What to do with dogs while at WDW?

[Drusilla]

We are planning a two week roadtrip driving from Wisconsin to Florida and back during Christmas break 2015 to visit family for the holidays. I am traveling with DH, DD14, DD11 and 2 small dogs. We all LOVE WDW!!!!

DH and I would like to surprise dd's with a day or two at the parks before we drive back to Wisconsin. I know that the resorts don't allow pets (they are not service animals) and we could stay at an off-property hotel. However, we want to have EMH since we'd only be there 1-2 days so I would love to stay on property (and for transportation too).

Either way, we would not leave the dogs by themselves no matter where we stayed while we were at the parks. So where do we kennel or board our dogs while at WDW? Thanks!

 

[OZMom]

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/best-friends-pet-care/

Best friends pet care is an onsite hotel for doggies

 

[mybestieismickey]

Pete Werner did a review last month on the Disunplugged podcast. It's at the end of the show, maybe the last 10 or 15 minutes.
http://www.disunplugged.com/2015/02/17/dis-unplugged-podcast-021715-disney-world-show/

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Honestly, I would find someplace close to home.

 

[ChitownFamily]

Honestly, I would find someplace close to home.

Yes this! Many vets offer boarding, I love my dogs so much- I don't thinking bringing them on vacation is the safest or best thing for my dogs. The change in routine & environment would be too much. Why not leave them at home? (Either home sitter, vet/boarding)
As much as your teen/tween love their dogs, I bet they would be thrilled to have the extra room in the car.

 

[DW2010]

We will board ours at our vet's office. We're only going for 4 nights during the week and our vet's will give them outside time/walks. Plus, it's inexpensive.

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

My first choice would be to find someplace closer to home. It would be more expensive, but less of a hassle and less stressful for you and the dogs.

However, Disney does have an on-site kennel, Best Friends Pet Care. We used it while visiting Disneyland (obviously we used the kennel at Disneyland) and it was amazing, definitely worth the cost. I'm not sure how it compares in price to other kennels, though.

 

[MrsHull]

We leave our pets at home. However, my mother went with us last year and couldn't stand to do that. So, she boarded her two dogs at the on-site kennel. She was pretty impressed at drop off and pick up, which is saying something since her usual boarding spot is a "doggie b&b."

 

[MandiC]

We personally board our dog or leave him with family depending on everyone's availability. The kennel we use only charges $21 a night so it isn't too awful as far as price.
If you bring him I am pretty sure if you are staying at Fort Wilderness you can bring your dog with you, otherwise there is the kennel someone above recommended, it's right by POR...but I'm sure since it is Disney-run it is also Disney-priced

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Kennel.

 

[Drusilla]

Thanks for the recommendation of Best Friends at WDW - that sounds like exactly what we need.

I have friends telling me I'm insane for putting a teen and a pre-teen in the car and driving 3000 miles round-trip but have no 2nd thoughts about putting dogs in the car. lol

As far as leaving the dogs boarded at home... we did that in October for our last week long visit to WDW and that was stressful and hard on them as well - neither of them really ate at the kennel and when we returned home it was like we had to re-pottytrain them. Since this trip is a week longer and driving, not flying, we decided it was best for our dogs to come along, they are part of the family afterall. We may regret that decision as we did regret boarding them during our last trip.

 

[busymommy2pink]

Our pup comes sometimes (mountain trips etc) and travels well..however for WDW he gets a vaca too. He goes to a doggy boarding camp in the country and is the happiest hound dog there is lol. We get a USB key with pics from his vacation and emails to check up on him.

 

[LadyRayado]

My sister and BIL live in Orlando, they use Best Friends for their dog anytime they leave town.

 

[Li Li]

If it makes a difference, the Best Friends Kennel (run by Disney) is across the road from Port Orleans resort. I read a report awhile back how a couple boarded their dogs there and stayed at POR so they could walk over and take their dogs for a walk in the evening. Just a thought.

 

[Jenna319]

I would rent a vacation home. This way the dogs stay with you and you can just crate them when you go out. I know you can't do EMH if your off property but some of the vacation homes you can rent look amazing with your own private pool. I am lucky to have family to be able to leave my dog with- my dog is not what you'd call a friendly breed (German shepherd) and would not be good boarded with other dogs.

 

[Lthomas628]

We have someone stay at our home. Found them on care.com and have been using for years!

 

[BLAZEY]

We leave ou furry family members at home with my mom. We look after her dog when she goes out of town, for she looks after or cat when we are gone. When we had dogs she would have them for a few days and then we had arrangments and gave her money to send them to the kennel for a night or to to give her a break as well, (we had labradors). Our dogs knew the turn off to the kennel and the truck would be rocking with excitement when the figured out where they were going. We called it "Doggy Disneyland".

 

[Raidra]

Try Rover.com. You can find people who live near Disney who will watch your dog in their home. The pet sitters have reviews and are all pretty reasonably priced.