Big Pet Blunders at Disney's Fort Wilderness - 10 Things NOT to Do

Pet lovers rejoiced when Disney relaxed their pet policies back in 2017. Now dogs and cats can stay at a handful of resorts as well as both the cabins and all loops in Fort Wilderness. With the increase in the four-legged population comes a few new issues and a whole lot of misinformation. A little knowledge and preparation can help you prevent horrifying embarrassment and potential disaster. Note that some of these 10 faux pas do apply a bit more to dogs than they do to cats.

One. Don’t even leave home without a collar with A nametag.

Fort Wilderness is a very large and busy place, many people would be surprised how very frequently dogs and cats escape from the confines of their campsite. Unfortunately, some remain missing for weeks or permanently. CMs are wonderful for providing support (and trapping as needed), but the task of locating a pet and its owner can be unsettling at best. An even safer route would be to attach a tracker to the collar.

Two. Don’t leave a dog all day while you are in the parks.

This is one of those common sense items that really gets ignored by a large number of self-absorbed people. Not only will Luke Skybarker become lonely and bored and unable to relieve himself, but he may also decide to protest loudly. For hours. Your neighbors will not like you. Please don’t be that guy. It’s so easy and convenient to drop a pet off at Best Friends Pet Hotel for the day. They have an incredible facility that pets love, and are open well past park closing. You’ll have a far better time, too, knowing that you aren’t a douchebag after all.

Three. Don’t leave him or her for hours without checking the Air conditioning.

You’ve decided to stay at the campgrounds for the day, and enjoy the pool or the bar or perhaps take a canoe ride. If it’s summertime, be sure to check your RV or camper every couple of hours or so to make sure that the air conditioning is still working properly. Motor home air conditioning units are notorious for becoming overloaded in the Florida heat. Keeping Scamp and Prissy alive is a good thing.

Four. Don’t leave his turds on the ground.

This is one of those times that we don’t just “let it go.” Have some class and clean up that grass.

Five. never claim She is a SERVICE ANimal when She’s not.

This is the biggie. Please realize that emotional support pets and service pets are not the same. At all. And many pets designated as emotional support dogs are only such because their owners purchased a fake tag or harness online. A purchased tag placed on a dog does not make him any more a service pet than wearing mouse ears makes me Roger Iger. So, unless your Buttercup is truly a service animal, then she is not allowed in Disney restaurants or parks, and lots of other places at Disney. In fact, Florida law is very strict regarding those who misrepresent their pet as a service animal. The consequences include a “ruff” $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail.

Six. Don’t forget his or her Disney accessories.

After all that talk about jail time, let’s move on to one a little less serious. One of the really fun parts about having a pet at Disney is getting them all dressed up, parading them about, and taking pictures. I love driving over to pet-friendly resorts like Art of Animation,with its cool scenery. If you’re coming around holiday periods, you may want to coordinate the look even more. But if you wait to pick up these items in the park, it can be very expensive. Plan ahead, so that Rusty doesn’t feel left out.

Seven. Don’t forget that not everyone loves your PET as much as you do.

I love dogs, cats, deer, chipmunks, rabbits, lemurs, and all creatures of the wild. Mother Nature and I go way, way back. But I would at least like the opportunity to decline an invitation for your darling Pongo to sniff my bottom, hump my leg, share my steak, or lick my infant grandchild’s mouth.

eight. avoid getting a site that is well-traveled or near road.

The environment of Fort Wilderness is likely quite different than what your pet is accustomed to back in Kansas. There is a lot of noise. There are billions of children. There are sometimes entire loops full of whiskey-guzzling rednecks. There are nightly fireworks. And there are other animals. If your pet has any anxiety or barking issues whatsoever, some campsites will be far, far better than others. Consider requesting one farther from the main roads and paths, comfort stations, and playgrounds. If you are very concerned, you might request a more remote loop (generally full hook-ups).

nine. don’t leave hER behind when She can go.

If you brought Duchess with you on the trip, include her in your plans. One of the biggest highlights for her will be riding on golf cart (now allowed) through the Fort Wilderness loops. Instead of going to Canyon Cafe for a big dinner, take your car or Uber over to one of many dog-friendly restaurants in Orlando. My favorite is Yellow Dog Eats. Instead of having breakfast inside Trail’s End, get it to go from PJ’s Takeout. Remember “family means that no one gets left behind or forgotten” (Lilo & Stitch).

ten. don’t stay on your DAMN cell phone and make your dog depressed.

Seriously, this is real stuff. A recent study showed that when pet owners are on their cell phones too much, their dogs get depressed. It’s probably making you and everybody else depressed, too. You know exactly who you are – I mean you’re looking at it now, aren’t you? So step away from the phone and enjoy your vacation.