Woman caught smoking at WL...

[MaXXimus]

While on my trip a woman smoked on her balcony at Wilderness Lodge and was caught on camera doing so. She got a $250 fine and was not happy at all about it. My wife spoke with her at one point and she said that if she was fined already she may as well continue to smoke... well... lol... she did it again and again was fined another $250 fine but also this time they removed all her belongings from the room and locked her out. She threw a major fit but promised not to do it again and they allowed her back into the room. I did feel bad though because my wife said that a day after the second fine she over heard the woman talking to her little boy who was asking why she couldnt buy him the stuffed character he wanted and she told him because Mickey took all their money. Now I know it was her own fault but it was heart breaking to hear that her trip was ruined because of such a stupid reason. Personally I never took the chance in smoking in the room or balacony and was quite pleased at how easy it was to gain access to a smoking area, but still feel that the balcony should be ok and outside of that if they wanted to continue fining people for it... the balcony should be a lesser fine like $50 or something like that.

 

[sleepybear]

Where are the smoking areas at WL now?

 

[mary219]

I guess wdw is really serious about the new non smoking policy.Do they let you know in advance what the penalties will be for smoking in non smoking areas?

 

[iheartdisney91]

haah thats humerous.... sry i think smoking is a nasty habbit. (hope im not ofeending anyone)

 

[SWatsi]

To be fair, rules are rules, and its a little dumb to repeat offend (lol).
Maybe it is she who should learn the rules. You are quite right to use a smoking area, as that is how Disney asks you to

 

[ErickainPA]

The smoking area is on the back balcony, it's located right off the lobby. It's been there for years. They even had chairs out there when we were there for our wedding and also still there as of April

 

[MaXXimus]

We only used 2 spots...

1 - Behind the pool side bar, which in my trip report I mentioned that by the end of our stay the only 2 table ashtrays vanished, but there is a stand up one there... just need use a cup for ashes for flick ashes on ground.

2 - If you walk past the Mercantile Store and go out the doors as if your going to the arcade... just passed the arcade make a right and they have 4 stand up ashtrays there with 2 benches.

 

[jkrat]

While on my trip a woman smoked on her balcony at Wilderness Lodge and was caught on camera doing so. She got a $250 fine and was not happy at all about it. My wife spoke with her at one point and she said that if she was fined already she may as well continue to smoke... well... lol... she did it again and again was fined another $250 fine but also this time they removed all her belongings from the room and locked her out. She threw a major fit but promised not to do it again and they allowed her back into the room. I did feel bad though because my wife said that a day after the second fine she over heard the woman talking to her little boy who was asking why she couldnt buy him the stuffed character he wanted and she told him because Mickey took all their money. Now I know it was her own fault but it was heart breaking to hear that her trip was ruined because of such a stupid reason. Personally I never took the chance in smoking in the room or balacony and was quite pleased at how easy it was to gain access to a smoking area, but still feel that the balcony should be ok and outside of that if they wanted to continue fining people for it... the balcony should be a lesser fine like $50 or something like that.

I think the trouble with smoking on the balconies is that if you are a non smoker, you wouldn't want to sit on your balcony and have to smell it. It seems that she had no idea that she would be fined for each violation. I don't think most people know this, hopefully Disney will make it clear to people that they can be fined for each violation. It seems from what I have been reading that most are thinking the fine is a one time deal. If she truly didn't know, hopefully she fought it.

 

[sleepybear]

The smoking area is on the back balcony, it's located right off the lobby. It's been there for years. They even had chairs out there when we were there for our wedding and also still there as of April

Thanks! We were there right before the new rules/changes went into effect and I assumed they would have changed it to someplace further away from the lobby. But it's nice to see it's stayed the same.

 

[FatBoy976]

What a horrible parent to tell your kid that Mickey took all your money. And to get caught twice for doing something she new she wasn't supposed to do? I hope her kid doesn't turn out as selfish and she is. Mickey didn't take her money, she threw it away. Moron.

 

[Chezman1399]

Yeah, I feel bad for the family, but she took a $250 fine and turned it into $500 just because she wanted to show up or spite Disney. Plus it's illegal in the state of Florida, unless a room is specifically designated as smoking. In fact if they had been caught by Orange County Police the fine could have been up to $750 and the second time would have been a minimum of $500 up to $2,000. I understand it was on a balcony, but that is still considered part of a room, house, or apartment even if you are renting long term. It may still be rather high, but she cost herself an extra $250 by doing it again, and Disney's penalty was significantly less than if she was reported to authorities. Yes I feel bad for her kids, but she should feel guilty as well as relieved that Florida law wasn't brought in to the situation.

 

[Ella's Mommy]

Balconies should be okay but in the case of WL they are so close together that its impossible to not offend your neighbor. I was at one time a smoker:brick: But have since seen the error of my ways. I have stayed at WL and smoked on the balcony with the sliding door shut and making sure no one was hanging out on the balcony on either side of me. I still felt as though I was commiting some aweful crime. I also hated smoking in the parks. It made me feel as though I was making a beautiful, magical place not so beautiful/magical I do agree with the fine that you get if smoking in a non- designated area. If the fines are not imposed then it was senseless to make those areas non-smoking.

 

[lilclerk]

I wonder if the rules specifically state that the fine is per violation? Or if they assume that if you get fined once, you (hopefully) won't do it again?

 

[darthjohnny]

The whole "being thrown out of the room" seems a little odd to me. But I guess they could do that.
Smoking on the balcony shouldn't be allowed.

I remember I was staying at the Wilderness Lodge and there were cigaratte ash and stain all over the balcony and it was a non-smoking room. I hated that. We certainly didn't pay for it. But we complained, and Disney upgraded us to a beautiful pool view. So I'm definately happy about that.

 

[MaXXimus]

I guess wdw is really serious about the new non smoking policy.Do they let you know in advance what the penalties will be for smoking in non smoking areas?

Well you know to be fair sometimes people do tend to forget to tell you things. I myself was told at the counter when checking in that there was no smokin in the rooms or the balconies. This woman claims she was not told... which is possible that someone may have forgotten to mention it. But yes... to repeat offend that is just wrong.

 

[k.hunter30]

I think it's great she was fined $250. It's ashame she blamed it on Mickey to her child when she had no one else to blame but herself. :shrug:

 

[WDWFigment]

I think the trouble with smoking on the balconies is that if you are a non smoker, you wouldn't want to sit on your balcony and have to smell it. It seems that she had no idea that she would be fined for each violation. I don't think most people know this, hopefully Disney will make it clear to people that they can be fined for each violation. It seems from what I have been reading that most are thinking the fine is a one time deal. If she truly didn't know, hopefully she fought it.

Yeah, she definitely shouldn't have been fined twice. Like one time, I got pulled over for going 80 MPH in a 25 zone, and I got a ticket. So as soon as I was done being pulled over, I started going 80 MPH again, and the cop had the NERVE to pull me over again. I was like, "what, I already got a ticket!" And he gave me another one!!!! Can you believe it, two tickets for two different offenses?! I thought once you get one speeding ticket, you're like, immune from them for subsequent offenses.

No sympathy for her. She knew the rules, she broke them. I do have sympathy for the child, who may never look at Disney World the same way, and all because his mother is an idiot.

 

[EpcotGrl]

I did feel bad though because my wife said that a day after the second fine she over heard the woman talking to her little boy who was asking why she couldnt buy him the stuffed character he wanted and she told him because Mickey took all their money.

Honestly (and not trying to offend anyone--I realize this will sound harsh) what she should've said was "Mommy couldn't follow the rules, so now we don't have the money." Don't ruin the kid's trip because you couldn't do as you were told. This is the sort of thing my parents did for years, and looking back never fails to annoy me--don't try to pass the buck, just accept responsibility & move on.

 

[sleepybear]

Honestly (and not trying to offend anyone--I realize this will sound harsh) what she should've said was "Mommy couldn't follow the rules, so now we don't have the money."

That's exactly what she should have done. (Although I still feel bad for the kid. Kind of want to buy him a plush toy now.)

 

[MaXXimus]

She was for sure tossed out of room and belongings removed... my wife overheard her arguing with the front desk about who they thought they were touching her personal stuff.

As for if it is clear that it is a single fine or per incident... it was never made clear to me at checkin but some could assume it to be a single fine. I personally assumed per incident.

And again I still think the fine is a bit steap for the balcony. $250 for the room and shouldnt be more then $75 for the balcony, though I think $50 bucks would for sure make me think twice about doing it again.