**BEST FRIENDS PET CARE KENNEL at DISNEY WORLD FAQ**

[ladyelenawf]

Thank you so much!! My parents will definitely appreciate the info.

I'm just wondering if a n00b answered when I called. I just figured it was a call center b/c when I asked about the indoor having a patio, they didn't know & didn't want to go look. I offered to hold. Oh, well, I'll try again.

I don't suppose your friend has any pics from that boarding experience they'd like to share? Is your friend's Swissy as antisocial as Brick? Mom kind of encouraged that as to enhance the guard dog function.

Not trying to hijack the topic, just really worried about this being a good fit. Normally I'd watch the furkids (they love staying with their cousins). It's just that I'm going to WDW at the same time!!

 

[BamaTigger]

BFPC is a wonderful sounding company. However, their page,both FB & official website, are lacking a lot of details. Such as indoor, indoor/outdoor, vacation villa pics. So this site has been a great source of info.

My mom has Brick, a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (105#) & Baby, a Papillon(12#) that will be staying in May.

However, I’m still unsure of which room will be the best fit. I tried calling, but there’s only so much that can be conveyed in conversation. I think I reached a call center. Having worked in one of those for T-Mobile, I know how lacking in true information they can be.

Thinking of a Villa for Brick. Main concerns:
Is the doggy door to the patio always open? (She's not the best at using the latrine on a leash.)
She's a guard dog, so she's not social towards people. Could her Turn down service, play group be transferred to Baby? Or should they be exchanged for treats? OR Maybe Premium bedding?

She loves other animals, but is so big. I don't want any dogs traumatized b/c she rolled over 'em like a semi-truck. I can't believe those people were so cruel to some one else's dog!

Thinking of Indoor for Baby: Still not sure what an indoor looks like, but according to the BFPC website: Dogs have unlimited access to their patio area, except during cleaning.So that would be ideal as she's always wanting to just wander around outside.

I realize I'm just asking for opinions & that most people have small dogs, not giant breeds. But I want to make sure Brick & Baby are comfy. I love them like they were mine. (Mine are being watched by my neighbor.) Any additional information would be great! Thanks!

Couldn't resist adding a picture of them. Brick was only 80# & Baby was only 5#.

How adorable!! Love the baby...such a sweet face!

Im pretty sure you can swap amenities..Iknow I did for my boys, cause they are not very social either and I didnt want the playgroup, so I asked for an extra walk. So Im sure you can ask and swap certain things.

I do know in the VIP suites, the door DOES NOT stay open. I was first furious about that, cause my boys love going in and out, but once I was told that was a security thing, cause of snakes and creepy crawly things they have in Central Florida, I was FINE with it. lol

Alot of times, they are so busy that I have to leave messages as well. Depending on the info you get depends on the employee you get. Ask for the manager if you have detailed questions. Thats what I do.

 

[ladyelenawf]

How adorable!! Love the baby...such a sweet face!

Im pretty sure you can swap amenities..Iknow I did for my boys, cause they are not very social either and I didnt want the playgroup, so I asked for an extra walk. So Im sure you can ask and swap certain things.

I do know in the VIP suites, the door DOES NOT stay open. I was first furious about that, cause my boys love going in and out, but once I was told that was a security thing, cause of snakes and creepy crawly things they have in Central Florida, I was FINE with it. lol

Alot of times, they are so busy that I have to leave messages as well. Depending on the info you get depends on the employee you get. Ask for the manager if you have detailed questions. Thats what I do.

I thought about asking for the manager, but didn't want to start out on the wrong foot. Someone sent me some extra photos. The indoor/outdoor & villas do appear to stay open, it's just that they lead to a concrete potty area. So the dogs should be fine. Switching it to an extra walk sounds brilliant as Baby loves massive amounts of attention.

 

[getdul981]

Hi everyone. I have tried to search for the answer, but hav enot had any success. We have 2 dogs and are wanting to go to WDW for a few days. We are anticipating leaving our girls at the kennel. They take several medications and one has to have drops in her eyes several times a day. Does anyone know if there is a charge for giving meds or they even do that? They are very good about taking their pills with peanut butter and even the eye drops are not a problem. Anyoned have any experience with this?

Greg

 

[ladyelenawf]

Hi everyone. I have tried to search for the answer, but hav enot had any success. We have 2 dogs and are wanting to go to WDW for a few days. We are anticipating leaving our girls at the kennel. They take several medications and one has to have drops in her eyes several times a day. Does anyone know if there is a charge for giving meds or they even do that? They are very good about taking their pills with peanut butter and even the eye drops are not a problem. Anyoned have any experience with this?

Greg

Straight from BFPC What to Pack

Medication – If your pet needs medication, bring that along as well, with written instructions for administration. We can administer oral medications for you, but we do not administer any injectable medications, so please plan your schedule of visits so you can handle those yourself.

Other questions? Please call one of our customer service representatives at 877-493-9738 with any questions or concerns about your pet’s stay.

So it would seem to be included. But you can also call & ask. I recommend checking on the eye drops just to be sure. It might also be a good idea to have your Vet fax over the instructions instead of writing them out. That way there's an official list & set of instructions for the meds. HTH!

 

[getdul981]

Thanks for the response. We always leave written instructions when we have to leave them. That's a good idea about having the vet send instructions, especially for the eye drops.

Greg

 

[BamaTigger]

Hi everyone. I have tried to search for the answer, but hav enot had any success. We have 2 dogs and are wanting to go to WDW for a few days. We are anticipating leaving our girls at the kennel. They take several medications and one has to have drops in her eyes several times a day. Does anyone know if there is a charge for giving meds or they even do that? They are very good about taking their pills with peanut butter and even the eye drops are not a problem. Anyoned have any experience with this?

Greg

Yes, they will give your baby meds and drops. rascal had to have pills, but I am such a paranoid mom that I gave them to him lol...but they offered to give him meds.

So it wont be a problem!

 

[zianha]

THEM KNOW IF YOU ARE A
DVC MEMBER OR AN ANNUAL PASSHOLDER!
DISCOUNTS ARE AVAILABLE!​

I didn't read the entire thread yet, but if I am upgrading my tickets to APs when I'm at WDW, will that qualify me for the discount if I'm checking my dog in a day or 2 before I do the upgrade??

 

[belle1627]

Hello all,

I have a few questions for those that use this place for their doggies. I have a westie puppy (if I use this place he will no longer be a pup, he will be a year and half but he is my baby) Anyhoo, I have read reviews online and they are terrible!! I always trust my fellow dis-ers so the reviews here have made me feel a bit better.

Hope you can help me
1) VIP suites - door isn't kept open so how often is it opened for them, seems silly to pay for that if they can't use it when they want it. Is the 2 room suite door left open?

2) Play time - I assume all the dogs are just put together regardless of size? This leaves me uneasy as I have a smaller dog.

3) How often are our doggies left alone and without human contact? My Cooper loves to be with people all the time so I can see this being difficult for him.

4) Is there a particular person that you would recommend, I read that there were a couple good ones but they have left.

5) What about the air conditioning, and the spray pads, have they been fixed?

6) Are there other boarding places in the area people have used that they like?

I HATE leaving my doggie and normally would leave him with friends or family but won't be able to this trip so I want to figure out the best place for him. I just called and they said that I can book years in advance which is great as we are looking for March 2013 and I want to be sure to get the room I want. The DVC discount for the VIP suite is $70.

Thanks for any input

 

[BamaTigger]

I didn't read the entire thread yet, but if I am upgrading my tickets to APs when I'm at WDW, will that qualify me for the discount if I'm checking my dog in a day or 2 before I do the upgrade??

I dont know for sure, but I do remember showing them my APs when I checked the boys in, you can ask.

 

[BamaTigger]

Hello all,

I have a few questions for those that use this place for their doggies. I have a westie puppy (if I use this place he will no longer be a pup, he will be a year and half but he is my baby) Anyhoo, I have read reviews online and they are terrible!! I always trust my fellow dis-ers so the reviews here have made me feel a bit better.

Hope you can help me
1) VIP suites - door isn't kept open so how often is it opened for them, seems silly to pay for that if they can't use it when they want it. Is the 2 room suite door left open?

2) Play time - I assume all the dogs are just put together regardless of size? This leaves me uneasy as I have a smaller dog.

3) How often are our doggies left alone and without human contact? My Cooper loves to be with people all the time so I can see this being difficult for him.

4) Is there a particular person that you would recommend, I read that there were a couple good ones but they have left.

5) What about the air conditioning, and the spray pads, have they been fixed?

6) Are there other boarding places in the area people have used that they like?

I HATE leaving my doggie and normally would leave him with friends or family but won't be able to this trip so I want to figure out the best place for him. I just called and they said that I can book years in advance which is great as we are looking for March 2013 and I want to be sure to get the room I want. The DVC discount for the VIP suite is $70.

Thanks for any input

Welcome!

I havent read any of the reviews online, I go by whats here, and there Facebook page, and of course personal experience. So maybe I can try and help you.

1. The door IS NOT kept open (due to snakes, and other Central Florida creepy things coming in and of course the heat or cold). The Concierge would come in about every half hour and open the door to let them out, interact with them etc.

2. I have seen pics of the playtime and all size dogs are in one room. I DID NOT want playtime, for my dogs are small as well and I just swapped that time for extra potty walks and cuddle time.

3. As far as the VIP suites, when I watched on the web cam from my cell phone, I would say about every hour or so they would be checked on, and I paid for extra cuddle time, so I would see the staff in the suites with the boys alot. They went outside on walks ALOT as well. Their suite gets cleaned daily and when that happens, they get taken outside for a while, a long walk. Which I liked that!

4. I dont know if Leonora is still there or not, but I absolutely love love love her. Back in Labor day, she was still there. So, thats the only one that i adore that was still there.

I havent used any other place there in Orlando, just the Disney owned (back in the day) and BFPC.

I will say that IM VERY VERY PARANOID about my dogs and i dont trust ANYONE with them....but I wouldnt hesitate not ONE SECOND to leave my kids there. They called me on my phone when Rascal got sick and they tried EVERYTHING to help me get him better, but I was so paranoid, I checked out of the POLY early and drove home to Rascal's vet. They are very very good there.

It might be a great idea to start leaving your baby alone for a bit and not with people all the time, just to get him used to being alone a bit. Just a thought.

As far as the A/C...havent heard anything negative about that lately.

Hope I helped ya!

 

[zianha]

I dont know for sure, but I do remember showing them my APs when I checked the boys in, you can ask.

Thanks!

Oh man I hadn't thought about the fireworks yet! I have a Westie and he's never heard fireworks before but the only noise that has ever freaked him out was a sharp shrill beep that happened during a storm when our power went out- the beep happened when the electricity came back on and he ran to me and refused to leave my lap for over an hour. He isn't bothered by thunder or lightning so maybe he'll be ok!

 

[BamaTigger]

Thanks!

Oh man I hadn't thought about the fireworks yet! I have a Westie and he's never heard fireworks before but the only noise that has ever freaked him out was a sharp shrill beep that happened during a storm when our power went out- the beep happened when the electricity came back on and he ran to me and refused to leave my lap for over an hour. He isn't bothered by thunder or lightning so maybe he'll be ok!

When we were there, I asked the Concierge to keep their TV on during the FW times, and with the exception of one or two deep booms, they werent that bad. If you have Facebook, you can post and ask the staff questions about the noise, and if you DONT have FB, let me know and I will ask for you!

 

[zianha]

When we were there, I asked the Concierge to keep their TV on during the FW times, and with the exception of one or two deep booms, they werent that bad. If you have Facebook, you can post and ask the staff questions about the noise, and if you DONT have FB, let me know and I will ask for you!

Great idea! I do have FB! Thank you!

 

[Designer Rose]

When we were there, I asked the Concierge to keep their TV on during the FW times, and with the exception of one or two deep booms, they werent that bad. If you have Facebook, you can post and ask the staff questions about the noise, and if you DONT have FB, let me know and I will ask for you!

Just an FYI, those TVs are pretty much on all the time.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Hello again! Long time, no see, huh?

Soooooo, my mom is still recovering from foot surgery and may not be able to keep our little Riley for us in May. I called to see if I could reserve a Villa or VIP for her. No availability.

Any suggestions or recommends for the next-best-thing somewhat nearby???? We'll have our car so transportation is not an issue.

TIA!

 

[disneymq]

Does anybody know how strict they are about the two toy limit. I'd really like to bring more toys so my dog doesn't get bored. Also what kind of bedding is provided in the vacation villa. Thanks in advance.

 

[MissMarmalade]

@disneymg I've heard that they will be less strict if you want to bring extra toys, but you need to sign a waiver saying you don't expect them back. Your mileage may vary.

This is a fabulous thread. We're going to Disney for another trip this fall - and it's the first time since we got our rescue pup, Juliet. She's a Chow/Brittany mix. We have another dog, her best bud, Hamlet, our Shiba Inu. He would have been okay staying with our normal pet sitter (my parents), but my parents can't handle Juliet and Hamlet together. This resort seemed like a good option! The reviews are about what I would anticipate...some good, some not-so-good. My only issue so far has been the abysmal phone system.

Hamlet and Juliet will be staying in a vacation villa. They will be getting one-on-one playtime instead of playgroup.

My only concern -- both Hamlet and Juliet are asian spitz-type breed with thick necks and small heads. They can't wear a normal collar outside for walks - they slip them WAY too easily; we have comfy harnesses that they wear all the time. I'm okay with them wearing the paper collar only inside, but will they be able to wear their normal harness for walks with the staffers? If they can't, I may just say we will walk them...

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Wanted to offer an update on our situation for May. I've called a buuuuunch of times...still no availability in a villa or VIP. On my last call I asked if BFPC recommended any other kennels nearby in the event they are totally booked. I was told that they can't *recommend* anyone else but they could give me a couple names/numbers for other nearby facilities that offered similar accommodations to what they offer. I was given 'Fur & Feather' and 'VIPet'.

Fur & Feather I ruled out because of their deposit/cancel policies. It's definitely worth pointing out because it's not very clear on their website. I caught onto it mostly from the bad reviews I found on other sites where the owners were upset over losing a lot of money with the unforgiving deposit/cancellation policy. They charge your credit/debit card for the full amount of the boarding fees for your pet's stay upfront as the so-called deposit. Their cancellation policy is different for their peak dates and for the different levels of accommodation. It's kinda unclear on their website. It appears they charge that total for boarding as the deposit on their nicer rooms (similar to the villas at BFPC) then if you cancel at any time you're outta luck. They don't give any other time-line or cutoff periods for their off-peak. Just doesn't settle right with me as a consumer.

VIPet we called to get all the particulars after studying their website and various reviews online and being satisfied with what we saw. They have 3 different room sizes for the pooches. They don't have separate rooms like the BFPC villas/VIPs. They remind me more of stalls all in a larger room like in a public restroom but the "walls" go all the way to the floor. You can walk by the "stalls" and see down inside them. Does that make sense? There are televisions that play movies all day in each big room but not necessarily where each stalls' occupants can see it. They get the benefit of the voices and sounds. Some of the stalls will be where the dogs can see the picture if they want to. They provide bedding, toys, etc. Each day the dogs get 3 on-leash walks and the "rooms" cleaned/picked-up 3 times a day. Playtime (group or individual) is an additional cost along with various other offerings similar to what BFPC does. Also to note, playtimes are in a nice indoor play room with dogs of similar sizes. They don't put little dogs playing with big dogs. They do allow bedding and toys from home. Food from home is recommended. If you bring bottled water that will be given to your dog at no additional cost. Bottled water from them is available for $1.50/bottle. I like the food/water policies. I spent a good 1/2 hour talking to a nice young lady, Sonia, on the phone. She was very patient with me, listened to me yammer about Riley's normal daily routine, and answered my every concern with how that would mesh with their care & offerings. We discussed options and things at length. Sonia really put my mind at ease in a big way.

One of my biggest concerns was how Riley lost so much weight because of her refusal to eat when she was with Best Friends in November 2011. I was assured that this was something that VIPet has also experienced and we discussed how they would handle that in our absence. We will be on a cruise this go around so it's not like we can get a mention while visiting that Riley isn't eating and have the chance to get her to while there. Sonia said that when a 2nd day of not eating occurs they will (with prior okay from owners) offer a wet food. She said they've had a few instances where a caretaker sat with the dog and hand-fed the food kibble by kibble to encourage eating. I'll be sure to pack cans of the prescription Science Diet I/D that I keep at home for when Riley gets an upset belly. Even when she had the ruptured anal gland a while back and I couldn't get her to eat for anything, she would dive into the plates of wet I/D like a mad woman. LOL!

I won't go into the price differences between VIPet at this time because, obviously, it's signicantly less than BFPC. Of course, Best Friends is our 1st choice. This is not a decision driven by cost in any way. It's a necessary evil with no availability for the accommodation we prefer for our baby girl.

If it's okay with BamaTigger I'll come back and offer a report when we return to let y'all know how it went with VIPet. Again, I'm not trying to recommend anyone over BFPC because on a WDW vacation I think it really is the best option for proximity and awesome-factor alone to have your fur-kids vacation with Best Friends. I'd like to offer the info as a backup for others who might get caught in a short-notice or busier time of year situation, like us, and there's no availability with BFPC.

 

[udsweetpea]

sweetpee I doubt I'm ever taking my dog back to Best Friends because of her refusal to eat there as well. On long vacations, I take my dog to Dog Day Afternoon in Sanford. They also have one in Orlando. The people there are soooo much more friendly than at Best Friends, and your pups can play all day long with other dogs without an extra fee. Plus, they have webcams so you can watch them pretty much all day long. The price is also significantly less as well. Completely worth the drive.