Lady goes to Disneyland: Disneyland Kennel Club

If you’re anything like me, you have a spoiled pup. Yes, that’s me. Guilty dog mom who loves her dog more than people most days. Before I became a traveling speech and language pathologist, I lived 10 minutes from just about all of my family members. So, when Zach and I caught the adventure bug or wanted to go away for a day or two (or two weeks to New Zealand), our family was close by to watch our beloved miniature dachshund, Lady. However, Zach and I now live in California where our closest family is a 4-day drive, thus making traveling a bit more difficult.

When Zach and I travel on our own, we take Lady and do things that she can do with us (Check out my ‘San Francisco with a Dog’ blog post). However, we did not have this luxury on our latest trip. My parents came to visit from Georgia, and because they had already been to California before, we decided to visit Disneyland and Universal down in L.A. Obviously you can’t take your pets with you into theme parks. This posed a difficult decision for me and Zach. We have never boarded Lady or left her with anyone other than family. Ever. I just don’t trust other people to take care of her the way I would. Sorry, not sorry.

However, after exploring my options, I came across a couple of websites that mentioned Disneyland’s Kennel Club.

It sounded too good to be true.

Let me tell you about the Disney Kennel Club.

It’s amazing.

At the entrance to Disneyland, on the far right, tucked away in a cozy corner, you will find a door leading into the Disney Kennel Club. While visiting either Disneyland or California Adventure, you can pay $20 a day per dog to leave your pup in the climate-controlled kennel. However, there are some things to know and keep in mind. The kennel is first come first serve. They do have quite a few kennels, but if there are none left, then I hope you have a backup plan—especially if you have a larger dog. Most of their kennels are for smaller dogs, and they only have a handful of large kennels. Also, bear in mind that you do not simply drop off your dog and expect the attendants to take care of them all day. The workers are not allowed to take your dog out of its kennel and take care of it. You sign a waiver saying that you will come by every few hours to check on your pup. Although the attendants are not allowed to handle your dog, they are very good about walking by and keeping an eye on them. Every time I came by to check on Lady, the worker told me how she was doing and mostly that she was quiet and slept most of the time. They are there to keep an eye on the animals in case they need to give you call.

When we visited Disney, we visited during one of the busiest times of year: Thanksgiving week (yikes!). I had no backup plan if the kennel was full, so we made sure to arrive long before the park opened in order to make sure Lady would have a spot for the day (the kennel opens 30 minutes prior to the earliest park opening time-magic morning included).

We parked at the Mickey and Friends parking garage & Lady was able to ride on the tram with us to the park. I felt like an excited mother taking her child to Disney for the first time.

As soon as we departed the tram, we headed straight to the kennel while my parents secured us a spot in the line outside of the park.

The check-in process took about 5-10 minutes. You provide contact information, names of others who can check on or pick up your dog, and sign a waiver explaining the kennel’s expectations. After paying your $20, one person from your party is able to take the dog to its kennel and get it set up/make your pup comfortable. They have blankets they provide if you want, but I chose to bring Lady’s blankets from home, so she would feel comfortable. You could also bring a small bed if you want to carry it all the way from the car.

I also brought some toys for her.

There is a small fenced-in area outside of the kennel specifically designated for taking your dog(s) to potty, throw a ball, play, or run around in order to release some of your dog’s energy before you return to the park. The attendant told me that most people do not think to bring a ball or toy, so I was glad I did.

After dropping Lady off in the morning, I was given paperwork to bring with me each time I checked on her. They use this paperwork to log when you come by and for how long.

Lady is used to being crated throughout the day while Zach and I work, so we were not concerned about leaving her in a kennel. Of course, at first, she was a little scared of being in a new place, but by the second day, she was a pro and was happy to get some rest in her kennel. It was so nice to know Lady was close and that I could check on her periodically without interrupting our vacation. It also didn’t hurt to know that she had Disney employees watching after her. There is one thing Disney does well and that you rarely have to worry about: safety. I knew she would be in good hands and that I was just a call away if there was a problem. We tried to check on Lady about every 4 hours. She is usually crated for longer than this, but it was so easy to leave the gate and get back into the park, so it was no problem like I had originally been concerned about.

Overall, I was so pleased with the Disney Kennel Club. I think this is such an amazing amenity that Disneyland offers. I would definitely take Lady back if we choose to visit again during our time in California. If you’re going to Disneyland or California Adventure and are worried about what to do with your dog all day, check out the Disney Kennel Club. You won’t be disappointed: just get there early. ;)