Bizarre Smoking Locations

[catne]

This thread should be CLOSED per BOARD POLICY.

which policy...please post link? Thought I was quite familiar with board policies by this point, must have missed something somewhere.

 

[Finally08]

The castle location is really really bad.
But the worst was when we stayed at AKL....you had to walk through the smoking section to get to the buses. I sure hope they've changed that....paying $350 a night for a room and having a kid with respiratory problems - yeah I don't want to inhail your tar as I try to catch a bus.

 

[pwdebbie]

I've only been twice and so I might just not have been observant, but does Disney put up signs indicating an area is a smoking area or do you just have to know by looking at the map? I know dh and I walked through that walkway near the castle and were surprised to find ourselves in a smoking area. Since dh has a lung condition, we absolutely have to avoid cigarette smoke (or any smoke, for that matter) as much as possible. If I had seen a sign indicating that I was entering a smoking area, I would have taken a different route.

 

[catne]

I've only been twice and so I might just not have been observant, but does Disney put up signs indicating an area is a smoking area or do you just have to know by looking at the map? I know dh and I walked through that walkway near the castle and were surprised to find ourselves in a smoking area. Since dh has a lung condition, we absolutely have to avoid cigarette smoke (or any smoke, for that matter) as much as possible. If I had seen a sign indicating that I was entering a smoking area, I would have taken a different route.

the DSA are on the maps (though people have mentioned the maps not necessarily being updated when they change DSA locations) but also the actual area has a sign. But I think the signs are kind of hard to spot if you're not looking for them (like if you're just walking through the area you might not notice the sign.)

 

[WilsonFlyer]

which policy...please post link? Thought I was quite familiar with board policies by this point, must have missed something somewhere.

My apologies. It is against policy in the DVC sections. I just assumed it was board-wide. Weird.

So it's OK for some of these folks to categorically criticize smokers, their families and the way they treat the same (read some of the prior posts)? If that's the case, can I freely assume that I can respond without fear of reprecusions deemed personal attacks by me and without fear of banishment or penalty?

I will not sit idly by and watch people categorically smeared for a lifestyle choice that people make as adults and not respond, yet if I do, I will be called out for personal attacks.

That's just horse manure and that's why it should be closed.

I will respond if it is allowed to continue and my responses will not be popular with non-smokers. Disney decides where we can smoke and this thread has deviated on several occasions from the OP's apparent sincere intentions. Whether you agree with Disney's allocated smoking areas or not is up to you. There's really nothing to discuss.

Vote with your $$$ and don't go to WDW or buy stock and throw out the leadership and tell them why. Your choice.

 

[kaffinito]

The one by Aloha Aisle really bothers me. After I get my Dole Whip, I need to sit down and eat it. It isn't something I can easily walk and eat at the same time. There are always a lot of smokers at this spot. I hate the "taste" of smoke in my Dole Whip. It is something I get to eat once a year, so I'd like to enjoy it.

There is a covered seating area right next to Aloha Aisle where the non smokers can go and sit in the shade at a nice table to eat. Non smokers don't have to go over to the DSA in order to enjoy their treats.

The castle location is really really bad.
But the worst was when we stayed at AKL....you had to walk through the smoking section to get to the buses. I sure hope they've changed that....paying $350 a night for a room and having a kid with respiratory problems - yeah I don't want to inhail your tar as I try to catch a bus.

As mentioned earlier, they did move the DSA to further over by the driveway area. That was a stupid place to put a DSA IMO.

 

[larryz]

NOw.... All Star Movies - the "Reel Spot" - perfect DSA - big, covered, about oh, a dozen tables and chairs there, ceiling fans. Nope, went last August and noticed it now has non smoking signs, that it's part of food court.
Now... we've been there August, November and March - and out of three trips only ONE time have I ever seen anyone eating in there. otherwise... it's EMPTY! When it used to be a DSA - there would ALWAYS be people in there.
and it was not in the way of nonsmokers, nice and tucked in there, perfect for smokers. Now.... nearby there they put a bench, and there's always people there. August one night I counted 18 smokers out there at that bench - and yep, the "reel spot" - had zero people in there.

Well, then, thanks to the considerate smokers who were NOT smoking in a "no smoking" area.

 

[dwsandy]

My apologies. It is against policy in the DVC sections. I just assumed it was board-wide. Weird.

So it's OK for some of these folks to categorically criticize smokers, their families and the way they treat the same (read some of the prior posts)? If that's the case, can I freely assume that I can respond without fear of reprecusions deemed personal attacks by me and without fear of banishment or penalty?

I will not sit idly by and watch people categorically smeared for a lifestyle choice that people make as adults and not respond, yet if I do, I will be called out for personal attacks.

That's just horse manure and that's why it should be closed.

I will respond if it is allowed to continue and my responses will not be popular with non-smokers. Disney decides where we can smoke and this thread has deviated on several occasions from the OP's apparent sincere intentions. Whether you agree with Disney's allocated smoking areas or not is up to you. There's really nothing to discuss.

Vote with your $$$ and don't go to WDW or buy stock and throw out the leadership and tell them why. Your choice.

I haven't heard anyone criticize the smokers. I personally have nothing against anyone who chooses to smoke. People are responding to the post about the smoking areas that are odd. I don't believe there is any ill intent.

 

[steph73]

The castle location is really really bad.
But the worst was when we stayed at AKL....you had to walk through the smoking section to get to the buses. I sure hope they've changed that....paying $350 a night for a room and having a kid with respiratory problems - yeah I don't want to inhail your tar as I try to catch a bus.

I'm sorry, but this kind of made me crack up when I read it, thinking about all of the exhaust and fumes buses shoot out.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

The outside the back of Pop seems an odd location to me. Prettty much every guest has to walk thourgh that area at least twice a day. More or less to do anything other than sleep or swim, you have to go to the main building (unless you don't use the buses, food court, concierge or gift shop for anything during your stay). Small kids are visually exposed to smokers each trip. I mean, kids are going to see a certain amount of smoking, but why put it front and center? It just seems an odd choice to me. This also includes folks who have asthma or ohter health issues - like even those trying to quit. It's almost impossible to enter the amin building without going through that cloud, unless you walk allthe way around the building, or you room is on the far side of the resort. the smokers are doing there part and going to a sanctioned area, it's just an odd choice. Perhaps along the side of the building a few feet over woudl make more snese - especially if there was some srubs or something to redirect the smoke.

 

[Pig Pen]

I just returned from a trip to WDW with my sister who recently started smoking again. Looking for DSAs was a new experience for me. I agree that the one near the castle is simply ridiculous. My sister was very uncomfortable using it.

Also, it was difficult for us to find the DSAs on the map as neither of us wore our "secret x-ray vision glasses" into the park and the smoking symbol is microscopic. While looking for the above mentioned location, we wandered into Belle's story time area...my sister was HOPING this was the smoking area (secluded with seats and nicely themed). Nope.

We stayed at ASMU where the smoking area was a set of benches near the Magical Express check-in. Most of the time there were a dozen people huddled together like refugees from another planet. We usually walked along the parking lot to our room so she could smoke w/o bothering others. She illegally (we think) smoked way back behind the new restroom for Space Mountain. There is a nice secluded alcove back there which would be perfect for a smoking area.

I am not condoning smoking at all, but c'mon...let's at least give people a decent place to sit and relax away from the crowds and walkways.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

HATE HATE HATE that spot! I always forget about it until we are in it too, and I feel so bad if we have DD with us. I rush her through as fast as I can. There are always people smoking that have kids in strollers in there with them to, and that upsets me. My Dad died due to second hand smoke, and I know three kids who have really bad asthma who have smoker parents (which studies show parents' smoking, even if just on their clothes can make a kid's asthma much worse, or even cause it), so I'm very sensitive to that kind of thing. I'm not coming down on smokers in general they have a right to do what they want to their own body, just on the fact that is a very bad place for a smoking area, and some of the smokers bring very little children and park them in there and expose them to the heavy smoke.

I haven't heard anyone criticize the smokers. I personally have nothing against anyone who chooses to smoke. People are responding to the post about the smoking areas that are odd. I don't believe there is any ill intent.

^

 

[WilsonFlyer]

<snip>We stayed at ASMU where the smoking area was a set of benches near the Magical Express check-in. Most of the time there were a dozen people huddled together like refugees from another planet. We usually walked along the parking lot to our room so she could smoke w/o bothering others. She illegally (we think) smoked way back behind the new restroom for Space Mountain. There is a nice secluded alcove back there which would be perfect for a smoking area.

I'm quite certain it's not illegal to smoke in MK. It's a Disney rule, but it's certainly not a FL statute.
Disney's rules do not make them laws by any stretch of the imagination, my friend.

I am not condoning smoking at all, but c'mon...let's at least give people a decent place to sit and relax away from the crowds and walkways.

And we want the same.

 

[Millermom0606]

You found one post out of 33 on a sensitive subject where someone expressed an opinion that they DIDN'T like something the smokers were doing.... woo hoo....

I always thought the one going to the buses at AKL was weird, but for the most part, being a nonsmoker and having three almost four small kiddos, I think Disney does a great job! Just b/c someone smokes doesn't make them a leper but not everyone wants to share in it either..... so I think they do the best they can

 

[WilsonFlyer]

You found one post out of 33 on a sensitive subject where someone expressed an opinion that they DIDN'T like something the smokers were doing.... woo hoo....

Had I done that defending smokers, it would have been considered a personal attack and I would have been reprimanded yet you get away with it.

 

[brunette8706]

I say let the smokers be, if they are in the designated area. Sheesh. Now, I have personally seen smokers walking around the MK with a cigarette in hand, that really makes it bad for all the other smokers, because it's simply not fair. But as far a designated areas I say let them do their smokin!

 

[scdisneyguy]

I personally come from both sides of this topic. I smoked for years, recently stopped, within the last 3 months, so next trip to the world will be my first as a non-smoker as an adult. I never smoked around my kids, in my house or in my car, but that is just my opinion and choice. I don't think any different of those who do, just something I wasn't comfortable with. Heck for many years my kids never even saw me with a cig, I did that on purpose again, my choice. I believe that some of the DSA's are in odd places. However, the reason this is a touchy subject is because people handle and approach it in different ways. Once I was at BCV in a DSA and some non-smokers came thru and made some comments about how I need to respect others, those were the types I didn't like as a smoker. I bit my tongue and just pointed to the sign.

As far as DSA's go the one at the Aloha Isle always drew comments or looks when I was there smoking , as well as the one previosly mentioned near the Noodle station. They need to use better sense when deciding DSA;s I believe.

 

[TDC Nala]

There's one at AK behind Chester and Hester's in a nice isolated nook...problem is, there is a dinosaur statue in the nook also. The kids see the dinosaur and go running to it. The parents then either drag the kids away or give the smokers the hairy eyeball (or both), even though it's a designated smoking area. Have even seen a parent give the smokers what for because they're smoking next to something so attractive to children. Not the smokers' fault, if that's where the designated area is.

 

[squirrel]

I think the one on the back side of Pop is one of the worst locations. The second worst is the one right by the bar. There is no way to get to the laundry but to walk past one of the smoking sections-unless you want to walk all the way over to another section of the resort to do your laundry.

I have to enter/exit by the food court.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think the one on the back side of Pop is one of the worst locations. The second worst is the one right by the bar. There is no way to get to the laundry but to walk past one of the smoking sections-unless you want to walk all the way over to another section of the resort to do your laundry.

I have to enter/exit by the food court.

Really? You can't just come up the side/back path and avoid the smokers?