All resort non-smoking

[ammo]

You let someone drink and they can drive drunk... Need I connect any MORE dots. (More folks die from drunk driving accidents then the amount of second hand smoke they get at DISNEY!)

Another red herring. WDW's smoking ban is not designed to directly address the problems of society or reduce deaths from second-hand smoke, but simply to deal with business issues in the resorts. Alcohol has enormous societal consequences, including traffic fatalities, but these have almost no relevance to managing the DVC. Smoking has fewer societal consequences than alcohol, but more direct costs to Disney resorts in the form of maintenance and insurance costs -- Disney gets no extra fees from smokers to offset these costs (but the Mouse receives enormous cash flows from alcohol sales to offset any direct costs of drinking).

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I guess maybe we should charge another fee to have rooms examined after alcohol consumption so that I don't have to sit on chipped furniture too?

I have no absolute proof, but I would bet dollars to doughnuts that furniture chips are more often caused by unruly kids than drinking adults.

MG

 

[Disneyracingfan]

oh well It looks like I'm gonna have to go back to "chew" at WDW or is spitting not allowed? (I promise what ever is in the cup I'll drink after I'm done.)

 

[erikthewise]

Thanks to the mods for letting this thread continue. On the Resorts board (as of this afternoon) all threads on this topic were immediately locked. It's a major news item and people deserve the right to share their point of view.

 

[dannyh23]

Super soaker locked and loaded for this situation.

Thank you Dean for the great summary of all the issues. I've never had the chance to address one of your posts directly, but reading your insights and opinions regarding timeshares/DVC caused us to join DVC back in 2002.

It's been a great part of our lives and the lives of the family and friends we have been able to have join us ever since and into the future. Now it's even better with this new policy.

... and I'd love to see how far that Super Soaker can shoot!

 

[DVCconvert]

Thanks to the mods for letting this thread continue. On the Resorts board (as of this afternoon) all threads on this topic were immediately locked. It's a major news item and people deserve the right to share their point of view.

I completely disagree.

It is not (at the present time) "news" at all.
Find it on an official release or website and we'll talk!
This thread should be closed as it's permitting disharmony concerning a non-policy. We might as well ask "what if Bin Laden was in charge of WDW" and debate it.

 

[tjkraz]

Another red herring. WDW's smoking ban is not designed to directly address the problems of society or reduce deaths from second-hand smoke, but simply to deal with business issues in the resorts.

I wouldn't be surprised if it's a little of both.

About 6 months ago WDW altered many of its kids' menus to offer healthier selections. I kinda doubt that they are selling more Pita Pizzas than they did chicken nuggets and fries.

At the same time they revised the nutritional requirements for any licensing partners who use characters in their food products. I can't see the more stringent guidelines contributing to an increase in revenues in that area.

I'm sure there are very many financial elements to a move like this but I like to think that on some level Disney is just trying to be a leader in by driving change to benefit the greater good. I have to admit I wasn't crazy about the kids' menu changes when I first read about it, but during our subsequent trip both of my children (often picky eaters) found many selections to their liking. In several cases we bought them things that were healthier than previous offerings--things we wouldn't otherwise have chosen out of fear that it would just go uneaten--and the kids embraced it.

While some people may not feel they need Disney to dictate their morality, in this particular instance, I suspect about 97% of the people around them will be very grateful.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

While I think overall the non-smoking policy (assuming adequate outdoor areas are provided) is a good thing, I do understand the disappointment of the DVC members that smoke or have family members that smoke.

I agree completely.

I really hope that Disney's resorts provide pleasant and convenient smoking areas.

For example, if I understand jodifla correctly, she is concerned that the smoking situation ay OKW will be so inconvenient that it would essentially be impossible to her to take her wheelchair-bound father who smokes to WDW. She would like to be able to take her dad out the back door to the patio as a place where he could smoke. But that won't be an option under Disney's rules. What if she could take her father out the front door to a pleasant smoking area at every building? I really don't think that Disney will make guests walk from Turtle Pond Road to Miller Road to find a designated smoking area.

The balconies on the back of the building would be smoke-free, while smokers could still smoke in pleasant surroundings in a smoking area in front of the building.

The purchase, possession and USE of tobacco products is legal...these people should not be singled out for "punishment."

I really don't think smokers are being punished. Many perfectly legal activities are controlled.

Firewood is legal, but I can't make a campfire anywhere that I might want to. Tubas are legal, but I can't practice a tuba anywhere I want. Baseball bats are legal, but I can't practice my swing in a crowd of people. Radios are legal, but I can't play my boom box in a restaurant.

These activities can adversely affect other people. As with all analogies, these analogies are flawed. But these analogies are closer than the analogies between smoking and eating fatty foods or drinking a glass of wine.

Those of you who feel strongly against smoking should perhaps better spend your time lobbying your state or federal government to ban tobacco products, even under the counter.

I don't see anyone here trying to ban smoking. All I'm reading is a desire to avoid second-hand smoke and smoke residue. For some people it's just an annoyance; for other people it leads to physical reactions that range from mild to serious. That's why so many people are applauding the new rule.

 

[tjkraz]

I completely disagree.

It is not (at the present time) "news" at all.

The Orlando Sentinel seems to think it's news:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...html/orl-biznews-disney050107,0,4900455.story

Note the quote from a Disney VP confirming the policy change.

Do you know something we don't?

 

[disfountainofyouth]

Great news for the non smokers but there better be enough
designated smoking spots to allow those who smoke to
do so. Who's going to police this policy? What are the penalties
going to be?

 

[mjy]

I have no absolute proof, but I would bet dollars to doughnuts that furniture chips are more often caused by unruly kids than drinking adults. MG

Could be.

BUT, I do not think those same unruly kids are the ones who put burn holes in the furniture -- something that I have found on occasion when checking into my supposedly no smoking room.

 

[mjy]

Another side benefit . . . those of us looking for more point resale just may have a better chance now!

 

[DVCconvert]

Do you know something we don't?

Tim - I know that I don't believe everything that appears in the media.

"Dewey Defeats Truman" for example
- especially when there is no official confirmation that is independently verifiable from the media's verison of 'the story'.

 

[hrsmom]

The Orlando Sentinel seems to think it's news:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...html/orl-biznews-disney050107,0,4900455.story

Note the quote from a Disney VP confirming the policy change.

Do you know something we don't?

Orlando Business Journal has it too....

http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2007/04/30/daily18.html

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

Well I might as well throw my hat in this ring.

As most of you know, I do smoke, but I don't even smoke inside my own house, I go outside even in the dead freeze of winter. So this new policy does not really affect me personally, since we always went out to one of the ashtray areas at the resort anyway.

For any smokers who are worried about it, Really...it is painless. While we did fork over ALOT of $$ for DVC, we feel this is even MORE of a reason that it should be smoke free. Keep it nice. I paid too much for it to stink.

As far as the supersoakers...y'know, I was ecstatic when NY got rid of smoking in bars and restaurants, since even though I smoke, I HATED being in the cloud in places. It is just too much. And when you are eating?? EEW. I always went outside after we would finish dinner somewhere. But I digress. I don't know if basically assaulting people is the best choice. I know that personally, if I lit up say...standing outside of a door somewhere, not in a designated area at the resort, and was not aware of the rule about designated areas at the resort, and some idiot nailed me with a squirt gun, I would be livid and if there was any way to press charges, I would.

I mean, would it really be very adult of me, if someone was sitting on a bench in the smoking area, and they complained about the smoke, to blow it at them? They ARE in the smoking area. That would be assinine.

I know people who would say "to hell with the rule" and light up on a balcony. These same people would shatter your nose if you squirted them. Are they jerks? YES! But squirting them makes THEM the victim. Much better to let the front desk know and let them get stuck with a hefty cleaning fee.

This does concern me a little though.....the American public is way too worried about entitlement. I think many people will take this as a personal attack on them. And they will smoke in the room. And that will suck. I do hope not, but I think during the initial phase of this, that is exactly what is going to happen.

I mean, cripes, all hell broke loose when Disney tried to make kids eat fruit. I'll be in the smoking area watching the show.

 

[floridafam]

I do think it's kind of funny that so many things in life have to be regulated. I'm all for this change and I was all for the nutritional changes. As adults, we should have the smarts to realize that smoking and living on chicken nuggets and french fries are bad for us.

So many people don't, though, and that's why there are so many policies like this. Just my opinion.

 

[dannyh23]

Another side benefit . . . those of us looking for more point resale just may have a better chance now!

I'll be first in line to add more BCV points if they drop in price because some members aren't willing to walk to a designated smoking area to smoke and want to sell that bad!!!!

Then again, could be some people who have medical problems with smoke who now decide DVC is better for them since the creation of this policy...

 

[Chuck S]

The balconies on the back of the building would be smoke-free, while smokers could still smoke in pleasant surroundings in a smoking area in front of the building.

Unfortunately, at OKW, I would rather have people smoking on balconies than in front of the buildings where we'll have to walk through the lingering stale odor to get to and from our rooms. The balconies at OKW are far enough apart that smoke may have an effect on people directly above or below you, but probably not the entire building like having a designated smoking area in the front area of the buildings will.

 

[ammo]

I wouldn't be surprised if it's a little of both.

About 6 months ago WDW altered many of its kids' menus to offer healthier selections. I kinda doubt that they are selling more Pita Pizzas than they did chicken nuggets and fries.

At the same time they revised the nutritional requirements for any licensing partners who use characters in their food products. I can't see the more stringent guidelines contributing to an increase in revenues in that area.

I'm sure there are very many financial elements to a move like this but I like to think that on some level Disney is just trying to be a leader in by driving change to benefit the greater good. I have to admit I wasn't crazy about the kids' menu changes when I first read about it, but during our subsequent trip both of my children (often picky eaters) found many selections to their liking. In several cases we bought them things that were healthier than previous offerings--things we wouldn't otherwise have chosen out of fear that it would just go uneaten--and the kids embraced it.

While some people may not feel they need Disney to dictate their morality, in this particular instance, I suspect about 97% of the people around them will be very grateful.

That's why I said "directly." In the case of menu options, Disney sees this as a long-term trend with financial implications. You can go to other parts of the boards and find health-conscious parents complaining (even recently) about the limited number of healthy options for kids when trying to use CS credits under the DDP. Disney is doing nothing radically different in this case than what you see happening at fast food restaurants, where fries are no longer the only option for a side dish. I'm not saying that Disney should not be applauded for the menu changes, but this is part of a larger trend in society. And I don't really see this happening, including the smoking policy, unless it makes financial sense.

At the same time, Disney will continue to sell chicken strips and fries as long as there is significant demand. And as long as I frequent the parks, there will be a significant demand for fries, much to DW's dismay!

 

[jjk1107]

Tim - I know that I don't believe everything that appears in the media.

"Dewey Defeats Truman" for example
- especially when there is no official confirmation that is independently verifiable from the media's verison of 'the story'.

I can confirm that this policy is going into affect and has been communicated to all Disney employees. The same release that was provided to the media has been given to the employees and all you have to do is call them and ask if you do not believe what you are reading here.