Longshot Question re:Pets

[DantePD]

Alright, so I'm trying to get together a trip for 2018 for a couple who are close friends with my husband and I and the only sticking point is....their dog, Margo.

They're very reluctant to board her and they don't really have anyone who can dogsit for them.

Margo is a adult Carolina Dog, pretty mild mannered and well trained. Pretty quiet too.

SO, my question...is there any WDW resort that allows dogs (without being a jerk and claiming they're a service animal when they're not)?

 

[alex9179]

The only WDW area that allows pets is the Fort Wilderness Campground. I'm not sure of any size limits. Otherwise, no. They have a kennel on property that they can use. Maybe being able to visit her will set their minds at ease.

 

[DantePD]

The only WDW area that allows pets is the Fort Wilderness Campground. I'm not sure of any size limits. Otherwise, no. They have a kennel on property that they can use. Maybe being able to visit her will set their minds at ease.

That's kind of what I figured, but I thought I'd come here and ask the experts. Hrm. I'll look at pricing out the kennel and see if I can make it work. (I've been trying to get these two to take a vacation for years now. It's a matter of honor at this point.)

 

[tobikaye]

It might not be onsite, but if you want to do WDW, I know that when I have searched offsite house rentals near WDW that I have seen some listed as allowing pets. It might be a way to get them to WDW.

If that does not work and you just want them to take a vacation, I know that there are many hotels that do still allow pets. There are even some beach houses I have seen that list pets allowed.

 

[wilkeliza]

Rent an RV and stay at the campgrounds. That is the only way to do it with out kenneling and being inside Disney's rules.

 

[DantePD]

Rent an RV and stay at the campgrounds. That is the only way to do it with out kenneling and being inside Disney's rules.

That's on the possibility list as a last resort. Owing to the fact that my husband is the only one of us who knows how to drive one and the idea of making him drive from DC to Orlando seems...cruel

 

[siskaren]

That's on the possibility list as a last resort. Owing to the fact that my husband is the only one of us who knows how to drive one and the idea of making him drive from DC to Orlando seems...cruel

You can actually rent an RV where the rental company drives it to the campground and sets it up on the site - I heard about it on a podcast.

 

[wilkeliza]

That's on the possibility list as a last resort. Owing to the fact that my husband is the only one of us who knows how to drive one and the idea of making him drive from DC to Orlando seems...cruel

I'm pretty sure you can rent one in Orlando so wouldn't need to drive that far and there are a few rental places that will even drop it off at the Fort for you so no driving at all!

 

[wilkeliza]

Another idea is the Universal hotels. They are dog friendly but I can't remember if you can actually leave your dog kenneled there in the room during the day or if you are suppose to be with your dog at all times.

 

[DantePD]

You can actually rent an RV where the rental company drives it to the campground and sets it up on the site - I heard about it on a podcast.

Oooohhhh, I'll look into that.

Another idea is the Universal hotels. They are dog friendly but I can't remember if you can actually leave your dog kenneled there in the room during the day or if you are suppose to be with your dog at all times.

I'll put that on the list, but we were planning on staying on property, just doing Disney parks, but if push comes to shove...

(Thankfully, this is all for a 2018 trip, so I've got plenty of time to explore options)

 

[HopperFan]

https://www.greenbergrvflorida.com/camping-in-florida/fort-wilderness/

http://fortwildernessrvrentals.com/

http://www.traveltrailerrent.com/disneys-fort-wilderness-rental-packages.html

and there are others ...

Go to the CAMPING Board to get some opinions and reviews.
https://www.disboards.com/forums/camping-at-disney-world.24/

This may be a great option for them. Have family who stays there in big fancy unit and they love having their dog there with them.

 

[katmu]

Fort Wilderness even has a dog park. I've seen quite a few dogs there, granted not during the warmer months as it was around the holidays.

 

[Westcoastwild]

So I don't know your friends...

But you know, if you really want them to take a vacation with you and the dog truly IS the sticking point, then I'd find a vacation suitable for the dog. Even fort wilderness is not really what I'd consider suitable, because you are going to be in the parks all day long. Maybe you can leave a dog unattended in a rental trailer all day but there is literally no hotel that Inhave stayed at that doesn't have "don't leave your dog unattended at all" in the pet contract.

I'm a dog lover. I will board my dog while on vacation. The only kind of vacation that really works with the dog along is the kind that is planned for the dog. State parks, beach towns, expensive city hotels that are genuinely dog friendly, etc. Even then it means some sacrifices, like less eating out, fewer indoor attractions.

One of the issues is that this dog might be mild mannered when in a familiar setting but will have high anxiety at the hotel. Barking, howling, property destruction. Does the dog travel frequently with them? You make it sound like they never take a vacation at all.

Of course the cynic in me is inclined to think the dog is an excuse. If they have no trusted pet sitter or boarding facility, they never go away, and they are probably homebodies. (Not to mention they must have really good work schedules). I've got friends like that. Even when they say they would love to go somewhere, when it comes right down to it they won't. You may be wasting your time.

 

[Kimberle]

Here is a review from Passporter.com of one of the authors experience renting an RV.

http://www.passporterboards.com/blo...ss-florida-camper-rental-is-darn-tootin-good/

 

[crazylady]

Check out dogvaca.com. It's sort of like Airbnb for dogs. Boarding but not since the dog stays in someone's home with them.

 

[DantePD]

So I don't know your friends...

But you know, if you really want them to take a vacation with you and the dog truly IS the sticking point, then I'd find a vacation suitable for the dog. Even fort wilderness is not really what I'd consider suitable, because you are going to be in the parks all day long. Maybe you can leave a dog unattended in a rental trailer all day but there is literally no hotel that Inhave stayed at that doesn't have "don't leave your dog unattended at all" in the pet contract.

I'm a dog lover. I will board my dog while on vacation. The only kind of vacation that really works with the dog along is the kind that is planned for the dog. State parks, beach towns, expensive city hotels that are genuinely dog friendly, etc. Even then it means some sacrifices, like less eating out, fewer indoor attractions.

One of the issues is that this dog might be mild mannered when in a familiar setting but will have high anxiety at the hotel. Barking, howling, property destruction. Does the dog travel frequently with them? You make it sound like they never take a vacation at all.

Of course the cynic in me is inclined to think the dog is an excuse. If they have no trusted pet sitter or boarding facility, they never go away, and they are probably homebodies. (Not to mention they must have really good work schedules). I've got friends like that. Even when they say they would love to go somewhere, when it comes right down to it they won't. You may be wasting your time.

Well, it's more of an availability thing for them locally. Their vet doesn't do boarding for more than a day or two and they live in a rural area that doesn't really have anywhere else to do so.

They're actually the ones that approached me about trying to find options to work around. Right now, Ft Wilderness campgrounds and Best Friends are looking like the best options, but I've got a little more than a year to plan and work this out.

 

[siskaren]

Here is a review from Passporter.com of one of the authors experience renting an RV.

http://www.passporterboards.com/blo...ss-florida-camper-rental-is-darn-tootin-good/

That's actually the podcast I was referring to.

 

[Westcoastwild]

Well, it's more of an availability thing for them locally. Their vet doesn't do boarding for more than a day or two and they live in a rural area that doesn't really have anywhere else to do so.

They're actually the ones that approached me about trying to find options to work around. Right now, Ft Wilderness campgrounds and Best Friends are looking like the best options, but I've got a little more than a year to plan and work this out.

Oh that is tough, been there done that. My sympathies then- if I lived nearby, I would watch their pooch. When I was in that situation, I had a barter thing going with the neighbors.

2 ideas-

Tell them to ask around the "neighborhood" or their workplaces, if they haven't already. In rural areas, there are often responsible kids involved in 4-h and ffa that have families with land and so many animals already that chances are they could babysit the dog with support from their parents. My sister dogsat for some of my dad's coworkers this way. Mostly in that case though it was because the dog was old and not really happy in a kennel setting.

Look up dog daycares in the Orlando area. I sometimes had to take the dog with me on vacation and there were good pet sitting options nearby. That way, the dog gets to play with other dogs while your friends are enjoying the parks. There are a lot of good pet resorts out there and I feel like a city the size of Orlando probably has a few to choose from. I like this option best because then I'm not hundreds of miles away if the dog gets sick or something. That might be an ideal situation. You could always get that trailer at fort wilderness and the dog could spend the evening with you- only be boarded during the days that you think it's unlikely you'll be able to check on him much.

 

[Farro]

Aww. I understand that issue all too well.

Our dog Max had awful anxiety and just could not be boarded or left with others - we tried. We went on vacation (to Disney) in 2000 before we got him, and then the two of us didn't vacation again together until 2014! But Max was worth it all those 14 years, we miss him everyday!

Oh, and we are definitely making up for lost vacation time together!

I hope it works out OP!

 

[Lisa75]

Aww. I understand that issue all too well.

Our dog Max had awful anxiety and just could not be boarded or left with others - we tried. We went on vacation (to Disney) in 2000 before we got him, and then the two of us didn't vacation again together until 2014! But Max was worth it all those 14 years, we miss him everyday!

Oh, and we are definitely making up for lost vacation time together!

I hope it works out OP!

I could have written this! DH and I got first of 3 dogs in 2001. Took them with us to a rented house in Orlando in 2011 that was first trip together! The drive was too hard on them though. 2012 DS was born. We fenced in our yard and found an awesome in home sitter. She lives there while we are gone. It's pricey but it's the only way we can all go.