Smoking Ban

[WDW1970]

The amount of anecdotal evidence from the stories above about not being able to go without a smoke for less than a day should really tell people something (not that we did not already know it). Hoping for cleaner air and grounds in the near future at Disney.

 

[Nancyg56]

Well that unfortunate ban is exactly what is going to happen with my family and many others. It saddens me to the point that I have cried but a crabby mom is no fun for them and me leaving them with DH to go off for an hour to walk all the way out and back in is not going to work. I don’t smoke around my kids and they have never seen me do it and they are teenagers, they don’t even know. Hard for mom to make an excuse to be gone for an hour at a time. It really is sad.

I get it. I took my friend and her family to WDW with us and she was a smoker. There were plenty of DSA's IMO, but the whole project of her and my DS and DDIL heading off to smoke and then return was a PIA for all of us. I cannot imagine what this process will be like for families, when one is a smoker.

I am not a strategic planner, so I cannot even begin to try to plan out your ark days, however I bet there could be a touring plan to make it work. Maybe more walking and backtracking, but better than having to be gone for upwards of an hour each time.

 

[Doug M]

I am not low income and college educated... unfair statement

You are not a population, you are an individual. The statistics are about the population, and are correct.

 

[saskdw]

Funny enough, we'll probably swap smoking cigarettes for smoking pot in the next generation (aka - smoking cigarettes in public is unconscionable, but smoking pot is just fine)...and no one will question the dichotomy until the next generation hits and the long-term effects of pot and 2nd hand pot inhalation are known...and then we'll repeat the next cycle with whatever the next relaxing drug is...

But, life is too short to make pariahs of anyone...particularly since we all tend to be in glass houses on some issue...a little courtesy and common sense by everyone would probably go a long way to solving these issues "in the gray" which benefits everyone vs having harsh "black and white" boundaries which are certain to harm someone...

Smoking pot is now legal in Canada, but you can't smoke pot anywhere that smoking isn't allowed. I hope no one is smoking pot 25 times a day like a pack of smokes....LOL.

 

[Kaleidodad]

I consider a freedom to make personal choices, (especially when playing by all the rules, and not harming others health and well being), to be of importance.
It's a slippery slope when a personal privileges and personal choices are taken away.

Those same freedom, privilege, and choice are what allow a corporation to make whatever rules they want on their private property. You retain the same freedom to choose whether to spend your time and money to go there and abide by those rules.

 

[Disxuni]

the Museum of Natural history in NYC is over 2 million square feet and is a completely smoke free facility where you are not allowed to smoke anywhere on museum grounds or in the surrounding park .... how is that not comparable?

Let's compare shall we...

25.3 million ft² - AK
13.1 million ft² - Epcot
5.88 million ft² - HS
4.66 million ft² - MK

And unlike NYC, you probably can walk through the whole museum, where as typically at a Disney park, there are all kinds of things you have to walk around, or paths you have to follow. So, no, NYC is nothing compared to the size of Disney. Even the smallest theme park is twice it's ft².

 

[Traveling on cc points]

Those same freedom, privilege, and choice are what allow a corporation to make whatever rules they want on their private property. You retain the same freedom to choose whether to spend your time and money to go there and abide by those rules.

I would agree with you if they gave ample notice. People have already booked hotel rooms, bought non refundable passes & plane tickets. trips cannot be canceled at this point withought a major financial loss

 

[ShayBells]

I graduated in 2006 and even in Jr. High people would just cross the street off school property and smoke. From what I understood back then, it was illegal to buy cigarettes under 18 but not to smoke. There were always cops around just making sure everyone wasn’t goofing off. Even then around my small town you could still smoke in restaurants and diners. There are even bars around here that you can still smoke in including one bar that you can order full menu from the restaurant next door. I think if you aren’t in a big city it’s still not as taboo as one might think. I personally thought Disney would never go smoke free. In Hershey park there are still DSAs. The only place I can think of popular around me that you can’t smoke is the zoo so all these stories of it being illegal in public and only 10 percent of the population smokes is mind boggling to my small town self in a town where it seems like everyone still smokes.

ETA: just in case. I never broke the rules. I don’t smoke around non-smokers and never around kids. I know the health risks and wish I could quit.

 

[Disneypro1]

It actually happened last year at AK.....a man was not in the smoking section. DS( then 9) and DD( then 9 months) and I were waiting at the outdoor seating at Restaurantosaurus for them to open. DD was napping and we were just standing semi in shade for DD and DS to be out of heat. Man lit up a cigarette as he walked up to restaurant....I didn't say anything at first because I assumed he would walk on( maybe he was quickly checking for someone I don't know) then would move on to smoking area and not try to stand near my children smoking. However he stayed leaning against where some people often leave strollers. I honestly was shocked, I'm not a very assertive person. I politely told him that AK has smoking areas and asked that he please not stay smoking in front of my children. He rolled his eyes at me, called me a ' prissy *****' and still didn't move. I asked if I had to go get security, then he left. DS began having problems breathing, I gave him his advair. We ended up having to go back to the resort, finally that evening he was still struggling with breathing as well as CVS, I took him to the urgent care. I do avoid smoking areas....that man caused both of my children harm, grief, and cost our family $50 urgent care copay. He should be happy my DH wasn't on the trip, I doubt he would have been as kind as I was.

Edited to add, I realize maybe this isn't the norm, not all people have chronic illnesses....However, Disney provides smoking areas for a reason....why would a grown man or anyone put someone else's health at risk because they don't want to head to a smoking area.
I hate that people like this man has ruined park time for other families with smokers in them.....but, people that can't follow the rules deserve to be fined and kicked out. I follow rules, I am kind to others and try to be considerate, I expect others to be also.

I’m on your side. But I don’t think it’s a good idea to tell someone what to do or what not to do. I just mind my business. Now if you saw a cast member. Then tell them without the person knowing it. Imho

 

[Kaleidodad]

I would agree with you if they gave ample notice. People have already booked hotel rooms, bought non refundable passes & plane tickets. trips cannot be canceled at this point withought a major financial loss

"These rules are subject to change at any time without notice."

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/park-rules/

 

[Disneypro1]

I have a hard time believing that. The legal age for smoking in 1987 was raised to 18. I can't believe a high school would condone smoking for anyone under 18, if at all.

Our next door family is a superintendent. Trust me. If it’s off school property. The school won’t get involved. Smoking or whatever. On property now the school has authority. Off property. Zero. Now if it really was a lounge. Then yeah I can’t imagine school allowed that.

 

[Disneypro1]

That's essentially how my high school dealt with it. If it's off property it's not an issue. This was 1993-1997

Yep. Still is. Off property is not schools business or concern. For a lot of reasons.

 

[cruisin5]

I would agree with you if they gave ample notice. People have already booked hotel rooms, bought non refundable passes & plane tickets. trips cannot be canceled at this point withought a major financial loss

Would you really cancel a trip to Disney because of the smoking ban? Can't even imagine telling my kids that we aren't doing to Disney because they don't let me smoke in the parks anymore.

At least on this trip you can enjoy yourself knowing you'll never ever return.

 

[rteetz]

I think it’s time to give everyone a breath here. No need to keep going around and around and discuss smoking in the 90s in high schools. Disney made a decision and people are going to have to adapt or not go. It may be unfortunate for some and good for others. This is the policy in place now.