Smoking areas GONE starting may 1st Pinned so people can still see the announcement.

[VJ]

Wonderful news! I have wanted this to happen for many years, but I never thought it would. Two of my grandparents lost their lives due to smoking related illnesses, so I am glad that society seems to be moving beyond smoking in public. I have nothing against smokers, because I understand that smoking is addictive, but this is a positive thing for the parks. I just hope that this doesn't lead to people lighting up wherever they please...

exactly my view. my dad died of lung cancer (and was a lifelong smoker) so i kinda have a personal bias against smoking, but i try not to judge people who do. while i understand the new policy might make visiting the parks more difficult for smokers, i hope it turns out to be a positive outcome overall

 

[larryz]

Ya know.................
I'm really fed up with people who profess tolerance and then trash anyone who disagrees with their holier than thou proclamations.
I smoked for forty seven years.
I quit cold turkey the day my vape cig arrived in the mail.
I used the vape crutch for a year and gave that up.
Now I've been tobacco free for eight years.
Mine was a purely mercenary reason for quitting.
I got tired of burning my money.
But as a long time smoker I have sympathy for those who, for what ever reason, still smoke.
They are being treated like lepers, or Typhoid Mary, by the saintly among us who apparently have been given, by God, the powers to damn others whom commit acts that they don't particularly like.
I can't stand the smell of smoke any more but I will not condemn someone for consuming a legal substance while so many people who use illegal substances are being given a pass by "liberal" society because they are addicted.
I've got news for those SJW's.
Tobacco is an addicting substance and those addicted to it ought not be vilified because they made a poor life choice and became smokers.
And as a formerly addicted person I foresee the thousands of people who visit WDW daily and still smoke to resort to whatever subterfuge they feel is necessary to feed their addiction.

One can sympathize and empathize with the afflicted while, at the same time, withholding approval of their activities that (a) led to their addiction and (b) violate a company's rules concerning conduct while a guest in their facility.

 

[grandad to 4]

Ducking out the park won't be that simple, there isn't really anywhere just outside the tap-stiles they could site a smoking area. I expect it will be some distance away, near the bus stops. It could mean smokers spending 30 minutes or more away from their family to get out the park, back through back check and the entrance etc.

 

[Rogue1138]

I'd say Epcot may be the worse if they don't intend to put one at IG entrance as well, from the back of WS that's almost a mile.

There's inconvenience like having less designated areas but it's doable. Then there's an inconvenience of making people walk a mile and then do security and ticketing. I see a lot of people who ignore this, which leads to the problem people didn't like in the first place.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

On December 18, 2018, the US Surgeon General officially declared e-cigarette use among youth an "epidemic." While national data show that smoking rates are down, the rate of vaping in teens has skyrocketed. According to the 2018 Monitoring the Future survey, which included over 40,000 teens nationwide, 21% of 12th graders reported vaping nicotine during the past 30 days That is double the rate reporting use in 2017. Similar increases were seen in kids as young as sixth grade.

21%! That's nearly 1 in 4. Granted, that's vaping and not smoking. It's just a shift in WHAT people consume.

12th graders can’t afford to go to Disney world. How many are gonna vape when they’re 35 and MAY move outta moms house?

Gotta find the goalposts on this witty banter.

 

[themarchhare]

Excellent news!

 

[justintheharris]

At bag check will cigarettes and ecigarettes be confiscated?

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

You're under the assumption that constant surveillance isn't a thing inside the park.

Probably because it isn't. A good majority of the parks are not on any kind of camera.

This will likely be a disaster. It was hard enough to get guests to smoke in the designated areas in the first place, but now we're going to do away with those too? This will probably lead to guests smoking wherever they please, and most Cast Members aren't interested in confrontation with guests.

I guess I don't understand how anybody who doesn't smoke was affected by somebody who does smoke choosing to do so in a tucked away designated area.

 

[grandad to 4]

That's a good point - The area outside of the gate at the Magic Kingdom is so nice - it may become over crowded.

 

[SourcererMark79]

After reading the majority of the comments, it’s pretty safe to say that “non-smokers” are some of the rudest people on here. Last time I checked, smoking is not illegal. I’m not committing a felony whenever I choose to have a cigarette
Don’t tell me just quit smoking” if I wanted to quit, I would, but I don’t choose to at thiis point in time.
I had no problems with designated smoking areas. Even being a smoker, I would never just light up anywhere, I do respect other people’s concerns who do not smoke. However those same people in turn, look down on smokers as if they are beneath them, second class citizens.
Disney’s main problem was where they put the smoking areas. Some of them were right on walking paths, where you would literally see people hold their breath while they walk by. They should have been smarter about it and put them farther back where it is not a disturbance to non smokers.
I have a platinum annual pass every year to Disney. I pay just as much as a non smoker does to enjoy the parks. Why should MY time at Disney be inconvenienced just to please a non smoker? Yes it IS my right to smoke, like I said, it’s not illegal. Give back the smoking areas, and put them in places that no one would normally go to unless they were a smoker.
Unfortunately a lot of people here are correct. All that’s going to happen is people are going to sneak around a corner somewhere and light up two or theee drags, and the park will also notice a ton more cigarette butts all over the place.
I do plan on writing an official letter, only having a smoking area at the entrance is not going to satisfy smokers. Another solution needs to be made

^^Bravo. Thank you! !

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

I laugh at the idea that people shelling out $10,000 a week are gonna climb up into a stall and smoke menthols as opposed to just getting over it...

Is this a Motley Crue video??

You've obviously never been a smoker or known anybody who is.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

12th graders can’t afford to go to Disney world. How many are gonna vape when they’re 35 and MAY move outta moms house?

Gotta find the goalposts on this witty banter.

I've seen boatloads of cheerleaders that might disagree.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Europe? Smoking is still a way of life in much of Europe. And a lot of Orlando’s visitors are from.... the none UK part of around here.

So a lot of flights to Orlando form Kiev? Budapest? Prague?

Do me a favor and draw a
Line on a map from say Helsinki to Venice...and if you look at the map...which side of the line do the vast majority of WDW travelers fall on...the left or right?

And even still - because I don’t know the demos - but how does smoking fall along economic lines. There’s a clear distinction with those numbers in the US

 

[Creathir]

Europe? Smoking is still a way of life in much of Europe. And a lot of Orlando’s visitors are from.... the none UK part of around here.

Exactly why this will be an unmitigated disaster of a policy.

"We'll just kick all those smokers out of the park if we catch them lighting up!"
"Sir, the Smoker Mitigation And Removal Taskforce has made 120 extrications already today, and it is only 11:15 AM."
"Never fear, they will learn! Those dastardly aggravates will come to pay for their incessant behavior! Punish them all!"

A few months goes by

"Sir, we're seeing a massive decline in visitation from Europeans. They still come to Orlando, but the place across town has had a huge uptick in visitors..."
"Excellent! Let them deal with those filthy, abhorrent anima-- I mean smokers!"

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

You've obviously never been a smoker or known anybody who is.

I’ve been out of the bubble for quite sometime...and I’m a Gen-X “grinder”...chugging along for quite some years

 

[larryz]

At bag check will cigarettes and ecigarettes be confiscated?

That's a good question... since smoking and vaping is prohibited in the parks, they could conceivably tell people to ditch them or return them to their vehicles...

 

[Musicman20]

Great idea. I'm happy for this change.

 

[UncleMike101]

I’m not judging you at all...I think you’re reflective of a cultural progression.

You Starter 55 years ago...in a different time. You dumping it reflects that change in some
Ways.

But the reality is this is about about a behemoth money factory that’s privately owned. We need to look at it that way...not even about “culture”.

There really should be no surprise at policies like this...it’s better economically

Granted............
Now here's a fact that I'm sure the vast majority of Americans are unaware of.
Tobacco taxes fund thousands of projects and State obligations all over the country.
If, or when, those taxes dry up because everyone has stopped consuming tobacco products all of those projects and State obligations will have to be funded by increases in existing taxes or the imposition of new taxes on Americans.
I'm not sure of the number but many State Pension Programs were, (are) funded by those taxes on tobacco.
I used to joke forty years ago that I had to smoke to ensure that my Pension Fund would have the money to pay my pension.

 

[backinaction]

That's a good question... since smoking and vaping is prohibited in the parks, they could conceivably tell people to ditch them or return them to their vehicles...

My guess is that they wouldn't do that. Maybe someone on here can get clarification by calling guest relations?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Exactly why this will be an unmitigated disaster of a policy.

"We'll just kick all those smokers out of the park if we catch them lighting up!"
"Sir, the Smoker Mitigation And Removal Taskforce has made 120 extrications already today, and it is only 11:15 AM."
"Never fear, they will learn! Those dastardly aggravates will come to pay for their incessant behavior! Punish them all!"

A few months goes by

"Sir, we're seeing a massive decline in visitation from Europeans. They still come to Orlando, but the place across town has had a huge uptick in visitors..."
"Excellent! Let them deal with those filthy, abhorrent anima-- I mean smokers!"

Nah...it will excepted and moved on...as all smoking bans in the US have been for devades.

The parks are still Mostly Americans at all times...that doesn’t change too much.