>> Dog-Friendly Resorts FAQ <<

I think it's time for a FAQ thread on Disney's dog-friendly resort policy. This will be run in the same general way as the Smoking FAQ and will be a place to ask questions about the policy and share your knowledge to help those who are planning a stay at Disney resorts with their dog. Like the smoking thread, it can also be a help to those who wish to find out where dogs may be found so they can be avoided.

The purpose of this thread is to provide useful planning information to travelers. It is not a place for debates or rants, and those posts will be removed without comment, just as they are on other FAQ threads. If you just want to announce that you don't like the policy, or that you want Disney to change the way they classify service animals, or that you saw a lot of dogs in the Magic Kingdom the other day and what is the world coming to...send it to WDW.Guest.Communications@disneyworld.com.

I'm going to close the Help us gather information on Disney's policies on dogs at resorts thread and the Experiences at Dog Friendly Resorts thread, as that sort of information should now be posted on this thread.



The following is an overview of what we currently know about Disney's dog-friendly resort policy. If you know of any updates or corrections to this information, post it on this thread and I'll try to keep the overview updated. Keep in mind that some of this information was relayed by CMs who may or may not be familiar with all policies, so unless you see it in writing on an official Disney website or document, take it with the proverbial grain of salt.

A big thank you to everyone who posted on our information-gathering and experience-sharing threads! Your contributions were very helpful in putting this FAQ together.


Which Disney resorts are currently allowing guests to have dogs in their room?

Guests may have their dogs stay with them at four Disney resorts:

Disney's Art of Animation Resort
Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside
Disney's Yacht Club Resort
The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort

Disney Parks Blog: Dogs Welcome at Select Walt Disney World Resorts


Will I pay more for a dog-friendly room?

Yes. Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside, Disney's Art of Animation Resort and The Cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort charge an additional fee of $50 per night, per room if you wish to bring a dog. Disney's Yacht Club Resort charges $75 per night. Guests with dogs will receive Pluto's Welcome Kit, which includes an ID tag, dog training pads, bowls and a mat, waste disposal bags, maps of dog-walking areas at your resort, and a door hanger to let staff know that there's a dog in your room.


Are there any restrictions on the number or kind of pets I can bring?

Guests may have up to two dogs in their room. There are no size or breed restrictions. No other types of pets are permitted in resort rooms.


Any special rules I must follow while my dog is in the room?

Here are the basics:

Dogs may not be in the room alone for longer than seven hours. If you are contacted by the resort and asked to return to the room due to a problem with the dog, you must do so within 30 minutes.

The guest is responsible for managing the behavior of their dog, and cleaning up after their dog. If the dog is causing a disturbance to other guests, the resort has the right to require you to house the dog elsewhere or to leave the resort.

While the dog is in the room, the provided hang tag must be placed on the door to notify staff.

When you check in, you will be given an agreement to sign detailing the full terms and conditions for your stay with your pet. A sample pet agreement from Port Orleans Riverside can be found on PortOrleans.org.


What about housekeeping? Will they come into the room while my dog is in there? What if I'm out at a theme park?

Housekeeping will not enter a room if a dog is present. Contact housekeeping by pressing the button on your in-room phone to schedule a cleaning time when the dog will not be there. I interpret this to mean that the dog must be removed from the room while the housekeeper is working, so it's a good time to plan a walk.


Where can I take the dog for a walk?

There are designated dog-walking areas at each of the four dog-friendly resorts. Waste disposal bag dispensers and trash cans are located in these areas.

Dog Relief Areas: Disney's Yacht Club Resort
Dog Relief Areas: Disney's Art of Animation Resort
Dog Relief Areas: Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside
Dog Relief Areas: The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort

Dogs must be leashed or crated at all times when not in the guest's room and are not allowed in pool areas, club level lounges, food and beverage locations, or fitness centers.


Will I need to bring proof of vaccination for my dogs?

Vaccination records must be provided to the resort upon request, so do bring them. According to the sample pet agreement mentioned above, DHPPv/DA2PPv, Rabies and Bordetella vaccinations are required.


Can I bring my dog on Disney transportation?

Dogs can ride on Disney's Magical Express and the Minnie Vans, but must be crated at all times. Dogs may not ride Disney buses, boats or monorails.


I thought dogs were already allowed at some campsites at Fort Wilderness. Does the new policy affect guests who are camping?

No, the campsite policy remains in place. Fort Wilderness campers can still request a pet-friendly loop for an additional $5 per night. The Fort has its own pet policies, so see The Campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort at DisneyWorld.com for more information. If you have questions about pets at the campsites, post them on the Camping at Disney World board here on the DISboards.


What if I have second thoughts about having the dog in my resort room, or I don't want to leave the dog alone in the room while I'm out all day?

Best Friends Pet Care's "pet hotel" is located on Bonnet Creek Parkway, across from Port Orleans Riverside. They offer boarding, day care and grooming services. Call 877-4-WDW-PETS, 877-493-9738 or visit bestfriendspetcare.com.


My child has severe dog allergies. Can I be guaranteed that we will be given a room that has never had a dog staying in it?

There is no way to guarantee that a particular room has never hosted a dog, as service animals can stay at any resort, and I have never heard any cast member say that Disney tracks rooms where dogs have stayed. However, Disney does do a deep clean on any room that has been occupied by a dog before assigning it to the next guest. It's certainly worth mentioning when you make your reservation or add requests that you have an allergic family member.


Are dogs being hosted in specific buildings or floors of resorts? What if I don't want to be near other guests' dogs?

Disney has stated that dogs will only be placed in certain areas of resorts. If you wish to avoid dogs during your stay, you may request to be placed in an area that is not being used by guests with dogs. According to Disney, approximately 250 rooms property-wide are being designated as dog-friendly. That's less that one percent of their total room inventory.

According to portorleans.org, dog-friendly rooms are located in buildings 15, 24, 80 and 95 at Port Orleans Riverside. Guest reports indicate that dog-friendly rooms at Art of Animation are in the Little Mermaid and Cars buildings. I have not seen specifics on the location of dog-friendly rooms at Yacht Club.


How do I make a reservation for a pet-friendly room?

There doesn't seem to be a way to indicate that you need a pet-friendly room when making an online reservation, so I would strongly suggest that you either make your reservation by phone (407-934-7639) or call to inform Disney that you will be bringing a dog after you've made an online reservation.


Can I bring my dog to the theme parks or Disney Springs?


Dogs may not be brought into the theme parks, water parks or Disney Springs, with the exception of service dogs assisting guests with disabilities.


This was a trial program and was to end in October 2018. Do we know whether it will be renewed?

There have been reports that the program will continue beyond October, but Disney has not released any official statement. Stay tuned.
I took my pup to Riverside in July and a cast member mentioned the program would be discontinued after October :(

My pup stayed at Best Friends Pet Care during the day and loved it. We also loved it and decided he will be staying over night there during our November trip.
 
I just returned from a five-day stay at Port Orleans Riverside. I saw a couple dogs walking down the river area and a dog going either in or out of the room in the Royal room section. The dogs were on leashes and seemed well behaved. I heard absolutely no barking indoors or around the resort. I never saw a pet relieving itself nor do I know where that area is. I love to walk around the resort and did a lot of it while I was there and was never affected by pets at the resort.
 


We just returned from a night at YC, followed by 3 nights at BWI. Noticed the pet relief area right outside our patio, to the side of a quiet pool. Did not see anyone taking their pet out there. While at YC we had a very long walk from the Lobby to our room. We did see several doors with the dog sign hanging on the door. We never heard or saw any dogs inside the building. When outside, we never saw any evidence (if you know what I mean) that a dog was around the resort.
We did see 2 dogs with their owners walking out on the Boardwalk near YC, they (owners and dogs ;) ) were being well behaved. It reminded me that in all our stays at BWI since the policy started, probably about 20 nights total, we'd never seen any dogs around the boardwalk itself any other times. Are they otherwise allowed out and on the boardwalk area? Or only the section of the boardwalk directly connected to the YC?
 
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We just returned from a night at YC, followed by 3 nights at BWI. Noticed the pet relief area right outside our patio, to the side of a quiet pool. Did not see anyone taking their pet out there. While at YC we had a very long walk from the Lobby to our room. We did see several doors with the dog sign hanging on the door. We never heard or saw any dogs inside the building. When outside, we never saw any evidence (if you know what I mean) that a dog was around the resort.
We did see 2 dogs with their owners walking out on the Boardwalk near YC, they (owners and dogs ;) ) were being well behaved. It reminded me that in all our stays at BWI since the policy started, probably about 20 nights total, we'd never seen any dogs any other times. Are they otherwise allowed on the Boardwalk area? Or only around YC proper?

I'm interested to know this. Are dogs allowed to be walked all the way around the YC/BC/Boardwalk loop? And even if not technically allowed, is it happening anyway?
 
I'm interested to know this. Are dogs allowed to be walked all the way around the YC/BC/Boardwalk loop? And even if not technically allowed, is it happening anyway?
Didn’t see any when we popped over several times to BW area Aug 26-Sept 2, but the grassy area right behind the BC rear doors, beside the sidewalk that runs to the beach beside SAB was being used as a relief area. Is that area designated as one?
 


Didn’t see any when we popped over several times to BW area Aug 26-Sept 2, but the grassy area right behind the BC rear doors, beside the sidewalk that runs to the beach beside SAB was being used as a relief area. Is that area designated as one?
Any designated pet relief areas are marked with signage.
 
We were at YC Saturday to Wednesday. Saw no dogs at YC at all. Saw 1 small dog being walked past the Swan on our way to the Studios on Sunday. Also saw 1 service dog in Epcot this morning. He was wearing a vest & by his behavior, he was well trained.
 
We just returned from a night at YC, followed by 3 nights at BWI. Noticed the pet relief area right outside our patio, to the side of a quiet pool. Did not see anyone taking their pet out there. While at YC we had a very long walk from the Lobby to our room. We did see several doors with the dog sign hanging on the door. We never heard or saw any dogs inside the building. When outside, we never saw any evidence (if you know what I mean) that a dog was around the resort.
We did see 2 dogs with their owners walking out on the Boardwalk near YC, they (owners and dogs ;) ) were being well behaved. It reminded me that in all our stays at BWI since the policy started, probably about 20 nights total, we'd never seen any dogs any other times. Are they otherwise allowed on the Boardwalk area? Or only around YC proper?

I'm going back 11 or so months to when the policy was rolled out, but I believe the initial rules stated that the dogs should be going from the lobby....to their rooms....to the relief area....and back to the rooms. Period.
 
I'm going back 11 or so months to when the policy was rolled out, but I believe the initial rules stated that the dogs should be going from the lobby....to their rooms....to the relief area....and back to the rooms. Period.

Actually, I've done a bit of research on this recently. As far as I can tell from the pet agreement that guests must sign, this is the only restriction on where dogs can be:

I understand that pets are not permitted in Food and Beverage, Club Lounge, Pool or Fitness Center areas.

I could not find any documentation from Disney that says pets can't be in other public areas of the resort. Now, I don't know what the rules are for the Boardwalk, since that's not one of the pet-friendly resorts. But as far as I can tell, it's fine for dogs to be anywhere on the YC grounds or in the building except for the prohibited areas listed above.
 
Actually, I've done a bit of research on this recently. As far as I can tell from the pet agreement that guests must sign, this is the only restriction on where dogs can be:



I could not find any documentation from Disney that says pets can't be in other public areas of the resort. Now, I don't know what the rules are for the Boardwalk, since that's not one of the pet-friendly resorts. But as far as I can tell, it's fine for dogs to be anywhere on the YC grounds or in the building except for the prohibited areas listed above.
Wasn't talking about The Boardwalk RESORT. But THE Boardwalk. Two different places. Right? THE Boardwalk, encircles the entire lake, if you consider the planks of wood walkway THE Boardwalk. Dogs were being walked on it (well behaved, both owners and dogs) and it made me wonder, are they permitted all along the entire wooden Boardwalk area? Or are they limited to the wooden boardwalk area that is adjacent to grass that is connected to/belonging to YC?
 
Wasn't talking about The Boardwalk RESORT. But THE Boardwalk. Two different places. Right? THE Boardwalk, encircles the entire lake, if you consider the planks of wood walkway THE Boardwalk. Dogs were being walked on it (well behaved, both owners and dogs) and it made me wonder, are they permitted all along the entire wooden Boardwalk area? Or are they limited to the wooden boardwalk area that is adjacent to grass that is connected to/belonging to YC?

That, I don't know. It's possible that they only allow dogs on the part of the boardwalk that's on YC grounds, but I haven't seen that documented anywhere.
 
OMG how wonderful is this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am thinking about bringing my pup and staying at the cabins - how nice would that be. I'm over the top excited. I understand there are folks with allergies, but if the resorts limit the dog friendly rooms to a certain section, that's a good thing. And it's true service dogs can be anywhere. I'm sure they provide bags for people to clean up after their pups.
 
We are going to PO-Riverside in March for Mardi Gras and taking our two dogs. We have a Garden View room and hope to stay in Acadian House. My wife has always wanted to take the dogs to WDW and walk them around Riverside. We can't wait.
 
OMG how wonderful is this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am thinking about bringing my pup and staying at the cabins - how nice would that be. I'm over the top excited. I understand there are folks with allergies, but if the resorts limit the dog friendly rooms to a certain section, that's a good thing. And it's true service dogs can be anywhere. I'm sure they provide bags for people to clean up after their pups.

We are going to PO-Riverside in March for Mardi Gras and taking our two dogs. We have a Garden View room and hope to stay in Acadian House. My wife has always wanted to take the dogs to WDW and walk them around Riverside. We can't wait.

Hi Lynne, I totally understand this is an FAQ only thread and not the place to discuss not liking the dog policy, but shouldn't it work both ways and also not be the place just to express pleasure at it? I.e. Without asking questions or providing information.
 
Does anyone know if the $50 per night charge is per dog or is it a flat rate for having the pet(s) in the room? I see that 2 dogs are allowed per room, I'm just trying to budget whether we'd be looking at $50 versus $100 per night.
 
Hi Lynne, I totally understand this is an FAQ only thread and not the place to discuss not liking the dog policy, but shouldn't it work both ways and also not be the place just to express pleasure at it? I.e. Without asking questions or providing information.

The purpose of the thread is to provide information for those who are traveling to Disney resorts with their dog(s). I look at it like the refillable mug thread (for people who plan to use the mugs while at WDW), or the smoking areas thread (for people who plan to smoke at WDW). It's mainly geared towards helping those who are making use of the policy, so no, I don't find it surprising or inappropriate to have someone say "gee, I like this policy!"

I'm not going to be throwing out infractions if someone adds a post that says "this policy is creating a hardship for me." I will be shutting down extended debates about whether or not the policy is good. That's not what FAQ threads are for. There are other outlets for that kind of debate.
 
The purpose of the thread is to provide information for those who are traveling to Disney resorts with their dog(s). I look at it like the refillable mug thread (for people who plan to use the mugs while at WDW), or the smoking areas thread (for people who plan to smoke at WDW). It's mainly geared towards helping those who are making use of the policy, so no, I don't find it surprising or inappropriate to have someone say "gee, I like this policy!"

I'm not going to be throwing out infractions if someone adds a post that says "this policy is creating a hardship for me." I will be shutting down extended debates about whether or not the policy is good. That's not what FAQ threads are for. There are other outlets for that kind of debate.

Thanks for the clarification. :thumbsup2
 
Hi Lynne, I totally understand this is an FAQ only thread and not the place to discuss not liking the dog policy, but shouldn't it work both ways and also not be the place just to express pleasure at it? I.e. Without asking questions or providing information.


If I used the forum for the wrong reason, I apologize. I've been on the DIS for over 15 years and have never offended anyone.
 

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