Disneyland Closed Its Dog Kennel — Here's What Every Pet Parent Needs to Know

If you're planning a Disneyland trip and Googling "Disneyland kennel" hoping to find a convenient spot for your pup while you're riding Space Mountain — I have some news. The Disneyland Kennel Club is permanently closed, and it's not coming back.

Disney confirmed the closure on their official planDisney page. The kennel, which used to sit near the main entrance of Disneyland Park, shut down during the pandemic and never reopened. For decades, it was the go-to for dog parents visiting the Happiest Place on Earth — drop off your dog in the morning, enjoy the parks, pick them up at night. Simple.

Now? Thousands of dog-owning families visit Disneyland every year and have to figure out what to do with their four-legged family member on their own.

The Disneyland Kennel Club was a basic holding facility right at the park entrance. You'd bring your own food and a blanket, drop your dog off, and they'd stay in an individual run for the day. It wasn't daycare — there was no socialization, no play time, no supervised activities. Dogs essentially sat in a kennel and waited for you to come back. It was convenient because of the location, but the experience for your dog was pretty minimal.

Disney hasn't given a detailed public explanation beyond the pandemic closure, but the kennel space has been repurposed. Their planDisney panelists now direct dog owners to third-party services like BringFido, Rover, and Care.com to find local pet care. This matters because Disneyland is one of the most-visited tourist destinations in the world. Families travel from across the country — and increasingly, they bring their dogs.

Here's the reality of what's available now for dog care while at Disneyland. Many hotels in the Anaheim resort area accept dogs — this works if your dog is comfortable being left alone in a hotel room. You can also book a local pet sitter through platforms like Rover or Care.com. Quality and experience vary widely, so check reviews carefully.

The third option is dog daycare — and this is what we do at Dogdrop. Our Anaheim location is the closest dog daycare to Disneyland, just 7 minutes from the parks, right across from Angel Stadium. The hours actually fit a park day: we're open 7am to 8pm Monday through Friday — that's 13 hours of coverage. If you're visiting Disney even longer, let us know and we can help accomodate later stays! You can drop your dog off before rope drop and pick them up after the fireworks. On Saturdays, we're open 9am to 3pm, which works well for a half-day park visit. We're closed Sundays, so plan around that. Call us for special Disney hours. Call or text ahead of time at (510) 925-2142 and we'll make sure to greet your pup with a big hello!

It's a flat $75 day rate for visitors — no complicated hourly pricing, no hidden fees. One-time visits are totally welcome with no membership required, which is perfect for travelers. Just call our onboarding line ahead of your trip, email your dog's vaccination records (rabies, bordetella, DHPP), and share some info about your dog's temperament. Dogs 8 months and older need to be spayed/neutered.

The biggest difference between daycare and the old kennel setup is that your dog actually has fun. At Dogdrop, dogs are in supervised open-play groups sorted by energy level and temperament. They're socializing, playing, and being active all day — not sitting alone in a run. Our staff are Pet CPR/First Aid certified and trained in dog behavior. We also do check-ins, so you can get updates on your pup while you're on Space Mountain. We have house food (beef kibble) available for $5 if you don't want to pack kibble, and free parking at the facility.

Here's what I hear from families who've used us for their Disneyland trips: they actually feel better about leaving their dog at daycare than they did leaving them at the old kennel. At the kennel, you knew your dog was just sitting there waiting. At Dogdrop, your dog is having their own adventure while you're having yours. We've had families who now make Dogdrop part of their annual Disneyland tradition. Their dogs get excited when they pull into the parking lot because they know they're about to spend the day playing with friends. That's a pretty big upgrade from a kennel run.

The Disneyland Kennel is gone, but your options for dog care during a Disneyland visit are actually better now than they were before. Instead of leaving your dog in a kennel run, you can leave them at a daycare where they'll spend the day playing, socializing, and being supervised by trained staff — all for less than what many boarding facilities charge. If you're planning a Disneyland trip with your dog, give us a call. We'll make sure your pup has as good a day as you do.