For pet owners, one of the toughest parts about heading on vacation is leaving your dog back at home. If you don’t have someone to take care of your dog or can’t imagine leaving them behind, the good news is there are a few options at Walt Disney World which allow you to bring them here. Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about traveling to Disney World with your dog.
What Disney Resorts Can You Bring Your Dog To?
Dog owners will be excited to learn there are a few Disney World resorts which you can bring your dog to. These are the four resorts that currently offer this option, as well as the price for your pet each night:
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort – This value resort is a great option for families with young kids. You’ll find there’s plenty of space to walk around the lake with your dog, and the family suites offer more space for you all to spread out. There’s a $50 plus tax nightly fee to bring your dog to this resort.
- Disney’s Port Orleans – Riverside Resort – This half of the Port Orleans resort is a spacious place to explore with your furry friend. Once again, there’s a $50 plus tax nightly fee for your pet, which you’ll pay for the duration of your stay. You’ll love going for walks along the river each morning here, and it’s one of the quieter moderate resorts on the property.
- Disney’s Yacht Club Resort – If you fancy upgrading to a deluxe resort, you have the option of staying at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort with your dog. This resort charges $75 a night plus tax for your dog to stay. You’ll love walking around the Epcot area resorts and exploring with your dog during your stay.
- Disney’s Fort Wilderness Cabins and Campsite – Without a doubt the best place you could bring your dog at Disney is Fort Wilderness. Choose between camping, staying in an RV, or one of the cabins. All of these options are ideal for longer trips or those looking to spend time away from the parks. You’ll find plenty of trails to explore with your dog, and there’s plenty of space for them to let off some steam. This resort even has a designated dog park called Waggin’ Tails, which is perfect for them to make new vacation friends.
Rules for Bringing Your Dog to Walt Disney World Resorts
The rooms that you will be allocated all have easy access to outdoor areas to look after your pet. There are pet relief areas set up, and you’ll be offered Pluto’s Welcome Kit when you check in. At the current time, it’s only dogs that are allowed on the site. In each room, you can have up to two dogs, but they need to be well-behaved throughout your stay. All dogs need to be properly vaccinated and remain on a leash when they are in public areas.
Keep in mind that only certain floors and sections of the resorts are dog-friendly. The majority of each resort is still free from pets so that they can help to accommodate and protect guests with allergies.
Another thing to remember is that while Disney is incredibly welcoming of dogs in these resorts, they aren’t allowed everywhere on property. Service animals are the exception to this, but otherwise, your dog can’t enter the theme parks, water parks, or communal areas in the resort. You’ll need to plan ahead for your visit to ensure you are giving your dog the love and care they need still, as the rooms at Disney aren’t ideal for them to be cramped up inside of all day long.
Pluto’s Welcome Kit
We absolutely love the addition of Pluto’s Welcome Kit for dogs checking in to the Disney resorts. It’s a fun way to welcome your little one on your vacation and helps to kick start your trip in style. These kits include a food bowl, ID tag, puppy bags, waste bags, door hanger, feeding mat, and a special map with dog-friendly amenities marked. You’ll find that there are suggested routes for you to explore during your stay, making it easy to plan your walks each day.
Leaving Your Dog Unattended in Your Room
While we know you’ll be keen to head out to explore the parks, Disney asks you never to leave your dog in the room for more than seven hours unattended. When you are leaving your dog in the room, hang the Pluto sign from your welcome kit on the door when you are out. This will stop Mousekeeping from entering while you are away. Disney cast members are allowed to call you at any time if they hear noise coming from the room to indicate your dog needs help or attention. You’ll be expected to come back within 30 minutes and obey this rule while staying here.
Best Friends Pet Care Hotel
Many travelers to Orlando want to bring their dog but really don’t feel comfortable with leaving them in the hotel room all day long. If you feel this way, we recommend that you check out the Best Friends Pet Care Hotel. Here you’ll be able to leave your little one in good hands while you head out for the day to explore. The park is a day-care resort but also offers overnight stays if that’s something you would prefer. It will give you peace of mind while you are at the parks, knowing trained professionals are looking after them all day long.
The Best Friends Pet Care Hotel spreads over 17,000 square feet of indoor space, all of which is air-conditioned to keep your dog cool during the hot Floridian summers. There’s also 10,000 square feet of space outdoors which is covered, and another 25,000 square feet of dog park. As you can see, there’s so much for them to do and see. It’s like bringing your dog to their own version of a theme park while you are out exploring at Disney World.
Operating Hours for the Best Friends Pet Care Hotel
The Best Friends Pet Care Hotel is open daily from one hour before the first park opens until one hour after the final park closes. Dogs who are staying here for the day or night will enjoy playtime, grooming, treats, and more. There is a team of over 75 staff members working here who look after a wide variety of pets. You’ll find that the basic rate starts at $30 a day, but there are packages on offer for pets staying overnight.
Accommodation Options for Pets
The Best Friends Pet Care facility can house up to 300 dogs, cats, and other small pets at one time. However, to avoid disappointment, you’ll want to book well in advance of your trip. There are so many great accommodation options for your pets, and you could book them for one night or multiple days at a time. Dogs can enjoy a luxury package staying in the VIP Luxury Suites, but you could also opt for the more basic Indoor Suite. Cats can enjoy staying in the 2-Level or 4-Level Condos, which will offer them plenty of entertainment. Small pets, such as birds, rodents, and reptiles are also welcome. For these animals, you’ll need to bring their own enclosure. The rate for the stay for these animals is based on the size of the enclosure. The facility isn’t able to look after venomous pets or primates, and no exotic species are allowed in the property.
Throughout the stay, your dog or pet will be treated like royalty. You can be sure they’ll never be bored here, as they’ll enjoy playgroup sessions with the other residents. It’s a great way to keep your dog entertained while you are exploring the parks, even if you just check them in here for a day. We think this is often a better option for those who are planning to spend the full day in the parks. If you want the best of both worlds, consider opting to take your dog here for the day and then bring them back to one of the four resorts at night for a sleepover with you and your family.
As you can see, there are a few great options on offer for pet owners coming to Walt Disney World. We really appreciate the addition of dog-friendly hotels, allowing you to spend more time with your furry friend on vacation. This is a great choice for anyone who hates being apart from their dog for an extended period of time. We know that coming on vacation can be tough for pet owners, especially if you don’t have family to leave your dog with back at home. Instead, you can enjoy peace of mind when you bring your pet to Disney with you. You’ll love making new memories together as a family and having your furry friend with you for comfort at the end of a long day exploring the theme parks.
