I've just been getting used to these boards, but saw this thread and was intrigued to see what experiences other people have had at WDW.
I am a Puppy Raiser for an organization and have taken the last 3 puppies that I have raised to Disney. It's such a great training experience! Here are some things that I have found to work:
~Before leaving for your trip, get your pup used to wearing booties of some kind. We use Mutt Lukks since they are easy to stuff into a backpack. If your dogs doesn't get used to those, then we have used Musher's Secret to put on their paws. The pavement in the parks can get VERY hot in the warmer months. I usually will press my hand to the ground to check the temperature. If my hand burns, then the boots go on!
~Again, before leaving, get your pup used to large crowds and loud noises. Very important! Many dogs are well trained, but some aren't used to the masses at Disney. I have seen some working dogs in Disney balk about the simplest things that could've been worked on before even leaving for your trip. It saves a headache later!
~Carry a backpack of some sort. The less that your pup has to carry, the better for him/her. There's a lot of walking involved in the parks and the added weight of bowls and such is hard on a dog. I usually have a sling backpack with me that contains clean up supplies, water, bowl, boots, a small towel, hand sanitizer, a meal for the pup, and any extra equipment that can be folded up.
~I definitely agree with everyone about the "no petting" rule. I allow the characters to interact with the puppies, but other people in the parks are not allowed to pet.
~As for rides, we have used rider swaps on some of the more fast-paced rides so that the dogs don't have to get stressed while on them. Please don't take the dogs on Toy Story Mania...it's really stressful for them and the whipping about is rough even on us humans!
~I was just in Disney last September and was pleased to see that they have moved the potty areas to the inside of the parks. They are small, but it's so much nicer having them inside the park than having to go behind the scenes to locate them. The Disability maps have them clearly marked on them and if I remember correctly there are about 4 per park.
~The transportation has been very accommodating and I usually have my pups lay under the seat that I am sitting on. Since most of the time it's standing room only on the buses, this has kept them out of the way and not getting stepped on.
~We've also used the Best Friend kennels. I leave the pup there on the day that we plan on going to the Animal Kingdom. We try to plan that day for the middle of our trip so that the pup gets a day of rest.
Take lots of breaks during the hotter parts of the day and just keep an eye on your pup for the cues that they give you. They're very good about letting us know that they have had enough! My puppy, Pip, was tired of meeting all the princesses, but I was having so much fun!
Hope this helps!