[WishUponAStar]

I've been thinking for quite some time now about why Disney doesn't have a resort that accepts pets under 25 pounds. Especially in DVC units where there is more of a culture of spending time at the resort, versus staying out ALL day in the parks. The Loew's run hotels in Universal Studios accept pets under 25 pounds & I've stayed at several Loews hotels in both NY & LA, there never seemed to be any problems. The rooms are gorgeous & clean. You have to pay a 'pet surchage' but I always got the feeling that pets were welcomed & very well taken care of at Lowe's.

What sparked these thoughts recently is that my MIL, who has ONLY stayed on property in deluxe hotels when in WDW, just booked 3 nights at Universal's Royal Pacific for the end of this month & then booked 3 more nights at the same hotel in December. She doesn't want to stay at Universal & she's not even visiting those parks.

Unfortunately the sitter that she trusts is moving away & they want to bring their two small dogs with them. It just dawned on me that Disney was losing two lifelong guests to a Universal Hotel just because it's pet friendly. I know it's just a drop in the bucket for Disney BUT I wonder how come Disney doesn't create one or allow specific DVC units for it. We stayed in the pet loops before at Fort Wilderness & never heard a peep.

I just took the pet policy from one of Universal's hotels & I don't see why Disney couldn't emmulate:

Loews Loves Pets; Restrictions apply
* Cleaning fee of $25 will be charged per room (once during the stay)
* No more than two pets may occupy any one guestroom
* Guests arriving with pets will be placed in pet friendly rooms
* Arrangements must be made with housekeeping for daily room cleaning
* Dogs may be walked in designated areas only
* If the dog’s behavior results in complaints by other guests, the owner may be asked to board the dog in an outside shelter
* Pets are not allowed in the pool/lounge or restaurant areas
* Pet friendly rooms include:
Loews Portofino Bay Hotel: Non-smoking Garden View & Bay View rooms only.
Hard Rock Hotel: Non-smoking Garden and Non-smoking Pool view only.
Loews Royal Pacific Resort: NON-smoking standard rooms only.
*Club rooms do not participate in the program
*Your pet(s) should have all recommended vaccinations currently up-to-date, and you agree to obtain and provide current records from a licensed veterinarian regarding your pet(s) should Loews Hotels request this information from you at any time.

[Mickey Mom]

It seems like a good policy if people abide by all the rules.

I'm all for Disney becoming more pet friendly, but I have to admit, I don't think I'd be keen on staying in a room where dogs have been staying. I have enough phobias of hotel beds as it is, without knowing a dog has been sleeping in them!
The only other draw back I would have is that Disney keeps the grounds pristine and there are always those dog owners that don't follow the rules, or clean up after their animals. Disney would have to implement and enforce some pretty strict guidelines.

[mousemom]

Dog hair, urine stains and FLEAS!!! That would be my complaint. I would hate to be where a dog has had bladder problems on the floor or worse fleas. I am not saying that I am against a pet friendly resort but I don't think Disney would have it.

[DisneyTeacher]

I wouldn't mind this option for dog lovers but I have to say I would avoid the pet friendly resort. I would be really sad it DVC went pet friendly. I love my dog but I don't want to stay in a room that has pets in it all the time.

[beatman23]

Like anything, the devil is in the details....

Maybe an entire resort designated to those people who want to travel with their pets?

A section of each resort would be difficult in my estimation. Same reasons apply: hair, dander, little critters etc..... If I were Disney, I think I would simply avoid this option (unless of course they think they can make a ton of $$$ with it)

[LittleMissMagic]

I've always wondered the same thing. We have a little dog and have taken her to Disney in the past (when we owned a house in Central Florida), but the overnight kennel charges were outrageous and we were not too impressed with the kennels.

The Loews hotels are amazing. We love the pet friendliness. I think it would be cool if WDW adopted pet friendly at least to DVC. I understand that they're probably worried about allergies. Loews designates certain halls to pets (when you book, you book a pet-friendly room), so that way, guests not travelling with pets (especially those with allergies) will not be staying in a room that once had an animal in it.

And keep in mind, guests with service dogs are staying at resorts, and though this of course is a much smaller number, you might be staying in a room that once had a dog in it and you don't even know it.

I loved how at Portofino there were dogs outside at the cafe (leashed, of course). My Dad's a big animal lover and he really enjoyed flirting with the dogs.

[timsha]

I would also like to see WDW become more pet friendly, even thought it would not be of benefit to us. My smallest is 48 pounds, and it would not be realistic for us to take the dogs with us on vacation. Being animal lovers though, would enjoy seeing pets around, as it would be more like home.

[jwakja]

Leave your pets at home, bring your swin suits and appetites.

[Cincy]

I love my dogs, but they don't need to travel with us.

I can see it now, I have taken my toddler back to the resort for a nap and there is a small dog next door barking because his owners left him in an unfamiliar place so they could go to the parks or out to eat.

Even in the deluxe resorts, the walls are so thin I can hear conversations on the other side.

The only way would be a resort that was only for dog owners.

[Campbell87]

As much as I love pets, I just couldn't see it really working at a Disney resort. A completly pets friendly purpose built resort would be fun BUT I could ony imagine the state it could get into, sidewalks, flowerbeds, hallways etc. Plus I wouldnt want to worry about the pooch being left in the room for so long if we went out for the day. There have been times where we have left for park opening and not returned to the room till after midnight!

[cinderbella]

It's an interesting thought. My Reilly is 80 pounds so traveling with him isn't an option but maybe if DVC designated specific buildings or halls to pets it would be an interesting experiment. I know for me at Disney it wouldn't work. We can be out of our room anywhere from 8-14 hours a day. I would feel so bad for him cooped up in there.

[WishUponAStar]

Originally Posted by mousemom

Dog hair, urine stains and FLEAS!!! That would be my complaint. I would hate to be where a dog has had bladder problems on the floor or worse fleas. I am not saying that I am against a pet friendly resort but I don't think Disney would have it.

Have you ever been to a Loew's hotel? They are absoutely prestine, I've stayed at the Loew's on Santa Monica beach & the Loew's Regency in NYC. There are 'pet friendly' specific rooms, it's not like they just give anyone a room with a dog anywhere.

[WishUponAStar]

Originally Posted by DisneyTeacher

I wouldn't mind this option for dog lovers but I have to say I would avoid the pet friendly resort. I would be really sad it DVC went pet friendly. I love my dog but I don't want to stay in a room that has pets in it all the time.

It's not like every single room would be pet-friendly, in Fort Wilderness not every loop or site can have pets, just the ones designated for such use. If there were only a few of each class of DVC units available as pet friendly I don't see what the big deal would be.

[Mickeybug]

So many focusing on damage that "dogs" could/would do. I could see why since they are the ones that do the majority of the damage, but dogs aren't the only domesticated pets.
We have a cat, an indoor cat that NEVER goes outside. No claws to scratch, very seldom sheds, not subjected to fleas nor most any other diseases pets tend to carry. Always uses litter box and doesn't really make any noise, unless another cat in heat is in the area. Even then an extremely low decimal. All in all, a perfect example of a pet to take on a vacate.
But... always that but, just because ours is adaptable to staying in a room all day doesn't mean all are. Unless it's birds, fish or some type of gerbal most aren't. As much of a pet lover as I am I would have to go with the majority and say that staying in a room where most "average" pets have been does not sound very appealing to me either.

[WishUponAStar]

Originally Posted by Cincy

I can see it now, I have taken my toddler back to the resort for a nap and there is a small dog next door barking because his owners left him in an unfamiliar place so they could go to the parks or out to eat.

Umm, you'd have to be staying in the 'pet friendly' wing or building to have a neighbor with a dog next door.