Walt Disney World Resort Hotels Go Smoke-Free

[Kylerayner70]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Move to smoke-free is in response to increased guest demand for smoke-free rooms[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., May 1, 2007 – Walt Disney World Resort Senior Vice President for Operations Erin Wallace announced today, all Disney-owned and operated hotels at the Walt Disney World Resort will become smoke-free by June 1, 2007. The policy also applies to all Disney Vacation Club Resorts. With more than 20 Disney owned and operated resorts on property; this represents the largest single site resort complex to institute this type of smoking policy change.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]“We make adjustments to our operations based on guest demand,” Wallace said. “This policy complements our efforts to provide our guests with the healthy living options they are requesting.”[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]During the last five years guest demand for smoking rooms at the Walt Disney World Resort have been declining steadily. Currently, less than 3.5 percent of Walt Disney World’s 24,000 resort rooms are smoking optional. This transition allows us to better accommodate the increasing number of guests requesting smoke-free rooms. This trend is not specific to the Walt Disney World Resort. According to the American Automobile Association, more travelers are requesting smoke-free environments.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"With more than 50 million members, AAA represents North America's largest traveler group and increasingly our members, like many Americans, are demanding smoke free accommodations." said Sandra Hughes, VP of Travel for AAA. "Hotels are responding by going beyond the traditional standard of smoking and non-smoking rooms, and are going smoke-free throughout their properties."[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]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, common areas, restaurants and convention spaces. Additionally, in January 2000 the Walt Disney World Resort theme and water parks became smoke-free with smoking allowed in designated smoking areas only.[/FONT]​

 

[HauntedPirate]

:sohappy: This is great news, and long overdue, IMHO. I have no problem with smokers who respect the rules and smoke in designated areas. What bothers me is those who feel the need to chain smoke outside my room, even when asked not to. This is especially good news for a friend of the family - one member of that family is on a ventilator and oxygen and absolutely cannot be around smoke (multiple medical conditions). Our entire party has been moved before due to stubborn smokers who refused to stop smoking close to our room (and in fact moved closer and smoked more), even though they were told the smoking was dangerous not only for the smoker but the entire group (lit cigarette + pure oxygen = bad idea). I think smokers should still have a place to light one up, though.

 

[ToTBellHop]

an excellent move...props to Disney for stepping up and doing this.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

You're a tad late. :lookaroun

 

[WDW4LIFE]

I dont blame disney for going smoke free, I give them credit for it. but as a smoker, where can we smoke? i always follow all the rules in disney, i only smoked in the room,I didnt smoke outside the room and didnt smoke anywhere where it wasnt designated. So now say we stay at coronado, where can we smoke? its a long haul to get anywhere at the resort. Any imput would be fantastic. :shrug:

 

[ToTBellHop]

I dont blame disney for going smoke free, I give them credit for it. but as a smoker, where can we smoke? i always follow all the rules in disney, i only smoked in the room,I didnt smoke outside the room and didnt smoke anywhere where it wasnt designated. So now say we stay at coronado, where can we smoke? its a long haul to get anywhere at the resort. Any imput would be fantastic. :shrug:

there will be outdoor smoking areas away from buildings at all Walt Disney World Resort Hotels, just like the Theme Parks and Water Parks.

 

[DMC-12]

Lovely....

 

[clarkstallings]

I can understand the rooms going smoke free. I am not a fan of the idea of having designated smoking areas like the parks however. I'm not a smoker, but I do enjoy an occaisional cigar . I particularly like to enjoy a cigar on vacation at WDW. There's nothing better than getting in for the night then going out and sitting by the water at the Beach Club or whatever and having a cigar. This new policy seems like it's going to change that aspect of my vacation. I don't really want to go have a cigar in the designated "smoking area." I find cigarette smoke very unpleasant and obnoxious like just about anyone else. I understand having smoking areas in the parks. There's a high concentration of people outside and there just isn't much room to breath. The resorts, except for certain areas, have a lot less outdoor people density. I think the resort policy should be along the lines of no smoking in rooms or within twenty-five feet of buildings. That way you exclude rooms, and balconies/porches where other rooms could catch a whif of nasty smoke, but you also allow people to smoke, and provide enough of a buffer for it to disperse.

 

[Scar Junior]

1. I agree with not in the rooms, but outside is outside... there's a chance I will have to be warned a few times before I adhere to this policy.

2. What about the pool areas?

3. I'm gonna miss those late nights on the DVC balconies smoking a cigar.

 

[Scar Junior]

I think the resort policy should be along the lines of no smoking in rooms or within twenty-five feet of buildings. That way you exclude rooms, and balconies/porches where other rooms could catch a whif of nasty smoke, but you also allow people to smoke, and provide enough of a buffer for it to disperse.

I can live with that.

 

[clarkstallings]

Yeah, I like cigar smoking on balconies, but I had to give that up in the spririt of compromise. For the record, I do try to ascertain if there are others who might be bothered by my cigar smoking on a balcony. If there are others out on their balconies, etc, I hold off. I just know that if I'm approached by a cast member trying to enforce the "designated" smoking area and it's one in the morning, and I'm far from a building, and nobody is about and I'm enjoying a cigar in the balmy Florida night, it ain't going to be pretty. Just typing that sentence, makes me sad, I really see part of my vaction dying now. I just might write a guest relations letter over this and see if they can adopt something with a 25 ft rule like most state and local smoking bans. The resorts are not the parks. They are supposed to be the home away from home for the guests. I know we can't let guests run buck wild, but notice, they do sell cigarettes (cigars at least,) and booze by the bottle, and other things not normally sold in the parks. Therefore I think things should be a bit more relaxed. Not to mention that at a resort, you might have a couple thousand guests spread out over a hundred acres, with the majority of them in their rooms sleeping at night. You don't have a park situation with 50,000 guests outside in a 100 acre theme park.

 

[iheartdisney91]

thats good, considering that when im near someone thats smoking, or 2nd hand smoke i cant breathe. plus its bad for you.

 

[Kriszee1]

Time to quit or stay outside Disney.

 

[whizGoofy]

This is the best news I have heard in a long time! I am very glad that Disney has made such a bold move just like most major cities have. If you go into Chicago you can not smoke in any public place and have to be at least 100 feet (I believe) from all buildings. This is how the world we live in should be. If you choose to smoke that is your option, and I am sure most non-smokers would agree with that. However if I choose not to smoke, then I should be able to enjoy whatever it is that I want to enjoy without having smoke fill my lungs. Most of the smokers that I know personally are very considerate to non-smokers, however there are way too many people (especially at WDW or any theme park) that do not have consideration for others.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Congrats to Disney for making the change. It took a lot of guts, because they will undoubtedly alienate some of the crowds. As long as smokers can still smoke away from buildings, I don't see what the problem is. With the kid-friendly environment and the health and environment push Disney seems to be on, this was only a matter of time.

 

[SewIn2Disney]

Now if they only enforce the rule....that'll be a whole other thing. I can see them making the policy, but not adhering to it.

And, I hope smoking isn't allowed at the pools...that's usually when I encounter smokers. And usually it's after I've settled in, that they plop down next to me and light up. Then I'm the one who has to move. (And for the record, I'm allergic to cigarette smoke, so yes, I do have to move)

 

[2excitedkids]

why not do away with all of the alcohol too, since it is a "kid friendly" environment. i am a smoker who hasn't smoked in 3 weeks. people are going to smoke no matter what the policy is. it griped me on our last trip in feb. seeing people walk around with cigs in their hands. but on the flip side epcot griped me at 1:00 in the day and people are walking around reaking of alcohol, so why not do away with that too - oh i know it makes disney money!

sorry, that is my rant for today

 

[WDWFREAK53]

Lovely....

:lol: I was just thinking that...

Poor Jerry...and RIGHT before his vaca!

 

[PKD]

Another thread was already started yesterday morning regarding this topic. Here's the link

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=176756&highlight=smoke+free

 

[gotribe07]

why not do away with all of the alcohol too, since it is a "kid friendly" environment. i am a smoker who hasn't smoked in 3 weeks. people are going to smoke no matter what the policy is. it griped me on our last trip in feb. seeing people walk around with cigs in their hands. but on the flip side epcot griped me at 1:00 in the day and people are walking around reaking of alcohol, so why not do away with that too - oh i know it makes disney money!

sorry, that is my rant for today

Because people who drink dont harm others around them :lookaroun

I mean, we can all admit that we HATE when we get smoke blown in our faces by a smoker... its gross.

But honestly, I could care less if someone is drinking around me. It's not causing me any harm.

And yes, WDW is a "kid friendly" environment but that's why alcohol is needed on property... to keep the parents from going insane :ROFLOL:

Ok in all seriousness, the MK does not serve alcohol (as we all know) but I really believe thats the only park that can get away with that. In EPCOT what would the restraunts in World Showcase be without alcohol? People want to sit down to a nice dinner and order a bottle of wine... there's nothing wrong with that.