Smoking anywere- Has it gotten worse?

[FriendsofMickey]

My sister was in the 'world' at the beginning of the month with her family. My six year old niece, who has extreme allergies, ended up leaving Magic Kingdom early due to her reaction to the smoke. She went to the clinic and needed to have a nebulizer (oxygen) for the trip. My sister said there were smoking people everywhere at the park.

She and I were both down last September and did not have a problem. So, I am wondering, has the change in the resorts being smoke free increased the 'smoke anywhere mentality?'

Side note: My sister was told that she should have gone to guest relations at the park to voice a complaint. Wanted to add that just incase anyone encounters the same problem.

[Seasonscraps]

I was in the MK 2 mornings last week and didn't really notice many people smoking out of designated areas. I am a former smoker with a strong sense of smell so I would have noticed the smell if it was excessive.

[LibertyTreeGal]

I don't know about WDW lately, but the smoking situation at DL is way worse than I ever noticed at WDW

[IloveDisney71]

I would love to see some recent visitor's responses to this post. I would hate for smoking to become a problem in the parks. I am very sensitive to smoke and it is one of my migraine triggers.
I have a question about reporting it to guest relaitions though. What good would it do because the person smoking would be long gone? Just curious.

[princessimagineer]

when i was in MK the last week of august, i didnt notice people smoking outside designated areas. i did, however, notice that one of the deisgnated areas was right outside the gates of the ToonTown train stop. I wasnt getting off there so while i was sitting waiting for the people to leave and abord the train, i got very irritated. im an athsmatic, so i would have been furios if i passed someone smoking where they shouldnt have been.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

I haven't seen much other than they are a lot more crowded these days. Not to push a button, but I don't agree with how they are usually right along common walkways (Toontown, the path by RNRC, and the worst is the one from Commissary Lane to Star Tours....smoke eveywhere).

I'm very sensative to smoke and I grew up in smoking household, so I can handle it, but not in excessive amounts (which is what happens at Disney - large numbers of smokers together). I tend to get very sick from the smell of it. :ack:

[crazypoohbear]

We stayed at all star music from Aug28 thru Sept 4. The smoking was horrible. My room STUNK. I called and complained. they said they "cleaned and air purfied" but it stunk the Whole time. My son and I had nose bleeds every night. When I saw people smoking outside the designated area at the hotel I told a cast Member, He told me to "go tell someone at the front desk" WHY??? By the time I walked to the front desk and told someone, walked back with them the person would be gone! I was pretty disappointed with the smoking situation. :(
I saw people smoking on the balconies, throwing cigarettes over the balcony etc.

[Marker]

I will say that I felt as though I noticed it more last weekend than in times past. I noticed it in the parks, and at ASMu.

I was aware of it somewhat because I would laugh at the people attempting to hide their cigarette in their hand while walking.... like that hides the smell too. I just ignored it, but then it doesn't cause me adverse reactions other than finding it annoying.

Perhaps it had increased.

And I would suppose the purpose for reporting it would not so much be to catch that particular person, but rather to put CMs on the look out for more occurances. Or at least an awareness that they needed to increase the focus on noticing. But that's just a guess on my part.

[Sean Riley Taylor's Mom]

I saw a few people walking around while smoking. Not an overwhelming amount. I am asthmatic, as are two of my kids. We are all extremely allergic to smoke as well.

The only real issue I had was with the smoking area being right off the unloading area of the train in Toontown. That was like walking into a wall of smoke. :ill: I just think that area needs to be thought about again. Then again, I am one of the people that have a medical issue, it might not bother others.

[kakn7294]

I too have asthma and am allergic to smoke. During our trip in August, I did notice a few people smoking outside of the designated areas but for the most part, most people did smoke where they were supposed to. It was no worse than on any previous trip and no worse than anywhere in general. We stayed at POFQ and folks there were great about using the designated areas.

[cal5755]

We did notice in MGM and in MK the CM's were asking people who were smoking out of designated areas to put out the cigarettes.

I am an asthmatic who travels with a nebulizer and my dd8 allergies cause her eyes to swell shut... neither of us had a problem at any of the parks as far as the smoke was concerned. Nothing that required more than our normal perscriptions.

[nicole48040]

Two words-totally gross. Leave the cancer sticks home and keep your mouth busy with all the yummy treats WDW has to offer. :thumbsup:

[Ian]

I'm a former smoker, but I quit over six years ago and I'm not particularly sympathetic to smokers rights. Fair or otherwise, that's just how I feel. If you really make an effort it's not that hard to quit ...

Anyway, my personal opinion is that smoking in public areas (any public areas) should be banned completely.

There's just no valid reason (again, IMO) that people should be allowed to wander around blowing out noxious fumes that other people have to inhale.

I support your right to smoke. I just don't support your right to make others smoke because you do.

One comment on smoking at WDW ... depending on what time of year it is you can draw more smokers than at other times. If you go at a time when there are more visitors from overseas (where smoking is still more acceptable), you're likely to see more people smoking.

[DNS]

We were there for almost 2 weeks about three months ago and didn't notice anyone smoking outside the designated areas. Actually since this went into effect in 2000 (I think), I've only noticed people maybe three or four times outside the areas.

[mttafire]

I'm a former smoker, but I quit over six years ago and I'm not particularly sympathetic to smokers rights. Fair or otherwise, that's just how I feel. If you really make an effort it's not that hard to quit ...

Anyway, my personal opinion is that smoking in public areas (any public areas) should be banned completely.

There's just no valid reason (again, IMO) that people should be allowed to wander around blowing out noxious fumes that other people have to inhale.

I support your right to smoke. I just don't support your right to make others smoke because you do.

One comment on smoking at WDW ... depending on what time of year it is you can draw more smokers than at other times. If you go at a time when there are more visitors from overseas (where smoking is still more acceptable), you're likely to see more people smoking.
Agreed.

[pixiesmimi]

We did not see anyone smoking outside the designated areas at the parks and just avoided those areas in August. I didn't notice a smoking area in Toontown near the train. But at the CBR, most of the smokers were sitting on benches on the walkway to OPR and the walkways to the villages from the parking lot. This was fine, at least they weren't in the building, but we had to walk past them or through them to get anywhere, which to me, defeats the purpose of having a no-smoking resort. I know they have to have somewhere to go to smoke and that they feel like they are being descriminated against, but I don't think on the public walkways where everyone has to walk through it is the place for it. I have wondered if a smoker is in the park, if they have to run back and forth between rides and the smoking areas all the time and what a bummer that would be. A waste of time. I did see a guy light up as soon as he got out of the park like he was going to have a fit or something one day.

[pdrlkr]

Worse!!!!!!!!!!

[Jeff G]

We just go home yesterday and didn't notice to many smokers outside the designated areas. I used to smoke and pick up on it very quickly and thought it was very minimal.

There was one instance where a young man was smoking next to a sign in EPCOT that stated that WDW was a smoke free environment which bugged me. He was clearly doing it in defiance, I wanted to say someting to him but I bit my tongue and moved on.

[Here we go again...]

I would love to see some recent visitor's responses to this post. I would hate for smoking to become a problem in the parks. I am very sensitive to smoke and it is one of my migraine triggers.
I have a question about reporting it to guest relaitions though. What good would it do because the person smoking would be long gone? Just curious.

It has gotten a little worse.
I do not think reporting it to guest relations would help. We had a CM standing right next to us more than once and pointed out a smoker and they did nothing. I am not sure what they are supposed to do... one CM did tell the person they were in a non-smoking area and he ignored her and kept smoking. She shrugged her shoulders and walked off.

[Jasper]

As a whole it doesn't seem to me to be worse. In fact, during our last trip there were a couple of days when we did not see or smell smoke ANYPLACE, even right outside the designated smoking areas. However I would make the following observations.

First, I am sure that it is variable. There are bound to be times when there are more inconsiderate smokers than normal and times when there are fewer.

Second, when you have a child or any other family member that has health issues that are triggered by smoking then I am sure that you will be MUCH quicker to notice it than the rest of us.

Finally, atmospheric conditions can cause a huge difference in your chances of detecting tobacco smoke. When the air is heavy from humidity and there is little or no wind you will most definitely pick up on even the smallest amount of smoke. However, if the wind is brisk or whatever than you are far less likely to notice it.

[crazeedizneefinatic]

We just got back last night and found that people were obeying the designated smoking areas. At CBR I do agree that some of the designated areas need to be reconsidered since they are major walkways but all in all it was fine. Last September we stayed at POP and people were smoking everywhere. The balconies were the worse. I don't know if CBR being such a large resort maybe we just did not notice it as much.

[magicofdisney]

I'm a former smoker, but I quit over six years ago and I'm not particularly sympathetic to smokers rights. I'd think a former smoker would have way more sympathy than a non-smoker.


If you really make an effort it's not that hard to quit ... Not true. I don't know what regimen you used, but it can be one of the most difficult habits a person ever has to break. Your implication is that it wasn't that hard for you, that doesn't make it a hard and fast rule.

As a non smoker, I've never understood the lure of cigarettes, but I do understand addiction in general (aren't many of us guilty of that with Intercot :blush:). I think that in general you'll see more and more ppl smoking outside the designated areas. It just seems to be the way so many in our society are heading, bucking authority.

My parents are smokers (I grew up in that environment) so I guess that's why I'm a little more understanding. Something that bothers me is the locations offered for smoking are not covered areas. When it's raining, this forces some smokers to take alternative actions.

[FriendsofMickey]

Thanks for the responses. It seems though there is definately different views on it.

I hope she just had bad luck and it is not the trend. We are going in November and we all have allergies. Our allergies are not anywhere close to my nieces, but they are bad enough (just bad enough to make a person misserable).
Lori Ann

[kbean]

A CM was right on my butt when I was smoking out of a smoking area. And there were no people around me so thats kinda why I thought I could get away. But BUSTED!!!

[disneyfan328]

I can tell you that DS and I are both severe asthmatics and we just got home on 9/30 from 9 days at WDW - We noticed it most at MK people smoking where they aren't supposed to. Another woman and myself approached a photopass photograher as he was the closest CM around and he stated that anytime we saw it to report it to the closes CM - They are to tell them to extinguish the cigarrette and direct them to the closes smoking area.

My BIGGEST issue with the MK is that the walkways around the castle are smoking areas HELLO? That's were a lot of people including kids have to walk. I think that they need to move that one. The worst was the amount of people smoking walking to the gates ect. of the parks or leaving the parks. I guess since they are outside the gates that it is ok to smoke then? still with the amount of people all going in the same direction at one time ( like exiting the park in the evening) its not just the smoke but the possiblity of getting burnt by a cigarette, especially a child.

anyway. I don't know if its worse or better than it was before, but we did see it and we did address it through CM's.

[Magic Smiles]

I too have asthma and am allergic to smoke. During our trip in August, I did notice a few people smoking outside of the designated areas but for the most part, most people did smoke where they were supposed to. It was no worse than on any previous trip and no worse than anywhere in general. We stayed at POFQ and folks there were great about using the designated areas.

I was just looking at the map for POFQ and was thinking to myself. There is no way to get from Bldg 5 (previously a non-smoking bldg) and into the food court without walking through a smoking area. What were they thinking in putting in a smoking area in front of both doors into the food court? I am certainly not looking forward to this, as I have severe allergies to smoke!

[PETE FROM NYC]

My family, we are smokers.On our most recent trip,last March,we ,all of us, obeyed the rules.I was still at the receiving end of snide comments, more than a few times.

[mttafire]

Its my belief that in due time, ALL of Disney property WILL be smoke free. It's just the way things are going. Personally..Im for a smoke free Disney. I am glad however that most seem to be obeying the new rules.

[LibertyTreeGal]

My family, we are smokers.On our most recent trip,last March,we ,all of us, obeyed the rules.I was still at the receiving end of snide comments, more than a few times.

That's too bad. I'm sad that the insensitive smokers (like my father, who smokes wherever he wants and then pretends he can only speak french when someone confronts him -- like in Toontown :mad:) have angered non-smokers to the point where this friction is even there. In any event, it was wrong of them to make rude comments.

Personally, I have asthma that is triggered only when dust AND smoke are present together. In the past, when I have been in a place where I am stuck teaching a class outside in the dust and someone is smoking near me, I have never encountered a smoker who was not exceedingly understanding when I have asked them to accomodate me for health reasons. Unfortunately, I have also encountered many who were just downright inconsiderate (like my father who feels it is his right to infringe on everyone -- but that does not limit itself to smoking! ). The sad truth is that some are making everyone look bad :(

[DNS]

I posted earlier that I had not noticed this to be a problem in May when we were there and we just returned home from another trip. This trip I made a point to watch and only found two people not smoking in designated areas. I know the smell is bad and makes some people sick, perfume has that affect on me, but when you consider the thousands of people in one park - in one day, I think with only a few smoking outside the smoking areas should be considered a great success in the Disney policy. Smoking is a legal substance and there are always going to be some who won't follow the rules, or maybe even do not realize because of a language difference, but overall I think Disney does an amazing job at keeping this to such a minimum.

[January-2007]

Yes, it has most definately gotten worse.

[SteveL]

I would have to think that the percentage of guests smoking outside a designated smoking area has to be but a mere fraction of 1%.

[kbean]

I've never seen a problem with smoking at Disney.

[Tigger&Stitch]

My husband and I noticed a TON of smokers outside of designated areas on our honeymoon (Sept '06). The problem was worse in Epcot than anywhere else. And like other posters above, we found CMs were unwilling to help.

The question is, then, who do we talk to about he smoker? I'm quite allergic to smoke and become livid when I have to breathe it. I'm thinking of getting a mini spray fan on our next trip to help in those instances when smokers are not where they should be...

[BMan62]

My husband and I noticed a TON of smokers outside of designated areas on our honeymoon (Sept '06). The problem was worse in Epcot than anywhere else. And like other posters above, we found CMs were unwilling to help.

The question is, then, who do we talk to about he smoker? I'm quite allergic to smoke and become livid when I have to breathe it. I'm thinking of getting a mini spray fan on our next trip to help in those instances when smokers are not where they should be...

Get a water pistol and tell them that you are putting out an uncontrolled fire!! :blush:

[Here we go again...]

Get a water pistol and tell them that you are putting out an uncontrolled fire!! :blush:

Good idea :thumbsup:
:funny::funny:

[mttafire]

Good idea :thumbsup:
:funny::funny:
LOL...GREAT idea!:thumbsup:

[Magic Smiles]

Get a water pistol and tell them that you are putting out an uncontrolled fire!! :blush:

You could make a fortune with this idea. I'd buy one for sure.

[Tinkerfreak]

We just came back a couple of weeks ago and I had a couple of instances with smokers. The first one was in front of the Imagination Pavillion. There was a woman walking up to the building and she was smoking. A great cm approached her and very tactfully pointed out the nearest smoking area. Instead of going to the smoking area she proceeded to bend over (in a very short skirt) and put her ciggy out on the ground. Her undies were showing and the poor cm's face turned red as a beet. DH was laughing.
The second time was while walking through WS on Friday night nov. 2nd. There was a guy walking in front of me and smoking. Not only did the smoke get in my face but he almost burned me with the cigarette when he had to stop quickly. I did say "excuse me" but he either ignored me or did not speak english because he continued on with his cigarette in hand.
When we first checked into the Poly the person in the room next to us was either smoking on the balcony or in their room with the sliding door open because the smoke was coming into our room. It did not last long though, either someone spoke to them or they checked out because we did not smell it again for the rest of our trip.

[jillluvsdisney]

I was just at WDW 2 weeks ago. I went to all parks (except MGM)and Downtown Disney. I saw very,very little smoking outside of the designated areas. To me, it seemed like the new no smoking policy was being adhered to by guests. In my room at WL, I read something about being fined 250 to 500 dollars for smoking in the room or poatio/balcony.

[illini]

We just left on Sunday. I didn't find it to be much of an issue, thankfully. There were a handful of people that I saw outside smoking areas, but I wouldn't say it was rampant. I did say something to a man walking down Main Street at opening with a lit cigarette in his hand (how stupid can you be, really?), but he ignored me. A CM nabbed him a few feet later, though. :thedolls:
At the Poly, the only smoking area that I even realized existed was next to the GCH. Wasn't thrilled about the location as I had to walk through it, but it only seemed to be used in the evenings when 'Ohana was in full swing.

[Magic Smiles]

On our last trip this past Dec 07, I have to say that not a day went by without seeing smokers smoking in non-smoking areas. I think that the worst place was at our resort - POFQ. Individuals were walking around smoking at the resort and even smoking outside their rooms on the balcony. When I mentioned the smoking areas to one individual, their reply was they were not smoking cigarettes. No they were smoking a cigar, everyday while walking by my room. Silly me, I guess that makes it acceptable.

[berri_boo]

CAUTION: This post is not meant to be rude towards the courteous smokers!

We noticed a lot of people smoking outside of the designated smoking areas. We stayed at POP and had someone staying right next door who was a smoker and smoked outside on the balcony! Well....when she went in her room she would leave the unsmoked portion of her cig outside of her door...well....we would toss that sucker right in the garbage every time!!!! (of course not touching it with our hands!) What we would also do is try to :blush:fart or burp:blush: every time we passed a very inconsiderate smoker smoking outside of the designated areas. We don't want to be smelling their stench so we decided to share some of ours & see how they liked it!

I've just come to the conclusion that most (I'm saying most...not all) smokers are very inconsiderate people and they don't take their surroundings into consideration when they are lighting up for their daily/hourly dose of cancer. I really hate it when I see an adult carrying a child and puffing away on their cancer stick....it :ack:disgusts:ack: me to no end!:mad:

Telling a CM isn't going to accomplish anything because there are way too many smokers that light up anywhere their tiny heart desires.....it's the case of the "Jones's"...one does it & they all think they can do it!