Pets are not allowed anywhere at Disneyland Resort in California. That covers Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, the Downtown Disney District, all three Disney hotels and Disney transportation. Emotional support animals and comfort animals are banned too. Only trained service animals can come in. The Disneyland Kennel Club that used to sit by the main entrance closed in 2020 and never reopened, so there is no place on property to leave a dog for the day.
If your dog is coming to Anaheim, you need a plan before you arrive: a pet-friendly hotel off property, a local day care or boarding kennel, or a pet sitter. This guide covers each option, explains the service animal rules and ride limits, and compares Disneyland with Walt Disney World, which is far friendlier to dogs.
The rules here come from Disney's own Disneyland Resort service animals page, read in October 2026, and the federal ADA service animal requirements that Disney follows. Where a detail comes from somewhere else, we say so.
Can you bring a dog to Disneyland?
No. Disney's service animal page says only trained service animals are permitted inside Disneyland Resort or on Disney transportation, and that emotional support animals, comfort animals and pets are not allowed. There is no exception for small dogs in a carrier or a stroller, and security at the entrance will turn a pet away.
The rule is broader than many visitors expect. It is not only the two theme parks. Downtown Disney, the shopping and dining district you can walk into without a ticket, is also off limits to pets. So are the Disneyland Hotel, Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa, and the Pixar Place Hotel, along with the trams and shuttles between the parking structures and the parks.
Disneyland rules for pets and service animals at a glance
| Place | Pets | Emotional support animals | Trained service animals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed, some rides excluded |
| Downtown Disney District | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Disneyland Hotel, Grand Californian, Pixar Place Hotel | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed, relief areas at each hotel |
| Disney trams, shuttles and parking areas | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Disneyland Kennel Club | Closed, not reopened since 2020 | Not applicable | Portable kennels at certain rides only |
| Good Neighbor hotels nearby | Some allow pets, rules vary | Hotel policy applies | Allowed under the ADA |
What happened to the Disneyland Kennel Club?
For decades Disneyland ran a small day kennel just to the right of the main entrance. You could check a dog in for the day, come back to walk it, and pick it up at closing. It closed when the resort shut in March 2020. When the parks reopened in 2021 the kennel stayed closed, and Disney's own planning panel has said in answers to guests since 2022 that it will not be reopening. Disney's current service animal page makes no mention of any pet care service.
Older guidebooks and map pins still show it. If you are planning around that kennel, change the plan now.
Why Disneyland is stricter than Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World in Florida also keeps pets out of its parks, but it offers dog rooms at four resorts and runs a huge on-site boarding facility. Disneyland has neither. The Anaheim resort is much smaller, its three hotels sit right next to the parks, and Disney has chosen not to offer pet rooms there. If a dog-friendly Disney stay matters to you, Florida is the better trip. Our Walt Disney World pet policy guide lists the dog-friendly resorts, fees and the Best Friends Pet Care rules.
Option 1: a pet-friendly hotel near Disneyland
Since the Disney hotels are out, the practical choice is one of the many hotels along Harbor Boulevard, Katella Avenue and the Anaheim Resort district. Disney calls the approved ones Good Neighbor hotels. Some of them accept dogs, usually with a nightly or per-stay fee, a weight limit and a limit of one or two pets.
The question to ask each hotel is not only whether pets are allowed but whether you can leave your dog alone in the room while you are at the park. Many hotels allow pets but require them to be crated or attended, or will not service the room while a pet is inside. Get the answer in writing in your booking confirmation.
Chain policies help here. Many Anaheim hotels belong to brands we have covered in detail, such as the Marriott pet policy and others, and our guide on finding pet-friendly hotels explains how to check the rules at the specific property before you book.
Option 2: dog day care or boarding in Anaheim
Anaheim, Garden Grove and Orange all have dog day cares and boarding kennels within a short drive of the resort. Day care suits a park day well: drop off in the morning, pick up after the fireworks if the hours allow. Check closing times carefully, because many day cares close in the early evening, well before the parks do. If that is a problem, book an overnight boarding stay for the nights you plan to stay late.
Expect to show proof of vaccinations. Most Southern California facilities ask for rabies, DHPP and Bordetella, and some require a canine influenza shot too. Our guide to what vaccines a dog needs for boarding covers the common list, and you should request records from your vet a week before the trip.
Book early for summer, spring break, Halloween season and the winter holidays. Those are peak weeks for both Disney crowds and local families who board their dogs while they travel.
Option 3: a pet sitter
If you are staying in a vacation rental or a hotel that allows dogs to be left in the room, a sitter can come by once or twice a day to walk and feed your dog. Your dog stays in one place, and you are not tied to a day care's closing time. Ask for references and proof of insurance, and meet the sitter before your first park day. Our guide to finding a trustworthy dog sitter lists the questions to ask, and our hiring checklist works just as well in Anaheim as at home.
Never leave a dog in the car at Disneyland
The parking structures at Disneyland get hot, and Anaheim summer days often pass 90 degrees F. A car's interior can climb well over 100 degrees within minutes even in shade. Parking staff and security watch for animals left in cars, and California law lets authorities and, in some cases, members of the public break a window to rescue an animal in danger. A day at Disneyland is never short enough to leave a dog in the car. Read more in our guide on how hot is too hot for a dog in a car.
California's hot car law
California makes it a crime to leave or confine an animal in an unattended vehicle in conditions that put its health or well-being at risk, including heat, cold, lack of ventilation or lack of water. That is Penal Code section 597.7. A first offense where the animal is not seriously hurt carries a fine of up to USD 100 per animal, and the penalties rise if the animal suffers great bodily injury. Officers can enter the car to remove the animal and leave a notice telling you where to collect it.
Since 2017, a member of the public who breaks into a car to rescue an animal in danger is also protected from civil claims for the damage, as long as they follow the steps in the law, such as calling the authorities first and staying with the animal. That protection is in California Civil Code section 43.100. The Animal Legal and Historical Center keeps a table of state hot car laws if you are driving through other states on the way.
Questions to ask a day care before a park day
A dog day care that works well for locals does not always work for a Disneyland visitor. Ask these before you book:
- What time do you close, and can I pay for a late pickup? Fireworks often run well past day care hours.
- Do you take drop-in dogs, or is there a temperament test first? Many day cares want an evaluation visit, which can take a morning you had planned for the parks.
- What vaccines do you need, and how far before the visit must the Bordetella shot be given?
- Is there a minimum weight or age, and do you group dogs by size?
- Can I bring my dog's own food, and will you give a midday meal or medication?
- What happens if my dog does not settle? Some places will call you to collect the dog, which ends your park day.
If the day care needs an evaluation, book it for your arrival afternoon so the first park day is not affected.
A sample Disneyland day with a dog in town
Here is a simple plan that works for most visitors. Walk your dog early and give breakfast before you leave the hotel. Drop off at day care when it opens, which is often around 7 am, then head to the parks for opening. Take a midday break at the hotel if you are staying close, or stay in the parks if your dog is at day care. Collect your dog before closing time, give dinner and a walk, and leave the late fireworks for a night when your dog is boarded overnight or with a sitter. That rhythm keeps your dog on a normal routine and stops you from rushing out of the park in the middle of the evening.
Service animals at Disneyland
Trained service animals are welcome in the parks, Downtown Disney, the hotels and Disney transportation. Disney's rules follow the ADA, and the main points are:
- The animal must stay under your control on a leash or harness at all times. Cast members cannot take control of your service animal.
- Service animals must be housebroken and must not bark, growl, jump on or lunge at guests or cast members.
- In restaurants, the animal stays on the floor, not on chairs or tables.
- Service animals are not allowed in water, including fountains and water features, or closer than 4 feet to the water on pool decks.
- Relief areas are available in the parks and at the Disneyland Hotel, the Grand Californian and the Pixar Place Hotel.
Under the ADA, staff can ask only whether the animal is required because of a disability and what task it has been trained to perform. They cannot ask for paperwork or a demonstration. Our guide to service dog hotel rights explains how those rules apply to lodging as well.
Rides that service animals cannot go on
Some attractions are not safe for animals. Disney lists these rides as off limits to service animals:
- Disneyland Park: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Chip 'n' Dale's GADGETcoaster, Indiana Jones Adventure, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Space Mountain, Star Tours, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Tiana's Bayou Adventure.
- Disney California Adventure: Goofy's Sky School, Grizzly River Run, Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission BREAKOUT, Incredicoaster, Jumpin' Jellyfish, Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters, Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, Radiator Springs Racers, Silly Symphony Swings and Soarin' Around the World.
At those rides you can use Rider Switch, where one member of your party waits with the animal while the others ride, then swaps, or ask a cast member about a portable kennel.
Emotional support animals at Disneyland
Disney is clear that emotional support animals are treated as pets and are not allowed. This matches federal law, because the ADA covers only dogs, and in some cases miniature horses, that are individually trained to perform a task for a person with a disability. A letter from a therapist does not change that. Online "registrations" and vests have no legal weight either. If your animal is an emotional support animal, plan for it as you would any other pet.
Planning tips for a Disneyland trip with a dog
- Book the dog's care first, then the park days, so you are not stuck with full kennels in peak weeks.
- Bring printed and digital vaccination records.
- Pack your dog's own food to avoid stomach upsets from a sudden switch.
- Choose a hotel within walking distance if you want to check on your dog midday. Several Harbor Boulevard hotels are a short walk from the entrance.
- If you are driving in from out of state, plan rest stops every two to three hours and carry water for your dog.
Disneyland compared with Universal Studios Hollywood
If you are doing both Southern California parks, the rules line up. Universal Studios Hollywood also bans all animals except service animals and has no kennel. One day care or sitter plan can cover both park days. See our Universal Studios pet policy guide for the Hollywood details.
The bottom line on Disneyland and dogs
Disneyland does not allow pets or emotional support animals anywhere on the resort, including its hotels and Downtown Disney, and the old kennel is gone for good. Book a pet-friendly hotel nearby, a local day care or boarding kennel, or a pet sitter before you go. Trained service animals are welcome, with a list of rides they cannot go on.