New Kennel Opening is Postponed

[des1954]

The opening date for the new Best Friends Kennels has been pushed back to September 1, 2010.

My source:

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...walt-disney-world-now-accepting-reservations/

TCD: Sorry to say "I told you so." (not)

(I have my doubts about a September 1st opening)

 

[Magicbus]

I don't know Deb, I drove by a few times today. The sign is up, the exterior looks almost complete, and most of the paving is done. I think the revised date is realistic.

 

[des1954]

I trust your judgment, Lou. Last Thursday it looked nowhere near ready, but a lot can be done in a week. I wonder what progress has been made on the inside?

 

[Tri-circle-D]

OK.

I'll admit it.

Deb was right.

TCD was wrong.

I don't think that has ever happened before.

I'm sure it won't happen again.

I had my doubts about the opening day too.

Silly me, I thought they wouldn't be so dumb as to announce an unrealistic opening date in a big press release and elsewhere so close to the actual date.

When will I learn?

TCD

 

[beccaewert]

honestly how much do you think there gonna charge....definately looks like an arm & a leg....or maybe all four limbs!

 

[BradyBz12]

There's info floating around out there with the announced rates (it's in a fairly recent thread too). I don't recall exact $ but I remember that it was P-R-I-C-E-Y! As in - costs me less to make my monthly camper payment than board my 3 dogs there for a night.

 

[SandrA9810]

Some one said 37$ a night.

Why would I pay that much for an itty bitty kennel, when I can have a whole campsite with electricity, with water, and with cable for that much??? I think any dog would be living it up much better at the Fort than at those stupid kennels.

 

[Magicbus]

The new kennel at WDW has me confused. Excluding RV campers at the Fort, how many people bring their pets to WDW? I understand that if you're a tent camper and bring a pet, you have to kennel it if you're going to the parks. But other than those people, do a lot of people staying at the resorts bring their pets? Do they fly them down? If they drive, how many of them bring the pets and why?
If they're going to kennnel them, doesn't it make sense to kennel them where they live rather than bringing them to Florida and sticking them in a kennel here. I realize that some people do, but are there enough of them to keep the new facility in business? I must be missing something. Will someone enlighten me please?

 

[des1954]

There must be a lot of people who bring their dogs with them on vacation. I see people walking their dogs at the Epcot & MK kennels. If these were just "day-trippers" you would think they would leave fido home.

I understand people who bring pets camping with them, but don't understand those who bring them along when staying at the resorts. Then again, our former next door neighbor drove his MH to the Disney Parks, Sea World, and Universal, just so he didn't have to leave his schnauzers home. He'd turn on the generator, AC, and television so his dogs would feel like they were loved. He did all this just for 5 or 6 hours of park time.

I have cats. I take my cats camping. Cats don't need no stinking kennel!

 

[ftwildernessguy]

One of my assistant's in Germany owned a dog that she and her husband always took on vacation. In fact, their neighbors used to "borrow" the dog to go on their vacation, too. But then in Germany, people take their dogs to nice restaurants, too.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

honestly how much do you think there gonna charge....definately looks like an arm & a leg....or maybe all four limbs!

Something funny is going on here. When the press release was first issued back in June, the Best Friends website had all of their services and prices listed. One of the things they listed as being available at the new kennel were private rooms with beds and TV. Those were going for something like $70 a night! They also had prices listed for ice cream parties, and visiting their private dog park, etc. Now, all of that is missing from the website.

I wonder what happened?

Did they get tons of negative feedback?

Is the business plan being revised?

It's strange that all that information has disappeared from their website.

Especially if they really intend to open in less than two weeks.

The new kennel at WDW has me confused. Excluding RV campers at the Fort, how many people bring their pets to WDW? I understand that if you're a tent camper and bring a pet, you have to kennel it if you're going to the parks. But other than those people, do a lot of people staying at the resorts bring their pets? Do they fly them down? If they drive, how many of them bring the pets and why?
If they're going to kennnel them, doesn't it make sense to kennel them where they live rather than bringing them to Florida and sticking them in a kennel here. I realize that some people do, but are there enough of them to keep the new facility in business? I must be missing something. Will someone enlighten me please?

This is a very good question.

I think the obvious answer is that it wasn't enough guests to justify operating five kennels.

If Disney was raking in the dough on the kennels, they wouldn't have sold them to Best Friends.

Clearly, the owners of Best Friends figured that the day visitors at the theme park kennels were not enough to be profitable, so they decided to consolidate all of those facilities into one. As for Fort Wilderness, the same must be true- not enough business to justify a free standing kennel there either. It is obvious, based on the menu of services and amenities that has now mysteriously disappeared from the Best Friends website, that Best Friends was trying to expand its customer base by offering unique and extravagant (and expensive) things to pet owners. Before all of these things disappeared from their website, they were offering to take reservations for their luxury suites, and ice cream parties, etc. I'll bet they were disappointed by the lack of customers signing up for these things. Now, it looks like they are re-thinking some things.

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

I wish them luck.

They obviously are going to need it.

TCD

 

[P.I. Squirrel]

The new kennel at WDW has me confused. Excluding RV campers at the Fort, how many people bring their pets to WDW? I understand that if you're a tent camper and bring a pet, you have to kennel it if you're going to the parks. But other than those people, do a lot of people staying at the resorts bring their pets? Do they fly them down? If they drive, how many of them bring the pets and why?
If they're going to kennnel them, doesn't it make sense to kennel them where they live rather than bringing them to Florida and sticking them in a kennel here. I realize that some people do, but are there enough of them to keep the new facility in business? I must be missing something. Will someone enlighten me please?

While I can't answer for others, we brought our Boston Terrier with us in May, because we didn't have anything near our home that was decent. Also, campers are not allowed to leave their pets in tents or trailers with no AC.

We paid around $21 a day at FW kennel. For that, she got a cage like you see at the pet store at the mall. They only took her out of the cage twice daily, so we visited a lot to walk her ourselves.

Last month, a brand new vet/kennel opened up near our home. It is set up like the new kennel at Disney. Each dog gets her own room. We've reserved a 4X4 room for $15 daily, while the new Disney kennel wants around $38 for the same size. But, this kennel walks her 4 times a day, and the caretaker loves getting them out to play with them. Double the size, double the affection, half the price. We are definitely leaving her home this time.

 

[SandrA9810]

I always took my dog every where. She had her own separation issues, which I didn't play into all the time. But I wasn't about to leave her at home, when I knew she'd be miserable. When I took her to the kennels, I would visit her, play with her, and she knew I was coming back for her. And this was when we were staying in the resorts too (before moving to Orlando).

Kari's parent's also bring their dogs with them, rather than leaving them at home. Most hotels have reasonable rates for pet fees, but owners seem to be smart enough to realize that they can't be in a hotel room with they're in the parks for 12hrs or more.

A lot of people also make Disney just a stop on their destination. What if they're headed to the Keys or someplace dog friendly. When we went on road trips to visit her parent's, we always brought the dog with us or we wouldn't go. And if we wanted to, we could've brought the dog on all the hikes we did throughout the state parks.

People are not flying with their dogs for vacation. It's the ones that are driving. And my dog loved the car, and thought it was the best place in the world to be.
Would you rather have your dog close to you in case something happens, or clear across in another state??

 

[cruisinbeagle]

I have no choice but to use the new kennel. We're coming to the Fort next May and we're making a trek across the country to the Fort and back again to California. We're going to be gone for 21 days. There's no way I could leave my little one that long back in California so we have no choice but to bring her and put her in the new kennel. At least we'll be with her for the 6 days each way and off and on at the Fort.

Cindy

 

[Magicbus]

There must be a lot of people who bring their dogs with them on vacation. I understand people who bring pets camping with them, but don't understand those who bring them along when staying at the resorts.

I guess there must be a lot of potential clients or why else would they build the luxury kennel.

their neighbors used to "borrow" the dog to go on their vacation, too. But then in Germany, people take their dogs to nice restaurants, too.

Those wacky Euros.

Something funny is going on here. When the press release was first issued back in June, the Best Friends website had all of their services and prices listed. One of the things they listed as being available at the new kennel were private rooms with beds and TV. Those were going for something like $70 a night! They also had prices listed for ice cream parties, and visiting their private dog park, etc. Now, all of that is missing from the website.

Good find TCD and very interesting. Maybe they over estimated the amount of business at WDW.

we brought our Boston Terrier with us in May, because we didn't have anything near our home that was decent.
Last month, a brand new vet/kennel opened up near our home. We are definitely leaving her home this time.

Makes perfect sense.

I always took my dog everywhere.
Would you rather have your dog close to you in case something happens, or clear across in another state??

We also take Buddy everywhere and I mean everywhere. He flys with us all the time in his carrier under our seat. But whenever we fly, it's to visit family, so no need to put him in a kennel. And of course we always take him in the MH. After all, it is called the Buddymobile.
Sandra, your points are all valid. I understand them and am aware of them, but my point is, are there enough of the people that you outlined in your response to justify the new kennel?

I have no choice but to use the new kennel. There's no way I could leave my little one that long back in California

We can't and don't leave our little one behind either. He has the best life.

 

[SandrA9810]

Sandra, your points are all valid. I understand them and am aware of them, but my point is, are there enough of the people that you outlined in your response to justify the new kennel?

Ohh heck no. The kennels are going to flop big time, at least for the first year.

I feel the marketing is to the wrong crowd. The people that have that kind of money, are not the ones driving down. And I don't think many responsible owners are going to put their dog in the belly of a plane for traveling. Under the seat is a different story.

When I traveled with Kiani, I made sure that accommodations could be met for her. And the cheap rates of the kennel is what enticed me to bring her with me. At 37$ a day... I'd be finding some one else to watch after her.

 

[SandrA9810]

Fancy smancy kennels belong in residential neighborhoods that have that kind of income to justify the cost. They don't belong at the destination.

 

[mnsprk]

FWIW: They just announced on TV that it will open on the 27th.

 

[2goofycampers]

update and pics

http://land.allears.net/blogs/michaelbachand/2010/09/best_friends_pet_care_opens_at_1.html

 

[Disneylitch]

I agree. I wouldn't pay $37 per night to board my 2 dogs. That's just rediculous. The marketing people say that people want a special experience for their pets. For that kind of money, they will find a nice kennel near their home.