by John Kurowski
AllEars® Guest Blogger

Like most people who need to escape from the day to day routine, Roxy needed a vacation. She thought about Las Vegas, Niagara Falls, even Hawaii crossed her mind, but she ultimately decided on her favorite vacation spot, Walt Disney World.

The need for some rest and relaxation could not have come at a better time because Roxy was able to pamper herself for a glorious stay at the newest addition to the Walt Disney World Resort, Best Friends Pet Care Center.

Located near Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort, this new luxury kennel for the furry, scaly, and feathery replaces the five existing kennels previously located at the four theme parks and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. According to the staff, Best Friends has been running the operation of the old Disney kennels for two years while they have been waiting for the facility to open.

Best Friends Pet Care Center offers many different pet services: Grooming, Doggy Day Camp, and overnight lodging. Just like human guests have options with their on-property Walt Disney World accommodations so do the fluffy members of the family. Dogs, or their humans, can choose from an Indoor Suite, an Indoor/Outdoor Suite, a Vacation Villa, or a VIP Suite. Roxy finds it a tad gauche to divulge which room type she chose but after her stay at the resort she finds Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch her new favorite movie.

In Kitty City, Cats have the choice of either a Two-Level or Four-Level Condos with separate compartments for food/water and litter boxes. And other animals, like fish, birds, rodents, reptiles, and amphibians they can check into the Pocket Pet room. Doggy Day Campers can play in one of two groups, one for small dogs, and one for larger canines. Each room does feature a webcam so droppers-off can watch from home or work what kind of cute behaviors, or mischief, their four-legged loved ones are up to.

Roxy felt comfortable knowing that she and her canine and feline friends’ needs came first at her new temporary digs. For starters, the ventilation in Kitty City and the Pocket Pet room each have their own heating and air conditioning units so that while staying at Best Friends they will not pick up a scent or get the feeling that a dog might be around, in case they do not like to be near dogs. Also in the grooming rooms they use an ambient filtered air system that reuses the air in the room, instead of conditioned air that has a tendency to dry the animal’s skin.

The indoor and indoor/outdoor suites, the smallest of the doggy accommodations, feature windows low to the floor so the dogs can look outside while enjoying their rest. Also the floors in these units sit at a slight slant so that any bladder accidents that may occur can quickly disappear and flow outside through the building’s innovative draining system.

Each type of pet accommodation comes with Free Dining Plan all year long. The menu consists of Purina Beneful and Purina Pro Plan. Purina sponsored the kennels when Disney operated them years ago, but when Best Friends took over two years ago their sponsorship ended. As a convenience, any guest who prefers a different type of dog food brand can bring it to the facility and that will be prepared for the pet. Being a pampering retreat for Roxy, she wanted to know more about the dining add-ons. For an additional charge she could choose to receive bottled water each day and also treat herself to an ice cream treat. Lick O Licious, the featured brand of doggy ice cream, is made exclusively for the Best Friends Pet Care Centers and features a blend of many different appealing flavors for dogs including peanut butter and honey. The ice cream is made completely of soy products and contains no dairy. Cats can choose to enjoy Cookies and Milk as well as the equally delicious and self-describing treat, Tuna on a Ritz cracker.

The grounds features a unique dog park with a walking trail behind it for pets and their humans to enjoy a nice stroll together. The park has a cleverly rigged water fountain for dogs who enjoy playing in water. Roxy’s favorite feature of the doggy park came within its layout.

The park sits at the end of a cement walkway separated by a gate so timid dogs (and their humans) will not just come right out into the play area and invade other dogs’ personal space. The turf surrounding the facility utilizes a unique and innovative way to irrigate the land due to its tendency to get unsanitary rather quickly. They use Astroturf in various locations, some having sprinklers inside to clean it, but other patches of the ground have the capability of completely lowering into the ground, where they will be power washed, then rise back up.

The Vacation Villas are the closest accommodations to the doggy park. Set up as a row of glass enclosures, Roxy’s humans joked that they expected to see Hannibal Lecter at the end of the corridor, but these villas are a lot more inviting.

Each villa contains two light fixtures that emanate soft lighting, a bed, and a flat screen television playing Disney movies. Dog-themed films seem to be on the program schedule, so it’s a good thing Disney has made a lot of them. Each villa also has its own doorway to the outside that is controlled by the staff due to the fact that the outdoor sections are covered, but not air conditioned. The dogs staying in these villas also receive a bed time biscuit at night.

For the discriminating pooch the VIP Villa is truly the way to go. These rooms feature more space than the vacation villa but also has the flat screen television as well. They have their own private outdoor section and are connected to webcams so the dog’s humans can log on to see what their four-legged pal is up to, 24 hours a day. The rooms also come with a bedtime story and two potty walks a day. Families with multiple pets that like to spend time together can book these villas for their dogs to stay together. Roxy inquired about future availability in a VIP Villa for a return visit and the staff told her that if she wants to come back she needs to book soon because these are selling out fast!

Roxy gives the Best Friends Pet Care Center two paws way up! The staff really goes above and beyond to make sure the pets’ (and their humans’) needs are met. For instance, if an owner likes their dogs to wear dresses on Sundays, casual outfits on weekdays, and pajamas at night, the staff will accommodate that request. Roxy, being somewhat of an exhibitionist, took advantage of their clothing optional policy. This, however, is restricted to the animals, humans must be fully clothed at all times. As of right now, in addition to livestock and farm animals, the Best Friends does not accept monkeys nor venomous snakes. Exotic pets, like pigs, will be accepted and can stay either in the Pocket Pets room or in a room where the pig would be alone to protect the dogs that might not be used to what a pig is. Roxy’s humans, like most pets’ humans, always felt guilty boarding her while they enjoyed vacations, but with a lodging facility that caters to its guests’ needs like this one does, the only guilt they feel comes the time she has to return home.

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