No, dogs aren’t allowed in any of the Disney World parks in central Florida. This includes the main park, Disney Springs, Typhoon Lagoon, and Blizzard Beach. Only registered, trained service animals are actually permitted inside the parks.
The silver lining is that dogs are allowed in four of Disney’s on-site resorts, with some caveats. They also have their own on-site pet hotel called Best Friends Pet Care. Check out some more info below about Disney’s rules and what you need to know to make your next Disney trip a magical experience for the whole family.
Which Disney World Resorts Allow Dogs?
If you’re unfamiliar, there are more than 30 resorts in the Disney Resort Collection, with 20 owned and operated by Disney. Sadly, not all of these resorts allow our furry family members in, so it’s important to check which do welcome dogs. There are just four dog-friendly resorts among these, so pay close attention.
- Art of Animation Resort
- Yacht Club Resort
- Fort Wilderness Resort
- Riverside Port Orleans Resort
Dog-friendly rooms are considerately located near designated green areas and dog walking areas, but that means you have little choice in where your room is located. Another downside is that on top of the price of your resort stay, you’ll have to pay an additional pet cleaning fee and possibly a deposit.
All dog visitors get a Pluto’s Welcome Kit, named after the iconic Disney dog. This complimentary gift bag comes with some puppy pads, a mat, food/water bowls, waste bags, and a map of nearby dog walking trails.
Dog-Related Rules for Disney World Resorts
Every business has different rules for dogs even if they allow them, which can get exhausting for busy dog owners to keep up with. As a huge tourist destination, Disney World resorts have their own lengthy collection of rules you’ll have to follow when you bring your dog along for vacation. Check them out down below so you’re not caught off-guard!
- Dogs may only be allowed on certain floors of the hotel and designated green areas for exercise/potty breaks.
- All dogs must be leashed at all times out of your room.
- You’ll need to provide proof of vaccination for your dog at check-in.
- Dogs aren’t allowed in public buildings like stores, restaurants, gyms, pools, or other areas unless specifically stated otherwise.
- Guests with dogs must use a special door hanger to alert housekeeping when your dog is present and not. They only come in the room when your dog isn’t there.
- Leaving your dog alone in the room for more than 7 hours is prohibited.
- Dogs are not allowed on any hotel furniture.
Each resort may have its own rules that you’ll need to follow, which is important to find out before checking in. These rules are for while your dog’s actually on resort grounds or in the hotel, and don’t apply to Best Friends Pet Care—that’s next!
About Best Friends Pet Care
Best Friends Pet Care is a place you can board your pup overnight or for the duration of your resort visit to Disney World. It has over 50,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor areas for your dog to get their energy out and make some friends. This pet hotel also offers accommodations for cats and smaller pets, but today, we’re focusing on dogs.
There are several packages available depending on your budget, needs, and the length of your stay. We’ll briefly describe each of those to give you a better idea.
- Indoor: includes bedding, bowls, and 2 potty walks daily
- Indoor/Outdoor: the same as the indoor package but with a private outdoor patio
- Vacation Villa: complementary beef broth pop, premium bedding & bowls, flat screen TV, webcam, private outdoor patio, 1 potty walk & 1 playtime
- Luxury Suite: the same as Vacation Villas but with additional potty break and playtime
- Club Suite: same as above plus a personal concierge, day/night photo updates, complementary Go Home Fresh bath, and seasonal gift tote
Whether your best bud just needs somewhere to crash for a day or two or you want them living in the lap of luxury, there are several compelling packages to choose from for your next Disney Resort stay.
Activities vary by the day’s schedule, but generally, you can choose either group activities or group play. The latter offers free playtime (4+ hours) with other dogs per day at the cost of some group activities, like story time.
Tips for Taking Your Dog to Disney World Resorts
There are already so many rules you have to remember, but it helps if you can keep some useful tips in mind too. These will help make your vacation more fun for everyone while minimizing stressful incidents.
- Make sure your dog has a clearly labeled ID tag with their name, your name, and contact info.
- Avoid bringing young or untrained pups, who are more likely to get fearful or anxious.
- Crate training is tremendously helpful here, but be careful you don’t leave your dog in there for too long when you’re out in the parks.
- Bring plenty of dog food. Disney World Resorts may be dog-friendly, but they don’t sell or give out dog food.
In Conclusion
Dogs may not be allowed in the parks, but they’re still welcome at select resorts and the on-site Best Friends Pet Care, which has plenty of great pet hotel packages to choose from. It might be hard vacationing with dogs sometimes, but there’s no reason they can’t enjoy themselves too.
- See Also: Are Dogs Allowed In Sam’s Club?
Featured Image Credit: Pixel-Shot, Shutterstock
