Effective last week, the Walt Disney World Resort (Orlando) began accepting reservations for a new luxury pet resort scheduled to open this summer. The 50,000 square-foot facility is called Best Friends Pet Resort and is described by Disney as a “best of breed” pet resort, with air-conditioned, VIP suites and private outdoor play yards for your pet.

Disney has offered pet boarding for many years but this announcement indicates that their services are being taken to a new level. Their boarding service includes up to two meals per day and two scheduled daily walks. You can choose to add other services such as an extra walk ($5 add on charge), cuddle time ($5 add on charge), or an ice cream break ($4 add on charge). Other options include playgroups for dogs or special one-on-one play times, also available at à la carte pricing.

Discounted Rates for Timeshare Owners with Disney Vacation Club

Overnight rates for dogs start at $20 per night for pets of Disney Vacation Club members and go to $21 for dogs belonging to Disney resort guests and $23 for those of park visitors. For cats and other small animals, the Disney Vacation Club member price is $13 per night and ranges up to $18 for the pets of park guests.

Disney Vacation Club currently does not offer pet-friendly timeshares, which makes the pet resort an especially important feature for pet owners planning a Disney timeshare vacation.

Here are two timeshare resorts in the Disney area that you might be interested in for timeshare resale and timeshare rentals that ARE pet friendly:

• Celebration World Resort – Kissimmee, Florida
• Summerfield Condo Resort – Kissimmee, Florida

And for some really good tips on traveling with your pet, click here to see this article from Smarter Travel.