Service dog users, need help

[gilesmt]

I really thought I had covered everything but that is never true.

Today I was able to get a ressie for the wishes desert party, we have never done the fireworks because it is just to much for me, standing and then being squished like a sardine and then being pushed in every direction as the mass tries to move, no thank you.

But I have a dd who loves them and she really over the years has been left out so when I was able to snag this ressie I jumped on it.

Problem, Lorna my guide dog for 18 months. I have no idea what she is like with fireworks. I can't remember last Fourth of July. My retired dog would just sit thru them, trying his hardest to find the crumb on the floor of a desert that dropped and then being corrected if he went for it. Lorna I have no idea.

I really can not take her to the kennel. This is our first day, we have BBB at 9, CRT at 5:20 and desert party at 9:20. I just don't see enough time between CRT and desert to get the bus to POR and bring her to the kennel and I think she needs to be there before that anyway, then get back.

I can't really just bring her to a firework show around here to see how she does, since we are talking may.

So I am looking for a plan of action. I will go to desert with family. If Lorna can not so the fireworks and is upset, I can leave family there and go. Tell me what is around there, I am looking for a place that will not be crowded when the fireworks are going off. A place that will maybe be grassy and let me sit down and put her in my lap and reassure her if she is upset.

I don't know wdw as well as dlr, but if I can remember enough is there not a place over near space mountain that I think walks back towards fantasyland, is this grassy with a walking path. Is that a little way away from the crowds and would it be a little way from the fireworks. Could I get there from tomorrow land terrace during fireworks?

If not do you think I could get a cast member to get me behind the scenes until the fireworks are over? Any experienc, anyone. Both of my last service animals did fine so I never thought about it. But my exes service dog was awful two years ago on the fourth. I wanted to kill her, she just kept climbing on my head in bed all night and sitting on my head. She was shaking and petrified, I forgot all about this, and we were inside and very far away from the fireworks, I'm talking like 5 to 10 miles away.

I can say that we did do Disneyland last year for 5 days and I remember being outside the Fairfield inn on the balcony with Lorna two nights while the kids watch, but that is a good mile away, she was fine.

Anyway. I need a good plan of action for the event that she does not do good up close to these fireworks.

 

[disney david]

Follow sue advise can't get any better

 

[SueM in MN]

So I am looking for a plan of action. I will go to desert with family. If Lorna can not so the fireworks and is upset, I can leave family there and go. Tell me what is around there, I am looking for a place that will not be crowded when the fireworks are going off. A place that will maybe be grassy and let me sit down and put her in my lap and reassure her if she is upset.

I don't know wdw as well as dlr, but if I can remember enough is there not a place over near space mountain that I think walks back towards fantasyland, is this grassy with a walking path. Is that a little way away from the crowds and would it be a little way from the fireworks. Could I get there from tomorrow land terrace during fireworks?

There are not any grassy areas right around the terrace where the dessert party is. And, most grassy areas are fenced, so you can't get to them.

The walkway you are thinking of goes between Space Mountain and the New Fantasyland train station. That area was previously Toontown.
The walkway is still open, has a nice walking path and a grassy patch, which is one of the designated service dog relief area. Because of that, I would not want to sit on the grass there.
I am not positive that area will be open during the fireworks, but think it probably would be because of being a service dog relief area. The relief area is down the path almost to new Fantasyland. The path there goes between the train on the right and the Barnstormer on the left.
The train will not be running during the fireworks, as far as I know, but Barnstormer will be, so you can follow the sound to get to the relief area.

Other areas closer around the terrace -
- the terrace is one seating area for the quick service restaurant tucked in the corner across the walkway and up to the right in that area. You will reach a kind of T in the path, where you can continue right to the restaurant or left to go to Tomorrowland. The restaurant is called Tomorrowland Terrace and may not be on the maps when you go because it is only open seasonally.
If you go past the restaurant, there is another seating terrace on the right. After you turn, the restaurant will be on your left. That seating terrace is quite large and is roofed, so it may be quiet enough if you go all the way to the back wall. If you need more quiet, there are restrooms beyond the seating area (you have to go out of the seating area, but they are on the same side.

- bench area by restrooms in front of Space Mountain. There is a fairly high wall that the benches are part of. That might help deaden the sound a bit. The restrooms are beyond the Peoplemover and the stage. The wall is sort of the back wall of the stage.

- shop called Mickey's Star Traders. It is beyond Stitch's Great Escape on the same side of the path.

The terrace that is used for viewing is not usually open during the day, but all the other places are, so you could navigate between the various places during the day to get a feel for where they are.

 

[gilesmt]

Thanks sue, I will check them out. I assume Main Street will be impossible during fireworks to get out, especially alone. This gives me a couple options. Also I have been banging pans and spoons just to see if she jumps, if in the other room, she just gets up and walks to me and sits at my feet. We should be fine but we have some options if not. I can put them all into my trekker and should be fine to get there on my own. Best invention ever.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks sue, I will check them out. I assume Main Street will be impossible during fireworks to get out, especially alone. This gives me a couple options. Also I have been banging pans and spoons just to see if she jumps, if in the other room, she just gets up and walks to me and sits at my feet. We should be fine but we have some options if not. I can put them all into my trekker and should be fine to get there on my own. Best invention ever.

You are correct about Main Street. It will be packed, so I would not count on even crossing it. There are no grassy areas that way you can get to anyway.

Tomorrowland is your best option.

 

[SueM in MN]

Ok - have 2 new places for you and more info on the Service Dog relief area.

First, the Service dog relief area is pretty far away - you will have the Tomorrowland Speedway on your left for the whole way after you pass Space Mountain. The path has 2 small plant areas which divide the path, but it doesn't matter if you stay to the right or left. Both meet up with the main path.
The Service Dog relief area will be to your left just, just before the path ends in Storybook Circus area. There is a gated grass path for the dogs to use. There is a gate on each end of the path.
It is also the smoking area and there is one bench.

The shop at the exit to Space Mountain would also be a good spot, as long as you can get out of the path of guests leaving Space Mountain.

Last - I found another very quiet spot this evening that I didn't know existed before. It is a fairly large, but quiet seating area ticked into a space between the entrance to Space Mountain and the restrooms that are behind the Tomorrowland stage. There is a short set of stairs if you stay close to the restrooms and a ramp on the side closer to Space Mountain. No grass, but lots of space, pretty quiet and benches built into the fence that separates guests from the bushes.

 

[gilesmt]

Thanks sue, do they station CM at the gates, that would be nice for us blind persons who can not find the hidden locks on the fences to get in and potty our animals. That on in near space sounds great, it may buffer the fireworks, I will check them out in day light and be prepared for the use if I need them.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks sue, do they station CM at the gates, that would be nice for us blind persons who can not find the hidden locks on the fences to get in and potty our animals. That on in near space sounds great, it may buffer the fireworks, I will check them out in day light and be prepared for the use if I need them.

There were no CMs when I was there.
It did not appear that there were locks on the gates. They looked like they might just pull open. One was standing open as I went by. I pushed it closed and did not see a latch.

The spot near Space Mountain seemed nice and quiet and, it was a lot closer than getting to the Service Dog relief area.

 

[gilesmt]

Dlr gates have these buttons under gates, by the time I found the buttons and pushed the gate open to let the dog go potty, she would have already gone potty. So silly, but they are up to keep little ones off the grass before service dogs where thought off.