Can I Bring My Dog to Walt Disney World? Pet Friendly Hotels, Dogs at Disney
Finding a good, reliable dog sitter can be challenging, especially for those long Walt Disney World vacations. While dogs are not allowed (except service dogs) inside the theme parks, there are some pet-friendly hotels at Disney World. Walt Disney World also offers doggy daycare services so you do not have to worry about your dog being locked up all day while you enjoy the parks! Dogs at Disney are more common than you might think.
Keep reading for everything you should know about dogs at Disney including which hotels allow pets, doggy daycare prices, service animal rules, and more.
Dogs at Disney: Dog-Friendly Disney World Hotels
There are four resorts at Walt Disney World that are friendly for dogs at Disney:
- Yacht Club Resort
- Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
- Art of Animation Resort
- Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.
You can have up to two dogs per room. Guests staying at the Yacht Club Resort will pay a $75 per night charge for their pets while the other three hotels charge $50 per night. This charge includes Pluto's Welcome amenity which includes an assortment of dog-friendly items like food and water bowls.
Green spaces around these resorts have been identified as pet relief areas. Pet owners are responsible for cleaning up after their pets. All dogs must be on a leash between the hotel room and the outdoor relief area.
Yacht Club Resort
There are only 10 dog-friendly rooms at Disney's Yacht Club Resort so be sure to book in advance to snag those few dogs at Disney rooms. These rooms are all garden and water-view rooms so you have easy access to the outdoor spaces to take your dogs outside. This is also the only resort that charges $75 per night while the other dog-friendly Disney resorts charge $50 per night.
Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
Port Orleans offers standard-view and garden-view rooms that are considered pet friendly. These rooms include direct access to outdoor areas for your pet making bringing a dog to Disney even easier.
Art of Animation Resort
All of the rooms at Art of Animation are pet friendly meaning you can pick between any of the family suites or the Little Mermaid rooms. You will still be placed in a designated pet-friendly space (this is to be considerate of other guests with pet allergies) so you still need to tell Disney when you book.
Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort
At Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort dogs at Disney are welcome in personal RVs and cabins. The cabins at the resort have the same $50 per night fee as the other resorts while dogs staying in RVs only pay a $5 per night fee. You can also request to be placed on one of the pet-friendly camp loops to be placed closer to pet relief areas. There is also a dog park for guests to take advantage of at this resort!
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Pluto's Welcome Kit
As part of your per-night cleaning fee for having your dogs at Disney, guests will receive Pluto’s Welcome Kit.
Pluto's Welcome Kit comes with an assortment of Disney dog essentials including:
- feeding mat
- dog bowls
- pet ID tag
- plastic potty bags
- puppy pads
- dog walking maps
This welcome package is super cute and is a great way to get excited about having your dog at Disney with you.
Best Friends Pet Care
You can leave your dog alone in your room as long as they are well-behaved (consistently barking pups might cause a bit of a problem!) or you can utilize the Best Friends Pet Care on Walt Disney World Resort property. Since you will be placed in areas where other dogs could be staying, this might trigger some pups to bark if they hear other dogs. You also have to keep in mind the general noise level of a Disney resort of guests walking back and forth down the hallways. You know your dog best and if they're the type to bark at noise, considering the pet care at Disney is a good idea!
Only service animals are permitted in theme parks, Disney Springs, water parks, or on Disney Transportation. If you do not want your dog left alone in the room all day while you enjoy the parks then taking advantage of the Disney doggy daycare is a good way to handle dogs at Disney.
The Best Friends Pet Hotel includes:
- 17,000 square feet of air-conditioned indoor space
- 10,000 square feet of covered outdoor runs and play areas
- A 25,000 square-foot dog park
All of the cast members at this doggy daycare at highly trained pet providers that are, according to Disney, animal lovers. The Best Friends Pet Hotel is open an hour before the theme parks open until one hour after closing.
Dogs at Disney Overnight and Daytime Boarding
The Best Friends Pet Hotel can accommodate up to 300 dogs, cats, and small pets. Reservations are absolutely recommended so you can guarantee your pet's stay.
Accommodations for Dogs
- Indoor Boarding – Includes 2 potty walks, bedding and bowls
- Indoor/Outdoor Boarding – Includes 2 potty walks, private outdoor patio, bedding and bowls
- Vacation Villas – Includes welcome Freely bone broth pop, 1 potty walk, 1 playtime, flat screen TV, Petchatz webcam, private outdoor patio, premium bedding and bowls.
- Luxury Suites – Includes welcome Freely bone broth pop, 2 potty walks, 2 playtimes, flat screen TV, Petchatz webcam, private outdoor patio, premium bedding and bowls
- Club Suites – Includes personal concierge, welcome Freely bone broth pop, 2 potty walks, 2 playtimes, flat screen TV, Petchatz webcam, private outdoor patio, premium bedding and bowls, bedtime story, daily/nightly updates with photo, Go Home Fresh bath (minimum of 3 days/nights to qualify) and Best Friends Tote with seasonal gifts.
- Group play – In substitution of activities, group play pets are guaranteed at least 4 hours of group play
Accommodations for Cats
- 2-Level Condo
- 4-Level Townhomes
Here are some of the activities for your pets at Best Friends Pet Hotel:
Dogs
- Playgroup
- Playtime
- Cuddle Time
- Walk & Explore
- Bottled Water
- Bedtime Story
- Ice-Cream Break
- Holiday Meal
- Premium Bed
Cats
- Playtime
- Cookies & Milk
- Tuna on a Ritz
- Activity Toy
- Deluxe Kitty Bed
Pocket (Small) Pets Accommodations
Guests must provide an enclosure for smaller pets, including birds, reptiles, and rodents. Rates are based on the size of the enclosure (small, medium, large, or extra large).
The Best Friends Pet Hotel cannot accommodate venomous pets or primates. Native wildlife or exotic species are not allowed inside the facility.
To make a reservation, call (407) 209-3126, or visit the Best Friends Pet Hotel website.
Disney Doggy Daycare Prices
First time guests receive the first day of doggy daycare and an overnight stay free of charge. As for regular pricing, Best Friends Pet Hotel offers membership programs and per-day pricing. To get an idea of the most current pricing, you need to call the hotel at (407) 209-3126 and describe your needs. A 6-day per month membership for the doggy daycare is only $135. The pricing is pretty reasonable for the membership but the sole per day cost may be higher. You will obviously pay more for the boarding if you go up to the most luxurious room but some of those include pet cams which may be a nice perk for dog owners that want to check in on their pets.
Dogs at Disney Grooming Salon
You can also take advantage of the Best Friends Pet Hotel grooming salon. They offer baths, haircuts, flea treatments, pedicures, and skin treatments.
Dogs at Disney Transportation
Best Friends Pet Hotel even offers free transportation on their pet van for your pets to and from Fort Wilderness Resort and the Yacht Club.
This transportation service is offered for any grooming appointment or daycare/overnight boarding stay. So convenient! I love the idea of a van full of dogs driving around Walt Disney World.
Best Friends Pet Hotel Documentation
You will need to ensure your pet is up to date with their vaccines to visit the Best Friends Pet Hotel. Written proof will be required from your veterinarian. You will need to present a copy when you check in or you can have your vet office fax it to (203) 840-5207 before arriving. For information on vaccine requirements, call (407) 209-3126.
Rules for Dogs at Disney
To have the best experience for dogs at Disney, guests should be aware of some specific rules that pet owners need to abide by. If you do not follow these rules, you could be asked to leave your resort hotel.
- Dogs are not allowed in public areas around the resort and are expected to be on leash between your guest room and the outdoor relief area.
- Only service animals are allowed in the Theme Parks and Disney Springs.
- You must be able to provide documentation that your dog’s vaccinations and inoculations are up to date, upon request.
- Dogs may travel by internal buses at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and Port Orleans Resort. Dogs are also welcome to travel with their owners throughout Walt Disney World Resort via Minnie Van service. Only service animals are allowed on Disney Transportation motor coaches, monorails, or watercraft.
Should I Bring My Dog to Disney?
This is a highly personal question but it is definitely possible since Walt Disney World tries to be accommodating to guests with pets! Some questions to consider before making your decision:
- How are you traveling to Walt Disney World?
- Has your dog been boarded before or participated in any kind of doggy daycare?
- Do they play well with other dogs?
- Are your dogs reactive? Do they bark at other people and dogs?
- Do they have separation anxiety?
- Will they be quiet if left alone in the hotel room? Will they bark?
Your dog's temperament will matter so much when considering if you should bring them with you to Walt Disney World. I personally have three dogs and they all have various issues of separation anxiety and reactivity to other dogs. For those reasons, I never board my dogs or use doggy daycare and I pay a pet sitter to watch my dogs in my home when I travel. If I tried to bring them to Walt Disney World, the travel and the new spaces would heighten their anxiety and their behavior would likely become a bit unruly and unpredictable! My largest dog, my Great Pyrenees mix, is terrified of storms and fireworks. A trip to Walt Disney World might not be in his best interest! If he was left alone in a hotel room and heard thunder, we'd come back to a pretty stressed out dog. So in my case, all my dogs are most comfortable being left at home even though I would love to have them with me.
Now on the flip side, if you have a dog that has a mellow personality and doesn't mind being left alone, even in new spaces, this might work out well! A dog that already has experience with being boarded or doggy daycare would do really well at Walt Disney World if you take advantage of those on-site doggy services so they're not being left alone in a hotel room all day. Plus if you are traveling in an RV then you already have a space your dog is likely acclimated to before you arrive which will help provide them comfort with being left alone. You can also talk over these options with your vet to see what they recommend when considering any travel with your pets and new situations. They can give you the best advice!
If bringing your dog to Walt Disney World makes sense for your family then it's good to know that Disney provides plenty of options! For guests traveling with service dogs, this is also essential information to know which resorts are pet friendly and what options you can take advantage of if you need it.
Plan Your Walt Disney World Trip
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