Trial Run for Dogs in Resort Rooms

[DisneyFive]

Why do you think it's privilege to take your dog on vacation with you?

No offense, but we're talking about Walt Disney World resort here. So if we adjust your question to make it relevant: "Why do you think it's privilege to take your dog on a Walt Disney World vacation with you?" Well then, it becomes obvious. Yes, it has been a privilege for the past 40+ years of WDW, as evidenced by Disney saying NO, dogs are not allowed. (other than service animals). Disney can grant or take away this privilege as they wish.

There's a place called Peddlers Village near me that we go to on occasion to shop and dine and walk around. It is dog friendly. In fact this past weekend we were there and there were a lot of dogs there too. I love it when people can feel free to bring their dogs with them.

I didn't see any kids being bitten or dogs running free. No one was acting like it was the end of the world either.

I'm fine with places like that too (those with allergies or fears would not be, I suppose). This is apples and oranges though. We're talking about Disney resorts where people are sleeping (or trying to sleep) in these rooms, sitting on and sleeping in furniture...

...and just because you didn't see a dog bite someone or running free doesn't mean it doesn't happen. That's like saying, I didn't see a single car accident yesterday while driving.

Dan

 

[Ensusieasm]

What's the guest services email again? I need to escalate this...

WDW.Guest.Communications@disneyworld.com
And cc these folks too:
Robert.a.iger@disney.com
Robert.Chapek@disney.com
George.Kalogridis@disney.com

 

[Lynne M]

Another reminder...

You don't need to respond to every post you disagree with or find offensive. Here are your options:

1) If you feel the post violates Disboards rules, use the Report button. Moderators and/or webmasters will review the post and take action if necessary.

2) Respond respectfully. "I disagree, here's why..."

3) Do nothing and go read another post.

It doesn't matter if you feel that the other person attacked you. Report it and let it go. Engaging and continuing the argument is going to result in both of you getting an infraction. We don't want personal arguments on the boards. They're not useful or edifying to read. They don't help people plan vacations. All they do is derail a thread and make it about you.

 

[mexi]

No offense, but we're talking about Walt Disney World resort here. So if we adjust your question to make it relevant: "Why do you think it's privilege to take your dog on a Walt Disney World vacation with you?" Well then, it becomes obvious. Yes, it has been a privilege for the past 40+ years of WDW, as evidenced by Disney saying NO, dogs are not allowed. (other than service animals). Disney can grant or take away this privilege as they wish.



I'm fine with places like that too (those with allergies or fears would not be, I suppose). This is apples and oranges though. We're talking about Disney resorts where people are sleeping (or trying to sleep) in these rooms, sitting on and sleeping in furniture...

...and just because you didn't see a dog bite someone or running free doesn't mean it doesn't happen. That's like saying, I didn't see a single car accident yesterday while driving.

Dan

I was responding to another poster who said "well it's privilege to take Fifi on vacation with you" So please don't adjust my question.

And your car accident comment...really.

 

[mikejs78]

I agree that a dedicated resort would be the way to go. And I also feel for people with allergies that would be affected by this especially those that it can cause serious issue for. I dare say the majority of the posts though are from people who don't want dogs there for no other reason than they just don't. And so my point in all this has been there is way it all can work for everyone. But people don't want to see it that way. They just want it their way.

Hopefully Disney can make this work. But if not and they decide to do away with the policy, I wouldn't be mad about it all. Like I said earlier - I don't expect to be able to take my dog everywhere. I also don't expect it's too much to ask for people to give the trial a chance and for adjustments to made instead of acting like it's the end of enjoyable trips to Disney.

If they just postponed the trial by a year, 50% of the complaints would go away.

 

[Octoberbaby]

.

 

[Designed4dis]

If I may ask, why did you cancel table service meals as it is my understanding that dogs other than service animals will not be allowed in restaurants?

As the other poster said simply to save money the bill plus tips adds up. We've used this money to fund upgrading

 

[robinb]

I am in the minority here and I think that it's just fine that WDW resorts become dog friendly. And no, I did NOT read all 75 pages of this thread nor will I. I have stayed at multiple dog friendly hotels (some, with my older dog) when we travelled for my DD's club swim team and I have never smelled anything or had an allergic reaction. My dogs are both poodle/poodle mixes because I am allergic to most dog breeds and I am also very allergic to flea bites. I have never seen poop laying about and I have never been woken up or disturbed by barking. A dog friendly hotel is not the end of the world as we know it. I would not personally stay with my dog(s) in the near future (I live too far away and my younger dog is too yappy) but I am happy that I will have the opportunity if I chose to in a few years.

Lest someone accuse me of being heartless, I am concerned for the guests who have severe allergies. I'm sure that Disney will be happy to do a deep cleaning for your family or you can select a resort that is not dog friendly. My guess is that if this is continued, it will not be resort wide.

 

[Tink-osophy]

I agree that a dedicated resort would be the way to go. And I also feel for people with allergies that would be affected by this especially those that it can cause serious issue for. I dare say the majority of the posts though are from people who don't want dogs there for no other reason than they just don't. And so my point in all this has been there is way it all can work for everyone. But people don't want to see it that way. They just want it their way.

Hopefully Disney can make this work. But if not and they decide to do away with the policy, I wouldn't be mad about it all. Like I said earlier - I don't expect to be able to take my dog everywhere. I also don't expect it's too much to ask for people to give the trial a chance and for adjustments to made instead of acting like it's the end of enjoyable trips to Disney.

The thing is it's a guess that most people really just don't want dogs there (although their opinions are valid, too). From what I've read here and elsewhere, a lot of people upset are upset because of allergies and phobias.

On that basis, it's not just about certain rooms, restricted areas and even just a few resorts. It's about dogs on ME buses (and Minnie buses) either with you or before you; dogs on walkways and in public areas around resorts; dogs in places they shouldn't be taken because people push boundaries and Disney can't/don't police it properly.

A lot of people are saying give it a chance, but it's not as if any of us are new to dogs and dog owners (good and bad) or new to the idea of people, generally, ignoring rules. And like I said before, it only takes a handful of rule-breakers to ruin other people's vacations.

 

[Sarahraegraham]

Seems to me that by now with so many pet friendly hotels around the world that if it was the massive issue that everyone here makes it out to be then we would have heard about it. Reality is that many hotels allow dogs, which has been pointed out many times here. Ritz Orlando allows small dogs, so does the Four Seasons, Ritz Boston allows 60lb dogs. We stayed at the very nice Milestone Hotel in London this past April. They go out of their way to invite dogs, ie free mineral water every day for the dog, turndown treat every evening (just looking at their site, we did not bring a dog), could even get a bathrobe if you want. Savoy in London allows small dogs. I know I am bursting that Disney bubble but those hotels are just a wee bit nicer than Disney, and they seem to cope. But you can also go all the way down to Red Roof Inn and they allow it.
So then I googled "hotel dog bites" and there really is not many stories of it happening, one is St. Pete but was the family dog. So then I google "hotel dog allergies" that had a good NYT article about traveling pets and allergies. Residence Inn said less than 5% of their rooms had pets, allergies have not been an issue. An allergist is quoted that zero exposure to pet dander is not a realistic expectation even if you live in a pet free home. Many hotels are now offering hypoallergenic rooms and maybe Disney will go there (if there is money to be made).
This is not to say you should not raise issues, ie where will pet rooms be and where are they allowed. But there is enough evidence out there that it is not as big an issue as it is made out here. I know the response will be "But this is Disney" and still you have to come up with real examples of these issues. Yes there will be some, but not nearly as widespread as this thread makes it out to be. I think Irma skewed people's perception of what will happen, that obviously was a rare case and the resorts are simply not going to be overrun with dogs.

The difference for me is that these are not hotels. They are resorts. You can’t walk your dog around a hotel. You can around a resort. People don’t stroll the grounds of a hotel to relax and take in the scenery. They do at a resort. You don’t have other wild animals that a dog will come into contact with at a hotel. You do at a resort.

 

[focusondisney]

The article about Dog Friendly Resorts in The Disney Parks Blog is suddenly very hard to find. It's not even in "Disney World Related Articles", even though several older articles are still listed there. I did find it by clicking around a bit up in the tool bar.
Hmmm. I wonder why they buried it?

I just followed the link on page 1 of this thread to read it just now. I find it interesting no one from Disney has replied to the blog since Friday evening. I don't read the blog posts often so I don't know if that is common or not. And there are several posts calling this a bad idea which I think were originally being deleted. Waiting for this to hit the news outlets. Wonder how it will play out there?

 

[disneynutz]

I don't know what's going on in the world today but people are quick to make a decision and/or speak out without knowing all of the facts or experiencing the situation first hand.

If you feel that you need to complain now then contact Disney and let your feelings be known. Later if you are staying at a resort and the dogs are an issue, let management know. The Dis is such a small sampling of the 20 million plus people that visit WDW each year.

Bill

 

[Sarahraegraham]

No offense, but we're talking about Walt Disney World resort here. So if we adjust your question to make it relevant: "Why do you think it's privilege to take your dog on a Walt Disney World vacation with you?" Well then, it becomes obvious. Yes, it has been a privilege for the past 40+ years of WDW, as evidenced by Disney saying NO, dogs are not allowed. (other than service animals). Disney can grant or take away this privilege as they wish.

Correct. This is a privilege. The right thing for Disney to do if all they are trying to do is open up to pet owners who want to bring their pets is say:

“You can bring your pets under these specific guidelines... If you fail to adhere to them, you will be evicted.”

Then we’d all most likely be okay with it! Then dog owners could still rejoice! And there would be almost a 0% chance of the what-ifs we’ve all discussed actually happening.

But they didn’t do that. And they won’t do that, which is why 85.6 percent of us are p’d off.

 

[robinb]

This difference for me is that these are not hotels. They are resorts. You can’t walk your dog around a hotel. You can around a resort. People don’t stroll the grounds of a hotel to relax and take in the scenery. They do at a resort. You don’t have other wild animals that a dog will come into contact with at a hotel. You do at a resort.

Frankly, I've always thought of Disney calling their hotels "resorts" was self serving. It makes them seem more than what they are.

 

[Sarah Chan]

I absolutely positively could not hate this policy anymore! I am a dog owner. We absolutely adore our dogs they are "our family" but on a Disney vacation I do not agree with Disney's new ideas for incorporating dogs into the resorts. As already mentioned by many guests we do not want to hear dog barking, we do not want to deal with dog droppings, dog hair or more importantly have to worry about reaction to certain animal allergies. The entire concept is distracting from the reasons we love Disney vacations...they become an all inclusive sort of get away for our family. However, with a tremendous amount of walking and excerise already involved for our little ones the absolute last thing we need to happen is find they have an animal allergy we were unaware of we didn't know about or have them woken up in the middle of the night because of barking. Lets' be honest in theory the list of pet rules seem great but not everyone will adhere to them. Furthermore, how are you planning send animals on the magical express and in the Minnie vans. The exclusiveness you have promised by room separation is being compromised by allowing them on transportation. Lastly, it says they need to be in an animal carrier....I have yet to see a size restriction on the dogs size so what size dogs are we carrying around. I honestly just couldn't be more upset by this trial. I find it completely absurd....especially because we are avid users of the Port Orleans resort. Biggest Disney fan....just not a fan of this idea.

 

[megs1313]

I'm leaving myself open to flames, but here's the email I sent to Disney about our situation. I CC'd everyone mentioned above. the TL;DR is bolded for those who would prefer to skim.


Dear Disney,

I'm a fan. A big fan. I am an annual passholder. I have been bringing my kids to Disneyworld as often as possible since we took our first family trip in 2010. You see, in 2010, my son had his ninth surgery to repair his cleft lip and palate. It was after that surgery that my son's lung collapsed and he went into respiratory and cardiac arrest. My three year old son was in a coma. It is, to this day, one of the most significant experiences of my life. That story has a VERY happy ending: the day we brought my fully recovered son home from the hospital, I called Disney to book our first family vacation. We'd spent so many years in and out of doctor's offices and surgeries that we'd never before taken a family vacation and we decided to do it up BIG. It was an incredible vacation, so filled with magic and memories that we felt we'd left part of our hearts there at Disneyworld when our stay was over. Disneyworld has forever felt like "home" to us ever since that first trip.

For the last year, I've been planning our family's fifth Disneyworld vacation and this time is very, very special. This time, we are bringing along our very best friends in the world and their three foster kids. These people give selflessly of their home and their hearts to be there for kids in tough circumstances. It's a stretch for them in every way you can imagine, not the least of which is financial. In order to make this possible, we are assisting a little in helping our friends afford this once-in-a-lifetime family vacation. For the foster kids, a trip to Disneyworld is a dream. We feel so fortunate to be able to bring them into the magic. As you can imagine, these kids have been through some trauma in their lives. Unfortunately, that means for one of them that dogs create some fear. So, when the new pet policy was announced last week and we learned that our chosen resort was affected, we were disheartened. I've made several calls, but none have put my mind at ease. I cannot bring this precious little one to the most magical place on earth only to have her spend her time anxious that the dogs around may turn on her.

I have few options. We have a large party. I need three rooms that sleep five each. Rooms that sleep five can be tough to come by! The most economical option is Caribbean Beach Resort, but since this is a one time only trip for our friends, we wanted them to experience a resort with all of its amenities open. The value options that sleep five are now also dog-friendly. So, I have been looking at deluxe options. The price difference for the least expensive option that would fit us is $3,561.78.

Now, maybe I could have a garage sale or throw a fundraiser and come up with this. That's not the point. The point I want to make to you is this: when I booked my vacation, I booked it at a dog-free resort. Right now, I feel as though you are holding my vacation for ransom. If I pay you several thousand more dollars, you will give me what I was previously promised: a dog free resort. That feels an awful lot like extortion...bait and switch....pick your term, Disney.

So what do I do? Is my love affair with Disney over? Should I 'vote with my dollar?'

I want to give you the opportunity to make this right. I have called into the phone lines every day since the announcement was made. I have had hit or miss experiences with the various castmembers I've spoken to (though Grant did the best job he possibly could, so shout out to Grant!) It's time to take this up the chain. I look forward to hearing from you.

 

[mikejs78]

The difference for me is that these are not hotels. They are resorts. You can’t walk your dog around a hotel. You can around a resort. People don’t stroll the grounds of a hotel to relax and take in the scenery. They do at a resort. You don’t have other wild animals that a dog will come into contact with at a hotel. You do at a resort.

1000x this.

 

[Sarahraegraham]

Frankly, I've always thought of Disney calling their hotels "resorts" was self serving. It makes them seem more than what they are.

I ageee with you, for places like the Contemporary it’s not apt. But at POR it absolutely is.

 

[Ensusieasm]

I absolutely positively could not hate this policy anymore! I am a dog owner. We absolutely adore our dogs they are "our family" but on a Disney vacation I do not agree with Disney's new ideas for incorporating dogs into the resorts. As already mentioned by many guests we do not want to hear dog barking, we do not want to deal with dog droppings, dog hair or more importantly have to worry about reaction to certain animal allergies. The entire concept is distracting from the reasons we love Disney vacations...they become an all inclusive sort of get away for our family. However, with a tremendous amount of walking and excerise already involved for our little ones the absolute last thing we need to happen is find they have an animal allergy we were unaware of we didn't know about or have them woken up in the middle of the night because of barking. Lets' be honest in theory the list of pet rules seem great but not everyone will adhere to them. Furthermore, how are you planning send animals on the magical express and in the Minnie vans. The exclusiveness you have promised by room separation is being compromised by allowing them on transportation. Lastly, it says they need to be in an animal carrier....I have yet to see a size restriction on the dogs size so what size dogs are we carrying around. I honestly just couldn't be more upset by this trial. I find it completely absurd....especially because we are avid users of the Port Orleans resort. Biggest Disney fan....just not a fan of this idea.

Copy what you wrote here and send it to:
WDW.Guest.Communications@disneyworld.com

 

[sweetpeama]

When I originally heard this as Pet Friendly I thought it might not be too bad. When the budget allows me to start to travel to rabbit shows I can possibly travel to some in the Orlando area either as an exhibitor or as a spectator who just might find one that would be perfect for the herd. I would only do this if driving and would have all the equipment necessary: carrier(s), water containers, food containers, bedding, food, ect with me to keep the bunny comfortable. Bunnies for the most part are quiet though they have been known to bang their food bowls when it gets empty (We refere to this as ringing the dinner bell) Since bunnies can stay in a travel carrier for periods of time they would not be making a mess while guests are at the park. Not to mention it would be easier for mousekeeping to clean around them-just admire them and even give them the treat the owners leave out if they and you wish. (I know my family would leave a favorite treat out for ours usually a bit of carrott but we did have one that went nuts over celery).
Now that I know that it is only for dogs I am totally against it. I have one child who is desperately petrified of dogs though is ok enough not to freak out around serivice dogs because quote they are trained to behave and not jump on people (child was bit as a toddler by a relative's dog who claimed it was just a puppy and didn't know better) or get close and bark just because we got out of our vehicle at a restuarant or store. I call discrimination against bunnies, cavies, and cats.
Yes I realize that rabbit, cavy, and cat owners are secure people who don't have a need to travel with their pets all the time for companionship but for those going to shows it would be nice to have the option to not have to board their animals for any extra nights that they would stay beyond the shows.