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Share
your experience!
Tim
K, January 2007
While I cannot speak for the Park kennels I do know the Wilderness
Kennel very well. We use the Ft Wilderness Kennels every trip to
the world and I would use no other.
We have
gotten to know the staff at FW Kennels and they are
wonderful! They have always handled our special requests and most
all staff take time out to talk when they are not checking in dogs,
cleaning or booking horse rides at the next door stable. They are
very "down to earth" and we have gotten to know all the full
time
staff.
As for
where to walk? This kennel has the most walking space of all
the Disney Kennels. There is a great tree lined road behind and to
the right of the Kennel and it is beautiful. Also, the sidewalk
that leads over to the bus depot provides a scenic walk area that
is lined with perennial flowers and shrubs.
Pertaining
to night time feeding, the staff will ask whether you want them to feed
or if the owner wishes to feed their pet and will mark each individual
kennel as such. I don't know about canned food as we bring our own.
The staff will change out water clean and add new bedding as the owner
walks their pet.
I always
look forward to taking our dog to FW Kennel as we know she
will be treated well and they know her by name. This Kennel makes
us want to take more trips to the world as we know our baby is in
good hands. Joyce, Carol and Jamie are the greatest!
**********
Andrew
Updates: January 2007
I returned
to WDW for the holidays, with dog in tow (of course!), and decided to
give everyone a 2nd try.
TTC
kennel at Magic Kingdom was still not great. The same annoying pixie-dustless
cast members were working there. AND, to top it off: I don't know what
their problem was that night (or is it in general?), but MK Security
was "out to lunch" (metaphorically speaking) the night I had
my dog there. It took ONE SOLID HOUR for them to arrive to do after-hours
open. Unbelievable. (I hadn't mentioned it in my first review, but all
the kennels have 24/7 access via Security -- a nice plus!).
Ft.
Wilderness -- same "business only" manner at the front
desk, in bad need of pixie dust!
Epcot
-- Gotta tell ya' -- this is THE kennel at WDW. The overall service
and facility are outstanding. They consistently have the best staff
who seem to genuinely care about the dogs.
Disney-MGM:
They're still good -- but they seem to have a problem keeping their
Cast Members at the front desk. Sometimes during regular hours they
weren't there and had their "Call Security for assistance"
sign out. Bad guest service. There should always be somebody there during
regular park hours.
Animal
Kingdom. We tried this one more time and it was a tad better. No
bad doggie smell like last time and it had a much more serene feeling
than I had remembered (maybe quieter dogs this time?!). However, the
large dog cages are still too small, and the cast members at the front
desk, although pleasant, need a fresh dusting from Tinkerbell.
So, again,
my kennel of choice is Epcot, by far! Hope this is helpful to
all you doggie daddies and mommies out there who, like me, can't ever
leave my furry kid at home.
**********
Andrew
Ricks, November 2006 -- First I want to say that I think it is a
great thing that Disney has kennels at all. They certainly aren't required
to have them by law (I would assume), but they turn out to be a lifesaver
for many.
We actually
tried all five Disney kennels in a short period of time and on a general
note they are all clean and well maintained. However, inevitably, they
all have their pros and cons, and some are a little better than others.
Here's how I see them all (listed in order of when each park was built):
THE
MAGIC KINGDOM
PROS:
Very easy in/out for cars as the kennel has its own parking lot. Only
Ft. Wilderness has that, too. Also has outdoor runs, if your dog prefers
that.
CONS:
The oldest one, and although it is clean it doesn't "feel clean"
as the others.
CAST
MEMBERS: The two times I went I found them to be highly disinterested
in what they were doing, definitely lacking pixie dust. I don't want
to be unfair -- that could just be the people working the late shifts
(college kids, so it seemed), and hopefully not endemic of everyone
who works at that facility. But this was not good "Disney behavior,"
so to speak, in the least.
WALK
AREAS: Adequate. The building sits on a decent piece of land with
plenty of grass -- but be careful where you step! You could walk a
little farther to find some other grassy areas, which are never too
far.
FOOD
& TREATS: Only dry food, no treats.
CAGE
SIZE FOR LARGE DOGS: Good, although feels old.
OVERALL:
It's not that I would never put my dog there again -- and I probably
would if I were going to MK, but as a long-term overnight I wouldn't.
PROS:
Small, manageable, not overwhelming, set in a peaceful area, VERY
easy access for cars. Has a little more charm than the others, especially
the one at nearby MK. Has some runs.
CONS:
Like the one at MK above, it's a little outdated. Also, while the
fact that it has runs is great, they're a bit too small and inadequate
for their purpose.
CAST
MEMBERS: Nice and efficient, mature, business-like. Friendly,
but not quite the down-to-earth of some of the other kennels.
WALK
AREAS: Not bad -- large area of grass right next to the kennel.
My only disappointment is that for the largess and beauty of a place
like Ft. Wilderness, you would think there would be something a little
more dynamic for dog walking rather than just a big piece of grass
area. I wish they allowed a little more access to the "wilderness"
parts with all the trees and natural environment.
FOOD
& TREATS: The one kennel that does not feed dogs who aren't
staying overnight, which is very strange. I know they have dry food,
not sure if they have canned, but possibly. They did have some treats
for the pets, which is nice.
CAGE
SIZE FOR LARGE DOGS: They have a FEW of the jumbo sizes for large
dogs, plus the runs out back but, again, those runs could be a tad
larger.
OVERALL:
While I would recommend this one over the one at MK, and it's only
5 minutes away, which gives you a choice if you're going to MK for the
day, I wouldn't put this one at the top of the list either.
PROS:
Lots & lots of cages, so no worry about being sold out, plus many
of the jumbo sized ones. Dog runs that are of adequate size. Although
a little dated, not as much as the two above, and feels CLEAN. Staff
is great. Walking area is FANTASTIC! Also, they have a small walking/run
area behind the dog runs where you can take your dog off-leash for
a little bit.
CONS:
A little walk from parking lot to kennel, although not too terrible.
For all the benefits of being Disney's largest kennel, the big size
of it might be ok for some dogs, and overwhelming for others.
CAST
MEMBERS: I would say that on the whole, the CMs who work there
are great. Professional but friendly and caring for all the pets.
There is an occasional young person or newbie who could use a little
more training in customer service but nothing at all like my experience
at the one at MK. The folks here are pretty accommodating.
WALK
AREAS: Ok, here is where Epcot is LEAPS & BOUNDS above all
the other kennels. The grounds in front of Epcot, where you are freely
allowed to walk your dog (on leash, of course) is a doggie heaven
AND pretty fun for people too. Huge long expanse of tree'd property.
Just lots and lots and lots of room to give your dog a very "high
quality" walk, lots for doggie to explore. Lots of squirrels
and bunnies (which could be good and bad, I suppose). As a matter
of fact, sometimes when it was more convenient for me to board the
dog at another of the kennels, I'd still drive her over to Epcot to
walk her -- it's worth it.
FOOD
& TREATS: No treats (that I am aware of) but they do have
the best food of all 5 kennels (yes, believe it or not, things are
NOT consistent amongst the kennels and some have what others don't).
Besides the basic Purina and its offshoot brand Beneful (which all
or most of the kennels have), Epcot, and Epcot only, carries the more
premium brand: Science Diet (the basic, not prescription). This is
a definite plus if you don't bring your own food.
CAGE
SIZE FOR LARGE DOGS: As I mentioned above, plenty of the jumbo
cages, and plenty of dog runs in decent sizes.
OVERALL:
Taking all the factors into consideration, this is definitely the
best kennel at WDW and the one that had the most thought put into
it. The one drawback for me is the slight oldness of it, but it really
isn't that bad, and they do keep it very clean.
NOTE: Contrary
to some websites claiming that Epcot provides dog walking -- they
no longer offer that. This is a shame, because if any kennel at Disney
should offer that, it's tree-lined Epcot, and it would make the experience
better for some. However, one dog ruined it for everyone when, I believe
they bit the dogwalker, and Epcot management stopped that benefit.
On the other hand, having to walk the dog forces me to stop what I'm
doing in the park and ... walk the dog! That is, give the dog some
quality time and love, which we always have time for.
PROS:
THE THE THE cleanest -- or most "clean feeling" of all the
kennels. I don't know what it is, but whomever manages this one KNOWS
how to keep a kennel clean. Never a "doggie" smell there.
They do a great job. Also, the kennel is small and manageable. Great
staff.
CONS:
The "small and manageable" above could be a drawback because
I understand there are times when it gets sold out during the busy
season. Also, probably the hardest to park and get to. It's a little
bit of a walk. You tell the parking attendant you're going to the
kennel, and they'll direct you to a "15 minutes only" parking
spot located within the cast parking area, and then you walk the dog
a bit to the kennel. Then you get back to your car and have to weave
your way out of Disney-MGM's poorly designed exit thoroughfare. Of
course, if you're putting the dog there only while you're going to
the park, it's not so much of a problem. Also: while the cages are
more modern than the three kennels above, they're smaller, definitely
less room for the large dogs.
CAST
MEMBERS: From my experience, very sweet, nice, professional, friendly,
and most of them LOVE the dogs. It helps that the kennel is small
and they can be attentive. As a matter of fact, I even found the Disney-MGM
security guards to love the dogs, too.
WALK
AREAS: This is a definite deficiency as Disney-MGM just doesn't
have that much area for dog walking. There is, however, a pathway
that is paved with woodchips that runs parallel to the sidewalk that
leads from the parking area to the kennel/Main Gate. That works decently.
There is also a wooded area off to the side, just beyond this path,
although it doesn't look as inviting as it could be.
FOOD/TREATS:
They ALWAYS have biscuits on hand, and are generous with them. Nice
touch. Food is VERY basic variety, but they do have both wet &
dry.
CAGE
SIZE FOR LARGE DOGS: As I said above, probably the kennel with
the least amount of room for large dogs. That is not to say you couldn't
put your dog there, it would work, but not a lot of room for dog to
turn around.
OVERALL:
I really like this kennel for its cleanliness, small size, and terrific
staff. I would have no qualms whatsoever putting my dog here when I
go to Disney-MGM. If I'm putting her there for an entire week, I might
try it for one night and see how it works out, although those larger-sized
cages at Epcot, for example, might be a little more comfortable. One
good thing about this one is that less dogs means less noise, if that
matters to you.
PROS:
The newest, newer cages, small and cute.
CONS:
For being the newest, I found this one to have a problem with "doggie
smell." Perhaps this was a coincidence when I was there the few
times and they hadn't fully cleaned properly, but that's usually a
smell that comes about when you don't clean properly IN GENERAL. I
mean, I never smelled doggie smell at Disney-MGM. I also found the
staff here to be a little too "business" and not enough
pixie dust. Somewhat of a walk from car to kennel.
CAST
MEMBERS: The few times I was there the front desk folks, although
not unpleasant, just seemed to want to get the job done and move on.
Professional, efficient, not rude whatsoever, but perhaps just not
as friendly or down-to-earth as at Disney-MGM or Epcot. I found the
cast members at this one to have a similarity to those at Ft. Wilderness.
WALK
AREAS: To my great surprise, for a place called Animal Kingdom,
the walk areas ain't so great. Oh, they have one large grass area
in front of the park where you're supposed to walk the dog, but this
is one where the Imagineers really didn't put a lot of thought into
it (yah, not their job to figure out where dogs are to be walked at
a theme park). But, heck, even the wood-chip path at Disney-MGM had
some creativity to it.
FOOD/TREATS:
Dry food only, and no treats.
CAGE
SIZE FOR LARGE DOGS: Similar to Disney-MGM, not as large as those
older jumbo cages.
OVERALL:
I have to be honest, I was disappointed in this. I was CERTAIN this
was going to be the best one -- the newest, best equipped, best thought
out -- I mean, heck, it's the one at the newest park. But except for
the fact that is LOOKS newer, it lacked in many different aspects. If
you're going to Animal Kingdom and want to leave your dog here, no problem.
But not my top choice for a long stay.
OVERALL SUMMARY: As you can guess from my reviews above, I have
two favorite kennels: Epcot and Disney-MGM. You'll find great people
at both, and they both have wet & dry food. The people, the cleanliness
and the intimate size are major pluses at Disney-MGM. But, perhaps,
taking everything into consideration, on the whole Epcot is the best
one. By far, that huge tree & grass walking area is such a big plus,
in addition to this kennel being one that has high quality food, plus
< plenty of cages and runs, plus the outside off-leash area, and not
too bad getting from car to kennel (easy in and out of the parking lot,
when dropping off or picking up your pup or cat).
**********
Janet
Carvalho, January 2006-- Thanks for your recent addition of the
WDW Kennel Information. I just wanted to add some information... we
have used the Kennel at TTC twice after driving to WDW from Boston (it
was cheaper to bring Cody than board him at WDW than to board him at
home!!).
We found
the kennel to be impeccably clean and the staff incredible (especially
Ken) - their fondness for our "babies" was evident in every
way. Cody is as large, 2 year old Rottweiller and not easy to manage.
HOWEVER, maybe it was the Disney "magic", but he was a dream
at WDW - greeted everyone as a friend and truly was NOT the same dog
we had at home - he LOVED it there! Yes, the necessity of walking your
own dog does break up your day, but we took turns and it helped Cody
to appreciate that we kept coming back for him - he willingly went back
into the kennel each time. It also gave us a relaxing break from the
parks. As a side point, the WDW site says that dog walking is available
at the Epcot Kennel for $2.50 per walk.
Also you
noted the hours the kennels are open, however if you arrive at the kennel
before or after hours all you need to do is call Security and they will
let you in (we did this several times late at nite after going out to
dinner) to walk your pet and wait until you are finished - very quick
response to come and never felt rushed to hurry up with your dog. TTC
Kennel has a Disney house phone outside the door. Only drawback was
late night walking if you do not have your own transportation. Several
times we got to TCC to walk Cody and had to get back to Caribbean Beach
by walking to the Polynesian, taking a bus from there to Downtown Disney,
and get a bus from there to Caribbean Beach - also early morning was
Caribbean Beach to Magic Kingdom, then monorail to TTC, and then back
the same way to hotel if we were not ready to go to a park yet.
A word
of advice on food - if you have a dog with a sensitive stomach (like
I do) - bring your own food and bring your own water - you know how
WE react to "foreign water! Between the ride down, his nervousness
and the change of water, we learned the hard way from the first visit
to bring our own supplies the next time. (Cody "messed" in
the crate - and we came back to find him and his crate cleaned - HOW
they did it we don't even dare to imagine!!!) I bought spring water
(which Cody has at home) at the local market but was told later the
kennel would give spring water if requested. I also fed my own dog in
the morning so he would be more on his usual routine. All in all, it
was a wonderful experience for all of us and we plan to do it again
and bring along Cody's canine sister, Roxy next time and maybe even
his feline brother, Casey. Thanks!!!!
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