All WDW Resort Hotels non-smoking effective June 1st!

[travelskip]

Confirmed on the Cast Member Intranet:

New Smoke-Free Policy

All Walt Disney World® Resorts, including Disney Vacation Club Resorts, will become smoke-free on June 1, 2007. During the past five years Guest demand for smoking rooms has been declining steadily. Currently, less than 3.5 percent of Walt Disney World's 24,000 resort rooms are smoking optional.

The new policy applies to all guest rooms, patios, and balconies, and designates outdoor smoking areas at all resorts affected by the change. Smoking is currently prohibited in all lobbies, restaurants, and convention spaces. This policy will allow us to better accommodate the large numbers of Guests and Members who request non-smoking accommodations and complements our efforts to provide our Guests with the healthy living options they are requesting.

 

[wdwmagic]

To avoid viloations, they just need to do what they Swan and Dolphin introduced a little while back.

If you smoke in a room, there is a $200 cleanup fee automatically added to your bill. That should disuade people from continuing to smoke in the room.

 

[3fordisney]

I'm glad Disney is doing this. I am not a smoker, but my husband is. He does not smoke anywhere near my son or me. We always stay in a non-smoking room. He has to go outside and far away from us to smoke. The only problem I see happening is a smoker smoking in a nonsmoking room. There are always some who just don't care if they are affecting those around them with their smoke. Hopefully, the smell a smoker leaves behind won't linger and mousekeeping has some industrial products that will get the smoke smell out.

 

[MommytoMJM]

If you are caught smoking in your room or on your patio or balcony a $250 to
$500 recovery fee will be charged....

from the Disney Reservations Center...

 

[travelskip]

i still find it hard to believe that all of disney hotels are going smoke free, just seems like discrimination to me.

All three of the Disney hotels in CA have been non-smoking since March of 2006, a policy that has worked very well for us. Also, all 2,900 North American Marriott properties have been non-smoking since January of this year.

This was a business descion based upon industry trends and Guest demand. If only 3.5% of your Guests on a yearly basis are requesting smoking rooms, it makes little sense to have offer a different set of rooms to accomodate such a small demographic. Let's put it this way, here in CA before the policy change, I had more Guests ask for a lower floor at the Disneyland Hotel (which is a tower hotel) due to acrophobia than ask for smoking rooms.

The hotel industry in North America in general is finding less and less requests for smoking rooms (even in Las Vegas according to TravelAgent magazine) so it's not surprising that Disney would follow suit. It's just good business sense.

 

[ryguy]

Great news and about time. :sohappy: There is nothing worse than walking into your hotel room and being blasted by the smell of smoke. Well walking into someone else's fart can be pretty nasty too. :lol: To me, they are the same you wouldn't fart around people so why would you smoke in something that wasn't yours? I can't believe people don't get it, smokers in general don't get the concept that there habit effects all of us, not just them. Kudos to Disney for sticking up for our rights to breathe clean air.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Great news and about time. :sohappy: There is nothing worse than walking into your hotel room and being blasted by the smell of smoke. Well walking into someone else's fart can be pretty nasty too. :lol: To me, they are the same you wouldn't fart around people so why would you smoke in something that wasn't yours?

Are you suggesting that Disney make the hotel rooms non-farting, too? :lookaroun

 

[SallyShine]

How do they make a smoking room a non-smoking room? Do they strip it down to the bare walls and floor? It would be my luck to get a smelly room that used to be smoking. :hurl:

 

[travelskip]

Can we go with the spraying Raid in the air analogy instead? No, no nevermind, let's keep this civil and constructive.

 

[travelskip]

How do they make a smoking room a non-smoking room? Do they strip it down to the bare walls and floor? It would be my luck to get a smelly room that used to be smoking. :hurl:

It involves thaking the room off the market for up to a week. All linens and curtains are dry cleaned, all the carpets are double steamed and all walls & furniture are throughly scrubbed and refreshed. It is costly in both the labor time and loss of revenue taking the room off of the market.

 

[slappy magoo]

It involves thaking the room off the market for up to a week. All linens and curtains are dry cleaned, all the carpets are double steamed and all walls & furniture are throughly scrubbed and refreshed. It is costly in both the labor time and loss of revenue taking the room off of the market.

Of course, in theory, they could try to clean the rooms based on whether or not the resort is booked at peak capacity. If the rooms aren't booked, then no money is lost (aside from the costs they already factored in making the room smoke-free). For all we know, they may have been in the process already, taking smoking rooms out a few at a time during the winter months, cleaning them out of any tobacco smells, then reinstating them as non-smoking rooms prior to 6/1. By the time Memorial Day rolls around, there might be significantly fewer designated smoking rooms than this time last year, with the caveat on the people requesting smoking rooms that not allr equest can be guaranteed. And then when June rolls around, the policy has the equivalent of a "soft opening."

I'm not saying that's the way they are handling it, I'm just saying that it makes sense to me if they did handle it that way, minimizing lost revenue by renovating many of the rooms when they weren't booked anyway.

Here is what I wonder:

1: What happened to people who have reservations already for post-June 1st and requested non-smoking rooms? Granted, no request can be guaranteed, but someone will inevitably argue that, had they known they couldn't even get a smoking room, they would've stayed off site somewhere that they could (yeah, right. ). Will anyone try to raise a stink (pun intended) that they made reservations prior to the new policy and should get some degree of compensation? Doubt that it would hold up in a court of law (if it ever even came to that), but I wonder if WDW would try to appease any potential whiners nonetheless.

2: How will they enforce the policy? Sad fact is, unless they install cameras in the rooms, anyone can claim they weren't smoking in their room no matter how much it smells like tobacco (must've been the maids! I was standing next to smokers and it got on my clothes!) So the only way to enforce the smoking policy is to catch people red-handed, and even then, the CMs or security has to be willing to make that effort. Will there be spot inspections? CMs patrolling the corridors with their nostrils pointed roomwards? Will WDW security tell a bunch of Hell's Angels to butt out their smokes when they don't even stop nervy families from using old refillable mugs from other resorts? :ROFLOL:

Regardless, I hope they make a concerted effort to enforce the policy, make sure there's plenty of signage to make clear where people can and can not smoke, etc.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Perhaps they should come up with a soloution to the vapours caused by eating rich foods as well as problem smoke

 

[travelskip]

I was referring not only to how they make them non-smoking, but the requirements should somebody smoke in the rooms.

And yes, security will patrol the halls, much as they always have before. Or Guests in the next room will notice the smell and let the front desk know.

 

[ryguy]

Great news and about time. :sohappy: There is nothing worse than walking into your hotel room and being blasted by the smell of smoke. Well walking into someone else's fart can be pretty nasty too. :lol: To me, they are the same you wouldn't fart around people so why would you smoke in something that wasn't yours? I can't believe people don't get it, smokers in general don't get the concept that there habit effects all of us, not just them. Kudos to Disney for sticking up for our rights to breathe clean air.

Didn't think I would have to clarify this anology but here goes. Smokers have a hard time realizing that there habit is nasty. They lose there sense of smell. My point was that if you were say standing in line or in a car with someone you would probably not fart. However, most, not all smokers, think nothing of lighting up in line or in a car. The only way to stop them is to not allow it. Hope that helps.:wave:

 

[hcswingfield]

Looks like we'll never stay in a Deluxe resort again. I don't smoke, but significant other does. If he can't walk out on the balcony to light up, he might go nuts. So we'll probably stay in moderate resorts that have quick access to the outdoors, instead of a deluxe that requires a long walk down the hall, wait for the elevator, and walk through the lobby to get outdoors. Or maybe this will provide the motivation for him to just stop smoking. :lookaroun

 

[JPVonDrake]

Just wanted to confirm this is official.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers:

Why the change to a smoke-free environment?
As Guest demand for smoke-free rooms continues to increase, all Disney owned and operated resort hotels at Walt Disney World® Resort and Disney Vacation Club resorts will become non-smoking environments. This change will allow us to better accommodate the increasing numbers of Guests who request non-smoking hotel rooms and complements our efforts to provide our Guests with the healthy living options they are requesting.


When does this go into effect?
All Disney owned and operated resort hotels at Walt Disney World® Resort and Disney Vacation Club resorts will transition to non-smoking by June 1, 2007.


What if I have already booked a smoking room reservation (arriving after May 31, 2007)?
We will be contacting impacted Guests to advise them of the change in policy.


Will there be designated smoking areas?
Yes. Each resort will have outdoor areas designated as permissible smoking areas.


Where will these designated areas be located?
The designated outdoor smoking areas will be determined based on resort property layout. Guests can request this information upon check-in to their resort.


Are there other areas at Walt Disney World® that are designated as a non-smoking environment?
Yes. In Summer 2003, all Walt Disney World® Resort restaurants became non-smoking environments, per the Florida Clean Air Act. In addition, the clubs at Downtown Disney® Pleasure Island and Disney’s BoardWalk Resort as well as Disney Theme Parks are smoke-free environments (except for designated smoking areas).


What should I do if I prefer a smoking room?
Disney Reservation Agents will work with you to identify the resort options that best fit your needs.


Can I smoke on the patio or balcony of my Guest room?
No, you may not smoke on the patio or balcony of a Guest room but may smoke in the designated areas of each resort.


Are any other Disney Park hotels non-smoking?
The Disneyland Resort® transitioned to a smoke-free environment in early 2006.


Does this policy change affect Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort and Disney’s Vero Beach Resort?
Yes.


What happens if a Guest smokes in a resort Guest room?
A $250 - $500 room recovery fee, plus tax, (based on the resort and room type) will be charged for smoking in Guest rooms, on balconies or on patios.


What does the room recovery (fee) cover?
A deep cleaning will occur, air filters replaced, carpet extracted, in addition to the cleaning or replacing of drapes, comforters, blankets and pillows.


Does this change impact Disney Cruise Line?
No. Since the Disney cruise ships are primarily non-smoking, they will maintain their established policies.


Is this change a result of the Healthy Living Options effort?
This change in policy will allow us to better accommodate the increasing numbers of Guests who request non-smoking hotel rooms and complements our efforts to provide our Guests with the healthy living options they are requesting.


Will a Guest be able to request a smoking room for stays from now until June 1, 2007?
We will honor existing guaranteed smoking reservations arriving in the month of May, but no further smoking requests will be taken effective May 1, 2007. This will allows us to transition our properties for the June 1, 2007 effective date.

More detailed information will be released as soon as it's available.

 

[cptwife80]

Oh I'm so happy. I wonder if they will strip the old smoking rooms so they don't stink of the smoke. I just got diagnosed with asthma in January and even the smell makes it hard for me to breathe, I've even had to increase my meds just to breathe.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

My point was that if you were say standing in line or in a car with someone you would probably not fart..:wave:

Church or chapel let it rattle. :drevil:

 

[DisneyChik17]

Oh I'm so happy. I wonder if they will strip the old smoking rooms so they don't stink of the smoke. I just got diagnosed with asthma in January and even the smell makes it hard for me to breathe, I've even had to increase my meds just to breathe.

I would assume yes, due tot he fact that the extra charge if you are caught smoking in the room includes practically stripping the room of everyhting but the bathroom fixtures. Also, I feel the pain you have. I am allergic to cigarette smoke and nearly cough out my lungs when I smell it. Even the "designated areas" give me fits.

 

[IFYOUHADWINGS]

I had to switch rooms at AKL last visit due to a stinky room.

Hooray for the new policy!!!:sohappy:

 

[maelstrom]

I feel good about this because I have asthma. My fiance is in the process of quitting smoking (yay!) as well, so I'll no longer have to "request" a non-smoking room because I have asthma. But I do have to feel bad for the smokers out there. I really feel that there should still be smoking rooms for them to smoke in at their leisure, not having to go to some outside designated smoking area. I am totally against smoking on the patios and balconies as the scent, ashes, and butts tend to float over to other rooms (the people in the room above us at the Contemporary were flicking their cigarette butts off the balcony, and they were landing on ours due to the slanted design of the building; I called the front desk to complain that lit cigarette butts were landing on my balcony and should I get burned by one, *someone* is going to be paying for my medical care), but I think that there should still be smoking inside some of the hotel rooms.