One of the best parts of camping is taking along your dog. Dogs and camping go together maybe even better than Mickey and Minnie. Cats are less predictable, but I envy the camper with a pretty Maine Coon just staring out the window. I’ve honestly always wanted to take my cat camping, but he howls, drools, and darn near has a fainting spell every time we have taken him in the car even down the driveway.
Disney’s Changing View on Pets
Anyway,through at least the early 1990s, non service dogs weren’t even allowed in the campground – they had to be deposited reluctantly at the kennel at Fort Wilderness. This pretty much sucked all the magic out of the magic in the first few minutes of vacation. In the spirit of gratefulness, I hereby proclaim that the welcoming of pets was one of the wisest changes that Disney has recently made. This is as opposed to increasing ticket prices annually or charging for resort guest parking, both of which are astonishingly bad-dog moves.
So, for a long time, Fort Wilderness was the only property at Disney World that allowed pets, and then they were only allowed in a very limited number of sites. All of this changed over time, and there are now 11 (more than half) of the camping loops that officially allow pets. These are:
Preferred (near marina): Loop 300
Premium (near Meadows): Loops 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, and 900
Full-Hook Up: Loops 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900
Tent/Pop-Up: None. Pets are not allowed to stay in tent or pop-ups
Cabins: Yes! In 2017, Disney began allowing pets in cabins!
But wait, there’s more. It appears that Fort Wilderness has now designated all of the loops as pet friendly, even though certain ones still seem to take priority for pet assignments. When making a reservation at Fort Wilderness and selecting preferences, pet-friendly is still a box that may be checked.
And if you haven’t been to Fort Wilderness in a while, you’ll need to know that that old beloved kennel (constructed in 1975) located at Fort Wilderness is no more. Just down the road, on Disney property, is Best Friends Pet Hotel – scroll down to read more.
PET FEES
The fee to bring a pet (dog or cat) onto a campsite at Fort Wilderness is only $5 a night. The fee for the cabins (dogs only) is $50 per night. Beginning in 2017, Disney also began a pilot allowing dogs (no cats) in certain buildings of The Art of Animation Resort ($50/night); Port Orleans Riverside Resort ($50/night); and Yacht Club Resort ($75/night). What I have noticed is that the resorts allowing pets are now more booked than they were pre-2017, and often at higher average prices per night. The pilot allowing dogs at these resorts is now permanent, it appears.
There is no fee for service animals.
PET RULES IN FORT WILDERNESS
- Maximum two pets per campsite or cabin
- Must be up to date on vaccinations
- With the exception of service dogs, pets are allowed only in designated loops, designated pet walking trails, dog park (near Loops 300 and 500), and on golf carts (yay!)
- Dogs must be on leash no longer than 8 feet long
- Must clean up dog poo (disposal stations are handy)
- Pets should not be left unsupervised for more than 7 hours
- If your dog does not mind his or her manners (complains loudly), then guest services will contact you, and you will have 30 minutes to come back
- The only Disney transportation that allows pets are the Magical Express and the Minnie Vans (Lyft). Service dogs are an exception.
- Oddly, cats are not officially allowed at Fort Wilderness. I have seen quite a few lounging in the windows of large RVs. This does not appear to enforced.
BOARDING
Although the old kennel at Fort Wilderness was loved by many, we are completely enamored with the Disney World Location and the services of Best Friends Pet Hotel. There are two main reasons that you will use this kennel.
- You are in a pop-up or tent, and therefore, your pet cannot stay with you in Fort Wilderness. Sad, but true.
- You are going to the parks or elsewhere, and don’t want to leave your pet alone (or yapping relentlessly). A very good reason indeed since they will stay open for an hour after the last park closes.
- It’s time for a nice grooming, or your pet just really gets happy when you take him to the kennel. Okay, that’s a third reason.
So, here’s the kicker. You need to make reservations here sooner rather than later. In addition, make sure all the vaccinations are up-to-date. You’ll send in proof of these as an attachment when you make the reservation online.
When you get there, you’ll feel the Disney excitement in the air, and so will Princess Four-Legs. There’s usually a line to check in, and it’s kind of like a little cocktail party as the pups do a big meet-and-greet (and a little butt-sniffing).
Boarding Prices
Overnight stays for dogs start at $41 for resort guests (includes indoor accommodations and two walks) and go all the way up to $101 for luxury perks in a swanky suite with TV, webcam and a bedtime story. You can add extras for a little more, such as an ice cream snack and a premium bed.
Daycare is almost as much (starting at $37 for resort guests), but remember it goes on very, very late. You can drop your pet off as early as one hour before the first park opens, and as late as one hour after the last park closes. Yes, this includes Extra Magic Hours.
Kitty cats start at $26 for a two-level condo for resort guests.
If you are only going to be gone a little while – say three or four hours – grooming can turn out to be a better bargain. Prices vary, and quotes are made by phone or email depending on services.
Overall Rating: 5 Dog Treats
What I love about this place is how happy and unanxious my pet is to be here, a genuine Disney feel, the love of animals that each staff member shows, and the extreme cleanliness. The negatives are the difficulty of getting a reservation, and sometimes the wait in getting the staff to answer the phone.
WAGGIN’ TRAILS DOG PARK
A nice perk of Fort Wilderness is the dog park located near loops 300 and 500. This is a fairly typical higher-end dog park where dogs can run off-leash, play and socialize. I’ve yet to see a dog there that wasn’t smiling.
There is a lot of room there, and a separate area for dogs under 30 pounds. There are also water stations, a hose, and special features, such as a tunnel and some stairs for dogs to play on and use up some energy.
See: How Bambi Messed Up My Head and the True Story of Abby Jack Russell
