Idea... who to contact? DVC for pets

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

Hubby and I were just kidding around about how we needed a DVC membership for our Aussie too... but then it actually seemed like a GREAT idea to us!

Our Aussie always travels with us to Disney and stays at the MK Best Friends. During our last stay, our favorite BF told us that the kennels were being consolidated to one new facility that should open this summer (not sure if it has opened yet or not). For all you pet lovers out there, wouldn't it be fun if Disney offered a DVC for pets? There could be a special section for these frequent travelers with some extra perks.

What do y'all think? Who could I contact at Disney to spin this idea?

Evey =)

 

[Jason@dvcstore]

I am sure by Tuesday of next week somebody at Disney will have read your post. They may not do anything with your idea but they will probably see the idea.

For me personally I wouldn't want a DVC for our pets. We have two pugs and they get to stay with their friends when we go on vacation.

Jason

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

Our sweet Nova isn't much of a traveler, so she stays back home with friends. But, Jessie... she's a different story! She loves to travel and is a great passenger, even for the 11 hour drive to Disney. Jessie's already been to Disney four times and she's not even two years old yet!

I'm not sure how much we will enjoy the new setup though. We have been spoiled by having Jessie right there at the TTC location, making it easy to stop by and visit her several times each day during our trip. Now that they have relocated the facility (I'm not even sure where it is at this point), it won't be nearly as easy to drop in every time we switch parks.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I own a kennel full of show dogs, and we have traveled to Disney in the past when we have combined our trip with dog shows in the area. It was before we did DVC, but I can tell you that it was a true PITA to have the dogs in the kennel near the parks. We no longer combine dog show trips with vacations. When we go on dog show trips, that's all we do. When we go on vacation, we want to relax. Relaxing does NOT include worrying about and taking care of our dogs. Instead, we keep them home in their own kennel and have a kennel sitter come in to care for them.

NO WAY do I think DVC should become the "Holiday Inn" or "Motel 6" of timeshares.

 

[d-r]

they are building a new pet suite near okw, sort of across from dixie landings.

 

[dianeschlicht]

they are building a new pet suite near okw, sort of across from dixie landings.

Yes, and that means they are closing all the individual kennel sites at the parks. I think these kennels are sufficient and makes having a "DVC for pets" uneccesary.

 

[DebbieB]

Disney doesn't accept "ideas" because if they use it the person who proposed it may expect payment.

 

[El&Asmom]

As a vet and animal lover, I would not want stay at a hotel that caters to animals. Not all animals are as clean and well cared for as others and although some animals like traveling, it is stressful to most.
The maintenance would be a nightmare. I know that there are many hotels that allow animals, but most people at Disney are there for the parks. I'm sure they would rather take another ride on Splash than truck back to the hotel to let Fifi out.

 

[dianeschlicht]

As a vet and animal lover, I would not want stay at a hotel that caters to animals. Not all animals are as clean and well cared for as others and although some animals like traveling, it is stressful to most.
The maintenance would be a nightmare. I know that there are many hotels that allow animals, but most people at Disney are there for the parks. I'm sure they would rather take another ride on Splash than truck back to the hotel to let Fifi out.

Right! I think most people don't realize how stressful it is for a pet to be away from home. I board dogs, and most of them take a day or two to acclimate to the kennel, but after that they are happy as a clam. Part of that is because they are always surrounded by the same dogs, noise, people and routine. In a hotel or DVC setting that would NOT be the case. There it would be a constant reacclimation each time the shift person changed or the "neighbor" dogs changed. When dogs first are brought to the kennel, they don't eat for a day or two from the stress. Why put your dog through that constantly?

As for staying in a DVC unit. NO! I don't want the extra dues assocaited with that, and to take specific units out as "pet buildings" essentially takes rooms out of the whole inventory.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

I own a kennel full of show dogs, and we have traveled to Disney in the past when we have combined our trip with dog shows in the area. It was before we did DVC, but I can tell you that it was a true PITA to have the dogs in the kennel near the parks. We no longer combine dog show trips with vacations. When we go on dog show trips, that's all we do. When we go on vacation, we want to relax. Relaxing does NOT include worrying about and taking care of our dogs. Instead, we keep them home in their own kennel and have a kennel sitter come in to care for them.

NO WAY do I think DVC should become the "Holiday Inn" or "Motel 6" of timeshares.

Therein lies the exact reason why Disney has so many different flavors of DVC resorts... people can have such completely different tastes and attitudes. We find it a joy to go visit Jessie every day and take her for walks. It's not a requirement or a chore but something we would miss doing if she was an 11-hour drive away. She's part of our family. Since neither Holiday Inn or Motel 6 accept pets, I'm a little confused by that comment... but if you said LaQuinta, I might see your point... We certainly have the option to leave her home with friends or my folks when we travel, but we prefer to bring her along.

We explored showing Jessie and Samson (who now resides down the street with my parents because they fell in love with him!) but realized it was not something we would enjoy. Though, now that they are both doing so well in agility training, we may revisit that subject for agility events only.

Our enthusiastic traveler - Diamond's Jessamine Joy of Snowpoint

Our occasional traveler - Sweet Bree's Samson of Snowpoint

Our travel hater - Mimesis Supernova of Snowpoint

 

[Chuck S]

I'm surprised they are closing the individual kennels at the parks, and won't have some minimum staff there for day guests. Overnight boarding, I can see moving that to a central location. Years ago (many years ago ) the Disneyland resort kennel was always pretty busy with day guests, and I would imagine it still is with the popularity of purse pets in California. Do the WDW kennels not see a lot of day guest pets?

 

[wildernessDad]

I heard that this was already being done. The rooms will offer a view of humans from the balconies.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

As a vet and animal lover, I would not want stay at a hotel that caters to animals. Not all animals are as clean and well cared for as others and although some animals like traveling, it is stressful to most.
The maintenance would be a nightmare. I know that there are many hotels that allow animals, but most people at Disney are there for the parks. I'm sure they would rather take another ride on Splash than truck back to the hotel to let Fifi out.

My idea was not a hotel where people and animals stayed together... it was a kennel that was more upscale for just the pets. Having her in the room with us for the stay would be no fun for any of us! I am suggesting a staffed location, as Best Friends is now, but with more amenities and personalized service for the pets. The DVC aspect that I am suggesting is a membership with separate points for the kennel location, like an add-on at a new resort, but the "resort" is for the pets.

I'm surprised they are closing the individual kennels at the parks, and won't have some minimum staff there for day guests. Overnight boarding, I can see moving that to a central location. Years ago (many years ago ) the Disneyland resort kennel was always pretty busy with day guests, and I would imagine it still is with the popularity of purse pets in California. Do the WDW kennels not see a lot of day guest pets?

I think they still get a lot of day visitors. We were told that they are consolidating all of the kennels in one larger (supposedly better) location rather than having them located near each park.

I heard that this was already being done. The rooms will offer a view of humans from the balconies.

ROFL!!! =)

 

[Chuck S]

My idea was not a hotel where people and animals stayed together... it was a kennel that was more upscale for just the pets. Having her in the room with us for the stay would be no fun for any of us! I am suggesting a staffed location, as Best Friends is now, but with more amenities and personalized service for the pets. The DVC aspect that I am suggesting is a membership with separate points for the kennel location, like an add-on at a new resort, but the "resort" is for the pets.



ROFL!!! =)

I think the premise of "special services" for DVC boarding would not work, as not all pets are well trained/well behaved...and if it is truly set up like DVC, the dues for the "nice" pet's owners would be high because of the "naughty" pets.

That said, I think the kennel company could work out a pre-payment discount plan, for each trip, if you pre-pay before arrival. Really, as far as a DVC-type plan, I see it being a problem. We really never know how long our pets will be with us before they have to cross into that big play yard in the sky. We've had seemingly health pets pass away unexepectedly, and I doubt you'd want to be locked into any sort of long term care contract with annual fees, whether you use it or not.

 

[bwvBound]

I keep asking my vet, with whom I board my parrots when we travel, that I wish they'd go "timeshare." I've got stacks of reservations going a full year out at any given time.

LDF: Lovely portraits of your fur-kids.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

I think the premise of "special services" for DVC boarding would not work, as not all pets are well trained/well behaved...and if it is truly set up like DVC, the dues for the "nice" pet's owners would be high because of the "naughty" pets.

True. We are very pleased with the kennel we use at home when we go somewhere that is not pet-friendly. They require all pets come for day care a few times before they are accepted as overnight guests. That's a big contributor to the pleasant atmosphere at the kennel... there are no problem kids staying for the night! The way their kennel is set up is the best I've seen... a family home on 3 fully-fenced acres with a self-standing indoor/outdoor kennel attached. The central kennel area is divided into twelve runs, with six on each side of a central walk area. Half of each run is indoors (ac and heat), 1/2 of the run is outdoors, a doggie door is in the center of each run for easy in/out access, and the entire indoor/outdoor area is under roof. The bottom portion of each kennel is a short brick wall to avoid unwanted fraternization and the top portion is chain link. So, the pups can see each other and interact without making any new pups in the process. They also get supervised run time in the yard five times a day (if desired) and owners can choose that their run time be either with a mixed group, with just other specific guests, or individually.

I would love to see something like this at Disney.

I keep asking my vet, with whom I board my parrots when we travel, that I wish they'd go "timeshare." I've got stacks of reservations going a full year out at any given time.

LDF: Lovely portraits of your fur-kids.

Thanks! I too have a list of reservations... at BF for our Disney trips and at our local kennel for some upcoming trips with my folks. Luckily, none of our pets seem to show stress with the travel. No finicky eaters in the bunch!

 

[TDC Nala]

Disney may not accept ideas, but you can send something to DVC stating how you think your vacation would be perfect if your pet could stay at the resort with you.

Don't have pets so my preference tends toward no pets in the resorts (including people walking pets around the resorts)

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

Disney may not accept ideas, but you can send something to DVC stating how you think your vacation would be perfect if your pet could stay at the resort with you.

Don't have pets so my preference tends toward no pets in the resorts (including people walking pets around the resorts)

Ummm, okay, I guess I'm still not getting my idea across. I also have a preference toward no pets in the resorts where we stay. I am suggesting a separate, more upscale area for the pets themselves. We certainly don't want our pet in our room with us at Disney.

 

[TDC Nala]

And the supposedly deluxe kennel they're building doesn't fit your desires in what way...are you proposing a DVC-only kennel? Not sure how that would be different from the one they will already be providing.

In that case I'd have to say I'm not in favor of my dues funding a kennel or a "pets-only resort" as I don't have pets.

That may be the only way to fund it because I can't see DVC selling memberships for pets considering the average lifespan of a pet...how long would a pet owner buy a membership for?

 

[dianeschlicht]

My idea was not a hotel where people and animals stayed together... it was a kennel that was more upscale for just the pets. Having her in the room with us for the stay would be no fun for any of us! I am suggesting a staffed location, as Best Friends is now, but with more amenities and personalized service for the pets. The DVC aspect that I am suggesting is a membership with separate points for the kennel location, like an add-on at a new resort, but the "resort" is for the pets.ROFL!!! =)

Okay, now it makes sense. I thought you were proposing having a DVC wing for pets.

FYI, here in Minnesota, it's mostly Motel 6 and Super 8's that allow pets along with the La Quintas.

Frankly, when I go on vacation, I'm wanting to get away from the dog chores. I spend 12 plus hours a day caring for dogs at home.

As for personalized service in the kennels....Most kennels have such services offered for a fee. I'm sure Best Friends could offer those services for a fee too, but I'm missing the point of how this should be connected to DVC.