Arrow Visits Disney World

Arrow visited Disney World this past weekend.

We have gone before, but this was his very first visit. As my service dog, Arrow can accompany me. He has flown with me to Maine and to Washington DC, curled up under the seat where you stow your carry on. However, he never experienced DISNEY. The crowds, sights, smells, rides, characters, distractions, and did I mention crowds? Let me tell you about his adventure.

First, Arrow was amazing! We visited Epcot the first day, Animal Kingdom the second day and Magic Kingdom the third day. After a day of walking the park, when we got back to the hotel, Arrow wanted to play! We played hide the toy, and he found it every time.

At Epcot, Arrow’s very first ride was the tram from the parking lot. He also rode Ellen’s Energy Adventure and Spaceship Earth. We walked the World Showcase and saw Reflections of China. Since the International Food and Wine Festival was going on, it was more crowded than we have seen before. Arrow ignored the people, and the food.

Ellen’s Energy Adventure was easy for him. He napped during most of it, and didn’t even notice the dinosaurs. Spaceship Earth was a little different. We used the mobility entrance, where we were met by cast members who stopped the ride for him to get on. We always used the mobility entrance when the ride had one. Rich and Luc sat in the front of the car, and Arrow and I sat in the rear. He watched history unfold, and looked from side to side. There are some steep inclines, but I had hold of him, and he leaned against me. It was his first big ride, and he enjoyed it.

At Animal Kingdom, Arrow met Mickey & Minnie, saw the Festival of the Lion King and Flights of Wonder, went on Kilimanjaro Safari, and watched Luc and Rich win at Fossil Fun Games. On Safari, Arrow had to be tethered to the vehicle, and remain in a down/stay. Even though he smelled the wild animals, he relaxed and slept for most of the ride.

We noticed a pattern, Arrow catches a nap whenever possible.

At Magic Kingdom, we took the Ferryboat over and the Monorail back to the parking lot. We started with one of my favorites, Haunted Mansion. We also rode Liberty Square Riverboat, “it’s a small world,”  The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and Jungle Cruise. We watched the Festival of Fantasy Parade at Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe. The only ride we did that Arrow couldn’t go on was Peter Pan’s Flight. I hadn’t done that before, so Luc and I did that, while Rich and Arrow waited.

Arrow enjoyed seeing the ghosts in Haunted Mansion. When we got the graveyard part, he lay down and napped. He and I rode together, and met Rich and Luc at the exit.

On “it’s a small world,” we got our own boat to ride on. Guess what Arrow did during that ride? If you guessed he fell asleep, you are right!

Of course, people noticed Arrow and commented on him. Rich and Luc talked to lots of people about Arrow, told them that he is a service dog, and he is a Belgian Shepherd Malinois. Most of the parents would let their children know that he is a service dog, and they cannot say hello, which was greatly appreciated. Some kids ran up  to us before their parents stopped them. Some kids tried to sneak pets as they were walking by. However, most of the people were terrific!

The cast members couldn’t have been better. They asked if he would like some water, guided us to our seats, showed us where we should go, and chatted with us. We highly recommend Disney World, and will be visiting again soon!

Arrow’s Tips for Disney World with your Service Dog:

1. Pick up a Guide for Guests with Disabilities. There is a section for Service Animals, including ride restrictions and relief areas.

2. Have a rock-solid down/stay. Most every ride requested Arrow be in a down during the ride.

3. Train your dog to heel on both sides. There were times we needed Arrow to be on either side due to crowds.

4. Disney is the most magical place on earth, and is different from anything your dog has experienced before. Your dog must have patience and tolerate a lot. People snuck in pets when we walked by. People stared. We made sure we intercepted everything we could, and kept him blocked from crowds, but there were just so many people.

5. Be prepared. We were at the parks for 5-7 hours each day. We fed him before we left for the day and when we returned to the hotel. We brought a collapsable water bowl or asked for a bowl from one of the food vendors. We brought clean up bags. Arrow had plenty of nap time as well.