Requested pet loop

[jbrostek]

That is exactly what I just said. 100% unconditional guarantee of my pet loop reservation or I will have to spent my time and money at a different destination because another campground nearby is not even in the picture. If I cannot stay on the Disney campus, then Disney is not worth visiting. I made that mistake once.

I am sure the non pet owners would love for that, but that is the reason I love Disney for having pet loops so that pet owners who understand the dogs bark just as much as kids scream and can tolerate it.

And BTW, many but not all owners actually get upset about those few that refuse to pick up after their pets.

 

[KristinU]

So if Disney is going to make it where if they fill the limited pet loops and no longer expand as required, they I can rest assure you that unless I get a 100% unconditional guaranty that I have a site in a pet loop. Disney will stop seeing my money and probably many others. No one will want to make a long trip like that with no guarantee of a proper site and be forced to find alternatives.

Yes, this.

I have to say, this has been weighing heavily on my mind since posted yesterday. I'm starting to poke around at other destinations on our list for this summer. A trip to the Fort/WDW is just too much vacation time and money to leave to chance. At least we've got some time to think about it and give some time to see what exactly the policy is, then figure out what we want to do. The problem is, though, that we all know the track record of exact policies and getting a guarantee on those and having them enforced.

 

[KristinU]

And BTW, many but not all owners actually get upset about those few that refuse to pick up after their pets.

And some of us even go a step further and clean up after other bozos who don't pick up after their dogs in an effort to help the reputation of good dog owners.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

In this case there really needs to be guaranteed booking for pet sites rather than just by request . . .

I think we all need to wait for any kind of official release:
1) Take this only as "a topic announced at an employee meeting".
2) Which means it is always Subject-To-Change until implemented.
3) Regarding pets,
. . . soon, pets won't be allowed in non-pet loops, but no date given
. . . pets in non-pet loops will have to be boarded
. . . ressies for pet sites will be guaranteed *
. . . pet sites will have a higher nightly rate, like special resort rooms (eg. Pirate Rooms at CBR)
. . . there are costs to maintain pet sites that are not needed for non-pet sites, and someone has to pay for this

* Guarantee is not always a guarantee, as there are things that can make
a room or campsite unavailable (eg. mechanical failures, environmental issues,
existing guests not leaving on time, human error, etc).

 

[jbrostek]

Kristin, true enough on that, and I try as well but not all the time do I have enough bags on me or a station nearby to help. I had the pleasure of one specific neighbors dog leaving me a gift by my site post every day for the first 4 days when I finally got there for my 2 week stay. Never found the culprit but it was out of my dogs tie out reach and there every morning when I went out with them before they got their breakfast and walk. The good thing about scheduled feeders is I always knew they could hold it while I was in the parks.

 

[jbrostek]

Sounds like disney is leaning towards non pet friendly policies. I will wait and see, but the approach you are suggesting tells me Disney will probably start seeing a LOT less of my hard earned dollars.

 

[Ddude]

. . . pet sites will have a higher nightly rate, like special resort rooms (eg. Pirate Rooms at CBR)
. . . there are costs to maintain pet sites that are not needed for non-pet sites, and someone has to pay for this

[/I]

We already pay a daily pet fee. Why the heck would they charge more than $5/day? Seems like they could loose some business with this. Heck, I'll take my dogs to pet friendly Universal hotels if this proves to be real.

 

[KristinU]

Sounds like disney is leaning towards non pet friendly policies. I will wait and see, but the approach you are suggesting tells me Disney will probably start seeing a LOT less of my hard earned dollars.

Yep.

We already pay a daily pet fee. Why the heck would they charge more than $5/day? Seems like they could loose some business with this. Heck, I'll take my dogs to pet friendly Universal hotels if this proves to be real.

Yep.

Kristin, true enough on that, and I try as well but not all the time do I have enough bags on me or a station nearby to help. I had the pleasure of one specific neighbors dog leaving me a gift by my site post every day for the first 4 days when I finally got there for my 2 week stay. Never found the culprit but it was out of my dogs tie out reach and there every morning when I went out with them before they got their breakfast and walk. The good thing about scheduled feeders is I always knew they could hold it while I was in the parks.

And doesn't that just drive you nuts??? Who are these jackwagons that give dog owners a bad name??? I always have a roll of plastic bags attached to one of our leashes, so I always have spares...so my approach if I see someone leaving a poop behind is to run over waving a bag at them and say "oh, I hate when I'm caught without a bag - here's one!" Gives them an out and guilts them into picking up.

 

[KristinU]

I think we all need to wait for any kind of official release:
1) Take this only as "a topic announced at an employee meeting".
2) Which means it is always Subject-To-Change until implemented.
3) Regarding pets,
. . . soon, pets won't be allowed in non-pet loops, but no date given
. . . pets in non-pet loops will have to be boarded
. . . ressies for pet sites will be guaranteed *
. . . pet sites will have a higher nightly rate, like special resort rooms (eg. Pirate Rooms at CBR)
. . . there are costs to maintain pet sites that are not needed for non-pet sites, and someone has to pay for this

* Guarantee is not always a guarantee, as there are things that can make
a room or campsite unavailable (eg. mechanical failures, environmental issues,
existing guests not leaving on time, human error, etc).

So question Rusty Scupper: on any change like this are the policies that were in place when the reservation was made honored at the time of the visit? i.e. would there be a chance that my dogs would be turned away at arrival if the policy goes into effect the day before we get there?

Believe me, I'm not trying to be dramatic and knee-jerk here, it is just that vacation time is finite and I don't want to be thrown into a scramble in May to try to plan a June vacation. We did a super fun two week/twelve state trek in our RV last summer and I could easily be planning something like that again if my dogs are no longer welcome at the Fort, it is just that I would need to start planning said trek sometime fairly soon.

 

[North of Mouse]

Sounds like disney is leaning towards non pet friendly policies. I will wait and see, but the approach you are suggesting tells me Disney will probably start seeing a LOT less of my hard earned dollars.

I don't see them as being non pet friendly at all, but hopefully enforcing what has been the policy the whole time, but have been gradually relaxing it. People just want equal considerations.

The Fort used to be 'completely' pet free. Now the biggest majority of loops allow pets.

I can understand the frustration if you can't be guaranteed a pet site 'after' making ressies for them, but likewise those that desire a 'pet free' loop should be guaranteed the same.

What I have never understood is why some people just 'have' to walk their pets in the early AM/whenever in the pet free loops when there are ever so many more of the pet loops to walk their dogs?

It works both ways and I do hope both sides can be happy, as what is fair for one is fair for the other, and not 'one' accommodated above the other.

 

[KristinU]

What I have never understood is why some people just 'have' to walk their pets in the early AM/whenever in the pet free loops when there are ever so many more of the pet loops to walk their dogs?

Is there signage? I don't remember. I think the vast majority of people who camp with their pets are used to campgrounds being all or nothing as far as pets being allowed. So I doubt they have any idea that they're doing anything that would offend anyone.

And I totally agree that people on both sides of this issue should be able to book a site specific to their needs and desires and not just leave it to chance or "request" -or Disney simply needs to be pet free at the Fort and make it clear (and lose a bunch of us...but at least it would be clear)

 

[JanL]

I live in the country and my neighbor walks their dogs across the road to use my side! I let the portion between the drainage ditch and the road grow wild in hopes they would get the hint. LOL, they mowed a patch of it for their dogs. They have 12 acres, but they have denuded all the trees (after the last wildfire) and keep it mowed now.

 

[jbrostek]

Well I already pay a markup on the site in a pet fee. I abide by the posted no pet areas, though making owners from the 300 loop cross the road twice to get to the dog park rather then providing a better pathway is not well thought out at all.

So if disney wants me to pay for a marketing gimic desitnation resort room for the same site my neighbor gets without pets, they will not see my money. While it is the few making things bad for the rest. I think most of the issues of pets in non pet loops come from the cast members on check in and the reservation system. If you are out of pet loop sites, you take the res and stuff that person in a non pet loop site who is to blame?

So Disney needs to get their act together first and foremost from reservations to check-in. Sadly and no matter what, if I am ever told on arrival there is no room for me in a pet loop and I must board, I will ask for a full refund of all costs including taxes and fees and have very long drawn out discussions with corporate for the time and expenses I incurred for my reservation being canceled after a 1000 mile 2 day drive.

 

[WDW1979]

1) Yes, the practice of pets in no-pet loops is about to come to an end.

I am happy to read this may happen. I would prefer Fort Wilderness accommodate only human guests, but at least it would be good to know that if I book a site, there will be non-pet loops with no exceptions that would otherwise really make them effectively pet loops.

 

[WDW1979]

1) Yes, the practice of pets in no-pet loops is about to come to an end.

I wonder if this decision to enforce true non-pet loops may be related to plans for upcoming DVC at Fort Wilderness. Maybe those involved in planning a Fort Wilderness Campground DVC have thought that it may not be a good idea to try to sell $20,000+ DVC ownerships to people if there are dogs everywhere in the campground. Pure speculation of course, but it could be a reason.

 

[KristinU]

Sadly and no matter what, if I am ever told on arrival there is no room for me in a pet loop and I must board, I will ask for a full refund of all costs including taxes and fees and have very long drawn out discussions with corporate for the time and expenses I incurred for my reservation being canceled after a 1000 mile 2 day drive.

See, this is where I just don't think that it is even worth the risk for us. Getting reimbursed $$$ is fine, but our vacation time is finite and budgeted and that's something that can't be reimbursed. I just don't think it is worth the possible hassle for the amount of time and money we have budgeted.

I'm already the one that is more jazzy about a trip to WDW than DH and DS, so this prospect of having our dogs turned away (along with all of this pre-scheduling every second in the parks falderal) is making it look like we'll be choosing something else this summer.

 

[articfox676]

I am having a problem understanding why the shortage of pet loops. How many are there?
We have never brought any pets, asked at check in if we have pets, NO, and yet they put us in pet loops more often then not. Doesn't matter to us but sure someone else may need that spot.

 

[jbrostek]

That is the main issue. I hear of people being told no room in pet loops, but my last trip most of the campers surrounding me did not have pets. So the reservation and check-in process needs more work and will probably fix the other issues of pets in non pet loops.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I wonder if this decision to enforce true non-pet loops may be related to plans for upcoming DVC at Fort Wilderness. Maybe those involved in planning a Fort Wilderness Campground DVC have thought that it may not be a good idea to try to sell $20,000+ DVC ownerships to people if there are dogs everywhere in the campground. Pure speculation of course, but it could be a reason.

1) I had not even thought of this for a cause.
2) However, could possibly be one of the reasons.
3) Valid or not, it is a good thought.

 

[tlwfun89]

I just made a reservation and requested a pet loop and was told its 5.00 more per night and I asked about the possibility of arriving and not getting a pet loop they assured me not ever… most of the campground is pet friendly and most of their visitors stay in pet loops