Smoking & WDW theme parks

[speck76]

Ok,

I am a dirty smoker (although a very clean dirty smoker )

(I have been trying to quit for a long time, it just is not working, but I will not quit quitting)

Anyway, I personally do not mind that WDW parks are smoke free, except in designated areas. The park provide more than enough smoking areas, and the areas that they do provide are quite nice (they are not sticking you out back next to a dumpster or anything. Actually, one smoking area at the MK, behind the Christmas shop in Liberty Square, is one of the most peacefull places in the entire park.

It surprised me when I heard some park guests this weekend complaining to a CM that there were not enough smoking areas throughout the park. While these guests looked like they were lifetime chain smokers, I could not believe what I was hearing.

Does anyone else think that WDW parks have too few smoking areas?

 

[joviacdan]

I don't.

In fact, one complaint I had when I was there in January was the lack of attention people pay to the no smoking policy and the fact that cast members don't enforce it.

I am the least judgemental person in the world. If people wanna smoke, that's fine. They SHOULD have designated areas. But if they have too many, then it no longer becomes "certain designated areas". It becomes everywhere.

Kids above all shouldn't have to be subjected to cigarette smoke.

 

[speck76]

I think some of the smoking areas are almost on top of others, and are not far enough out of the way.

For instance, they have a very large area behind the Christmas shop, but also, 100 feet away, along the river between the boat and the Haunted Mansion.

 

[beyondinfinity]

Smoking at the Parks...why?

I guess I'm still at a loss to understand why smoking is even permitted in the parks considering Walt died of lung cancer. There are more than 4,000 chemicals found in secondhand smoke, over four dozen are KNOWN to cause cancer.

I was at the parks last Thursday through Sunday and agree that people are lighting up more wherever they please. It's unbelievable to watch parents, who reportedly love their children, have a lit cigarette within inches of a child's face while puching a stroller or making their children sit in the smoking area while the parents get their nicotine fix. Understand that nicotine is highly addictive, but setting policy and enforcing it helps to change social norms and acceptability of smoking.....and will eventually lead our children and grandchildren to be healthier.

 

[joviacdan]

I agree with that as well, but to me, it's just a common courtesy thing.

It's tough for me to say since I've never smoked a cigarette, so I don't know of the addiction.

I do know that we would be waiting in lines from time to time and get a big wiff of cigarette smoke.

It does need to be closer watched and enforced by Disney.

 

[StevenT]

Some people have no regard for the comfort of others, and do light up wherever they please. I agree that this needs to be watched more by CMs. Last year I was on the Haunted Mansion and drifting back from a few cars ahead of me was the unmistakable odor of marijuana. Like I said, some people have no regard for others.

 

[1disneydood]

Originally posted by StevenT
Some people have no regard for the comfort of others, and do light up wherever they please. I agree that this needs to be watched more by CMs. Last year I was on the Haunted Mansion and drifting back from a few cars ahead of me was the unmistakable odor of marijuana. Like I said, some people have no regard for others.

That's sad. I mean they can't go one day without getting high? Or they can't get high before entering the park? IMO anyone smoking grass in the HM deserves to get busted. And I'm VERY liberal about this subject.

I feel guilty sometimes using the smoking areas (for a cigarette) when they seem too close to non smokers. Smoking is disgusting but I just can't seem to quit. But a smoking area needs to be out in the open, in the breeze. NOT surrounded by walls which carry the smoke to the innocent passers by.

 

[speck76]

Originally posted by 1disneydood
Smoking is disgusting but I just can't seem to quit. But a smoking area needs to be out in the open, in the breeze. NOT surrounded by walls which carry the smoke to the innocent passers by.

I agree, and I am unfortunately in the same boat you are in.

I don't like to smoke around other ppl. I won't smoke in some of the smoking areas because they are too out in the open or there are too many ppl around.

Also, I don't care to have ppl smoke around me. I want to smoke when I want to smoke, and I don't want it coming from someone else.

At the MK, I will always use one of two smoking areas.
Either:
-behind the Chrismas Shop
-behind the old Tomorrowland skyway station
Both of these areas are out of the way, and even on the busiest days, they are not filled with a lot of ppl. If I need a cig, I will walk from where I am to one of these locations.

The other thing is, for how good of a job Disney does at keeping the parks clean, the ashtrays in the smoking areas are almost always full, and it looks nasty.

I think they should get the type of ashtrays that you put your cig in and it disappears . (The ones that have the tube with the little hole at the top)

 

[DisneyPhD]

speck76, thank you for being considerate to others, good luck with quiting, it is a hard battle, but I think you will find the bennifts are worth it in the end.

I am a very anti smoking person, the older I get and more of a parent I become the stronger my feeling become on this (and lack of tollerance, espcially in other parents.) I don't go to places that are known for being smokey, (bars, clubs ect..) So I feel very strongly that places that are disigned for kids and young at heart should be smoke free. I wish that local places around here were had more strick rules about it like WDW and FLA. (zoo's, outdooor concernts for kids ect...)

I agree that there are many smoking spots at WDW, and some of them were some of my favorite places to stop and rest. I don't mind giving them up as much, as long as people respect this and limit smoking to just these places. Especailly when people think no one will notice if they smoke while they walk and hold their ciggerate down low (kids riding in strollers and walking level.)

 

[ToTBellHop]

not enough smoking areas? I think there are too many. As for cleaning the smoking areas, I'm sure a lot of CMs would rather not go into those areas. I know I would refuse to go in there and breath that crap in. I don't honestly believe smoking should be allowed anywhere in the parks, but alas, gotta make people happy. I also don't know the addiction, but it is confusing to me why people cannot go 12 freaking hours without lighting up while they are in the Magic Kingdom (12 hours MAX).

 

[speck76]

Originally posted by DisneyPhD
speck76, thank you for being considerate to others, good luck with quiting, it is a hard battle, but I think you will find the bennifts are worth it in the end.

Thanks,

Say "hi" to Memphis Smoke for me the next time you drive by

 

[ksingle]

Smoking and general rude behavior

We were at Disney over Easter and I have to say that the parks will filled with some of the most inconsiderate and rude people I have seen for awhile. We saw people smoking all over the place and they knew they were not supposed to be because they were trying to hide it. This is especially bad when they are smoking while standing in line. There is no escape from it. We also had people cutting in line at restrauants and not thinking anything about it. By the end of the trip I was getting pretty fed up with it. What ever happened to manners and consideration. For those of you who do smoke and need a little encouragement to quit, my dad was a lifelong smoker starting at about the age 15. He lived to be a ripe old age of 38 from heart disease. Maybe that will motivate you. Especially if you have kids.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Originally posted by speck76
Thanks,

Say "hi" to Memphis Smoke for me the next time you drive by

You mean the restant in down town royal oak? I drive by it alot (my OBG-YN is right by there and I am pregnant!) We ate there for my brithday last month, 3 year old DD wasn't impressed (even with all the wooden pigs to look at.) Infact when we drove by last week she said "I don't like that restant". So it might be a while until we get to go back.

Of course there is a ton of other places in Orlando I would rather eat at.

 

[barnum42]

Spek - good luck in the continuing battle and thanks for your consideration of others.

Sadly I caught the wiff of (No sniggering at the back, I'm using the English term) on more than one occasion out of designated areas. Particularly around the UK Pavilion in Epcot. But that may have been to give it a more authentic ambience.

The one smoker who did annoy me, and others on my last trip was billowing smoke whilst barging his way through the crowd exiting Epcot after illuminations. It smelt of cigarette, but billowed like a pipe. It's the one time I used wheelchair I was pushing in a less than friendly manner and cracked him on the ankle as he barged his way past. The stumble and cry of pain were a joy to behold :drevil:

 

[Laura]

When my husband and I were in Disney in September we were heading over to Mission Space and this guy next to us was smoking as he walked. Someone else in the park saw him doing it and wasn't too happy about it and started raising a fuss. He decided to follow the smoker around and was yelling "DO YOU SEE THIS MAN? HE IS KILLING YOUR CHILDREN WITH 2ND HAND SMOKE!!" Everyone within a hundred feet was staring at the guy and the smoker was like omg, get away from me.

I'm sure it taught him a lesson though. :lol:

 

[speck76]

Originally posted by Laura22
When my husband and I were in Disney in September we were heading over to Mission Space and this guy next to us was smoking as he walked. Someone else in the park saw him doing it and wasn't too happy about it and started raising a fuss. He decided to follow the smoker around and was yelling "DO YOU SEE THIS MAN? HE IS KILLING YOUR CHILDREN WITH 2ND HAND SMOKE!!" Everyone within a hundred feet was staring at the guy and the smoker was like omg, get away from me.

I'm sure it taught him a lesson though. :lol:

Probably not, if he was smoking where he should not have been, he probably either didn't care about the consequences or he got off at ing ppl off.

As I said before, I am a considerate smoker, which seems to be pretty rare (general consideration, manners, and chivelry are pretty rare to, but that is a different point altogether).

Anyway, as inconsiderate as this person was, harrassment is not very considerate either.

 

[westie]

I am not a smoker but, my wife was, mother was etc. I do not have a problem with it espescially how tighty bottled up Disney keeps it. Remember ten years ago? If your old enough. Smoking was the rage and young and old did it. Ever been to Europe? You certainly won't be shouting about second hand smoke in Paris. Heck, even babies smoke there!!

I guess what I'm trying to say is that this anti-smoking campaign is new. Yes, there are always going to be those rotten apples that'll try to light up anywhere. Reaction to that situation is what made my wife stop. At DCA's opening day my wife tried to light up and was surronded by CM's and escoerted to the smoking area where people walked by and frowned at her.

So give Speck a break. He's not cutting in line, pushing your kid, or banging on the walls at 3 AM. Poor guy's just trying to find a place other than his non-smoking room to do it...

 

[stingrock23]

I've never had a problem with smoking in a designated area. I would rather smoke there than inconvenience other people. I'm actually trying to quit now. I never smoked a lot, but I just don't want to cause that much damage to myself anymore. I think the smoking areas in the park are adequate. You're always going to see some people not following the rules, and it's a shame, but that's the way people are. I think the designated smoking areas should remain because there are many people who do smoke, and since they are paying so much money to vacation in Orlando, they should be allowed to.

It sucks that there will always be people who don't follow the rules, but that's life, I guess.

 

[Syrinxx]

Re: Smoking at the Parks...why?

Originally posted by beyondinfinity
I guess I'm still at a loss to understand why smoking is even permitted in the parks ...........................

Because thats alot of money to throw away by alienating an entire segment of the WORLD population

I smoke
I smoke IN the smoking areas and I dont have a problem with it
I am ENGRAED that CMs dont enforce smoking policy and I make it a point to say something about it whenever I can

 

[Irrawaddy Erik]

I would like to first of thank everyone that does smoke in the designated spots. But for CMs it's not an easy thing to do. You can ask someone to stop smoking, but if they say no there isn't really much you can do to them. ANYTIME I see someone smoking in a non-designated area I go out of my way to tell them. On the other hand I have had some bad experiences because of this. I've been burnt on the arm already because the guest felt that he could smoke anywhere he wanted to and that "he was tired of people telling him to put out his cigarette, and he payed so much money to get into this place that he could do what ever he wanted." I've fortunately not had a lot of experiences like that. Most people I tell about designated areas are very polite about it.