NO!! Tell me it isn't true - Ft.'s kennel closing?

[des1954]

I find it hard to believe that they will be done by the 27th.

But, I do believe that they are going to open on the 27th.

Do you want to make (another) friendly wager, Deb?

I think you still owe me a beer from the 2100 loop wager.

What do you say?

Double or nothing?

TCD

I'll take you up on your bet - only because I don't mind sharing my beer!! They are going to have to pull out all the stops if they want to be ready for opening on the 27th. That's only 24 days from today. It can be done if they put their minds to it, but I'm willing to bet the other kennels will remain open for another month or so.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

I'll take you up on your bet - only because I don't mind sharing my beer!! They are going to have to pull out all the stops if they want to be ready for opening on the 27th. That's only 24 days from today. It can be done if they put their minds to it, but I'm willing to bet the other kennels will remain open for another month or so.

OK, then, it's a bet.

I say that they will be open on the 27th.

I am not saying the other kennels will close on the 27th.

I am thinking that the new kennel will open, but that there will still be work to be done.

I'm not sure when or if the other kennels will close.

I can taste the free beer already!

TCD

 

[ChateauFive]

They should provide Disney pet taxi to the kennell.

They should!!!! or better yet keep the one open at F.W. for guess who stay at F.W.!!!

 

[BradyBz12]

They should provide Disney pet taxi to the kennell.

If someone sees a profit in it, I won't be at all surprised if this actually happens.

In the meantime, maybe DH and I should step up our "early retirement plan" of petsitting at the Fort.

 

[Magicbus]

I drove by a couple of hours ago and the pace seems to have picked up. At least looking at it from the outside. Need to know what the inside looks like. If it's mostly cosmetic stuff left to be done, then they've got a shot. Tough call though.

TCD, a couple of days ago I noticed a brownish car parked outside the new kennel. It was parked in such way that it appeared to me that someone was snooping around. What color is your car(s)? Was that you and that's why you're so confident?

 

[Disneylitch]

I agree with the pet taxi. Believe it or not, we have a kennel just a mile down the road from us that does that. They have this location in Street, MD and another location in Delta, PA. They pick up and deliver your dog or cat at no charge. I think that's a really good idea for Disney. It would definitely help people without transportation.

 

[Magicbus]

I would think that a pet taxi is a must, especially because of the unique location. Free, I don't know about that. I wonder how much, if any, business will come from the locals? Is there enough business from just WDW guests? I would use it for the grooming if the prices are competitive. Drop the Buddy when I come in and pick him when I go home. Maybe there is some CM business.

 

[Disneylitch]

I was also wondering if there is going to be enough business from just WDW guest. You would think a company as large as Disney would have done some research into that, but you gotta wonder. I guess time wil tell.

 

[des1954]

OK, then, it's a bet.

I say that they will be open on the 27th.

I am not saying the other kennels will close on the 27th.

I am thinking that the new kennel will open, but that there will still be work to be done.

I'm not sure when or if the other kennels will close.

I can taste the free beer already!

TCD

TCD - You're always welcomed to a few beers at my place; bet or no bet!

 

[mikron]

Thers is a device you can leave in the camper/motorhome that will dial your cell or any # you put in if the temp goes up. Check Camping World I think I read about it there. You could try on line search and I don't remember it costing a lot.

 

[SandrA9810]

I would think that a pet taxi is a must, especially because of the unique location. Free, I don't know about that. I wonder how much, if any, business will come from the locals? Is there enough business from just WDW guests? I would use it for the grooming if the prices are competitive. Drop the Buddy when I come in and pick him when I go home. Maybe there is some CM business.

The kennels lost my business when they went to the new company. I used to keep my doggie at the kennel at DAK (along with several others). Since base was right behind Garden Gate Gifts, it was just a few minutes to use the back door of the kennel and let her go for a walk. It was 5 bucks for the day or 8 bucks overnight. I had some issues with the DAK front end people, that I started dropping her off at the Fort or TTC when I knew I would have a long shift. At least I knew she would be fed there. And she would have a lot less away from me time there than being stuck at home. Sometimes I'd go in at 8:30am, while Kari (my SO at the time) would be at MK and wouldn't get out till midnight.
When best friends came in, and prices shot up... no way. They always treated me differently once I pull out the ID to get the cast discount. It was always that the owner retrieve the dog from the kennel before, but BF would do it for regular paying guests. There were times when I'd say, I'm here to see my dog. They'd be like "ok, let me go get her for you". The next thing I know they're opening the door and asking me to go get her after they see I'm a CM. Disney CM's (at least every where except DAK), they would feed her at whatever time I requested. With my own food or the purina food (that was free to those who wanted to use it, since it was sponsored by Purina). BF wouldn't even do that. And they wanted to charge double than the original cast rate.

So I admit, I had to use the BF kennels more often than I would've preferred to, but I always felt like second class when I showed my ID to get the discount.


Well that's my rant on them. And now with this new "all exclusive" thing... bunch of bologna. I think more people will feel comfortable with leaving their pets in a kennel at home than worrying about bringing them to Disney now.

 

[Magicbus]

The kennels lost my business when they went to the new company.

I didn't realize that Disney didn't operate the kennels. Before you posted your response, I thought Disney was closing the kennels because they didn't want to be in the doggie business. If BF runs the kennels now, could it be that they decided to shut down the kennels for business reasons?

 

[Disneylitch]

I didn't realize that either. When did BF take over the Disney kennels? Maybe this is part of the reason that you can basically have a pet in any loop at the campgrounds. That doesn't help CM though. I would have never thought about bringing my dog to the kennels while I was working, but it's a really great idea. Or atleast it was.

 

[BradyBz12]

I didn't realize that either. When did BF take over the Disney kennels?

Early 2008

 

[SCtigercock]

My DH and I stopped by on the 29th to check out the Fort's Kennel and was asked when we would be using it. We stated December at the earliest. They stated they were closing in late August since the new facility would be open. They then went over the options that would be included. One had a TV with a rather large run. I asked if the owner could stay with the pet, and was told no.

So late August is the plan. When we road by on the way to Downtown Disney it looked like a long shot. But Disney is Disney so who knows.

 

[SandrA9810]

Best Friends has been there for several years. I think sometime late 2007-08 they came in. I know the ladies at the fort weren't happy with it. They're the ones that still do the trail ride check in, and where you do reservations for the haunted carriage ride. That all used to be done inside at the kennel counter.

I also had a few good people at the TTC location that adored my dog, and they weren't happy about the take over. The kennels were run by cast members in the general area. There was no set "kennel position or department". As to why service was different from each location.

Like at DAK, they complained to me about how often I walked my dog... she was getting walked a lot more than if she was left at home alone, and I knew she would be fine. They refused to feed her for me, whether it was my food or the purina food. I was even late for work one day because the manager wouldn't let me check her in before berating me about how I take care of her. But if I paid the 1$ more, which was at the time guest price, they didn't complain. So I said fine, take an extra buck and leave me alone.
At the TTC and the Fort, they had no problem with the timings of my walks, and would feed her without a question. They even let me use the dog bath a couple times at the TTC. I don't know if BFs removed it, but there is one in the back. And they thought the people at DAK were stupid too.

Prices were really reasonable, only like 15$ a night if you were a resort guest. And you weren't charged for a day if you left your dog in the kennel all day past the 11am pick up time. Once BFs stepped in, it was practically the same amount per night as it was for me to stay at the Fort.

 

[SandrA9810]

BF wants to try and create a more "pet spa" kind of place, with all kinds of stupid things for keeping dogs occupied. More or less, they want more money, and less overhead costs by having one facility. They're trying to appeal more to those staying at the Grand, rather than the off property guest or those staying at the Fort. Total different price range from those using the service now, to those who they're trying to appeal to.