New luxury pet ‘hotel’ is a sellout

**Isafari** · 17-09-2010, 10:44 AM

The newest resort facility to open at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Fla., already has sold out its VIP suites every weekend until January, and spaces are filling quickly for next year.
That’s “VIP” as in “very important pet.”

Best Friends Pet Care “hotel,” which is exclusively for cats and dogs and certain other creatures (but no humans), opened Labor Day weekend with 250pets and received more than 600 reservations in its first week of operation, spokeswoman Deb Bennetts said.
The upscale kennel, which holds up to 270 dogs and 30 cats for day care or overnight boarding, is already getting booked up for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday periods.

“While we still have some space, anyone planning to visit Walt Disney World with a pet between mid-November and early January should call very soon,” Bennetts wrote Monday in an e-mail.

Dogs, aside from service animals, are not allowed in any of the theme parks, resorts or buses at the Florida amusement park
.
The pet palace, which sits opposite Disney’s Port Orleans Resort and covers 50,000 square feet, includes rooms, suites, a dogs-only water park and an outdoor dog walk that skirts the natural wetlands around the park. Humans may take their pooches on walks in a dog-park-type setting.

The prices:
> Day care: $16 to $46 for up to six hours.

> Overnight: Boarding rates for dogs start at $37 per night, plus tax, for indoor digs; $59 for a “Vacation Villa” with a potty walk, play group, a flat-screen TV and turn-down biscuit; and $79 for a “VIP Luxury Suite,” which adds, among other features, a bedtime story and webcam so that you can check in on Fido anytime you want. Cats board for $23 to $32 per night, plus tax. Pets of Disney resort guests get a discount.

> “Pocket pets”: $12 to $23 per night, plus tax, for creatures such as hamsters, guinea pigs, ferrets and rabbits. No venomous snakes allowed.

> Extras: You can opt for many a la carte services, such as 10 minutes of play time or cuddling ($8 each) or a bedtime story ($6 each).

Word to the wise: Make sure to make a reservation (phone only) and bring or fax written proof from your veterinarian that your animal has had its required shots.

Contact:2510 Bonnet Creek Parkway, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.; (877) 493-9738.

**Tink** · 17-09-2010, 11:35 AM

Honestly? I can't even imagine!

**Esmeralda** · 17-09-2010, 11:40 AM

More money than sense. I would edit that last bit "Word to the wise" to "Word to the idiots"

**Tinkfan** · 17-09-2010, 12:07 PM

Really?!!! Bedtime stories

**Tink** · 17-09-2010, 12:16 PM

Can you imagine being the person who has to read a bedtime story to a hamster?

I'm sorry but that's simply too wicked funny!

**DisneyFreak** · 21-09-2010, 04:02 PM

This is not as far out as you may think and is not exclusive to Disney. This is a HUGE money maker.

The starting rate for overnight boarding ($37) is about inline with other upscale boarding kennels. I would be curious to what they charge for administering medication.

Another thing I would like to know is since it is right across from Port Orleans I wonder if any barking can be heard from the resort. That could cause a problem for some.

**Mari** · 21-09-2010, 06:03 PM

wow!!

I never expected it to be such a success

Whats the difference between this and the regular kennels close to the monoriel resorts?

I suppose thisis nicer, but, how much nicer?

**DisneyFreak** · 21-09-2010, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by Mari

wow!!

Whats the difference between this and the regular kennels close to the monoriel resorts?

From what I have read these are more hands on for the owners. IIRC, you have to go there to walk and feed your dog yourself, unless something has changed.