies things one way or the other.

No worries at all! Like I said, I'm brand new to this. The PTSD came about as the result of an event last year, and I didn't even know emotional support animals existed before that. Living and learning!

 

[dclfun]

That is what I meant- I was just trying to point out that hotels and airlines do not have the same rules. Thank you for saying it a little clearer.

As I said, it's really confusing. Dr's letters and mental health professionals letters do not suffice to give a dog access rights either. Some physicians in particular do not know the law and "prescribe" a dog for a patient and then of course that person thinks they have a service dog. Trust me, I knew none of this before I got Skye 6 years ago. Unfortunately we have encountered quite a few untrained dogs at WDW who were wearing vests- the vest does not make a SD either. I'm glad the OP is inquiring now so as not to have challenges. All of us with SD's or ESD's need to follow any rulings and comply with them or things will only get worse for all of us.---Kathy

 

[dclfun]

No worries at all! Like I said, I'm brand new to this. The PTSD came about as the result of an event last year, and I didn't even know emotional support animals existed before that. Living and learning!

I'm glad you're getting help from your ESD and sorry that you had such an event to make you need her. We're all living and learning, that's for sure!---Kathy

 

[livndisney]

Thanks for the information, dclfun and livndisney!

It sounds like I need to speak with the special services department of DCL and see whether emotional support animals, or only service animals are allowed onboard. Can I just call the 800 number and ask to speak with special services?

I fully acknowledge that Lucie doesn't perform all the functions that service animals can/do provide, and I could travel without her. However, at the same time, I can't discount what she does provide or even begin to explain how much she helps me. Without her, the trip would go far less smoothly and would take more out of me.

I will report back after I speak with special services, magical express, and the WDW resorts.

I think the bold answers your question. A call center (as Kathy pointed out) is not going to know the law. While I am sure Lucie is a joy for you to have around, if she is not a service animal (and it sounds like you are saying she is not) she is not allowed at the resorts or on ME.

 

[PrincessLuce]

It's definitely been very confusing for me so far! If I find that Lucie isn't allowed on the ship/in the hotels, I will probably fly with her as a regular pet in a crate, find an off site hotel that allows pets, and put her in Disney's kennel while we cruise. I'm not going to slap a vest on her and insist she be allowed on the ship. Not that it would work, but you get the point.

I just want to make sure I have everything in order. Once I have the facts, I will absolutely play by the rules. That's part of the reason I wanted to email DCL instead of calling, that way I have everything in writing. It just seems like it might be a little more difficult than I had anticipated to get definitive answers.

 

[livndisney]

It's definitely been very confusing for me so far! If I find that Lucie isn't allowed on the ship/in the hotels, I will probably fly with her as a regular pet in a crate, find an off site hotel that allows pets, and put her in Disney's kennel while we cruise. I'm not going to slap a vest on her and insist she be allowed on the ship. Not that it would work, but you get the point.

I just want to make sure I have everything in order. Once I have the facts, I will absolutely play by the rules. That's part of the reason I wanted to email DCL instead of calling, that way I have everything in writing. It just seems like it might be a little more difficult than I had anticipated to get definitive answers.

I am an "in writing" kind of person too! It just so happens I have been knee deep in the ADA the last week or so and had the info handy LOL.

 

[dclfun]

I am an "in writing" kind of person too! It just so happens I have been knee deep in the ADA the last week or so and had the info handy LOL.

Also the most recent IAADP newsletter had the ruling posted so I had just read it with my own eyes, having heard it from others but needing to see it for myself. It's difficult too when you contact someone as you may get a reservations agent who says, "sure, service dogs are allowed" and who don't know the difference between ESD and SD and PSD or who definitely would not know that a law was recently passed/updated to clarify. It's like calling for a pillow at a Disney resort and thinking you have their housekeeping department who will rush it up to you when it could be someone at a call center in Tampa that you're speaking with, lol. I also like to have things in writing as that way if there's any confusion, I know that it's not my fault. Good luck, OP!.---Kathy

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Being an "in writing" type of person tends to be a handy habit.

Its like what everyone else has said, not everyone you call will necessarily have the correct information, particularly when it comes to this subject. You can go through and read posts about CMs on the phone getting very basic (to us Disers of course) incorrect. I think the immediate challenge you'll face is making sure you get the correct answer from the correct person.

 

[Bete]

when you get all the answers. This is a very confusing subject and I can see this changing in the next few years and onward.