Rumor - Overheard Smoking Conversation

[kathleena]

So I was walking thru the BoardWalk Lobby, near the penny machines and the little store. A group of women came around the corner, lead by a Cast Member. It looked like some kind of a tour group.

So one of the women asked the CM - "So is everything non-smoking at Disney?" the CM replied "Not yet - but we are moving in that direction soon."

Hey, I'm just reporting them as I hear them, but those were the exact words, I wrote them down in my little book so I would remember!

[greenban]

Yeah!

Allright!

WooHooo!

I hope so!

-Tony

[Jellyrolls]

So one of the women asked the CM - "So is everything non-smoking at Disney?" the CM replied "Not yet - but we are moving in that direction soon."

I'd settle for 100% smoke free hotels, a smoke free Jellyrolls, and better enforcement of smoking only in the smoking areas in the parks.

[Topaz]

That would be great!

[Daddio]

Yep, non smoking would be great. Now here's an interesting fact and I am asking greenban for his stats too because he knows. In the last 70 or so reservations I have made for friends and guests of mine, not one has requested smoking. And no, we were not all members of the same "no smoking" club.

[DrBabe]

As a public health professional I can only say hurrah. And I second the motion for better control of smoking in parks. While waiting for Lion King I was not in a smoking area, but guests from another country sat down and started smoking. That started me back on a cough that I'd spent a good bit of winter trying to knock down. It would have been my fault had a chosen to wait in a smoking area, but I wasn't! America doesn't do everything right, but here is something we are getting our arms around and I think Disney actually needs to do more publicity about smoking areas for different countries have different views on the acceptability of smoking.

[Big Red]

Totally non-smoking Disney would be a wonderful thing. Nothing makes me more unhappy than discovering a nice quite out of the way place in one of the parks only to find out it is a smoking area.

I feel bad for the people who have been smoking for years and can't quit because it truly is an addiction but if society continues to ban public smoking hopefully it will be a different world in about 20 years. We can only hope.

[Moley]

This is a good discussion, but I opened the thread thinking you overhead a smmmokin' conversation. I was prepared to hear that two CM's were heard discussing Sanjaya's appearance at the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique....as a stylist.

[sandymouse]

This is a good discussion, but I opened the thread thinking you overhead a smmmokin' conversation. I was prepared to hear that two CM's were heard discussing Sanjaya's appearance at the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique....as a stylist.

Moley you are too funny!:lol:

[Mickey4Us]

That would be nice. Often you find a place to sit only to see it is a smoking section. Some enforcement of the smoking section would be nice as well. I got stuck walking behind several smokers on our last trip who did not read the signs......

[WillCAD]

Much as I hate being anywhere near a smoker, I wouldn't like to see WDW become 100% non-smoking.

If there were no designated smoking areas in the parks, people would simply light up anywhere they wanted, far more so than the small percentage who break the rules now.

If there were no smoking rooms in the resorts, people would simply smoke in their rooms, stinkifying them and increasing the costs to get them cleaned and de-funked between Guests.

I would much rather see more enforcement of the existing smoking restrictions in the parks, and better and more consistant policies at the resorts. Tops on the list would be establishing outdoor smoking areas in the public areas, and banning smoking on balconies and patios in the non-smoking sections. The balcony thing is very inconsistant now; some CMs will tell you it's okay, others wil tell you it's not, even at the same resort.

For those who violate the policy, especialy those who smoke in attraction queues, I wouldn't mind seeing some park ejections for repeat violators. It would be difficult to enforce, but perhaps when you get a warning you would have to swipe your park pass through a machine like the PhotoPass photographers carry. Three Lucky Strikes, and you're out!

[Big Red]

For those who violate the policy, especialy those who smoke in attraction queues, I wouldn't mind seeing some park ejections for repeat violators. It would be difficult to enforce, but perhaps when you get a warning you would have to swipe your park pass through a machine like the PhotoPass photographers carry. Three Lucky Strikes, and you're out!

:lol: :lol: WillCAD I like the way you think. "Three Lucky Strikes" LOL

[Bookwood]

As a non-smoker married to a smoker I agree with Will. Although Mike doesn't smoke in the house (or indoors at all that I know of- maybe at work)-Why should he not be able to smoke anywhere on Disney property? Smoking is a health hazardand effects people different ways- but it is still legal. Until it is illegal I'd hate to see Disney enforce a strick 100% non-smoking policy- for the reasons Will suggested mostly but alos because although it's not a popular idea- smokers have rights too!

[Moley]

Love the Three Lucky Strikes phrase, Will! :lol:

[kathleena]

Keep in mind I was in a resort - so she may have meant the resorts - and also check the thread just posted by Dave about resorts non-smoking........looks like that IS what she meant.

I think smoking sections in parks are appropriate until the state laws make it otherwise. I do believe in smokers rights, but I do not believe they have the right to smoke outside of the designated smoking areas.

Nothing makes me more irritated than seeing someone walking with their cigarette at child eye-level!!!! If you can't go without a cig for another 10 minutes, then you should see a shrink about your serious problem. and being an ex-smoker, I know what I'm talking about.....

[tdelaney]

I noticed more non-compliant smoking last trip (March). I wouldn't dare say anything, but I did think about it when in queues. That's the worst. Nowhere to retreat! I didn't see a CM to ask for assistance, and really, it seemed so petty.

Anyone ever said anything to anyone else about not smoking outside of the designated areas?

[greenban]

AT mouseowners another member saw a posted non smoking as of June 1, 2007 on the dvcmembers.com site. However, by the time I got there it was gone, even a search didn't find it.

However, I called Member Services and spoke with a Advisor, 'Donna', who confirmed she received an email today, stating DVCs smoke-free as of June 1, 2007.

Now folks, not only is this Disney, but it is the DVC, so who knows what the truth actually is. But FWIW, I believe it is happening!

-Tony

[Princess Madelyn's Daddy]

Hey as a non-smoker I think people should be able to smoke anywhere they want.....AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT EXHALE;):p . I agree there should always be a designated smoking area because there will always be people who smoke.

[geffric]

I'd settle for 100% smoke free hotels, a smoke free Jellyrolls, and better enforcement of smoking only in the smoking areas in the parks.:mrgreen: :partytime2:

Yep ! hoping for a smoke free Jellyrolls for the 5th annual Jellyrolls meet..

[BetsyAnn]

And here is an article about the change

http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2007/04/30/daily19.html?jst=b_ln_hl

Interesting - will be very interested in seeing where they locate designated smoking areas on the grounds. I tend to thing like Will - it may cause people to smoke in the rooms and then that will become a mess.

[geffric]

here is the article from Allears..

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels Go Smoke-Free: Walt Disney World Resort Senior Vice President for Operations Erin Wallace announced today that 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. 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.
For the full press release: http://allearsnet.com/news/hnews.htm#050107 (http://m1e.net/c?20301498-phHNTzJjySDeI%402435781-ToYGRFEKe9tT2)

[Robin]

There's also a thread on this on the DVC board, so as former smoker, I posted some thoughts over there too.

Now I have to wonder, are they going to be taking all the smoking rooms out of circulation now for a total rehab? Non-smokers aren't going to want them, and smokers can no longer smoke in them.

It really suprises me how little warning they are giving people (unless they have a plan to address this they aren't publicizing). They also seem to be making the switch awfully close to the busy season. Are they planning to just do a heavy cleaning and then relabel them as non-smoking?

[kathleena]

ooops - i meant to post this on the other smoking thread...er...thread about non-smoking rooms

[castleri]

AT mouseowners another member saw a posted non smoking as of June 1, 2007 on the dvcmembers.com site. However, by the time I got there it was gone, even a search didn't find it.

However, I called Member Services and spoke with a Advisor, 'Donna', who confirmed she received an email today, stating DVCs smoke-free as of June 1, 2007.

Now folks, not only is this Disney, but it is the DVC, so who knows what the truth actually is. But FWIW, I believe it is happening!

-Tony

Here is the policy as posted on DVC member site - For those who think smoking will happen in rooms you may be interested in the last paragraph.

Just wonder where the smoking areas will be at the resorts.

New Smoke-Free Policy
Disney-owned-and-operated hotels at the Walt Disney World® Resort, including all Disney Vacation Club Resorts, will be non-smoking by June.

"We make adjustments to our operations based on Guest demand," said Erin Wallace, Senior Vice President for Operations at the Walt Disney World Resort. "This policy complements our efforts to provide our Guests with the healthy-living options they are requesting."

During the past five years, Guest demand for smoking rooms at the Walt Disney World Resort has declined steadily. In fact, at the time of the policy change, less than 3.5 percent of Walt Disney World Resort hotel rooms allowed smoking. This new policy is designed to better accommodate the increasing number of Guests requesting smoke-free rooms. This trend isn't specific to the Walt Disney World Resort. According to the American Automobile Association, more travelers are requesting smoke-free environments.

The new policy applies to all Guest rooms, patios and balconies, and designates outdoor smoking areas at all resorts affected by the change. Guests who violate the policy by smoking in their rooms, or on their rooms' balconies or patios, will be assessed a room-recovery fee (no impact on Members' Annual Dues) to cover the costs of a deep-cleaning process, which may include the replacement of air filters, extraction of carpet, and the cleaning or replacing of drapes, comforters, blankets and pillows.

[Cookie123]

Hi Everyone ! :wave: I, for one, am very glad that Disney resorts are totally non-smoking. I am very much a non-smoker with asthma.

Please ..... let me tell you this recent, sort of funny, story.

My Mom and I were driving a short while en route to the casino at Saratoga, N.Y. ( Called a ... Racino ). This is fun, and my Mom and I are close, so it's a fun afternoon. I am very much a non-smoker, but my Mom is a chain smoker. We stopped at a Stewart's store to get some bottled water and a snack. ( cupcakes ). I will not let my Mom smoke in my car, so we had these snacks just outside my car. It was a breezy day, so my Mom was having trouble lighting her cigarette. So she quickly opened the back door of the car to shield herself from the wind ..... bent down .....
and lit her cigarette with a lighter ....... Just two inches away from the gas cap !!!! :yikes: :yowsa: :yikes:


Nothing bad happenned, but I was not too happy about it, and I let her know that !