Disney's smoking ban could be relieved a bit

[wdwpins]

I'm sorry, and you are entitled to your opinion (as am I) but this is just hypersensitive rubbish.

The smoking ban is fine the way it is, although they should probably consider having a building or floor (depending on the resort configuration) made smoking, but not allow smoking on the balconies because of the rising smoke issue.

The DSAs in the theme parks are for the most part well-placed. They are small and easily avoidable if you are paying any kind of attention. Smokers are already herded (well, the responsible and considerate ones are) into little enclaves like lepers; I think that's enough ostracization for them.

Seriously, IF (and that's a big if!) everyone followed the rules that are now in place, you are about as likely to get sick from second-hand smoke as you are from breathing in fumes from the buses that drive you all over the property. Unfortunately you always have those inconsiderate jerks who won't follow the rules, but that's part of being around lots of people. There are always some portion of the people who won't follow the rules. If they don't, they should be dealt with.

And as far as the "stench" goes and asthma attacks, my wife has horrendous asthma attacks anytime she gets near someone wearing too much perfume. Shall we herd those people into little pits of despair as well?

There is no such thing as herding smokers anywhere. They smoke of their own free will and, as I am told, are able to stop anytime, anywhere, any place without any kind of withdrawal whatsoever. Even the cig companies said their product isn't addictive.

If Disney so much as allows smoking in 1 of its rooms, I'll never stay in a Disney hotel again. I'm not going to argue whether cig smoke is dangerous. It stinks and, if I were about to occupy a room whose previous occupant passed gas in there every 24 minutes (average time between cigarettes for a 2-pack-a-day smoker while awake 16 hours), I wouldn't want to stay in that room for that reason either.

Prosmokers said all along that it should be left up to the private business owner whether he should allow smoking on his property. Well, their wishes were granted by Disney, Marriott, Scotts and hundreds of other companies. Welcome to the 21st Century.

 

[FinallyBoughtDVC]

Question - isn't each room a workplace for the housekeeping and maintenance staff? And, if so, doesn't it then get covered by workplace safety standards?

Up here on Long Island, that was the biggest part of the non-smoking in restaurants movement - the ability to protect the employees of a bar or restaurant from the dangers of second hand smoke.

As an aside - I just returned from the BCV. We stayed in a lovely 2bed which was most definitely a former smoking villa. Every once in a while, you would get that stale odor - yuck.

I do hope they never allow smoking in the rooms again. They should follow Marriott's lead and leave a sign in each room that if someone smokes, they will be charged a $100 a day cleaning fee.

And, anyone who travels to a resort that is non-smoking and then expects accomodations made to them because they're disabled is really reaching. It's not like Disney's policy isn't made clear before someone books their reservation. Being a smoker is not a disability.

I avoid anyplace that has smoking. I do my research and make my choices accordingly. Smokers should do the same.

 

[RickinNYC]

There is no such thing as herding smokers anywhere. They smoke of their own free will and, as I am told, are able to stop anytime, anywhere, any place without any kind of withdrawal whatsoever. Even the cig companies said their product isn't addictive.

If Disney so much as allows smoking in 1 of its rooms, I'll never stay in a Disney hotel again. I'm not going to argue whether cig smoke is dangerous. It stinks and, if I were about to occupy a room whose previous occupant passed gas in there every 24 minutes (average time between cigarettes for a 2-pack-a-day smoker while awake 16 hours), I wouldn't want to stay in that room for that reason either.

Prosmokers said all along that it should be left up to the private business owner whether he should allow smoking on his property. Well, their wishes were granted by Disney, Marriott, Scotts and hundreds of other companies. Welcome to the 21st Century.

And doctors used to recommend smoking to relax their patients. And the tobacco companies took that and started proclaiming that smoking was good for you.

You lost me with that one little and very wrong sentence.

 

[wdwpins]

And doctors used to recommend smoking to relax their patients. And the tobacco companies took that and started proclaiming that smoking was good for you.

You lost me with that one little and very wrong sentence.

That sentence was tongue-in-cheek...I was attempting to portray a bit of sarcasm. Sorry.

Yes, doctors did that recommend smoking to their patients--in the 40s, 50s and 60s. Any company that's trying to make a buck will proclaim its product is good for you. That is, until we find out that it's not.

Funny, even after all these years, there is STILL no list of ingredients on a pack of cigarettes. (Yeah, yeah, I know you don't eat cigarettes, but you don't eat shampoo either, and there's a list of ingredients on every shampoo bottle). What person (aside from an illicit drug addict) would put a strange and unverifiable substance in his body on a regular basis?

Being gay myself, I know that smoking kills more of us (in the US, can't speak for other countries) than does AIDS, but for some reason heart disease, lung cancer, stroke (and even prostate and bladder cancers, and oral cancers) strangely do not constitute an epidemic.

Frankly, I'd like to see a complete ban on smoking everywhere on Disney property, but I, too recognize that it's a private business decision.

 

[PaulaSB12]

Gosh - I hope they extend the ban instead of lifting it. We have one son who is deathly allergic to smoke. Aside from being the most revolting stench it's making people sick.

If it is your habit - this is your problem - it is NOT your right to share your problem with me and my family. You are inflicting your nasty habit on us - we didn't get a choice. You are making the decision to affect the health of my son and that is NOT your right or privelege.

Disney shouldn't even permit smoking in the park - it's not family friendly to permit it and affect the health and lives of the majority who do not share your particular need to kill yourself slowly.

There are designated smoking areas if you don't want you child exposed to them (though you let him being next to the car exhaust in the pushchair) keep away from the smokers. I hope they never go out to appease the neurotic happy by banning smoking, smokers pay to go as well as you so they have the right to go to the park, and I don't smoke either.

 

[TECHJPM]

I have posted this elsewhere, but I will give you my posting address regarding this.
http://www.myblogs4u.com/?p=174

 

[Uncleromulus]

Hoping the rumor isn't true. The less smoking at WDW, the better.

 

[wdwpins]

I have posted this elsewhere, but I will give you my posting address regarding this.
http://www.myblogs4u.com/?p=174

Smoking and drinking are completely unrelated..that is, unless you work for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (as if these 3 things are somehow related to each other in some way--they're not). There are smokers who drink and smokers who don't drink.

What it all boils down to is private property rights. This has been drummed into my head for years from prosmokers. They often cite the waitress who doesn't like to work in a smokey restaurant. "If she doesn't like it, she doesn't have to work there. She has a choice. She's free to find employement elsewhere."

Well, if smokers don't like Disney's policy on smoking, they don't have to go there. They have a choice. If smokers want to work for Disney, and they don't like Disney's smoking policy, they don't have to work there. They have a choice.

Same goes with drinking. If you don't like the fact that alcohol is served in Epcot, you don't have to go there. You have a choice.

Prosmokers need to stop being selective about private property rights (i.e. they're all for private property rights when the property owner allows smoking, but they're all "hey, that's not fair" when the property own doesn't allow smoking).

 

[LibertySq100]

A re-vamping of Disney's online booking process could help this whole scenario.

For example, look at some of the Major Chains of hotels. Some do a better job than others handling types of rooms and the specifics (View, smoking/NS, 1 bed/double beds etc).
Check out Clarion hotel chains, or IHG hotel websites (Clarion does sleep inn, IHG is Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Select etc). In my experience I have never been denied what room I booked online (I.E. 2 beds, smoking) because they accurately list whats avaialble at the time of booking.
Now Disney is far larger so they may have to put a two week-month advance limit on this.
Now lets say the GF has converted to smoking and for example sake Conch Key is the annex that is changed to smoking. I'm not sure the exact amount of rooms, let say its 300 rooms out of 2,000 or so. I couldn't see how having one annex designated as smoking would bother non-smokers. The rule would be you have to reserve in advance and no choice of view. But how difficult could it be for disney just to add that to the reservations system they use? What's the difference between reserving "view rooms" to "smoking rooms"? Obviously something must be in place already if you have the choice of the "MK view" vs. "Bay Lake View" at the Contemporary Resort, right?
So just do it this way, so everyone knows whats available.

 

[KYMickey]

I have posted this elsewhere, but I will give you my posting address regarding this.
http://www.myblogs4u.com/?p=174

I posted a response on your blog but I will also post it here since you saw fit to defend smoking on this board. As mentioned elsewhere there are big differences between smoking and drinking and smokers need to recognize that.

Here's what I posted:
There are very big differences between smoking and drinking. To start with as long as done reasonably there are no proven health problems related to drinking where there are related to smoking. Secondly there is no second hand effect from drinking like there is for smoking. If you're sitting next to someone who is drinking, the drinking cannot affect your health. If you're sitting next to someone who is smoking IT WILL AFFECT YOUR HEALTH! Case closed.

 

[TECHJPM]

What era did you awaken from? Liver disease, heart disease, pancreatic disease... I guess those aren't health related.

To all others... I never said they had anything to do with each other...
Just stating that they both have their own demons, and they need to recognize that. They just push the smoking one a bit more because they make money from the alcohol.

 

[NMW]

I find this rumor hard to believe. If anything, this country is going the other way-not allowing smoking anywhere. You can't smoke in restaurants anymore here, only places that are just bars. You can't smoke in restaurants in a ton of other states as well, including Florida. I love not getting asked smoking, non-smoking or first available when I go out to eat now.

You can't smoke in Marriot resorts anywhere. They also fine you a large $$ if you smoke in their resorts. They must not be too worried about losing smokers. I really doubt Disney is that worried about it either.

 

[LibertySq100]

I find this rumor hard to believe. If anything, this country is going the other way-not allowing smoking anywhere. You can't smoke in restaurants anymore here, only places that are just bars. You can't smoke in restaurants in a ton of other states as well, including Florida. I love not getting asked smoking, non-smoking or first available when I go out to eat now.

You can't smoke in Marriot resorts anywhere. They also fine you a large $$ if you smoke in their resorts. They must not be too worried about losing smokers. I really doubt Disney is that worried about it either.

It is true Marriott's Rooms are non-smoking, however each property can decide if smoking is allowed on the balconies (If there are balconies in the particular Marriott).
The World Center Marriott in Orlando off of 536 allows smoking on the balconies of their rooms.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g34515-i19-k2442427-o20-Smoking-Orlando_Florida.html

Again, I'd rather see Disney take the hands on approach of room inventory management so non-smokers get non-smoking rooms and smokers accommodated in a smoking wing/section/annex of a hotel. Smoking just on the balconies possibly could be allowed such as Marriott does at some of its locations?

 

[CanadianGuy]

Let's be clear.. this is a 'small change' in the grand scheme of things.

Allowing smoking on balconies - while a hot topic - is a minor change to Disney's "No Smoking in Rooms" policy.. which might very well stay intact.

Only time will tell.

Knox

 

[LibertySq100]

And I find it ironic that you choose to ignore the proof that I provided - that it clearly states directly on the Shades of Green website that they are a Smoke Free resort. I took that "proof" over the anonymous posting of people on a message board. Heck, if I could use message boards for proof, I'd have thought that Swan and Dolphin would be allowing smoking soon.

Now, clearly there is a difference between what is posted on their website and what you were told on the phone. I am not sure why that would be - perhaps the website is out of date or (I think more likely) SoG has decided that monitoring smoking on balconies is not worth the effort and allows it as a "loophole" to the rule.

an email I received from SOG about the question of smoking the balconies policy:


From:
"Reservations Shades of Green" <reservations@shadesofgreen.org>
Add sender to Contacts
To:
xxxxxxx@yahoo.com

Joe,

We currently still do allow guests to smoke on the balconies and patios.
If I can assist you further, please feel free to contact me.

Kindest Regards,

Courtney
Shades of Green reservations
1.888.593.2242

"Serving those who Serve"

 

[DVCconvert]

Let's be clear.. this is a 'small change' in the grand scheme of things

Only to those whom it does not effect!

 

[krbq]

LibertySq100: Just wanted to thank you for posting what you heard. Sometimes the rumors have some truth in them, sometimes not. But that's why we come here, to find out what the buzz is.

I'll never forget how I got jumped on several years ago for posting that I heard the north wing at the Contemporary Resort was to be torn down and replaced with a 16-story tower. I got some pretty rough treatment on these boards over that. Some people love to shoot the messenger, I guess. In my case, I just stopped defending my story because I didn't want to expose the source and get him in any trouble.

Anyway, thanks again for sharing the rumor.

 

[thefirebuilds]

That is such a step in the wrong direction. We both have asthma. I was thrilled to see the smoking ban placed on the resorts. Secondhand smoke is dangerous to our health. I liked the peace of mind in knowing that our room would not smell like smoke and require us to go ask for another room

Unless you run right in after someone lights up I don't see the aggravation. Smokers are addicts. Banning them from smoking just makes them doing something not allowed, it doesn't stop. We should be more aghast at the constant erosion of people's rights.

btw, im a non smoker.

 

[thefirebuilds]

I posted a response on your blog but I will also post it here since you saw fit to defend smoking on this board. As mentioned elsewhere there are big differences between smoking and drinking and smokers need to recognize that.

Here's what I posted:
There are very big differences between smoking and drinking. To start with as long as done reasonably there are no proven health problems related to drinking where there are related to smoking. Secondly there is no second hand effect from drinking like there is for smoking. If you're sitting next to someone who is drinking, the drinking cannot affect your health. If you're sitting next to someone who is smoking IT WILL AFFECT YOUR HEALTH! Case closed.

In reality health risks from second hand smoke can't be proven, though I certainly agree it makes sense. In reality a coal power plant releases far more toxic material into the air than a few smokers. In reality no one ever killed a family of four because they had a few cigarettes before they drove their car.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

We only stay at Deluxe resorts & if this happens we are officially done!

Smoking rooms means everyone in the resort smokes due to the air systems!

It's bad enough that "adults" cannot follow the rules & smoke in specified "smoking" areas....now we should punish those of us who would like to keep our lungs?