Can't guarantee a pet site even with a reservation?

[LJBB]

Hi,

We are planning a 5 week RV trip to Florida starting at the end of April. We'd like to spend a week at Disney World, and were thinking of staying at the Fort Wilderness campground. We're travelling with 3 small dogs, so we would need to stay in a pet loop.

When I called the reservations line tonight, they told me that even if you book a pet site, it's still first-come, first-served, and there may not be a site available when you arrive. If that happens, you need to kennel your dogs for the duration of your stay (which would be quite expensive in our case, as well as not at all what we want on our trip). I asked if we could cancel our reservation if that happened, and the agent said no. I'm not sure if that means we'd have to pay for the entire 7 night stay - I forgot to ask exactly what this means.

In any case, we're now reconsidering our plan to go to Disney. We might just wing it and drop by on our way there or back, and see if they have any spots. Does anyone on this forum have advice for whether we're likely to get a camping spot at that time of year? And has anyone experienced the problem where their pet-loop reservation did not work out?

Thanks for any help or advice you can provide!
LJBB

 

[tim5055]

Don't worry about it. In all the years I have been going I have never heard a story of someone turned away or made to kennel pets. They always reserve the right to change a non pet loop into a pet loop, so that is what they do. If there are none when you check in, a non pet loop will get your pets

I would not avoid a trip to FW because of this.

 

[LJBB]

Thanks tim5055 - that is reassuring to know. We've never been to Disney (or the campground) so we don't really know what to expect in these kinds of situations.

Do you know if the campground is typically full in late April or May? It would be really nice if there was a chance of getting a site without a reservation, which would allow us to be more flexible in our travel plans. Is it rare to be able to drive up and just stay for 5 or 7 days?

 

[2goofycampers]

I completely agree with Tim. We have been put in overflow pet loops when necessary. You and the pups will have a blast.

 

[tim5055]

Thanks tim5055 - that is reassuring to know. We've never been to Disney (or the campground) so we don't really know what to expect in these kinds of situations.

Do you know if the campground is typically full in late April or May? It would be really nice if there was a chance of getting a site without a reservation, which would allow us to be more flexible in our travel plans. Is it rare to be able to drive up and just stay for 5 or 7 days?

I don't think I would ever go without a reservation. You may try it, but have a plan B in your back pocket.

 

[skyp4WDW]

Thanks tim5055 - that is reassuring to know. We've never been to Disney (or the campground) so we don't really know what to expect in these kinds of situations.

Do you know if the campground is typically full in late April or May? It would be really nice if there was a chance of getting a site without a reservation, which would allow us to be more flexible in our travel plans. Is it rare to be able to drive up and just stay for 5 or 7 days?

Ft Wilderness tends to be busy, but not full for most of the Spring season with the exception of the weeks before and after Easter which is always full. It is definately a place where you are expected to have a reservation but it can be modified without penalty until about a week prior to check-in.

Chances are, you won't have any trouble being assigned to a Pet Loop if that request is in your reservation...( but if I were you, I would not accept an assignment in a Non-pet Loop should the Pet-Loops be full because if someone who requested a Non-pet Loop complains, you'll have to move or board the dogs). Just a FYI. Hope it all works out for you.

 

[tim5055]

.( but if I were you, I would not accept an assignment in a Non-pet Loop should the Pet-Loops be full because if someone who requested a Non-pet Loop complains, you'll have to move or board the dogs). Just a FYI. Hope it all works out for you.

I do not believe this is a true statement. Even if FW receives a complaint about a pet in a non pet loop, as long as it was on the reservation and the pet fee was paid FW will NOT make you move or board. They "overflow" pets into non pet loops all the time.

 

[2goofycampers]

I do not believe this is a true statement. Even if FW receives a complaint about a pet in a non pet loop, as long as it was on the reservation and the pet fee was paid FW will NOT make you move or board. They "overflow" pets into non pet loops all the time.

I agree.

 

[skyp4WDW]

I do not believe this is a true statement. Even if FW receives a complaint about a pet in a non pet loop, as long as it was on the reservation and the pet fee was paid FW will NOT make you move or board. They "overflow" pets into non pet loops all the time.

You're wrong; and it's inappropriate to jeopardize other's vacations with that sort of erroneous information.

 

[becky1960]

Its been posted on here many, many times that disney is now overflowing pets to non pet loops, I have seen pets in many non pet loops. Sometimes Reservations people are not informed about FW, I had one that told me they had never seen or been to FW but was going to stay a weekend so they would know more about it..

 

[TOGA]

Another vote for personally experiencing/seeing pets in non-pet loops. It doesn't particularly bother me, I own pets myself, I just reserve non-pet loops because I don't happen to have a pet and would rather leave pet-loops to those that do have pets.

However, about a week before arriving last year, we thought we might have to bring our dog. I was anxious about being able to get a site to accommodate him {weekend of the marathon and all}. I called and they assured me that it was no problem and that I could bring him, but they did let me know it would cost a little extra. We ended up not having to bring him, but it was nice to know that on such short notice and during a traditionally busy time at the Fort, that they gave every indication that I would not be turned away or be forced to board our dog.

I think if I had been assigned to a non-pet loop, but had brought my dog, I would just try to be extra courteous about picking up after him, keeping him leashed and quiet.

Good luck!

 

[Running_Bell]

My concern would be having the three dogs in your RV while you are gone. We were in a non-pet loop a few years back and our neighbors complained about another neighbors dogs barking in the RV all day. They were requested to board the dogs...

 

[KristinU]

My concern would be having the three dogs in your RV while you are gone. We were in a non-pet loop a few years back and our neighbors complained about another neighbors dogs barking in the RV all day. They were requested to board the dogs...

My guess is that this could happen on a pet loop as well. Almost every CG we've been to that allows pets has some sort of clause about bad behavior/incessant barking and picking up after them.

 

[lisa8200]

Disney may ask you to board your pets if they are causing a problem but, that can happen even if you are in a pet loop. No one should have to listen to someone elses pet make racket all day whether or not their a pet owner.As for reserving a pet loop, you can even be assigned a pet loop at check in. I have had a change in plans and had to bring the dog at the last minute and had no problems. also had the cast member i spoke with, two days ago tell me that i could just tell them when i checked in and i would be accommodated.I have NEVER hard of anyone bring asked to board their pets unless they were disruptive to others in the loop.

 

[tim5055]

You're wrong; and it's inappropriate to jeopardize other's vacations with that sort of erroneous information.

I guess this will just have to be another example of you an I disagreeing on an issue.

It has been reported too many times that FW is placing folks with pets in non-pet loops. The only times I have ever heard of someone either being asked to leave or board their pets is when the pet is causing a disturbance.

 

[LJBB]

Thanks for all the very helpful responses. I think our best option is to book a week near the end of our trip, and then if we want to go to Disney earlier, we'll drop in at FW and see what they've got (and cancel our later reservation if needed). That way we've got the flexibility to go when we want, with a backup plan if we can't get a pet site earlier in our trip without a reservation.

Thanks again!
LJBB

 

[BearwithMouseEars]

You're wrong; and it's inappropriate to jeopardize other's vacations with that sort of erroneous information.

I dont think you can show us even 1 example of this happening to anyone . On the flip side there are countless stories on these boards of people being placed in non-pet loops without issue. This has happened to me twice by the way in the last 7 years.

 

[skyp4WDW]

I dont think you can show us even 1 example of this happening to anyone . On the flip side there are countless stories on these boards of people being placed in non-pet loops without issue. This has happened to me twice by the way in the last 7 years.

Perhaps the people who've been adversely impacted simply don't post here.

It amazes me that you are willing to ruin a long awaited vacation of some sweet little camping family in a Non-pet Loop whose child may need to go to the hospital because your dog or cat is with you on a Non-pet Loop.

 

[2goofycampers]

I dont think you can show us even 1 example of this happening to anyone . On the flip side there are countless stories on these boards of people being placed in non-pet loops without issue. This has happened to me twice by the way in the last 7 years.

I've spent a bunch of nights at The Fort and have talked to a bunch of people while there. I've been reading these boards for 4 years. Not once can I recall someone saying anything about anyone being asked to move, leave or board a pet.

The majority of people who camp bring along their pets. The Fort is the only CG I've ever seen that tried have pet and non pet areas. As their are more pets being brought they will use the non pet loops for pets. If this is dangerous to anyone's health, I'd keep these facts in mind.

 

[KristinU]

Perhaps the people who've been adversely impacted simply don't post here.

It amazes me that you are willing to ruin a long awaited vacation of some sweet little camping family in a Non-pet Loop whose child may need to go to the hospital because your dog or cat is with you on a Non-pet Loop.

Are there allergies so severe that being within, say, 50-100 feet of a dog would cause an attack? Do you or someone in your family have such an affliction that you are dealing with? In that case, I would think that even my dog's dander and hair that I and my family carry on us and our clothing would trigger an attack if we were sitting next to one another on a bus or in a line or at school, etc. We certainly have had classmates and friends with such exposure allergies to peanuts, but I've never heard of something so severe with dogs or cats...but maybe we just haven't run across it.

I would think that a family that deals with something so extreme would make note of their medical needs and not just make assumptions when they book their site either.