(CLOSED) The Smoking DSA's @ Resorts Info Thread

[krbq]

Did you check the map link in the first post in this thread? The Pop Century one will show you where all the Pop Century designated smoking areas are. About 25% of the rooms at Pop are Preferred; and there are, if I recall correctly, a relatively high number of DSAs.

Are these maps of the resorts being kept up-to-date? The map of the Polynesian looks suspiciously wrong to me.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I don't know - if you've been to the Polynesian recently and have a map you can scan and send to this board's Moderators, they can update the information.

 

[ken skellington]

Hi all, we just got back from AKL. What a great time we had! I was concerned about having only 2 smoking areas but they were not too bad. There is one in the front on the way to the bus stops and one in the back beside the spa. We were in the closest building to the main building on Zebra trail. Only took about 2-3 minutes to walk down. The only holdback was they are not covered but they had benches. We were blessed with dry weather the whole time we were there except on the last day it poured rain and unless you had an umbrella you would get soaked.

i agree. we just got back from AKL on Wednesday and stayed there for a week in a standard room on the Ostrich Trail - we even had a balcony (partial) view of the savannah and saw giraffes and ostriches daily! fun!! anyway, there are 2 smoking sections and as long as you a close to the main elevators, you will be fine - it is just a short walk down to the main smoking section by the spa and the one outside the lodge by the bus stop isn't far either from the entrance. i was worried and we almost changed resorts. i am glad we didn't. i have to say, though, that it didn't feel all that "deluxe" to me and we will probably stay at a moderate again next time - probably Port Orleans. this was our first time in a deluxe and AKL didn't have the same kind of Disney Magic that we felt at Port Orleans. But, the smoking sections we NOT an issue.

 

[dieutiger]

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[dieutiger]

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[englishrose47]

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What!!!??????

 

[DrmWvr1299]

I forgot to add to my earlier post about the smoking enforcement at AKL. I had talked to a lady that had 1-2 smokes on her balcony the first night she was there. She was truely not aware of the no smoking except in DSA. She said 2 security people came to her door and were ready give her what for. She told them that she was not aware that she could not smoke on the balcony. Security told her that all balconies are being monitored and absolutely no smoking was allowed. They left giving her a stern warning and told her that it would be the only warning she would get and from that point on she would be fined $250 for each instance. No one at check in told me about the no smoking. I had actually witnessed a man asking a CM where the smoking areas were and the CM told him he could smoke anywhere as long as he was discrete . I told him not to do it...

 

[DVCconvert]

and from that point on she would be fined $250 for each instance.

This contradicts SOPs and what has been posted previously. Specifically that the room recovery fee is per stay, not per instance.

 

[krbq]

I don't know - if you've been to the Polynesian recently and have a map you can scan and send to this board's Moderators, they can update the information.

No, we visited the grounds in October and have reservations to stay there in May but I don't have a map. I've heard that DSA's have been eliminated and just had that confirmed in an e-mail from a staff member at the Polynesian. She said there are NO covered DSA's any longer because of ventilation issues, and this includes the seating area outside of the arcade. I didn't ask specifically about the DSA's in longhouses like Aotearoa, which has (or had?) a DSA under cover on the 2nd story stairwell. She said there is a "very nice" area with seating by the volcano pool. Frankly, I'm not willing to take the chance that that DSA will still be there by May. Even if it is, it's a bit of a hike from our building. We're going to cancel.

When we were at WDW in October the Epcot maps had just been updated in September with new locations for the DSA's. By the time we got there in October they had been changed again and we had a difficult time finding them. Often they turned out to be just a trash can with an ash tray on top. After that one morning, DH wouldn't go back to Epcot the whole 2 weeks we were at WDW.

 

[darlak]

When we were at WDW in October the Epcot maps had just been updated in September with new locations for the DSA's. By the time we got there in October they had been changed again and we had a difficult time finding them. Often they turned out to be just a trash can with an ash tray on top. After that one morning, DH wouldn't go back to Epcot the whole 2 weeks we were at WDW.

In late September/early October, many of the DSA's at Epcot were temporarily relocated due to the Food & Wine Festival.

 

[BrandNewbie]

When we go in June we will be travelling with my BIL who (I think) is a smoker. Has any one requested a room because of its location near a DSA or do you worry that will bring more scrutiny? Any tips on a good location at SSR to be near a good DSA or places to avoid given the distance to DSAs? TIA

 

[englishrose47]

When we go in June we will be travelling with my BIL who (I think) is a smoker. Has any one requested a room because of its location near a DSA or do you worry that will bring more scrutiny? Any tips on a good location at SSR to be near a good DSA or places to avoid given the distance to DSAs? TIA

Sorry don't know about SSR But at Pop I always request a room close to a DSA and that hasn't caused me any problems !!

 

[ChelleinNC]

When we go in June we will be travelling with my BIL who (I think) is a smoker. Has any one requested a room because of its location near a DSA or do you worry that will bring more scrutiny? Any tips on a good location at SSR to be near a good DSA or places to avoid given the distance to DSAs? TIA

First, Welcome to the Dis!

Ok, onto what you really want to know: SSR is actually very smoker friendly IMO. There are DSA's outside each building, that are very convenient.

 

[ChelleinNC]

double post

 

[smidgy]

first off.. Hi chellie!!!!

ok, just got back. MK still has many DSAs. the one on the north end of frontierland, but before splash, is set a little further back, which is fine.
EPCOT! OMG! did they do away with the smoking areas there! our favorite one in the UK garden by british invasion is gone, as is the one by the fountain (which is really silly, cause it was set WAY back (someone would have to go way out of their way to walk past it), as is the one in norway, which also was out of the way. there was another one by germany, I think (off to the right, if you start out at mexico) that disappeared. they also did away with the one by coral reef (which was way out of the way, in an "inlet" that there was no reason to walk by it, unless you were going to smoke). on that whole side of future world there is only the one between the Land and the (lack of)Imagination pavillion. there is none in the middle. on the other side of future worl there are 3. one near guest relations, one hidden in a courtyard between Mission Space and the now defunct Wonders of life, and (thankfully) the one by Test Track. thankfully, the one by the China gardens is still there. the one just outside Le Cellier (canada) is gone.
at AK, they did away with a few. a CM told us there were only 3, but we counted 4.
at MGM (sorry, Hollywood studios) the one BETWEEN TOT and Aerosmith is gone, but there is one way back behind TOT now. (not so good for us "chickens" awaiting the rest of our party doing the 2 thrill rides. other than that , Ididn't notice many other changes there.
I did notice a few people walking with a cig.,(don't remember which park) which upset me. hubby and I are very concientious smokers and I feel the more they do away with convenient DSA's, the more often inconsiderate people will disregard the rules.

Disney actually did a test.... how far will people walk with a piece of trash before they will throw it on the ground...and placed their trash cans accordingly. ..... just sayin'..........

smokers... PLLEEAASE!! obey the rules! if my hubby, (who smokes EVERY waking moment! at home) can abide by the rules.. so can you! before they do away with them all!

and to disney, if they think eliminating many DSA's will solve the smoking problem, it will not. give us a convenient place to smoke, and we will go there.(and those who don't obey the rules, won't anyway) make it more difficult, and those of us who come 2-3 times a year and obey the rules, will cut down our trips, and the others who don't read the DIS or even KNOW about the rules will just disregard the rules anyway.

I think the DSAs are a good idea. my DIL can't stand to be around smoke, and I don't smoke around my grandson. just give us a convenient place to go.

RESORTS: we stayed first at POP. ask for a room along the lake. there are numerous DSA.s along the walkway. however, the dsa near the bowling pin pool (50s section) has done away with the benches . there is still room for the 2 benches that used to be there, they just took them away.

but there ARE ashtrays (big buckets) at most of the tables near the bar at the hippy dippy pool. and you can still smoke near the food court.

BOARDWALK: we got lucky there. we rented points, and were in a 1st floor room,.( we were kind of disapointed, wanted a "balcony", not a patio.) but it worked out great! we were in the middle between the Luna pool and the villas quiet pool, both had a DSA right outside the door way. and even though the elevators (which we didn't need) were a bit of a walk, there are stairwells RIGHT by the exits to the DSA's. (so a 2nd floor wouldn't be bad at all!) and there are a few DSAs along the boardwalk. I would say the boardwalk is smoker friendly (unless you were on the 4th floor with a long walk to the elevators.
by the way, the bridge between the boardwalk and the beach club is a GREAT place to watch Illuminations, if you don't do the park that day.

one more thing (boy, I do go on!!!! ) I noticed in a few DSA's in the parks: cig butts ON THE GROUND!!!! I know you dissers would NEVER do this, but spread the word we smokers have a bad enough "REP"! USE the ashtrays! before we are outlawed altogether!

on a lighter note, NEBO's fav DSA is still there!!! take a PIC of yourself in the rocking chair by big thunder!!!

 

[krissy2803]

Hiya Smidgy!
Looks like you encountered the same things I did last December. I could not believe what they did to the DSA's in Epcot!

As for Pop..the last time I was there I had a smoking room. (few years ago)

My favorite resort so far has been CBR. There are great DSA's with tables and chairs. Very nice!

 

[kaytieeldr]

on the other side of future worl there are 3. one near guest relations,

Oh, is that most-idiotically-located-EVER DSA still there? The one RIGHT outside the restrooms? Yet they continue to ban smoking in the unused corner outside Mouse Gears, opposite the fountain - which, as you point out, one would have to intentionally approach (never mind that a nonsmoker would thus have PLENTY of time to realize that people are smoking there)!

Question on the butts on the ground (and I'm NOT excusing that): did you also notice if the ashtrays were full at the time? I know there were times I was tempted to just dump the ashtrays in the trash myself, to make room for new butts, but that would've eliminated the rocks or sand as well.

 

[ChelleinNC]

Welcome home Smidgy!

all bold by me, with respones/?'s in magenta

first off.. Hi chellie!!!!

ok, just got back. MK still has many DSAs. the one on the north end of frontierland, but before splash, is set a little further back, which is fine.
EPCOT! OMG! did they do away with the smoking areas there! our favorite one in the UK garden by british invasion is gone, as is the one by the fountain (which is really silly, cause it was set WAY back (someone would have to go way out of their way to walk past it), as is the one in norway, which also was out of the way.
Are you sure? It was there but in a slightly different spot in December
there was another one by germany, I think (off to the right, if you start out at mexico) that disappeared. they also did away with the one by coral reef (which was way out of the way, in an "inlet" that there was no reason to walk by it, unless you were going to smoke). on that whole side of future world there is only the one between the Land and the (lack of)Imagination pavillion.
Used to love that DSA but ever since they got rid of the other ones, this one has become crowded & dirty. I hope it's better now, I was very disappointed with the overflowing trash cans & ash tray there
there is none in the middle. on the other side of future worl there are 3. one near guest relations, one hidden in a courtyard between Mission Space and the now defunct Wonders of life, and (thankfully) the one by Test Track. thankfully, the one by the China gardens is still there. the one just outside Le Cellier (canada) is gone.
at AK, they did away with a few. a CM told us there were only 3, but we counted 4.
We must have spent half an hour looking for the one on the path between Africa & Asia before realizing that they must have gotten rid of it

at MGM (sorry, Hollywood studios) the one BETWEEN TOT and Aerosmith is gone, but there is one way back behind TOT now. (not so good for us "chickens" awaiting the rest of our party doing the 2 thrill rides. other than that , Ididn't notice many other changes there.
The one by Aerosmith was really confusing people when we were there. The amount of people that I saw & CM's told me about walking over there and lighting up on autopilot Disney, those of us that do follow the rules, know where the DSA's are. Stop moving them!

I've always liked the one behind ToT. DH could ride and know where I'd be when he was done. Less crowded and fun to watch people after riding ToT

I did notice a few people walking with a cig.,(don't remember which park) which upset me. hubby and I are very concientious smokers and I feel the more they do away with convenient DSA's, the more often inconsiderate people will disregard the rules.

Disney actually did a test.... how far will people walk with a piece of trash before they will throw it on the ground...and placed their trash cans accordingly. ..... just sayin'..........

smokers... PLLEEAASE!! obey the rules! if my hubby, (who smokes EVERY waking moment! at home) can abide by the rules.. so can you! before they do away with them all!

and to disney, if they think eliminating many DSA's will solve the smoking problem, it will not. give us a convenient place to smoke, and we will go there.(and those who don't obey the rules, won't anyway) make it more difficult, and those of us who come 2-3 times a year and obey the rules, will cut down our trips, and the others who don't read the DIS or even KNOW about the rules will just disregard the rules anyway.

I think the DSAs are a good idea. my DIL can't stand to be around smoke, and I don't smoke around my grandson. just give us a convenient place to go.

RESORTS: we stayed first at POP. ask for a room along the lake. there are numerous DSA.s along the walkway. however, the dsa near the bowling pin pool (50s section) has done away with the benches . there is still room for the 2 benches that used to be there, they just took them away.

but there ARE ashtrays (big buckets) at most of the tables near the bar at the hippy dippy pool. and you can still smoke near the food court.

BOARDWALK: we got lucky there. we rented points, and were in a 1st floor room,.( we were kind of disapointed, wanted a "balcony", not a patio.) but it worked out great! we were in the middle between the Luna pool and the villas quiet pool, both had a DSA right outside the door way. and even though the elevators (which we didn't need) were a bit of a walk, there are stairwells RIGHT by the exits to the DSA's. (so a 2nd floor wouldn't be bad at all!) and there are a few DSAs along the boardwalk. I would say the boardwalk is smoker friendly (unless you were on the 4th floor with a long walk to the elevators.
Let me say, those stairs get really old after a couple of days when you've been walking the park all day. And the out side locks, don't always work --we got locked out and had them not lock at all
by the way, the bridge between the boardwalk and the beach club is a GREAT place to watch Illuminations, if you don't do the park that day.
hmmm

"do NOT ruin the suspense modes" during ongoing trip reports!! )

Ok, that doesn't sound that suspensful but I won't tell Nebo anyways

one more thing (boy, I do go on!!!! ) I noticed in a few DSA's in the parks: cig butts ON THE GROUND!!!! I know you dissers would NEVER do this, but spread the word we smokers have a bad enough "REP"! USE the ashtrays! before we are outlawed altogether!

on a lighter note, NEBO's fav DSA is still there!!! take a PIC of yourself in the rocking chair by big thunder!!!

My "one last thing" is that I agree with all of your comments to Disney & to all of us. Let's all be respectul of others and behave responsibly

 

[TVEPFOX]

Which resort is more smoker friendly... Port Orleans Riverside or Wilderness Lodge?

 

[kaytieeldr]

IMO - if you look at the "resort smoking area" maps (and I realize there may have been some changes), Port Orleans, simply because it has more outside space and so would have more DSAs.