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

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

The only issue I can see is that now with all the smokers congregating to out of park smoking areas there all going to congregate in that one spot and if the wind is blowing the right way that’s going to be the first thing you smell as you enter.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

They have that in AK, but it's a path/gazebo in the trees - so a bit removed.

I'm a smoker and I prefer to be further away from everyone who doesn't smoke...but outside the parks is a bit ridiculous.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

I think what contributes to the issue is the current location of some of these areas. Take EPCOT. I can see why there would be complaints about the Italy smoking area considering its right next to the Trevi Fountain replica where a lot of people want to take photos. Completely get that. The area between China and Norway, not so bad. Maybe they could push it back a bit, but overall it shouldn't impact a non-smoker.

They should look to isolate these areas a bit more - not abolish them. If they created an area (s) that were far enough removed, I think it would achieve a better result.

I'll be there tomorrow, so this won't impact me yet. I will though ask a few questions. I go back (after my April trip) in mid-late May when the ban will be in effect. I'm going to try and take pictures of everybody "catching a drag" (a group that I will probably be a part of) - then I'll start a nice little thread.

 

[jaklgreen]

if you think that by walking next to smokers in a designated smoking area of a theme park is going to give you enough second-hand smoke to cause cancer or have you prematurely die... I don’t know what to tell you.

It is not even that for a lot of people. My mom smoked like a chimney when I was growing up. Did the whole, smoke in the house, in the car, in the grocery store, etc. My parents would have to wash their walls in the house every year because of the tar build up. I still remember how the rags would come away black. Now imagine what our lungs looked like. I always stunk of cigarettes, even with clothes freshly washed smelled. People at school thought I was smoking because I reeked of it all the time. As soon as I turned 18 I move out and got to breath fresh air. My lungs slowly recovered and in essence I am an ex-smoker. I have turned very allergic to the smell of cigarette smoke. Just smelling it from a distance causes a severe reaction in me. My eyes water, my nose runs, my throat starts to itch and I get an instant headache. So you probably would like to think that people are over reacting to cigarette smoke, but not all of us are. For many of us, it is a serious health risk. Oh and my mom died at 62 from shocker lung cancer. She never got to see her grand kids grow up or even meet the youngest. I don't know if she had to do her life over again if she would even start smoking, but I would like to think that people would choose life over and early, painful death.

 

[blueslegend]

Just got back from work. Seen this. Great news.

This is not a holiday. It’s a chore. I was always respectful to others. We all have different views, lives, likes etc. But nobody respects or understands mine. Just alienated. That’s 420 DVC points now on resale. Clearly I am unwelcome. It’s been emotional......

 

[Disney Analyst]

And why smokers "hate" non-smokers. It used to be allowed everywhere; on planes, in offices, homes, cars. But now the smokers have been made to feel like outcasts and criminals, only allowed to smoke in neat little boxes. Yet people like you still love to berate them if they step out of line.

Why people started or continue to smoke in and of itself is not your concern.

No.... but polluting the air around me when I try to walk on a sidewalk... leaving litter and butts wherever one pleases... that is my concern. My partner suffers from asthma. There is no consideration.

If you need to smoke find somewhere to do it that isn’t on a crowded sidewalk.

 

[dgauthier]

This right here.
I’m not a fan of smoking, but I realize there are people who just cannot break the addiction.

It is cruel to treat them like second class citizens due to their addiction.

Designated smoking areas tucked away and off the beaten path are the solution, not outright banning.

I am an ex-smoker but when I was still smoking it ticked me off to see people not going to the designated areas because it was not convenient, I knew this would be the end result one day

 

[ImperfectPixie]

I am an ex-smoker but when I was still smoking it ticked me off to see people not going to the designated areas because it was not convenient, I knew this would be the end result one day

I'm a smoker and those people tick me off. The few bad apples always seem to spoil things for everyone else.

 

[LAKid53]

And why smokers "hate" non-smokers. It used to be allowed everywhere; on planes, in offices, homes, cars. But now the smokers have been made to feel like outcasts and criminals, only allowed to smoke in neat little boxes. Yet people like you still love to berate them if they step out of line.

Why people started or continue to smoke in and of itself is not your concern.

Smoking on airplanes was banned long before smoking in other places. As a safety issue.

While a person's choice (not a right), it is of my concern, due to the impact on healthcare costs due to smokers. That's why non smokers pay lower insurance premiums.

Do I think smoking tobacco should be illegal? Yes, but from a health standpoint, not moral. But I'm also a pragmatic individual. Revenues are generated by tobacco products. And we learned the hard way about making something people enjoyed illegal.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

The problem is there is a good chunk of non-smokers who are offended by the very thought of smoking. So even if the designated areas didn't effect them, I'm sure people still complained that they were "close enough" to civilization. I am super respectful of non-smokers where I try to stand as far away from people, not point/blow smoke in anyone's direction and even try to move out of the way to not bother people but I've still had people walk by me and pretend to cough.

I'm with you and I get that. I'm surprised at Disney's apparent estimation that those people outnumber smokers.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

No.... but polluting the air around me when I try to walk on a sidewalk... leaving litter and butts wherever one pleases... that is my concern. My partner suffers from asthma. There is no consideration.

If you need to smoke find somewhere to do it that isn’t on a crowded sidewalk.

I can't speak for others, but I was always respectful to others; smoking away from people, putting butts where they belong. At WDW, this is how I always found the smoking areas.

Now as for smoking somewhere that isn't a crowded sidewalk, well see - we used to have that, but they were just taken away. I'm sorry, but walking all the way outside the park and back, then getting screened for bags and tix isn't going to fly. Especially if you have kids that can't be left unattended.

The problem is there is a good chunk of non-smokers who are offended by the very thought of smoking.

I'm offended by whiners.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Last summer we went to a local theme park that is very busy during the warmer months. Their solution was to build gazebos with fans in the ceilings and disperse them throughout the park (most of which were in heavily trafficked areas). Not once did I hear anyone complaining about smokers, and the gazebos were VERY clean with very few butts on the ground.

Yeah...but Disney is not likely at all to retrofit to cater to smokers...I serious doubt they’d ever see the profit in that move. As always...we shall see

 

[ABQ]

I'm a smoker and those people tick me off. The few bad apples always seem to spoil things for everyone else.

Agreed, those are probably these people too. The smoker that tosses their butts on the ground.
I'm not all anti smoker, but NOTHING irks me more than smokers tossing butts all over the place.

Edit, sorry I missed that @Evan-500 covered this same topic already.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'm with you and I get that. I'm surprised at Disney's apparent estimation that those people outnumber smokers.

I got an idea sure to fail- doubt Disney’s ability to data mine

How many after hours have sold out now? Double charge for 20% of a standard park day?

....uh.....huh...

 

[Disney Analyst]

I'm with you and I get that. I'm surprised at Disney's apparent estimation that those people outnumber smokers.

I mean.... every Facebook post I’ve seen about this from fan sites the majority are praising this decision... I have seen very little pushback outside of this thread.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Agreed, those are probably these people too. The smoker that tosses their butts on the ground.
I'm not all anti smoker, but NOTHING irks me more than smokers tossing butts all over the place.

View attachment 359752

Edit, sorry I missed that @Evan-500 covered this same topic already.

Oh gosh it’s my biggest pet peeve. Just because you smoke doesn’t make it not littering...

 

[beertiki]

I am sure one of the reasons for this ban is that there is a large percentage of smokers who think that they have the "right" to smoke where ever and when ever they want. The rules and sometimes the laws are are ignored by this segment. Look how many posters on this thread have admitted or said they planned to ignore the rules. Disney gave smokers a designated area, but too many times some entitled smoker made their own area discreetly, or just lit one up out in the open. Smokers are also notorious for littering. I have been to every smoking area in the WDW parks, my wife smokes, all of them need constant cleaning because even with several ashtrays, many smokers ash on the ground, and then when they are finished, they just flick the butt.

Smoking has been banned at many beaches, this was not because some militant anti smoker could smell you 100 feet away, it was because a large segment of the smoking population at the beach used it as an ashtray and left the butts.

As long as there is a large segment of the smoking population that continues to ignore rules, laws, or clean up their mess, there will be more rules, stricter enforcement, more bans, and increased penalties.

 

[jaklgreen]

im not challenging disneys legal right....im challenging a social trend of tearing down anything that you dislike. my opinion on this matter specifically is that from ops stand point its a poor decision and difficult to enforce (disney is already amazingly lax with enforcing rules period) so the net effect is likely negative on overall guests both smokers and non. However i guess yoy can advertise smoke free theme park? because gaining what minimal amount of additional guests that might garner is exactly what disney world needs?

I think cigarettes are a completely different ball game then anything else that "people don't like". If cigarettes ONLY affected those who smoked them, then it would not be so polarizing. But we all know that others can smell and inhale your cigarette smoke and that it affects them. That is what many smokers fail to understand. It is not that we don't want you to smoke because we hate it. We just don't want it to be anywhere near us. That is not unreasonable. No one should be forced to inhale chemicals that they do not want to. And it travels much further then you realize, or choose to accept.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

I think cigarettes are a completely different ball game then anything else that "people don't like". If cigarettes ONLY affected those who smoked them, then it would not be so polarizing. But we all know that others can smell and inhale your cigarette smoke and that it affects them. That is what many smokers fail to understand. It is not that we don't want you to smoke because we hate it. We just don't want it to be anywhere near us. That is not unreasonable. No one should be forced to inhale chemicals that they do not want to. And it travels much further then you realize, or choose to accept.

So, you've never farted in an elevator? Don't lie.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I mean.... every Facebook post I’ve seen about this from fan sites the majority are praising this decision... I have seen very little pushback outside of this thread.

Commenting on a Facebook post or fan site is different than actually changing your behavior.

This decision will ACTUALLY cause some smokers to cancel Disney trips entirely. I find it hard to believe that any non-smokers would cancel trips if Disney had left the designated smoking areas in place.

This is a "solution" to a problem that didn't exist.

As long as there is a large segment of the smoking population that continues to ignore rules, laws, or clean up their mess, there will be more rules, stricter enforcement, more bans, and increased penalties.

Right, because all of the people who were ignoring the designated smoking areas are now all of a sudden going to obey the blanket no smoking rule.