For those following the smoking on balconies drama - UPDATE with phone call!

[GEM]

I sent an e-mail to guest services at WDW regarding this issue. Specifically, I asked very directly whether smoking was permitted on the balcony of non-smoking rooms and in the pool area. Here is the "official" word I got from the Mouse himself. Just in case anybody is interested.



Dear *****,

Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World® Resort.

In the last few years, our Guests have increasingly voiced dissatisfaction about exposure to
secondhand cigarette smoke as well as the dangers of lighted cigarettes in close quarters. Based on
this consistent feedback, we have made the decision to limit smoking to designated areas throughout
our Parks and resorts. Smoking is not permitted in any areas not designated as smoking areas, including balconies of non-smoking rooms. We are also in the process of creating designated smoking areas at our many resort pools. We believe that this change in policy allows us to respond to our non-smoking
Guests' concerns, while also providing options for adult Guests who want to smoke.

Guests are advised of this policy and our Cast Members strive to enforce it as courteously as
possible. Guests can refer to Park maps and signage for designated smoking locations or ask a Cast
Member for assistance.

It is our goal to provide an enjoyable experience for all of our Guests while visiting our Parks and Resorts
.
We continually evaluate our operation and make changes wherever necessary. Your comments have been
shared with all those concerned so that they will be aware of your remarks. Your input is
appreciated.

If you have questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact us.

Please include your full name, E-Mail address, and reservation number if applicable on all
correspondence.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Angela Singleton

WDW Online Communications

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Good to know. BF is not going to like it. We'll have to figure out what to do. I'm allergic to smoke, but he likes to be able to step outside once in a while to smoke.

 

[stinkerbelle]

as a smoker - I'm actually GLAD they are designating areas in the resorts now.

I hate the dirty looks I'd get when outside, by a pool...where I was "allowed" to smoke.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Thanks so much for posting the official info. I am wondering, though, how WDW informs guests that there is no smoking on the balconies of non-smoking rooms. In other words, how will smokers know smoking is not allowed on the balconies of non-smoking rooms?

Thanks,

Tink

 

[MAC3]

This is good to know! Unfortunately, I'll have to sit in the smoking section with all my puffing buddies..... well at least it's outside.

There is no way I am asking for a smoking room DH is just going to have to go to a designated area near our bldg.

 

[GEM]

Originally posted by tinkerbellmagic
Thanks so much for posting the official info. I am wondering, though, how WDW informs guests that there is no smoking on the balconies of non-smoking rooms. In other words, how will smokers know smoking is not allowed on the balconies of non-smoking rooms?

Thanks,

Tink

That's a good question. Maybe they'll put it in the info. you get at check in.

 

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by tinkerbellmagic
Thanks so much for posting the official info. I am wondering, though, how WDW informs guests that there is no smoking on the balconies of non-smoking rooms. In other words, how will smokers know smoking is not allowed on the balconies of non-smoking rooms?

Thanks,

Tink

Maybe when the non smokers next door want to enjoy their balcony and can't because of someone next door smoking? As the GM at the Poly told me almost 2 years ago, I only have to call him and he will take care of it. I am so glad the OP got it in writing for those that continue to spread blatant untruths about smoking on non smoking balconies. Perhaps this will put that to rest.

 

[Chicago526]

ooops!

My brother smoked on the balcony when we stayed at a non-smoking villa at WL. We didn't know, honest! Every where else he did obey all non-smoking areas, and only smoked where it was allowed.

If Disney wants not to allow smoking on the balconies, I guess that's their right, but they need to do a better job of letting people know about it.

 

[GEM]

UPDATE -

I just got a phone call from the guest services department from someone (not the person who signed the email) who wanted to make sure I had recieved the email and see if I had any questions.

She said that the resorts are moving to a system likes the parks use, in that smoking will only be permitted in areas that are specifically designated as "smoking areas". So, even if it doesn't say "no smoking", you will not be able to smoke anywhere except designated areas. She did say that this was a process they were working on and it might take some time to fully implement and train everyone so that all cast members are aware of this policy.

 

[RoLaren]

YES! thank you Gem! This is wonderful news!

I'm going to print the reply out and take it with me to WDW just in case I need it! Thanks so much for posting the info.

 

[Bracho]

I wonder how they are going in enforce the new rule, they still haven't learned how to enforce the rule in the parks yet. I don't smoke but have friends that do and I wonder in any of the resorts if there are non smoking and smoking rooms that are side by side... I wonder who will win that battle. I mean the wind changes so many times that the smoke could travel anywhere, can't you just see the problem starting... I sure can. Like it or not..."BOTH" sides are bigtime pushy.

 

[GEM]

I could be wrong, but I don't think there are smoking and non-smoking rooms right beside each other. I'm not 100% sure of that, though. I know that in some resorts there are some that are probably non-smoking rooms in pretty close proximity to smoking rooms, one floor up or down or whatever. Anyway, from what I understand from the email and phone conversation, if there room is designated as smoking, they are totally within their right to smoke on the balcony - no matter where the smoke might drift.

As for the parks, maybe we've just been lucky, but we really haven't encountered that many people smoking outside the smoking areas. I think most smokers are polite and will obey the rules if they are aware of them. We did have one guy puffing away as he stood right behind us waiting for the parade at the MK. I found a CM and asked him if he wouldn't mind taking care of the problem, and he did.

 

[PamNC]

Thank goodness.

I do hope Disney informs everyone of this rule...somehow. Like another poster said, maybe it could be on the check-in materials. However, does everyone read all of that stuff? Just because I read it, doesn't mean everyone does.

I really appreciate WDW's sensitivity to this issue as a person who gets physically ill around second hand smoke.

PamNC

 

[disneyandme]

I'm glad to hear that there is going to be one uniform policy. Let's hope all the CM hear about it soon and that is enforced. Thanks for checking into it!!

 

[Tammy1966]

I'm going to add something here. As a smoker I DO follow the policy of smoking in designated areas BUT I have been at MK many times in a smoking area and ALL smokers have been asked to move from the area as the area was reserved for a private party. When asked where the smokers are to go we have been told that is ok to stand just above this area and puff away. Now I did it the first time but when I was told this another night I left the park because I was tired of following Rules and getting dirty looks from other guests.
I understand that Non Smokers do not want to be near our smoke but hey what do you do when Disney says "It's OK go ahead and smoke there?"
Now as for the pool area and smoking I wonder if us smokers are going to be hidden away from view and allowed no sun or view of the pool. Just a thought.

 

[RoLaren]

I seriously doubt that they'd put the smokers under at tent or something by the pool and deprive them of sunlight
Likely they will just put ash trays on one side of the pool and make that a smoking designated area.

Wouldn't it be a rare occurrance that CM's tell people to move outside smoking areas to smoke? If that happened to me and I was a smoker, I'd make the decision based on how many people were around/where the location was if it was a good idea to follow that advice or just find another designated area. There is more than one per park. Either that or ask the CM to stand there while you smoke in case anyone complains LOL.

Thanks again to all the thoughtful smokers who realize that for some of their fellow WDW guests this is a health issue, not a matter of aesthetics.

 

[DisneyWisher]

Originally posted by tinkerbellmagic
Thanks so much for posting the official info. I am wondering, though, how WDW informs guests that there is no smoking on the balconies of non-smoking rooms. In other words, how will smokers know smoking is not allowed on the balconies of non-smoking rooms?

Thanks,

Tink

When we stayed at CR in May we had a non-smoking room. Guess what was on the patio table? Yep, an ashtray. The days that we were there the maid never removed it so I wonder if its always there.

Also, we just returned from a stay at Poly GVC. Half of the 3rd floor of this building is smoking. We asked and got a non-smoking room. Again on the patio was an ashtray. I just went through the info packet that I received at check-in and there isn't anything about smoking or not smoking on the balcony.

LOL I guess pretty soon some of us will have to ask for Non-smoking rooms w/ non-smoking balconies or non-smoking rooms w/ smoking balconies.

Shirley

 

[GEM]

Originally posted by DisneyWisher
When we stayed at CR in May we had a non-smoking room. Guess what was on the patio table? Yep, an ashtray. The days that we were there the maid never removed it so I wonder if its always there.

Also, we just returned from a stay at Poly GVC. Half of the 3rd floor of this building is smoking. We asked and got a non-smoking room. Again on the patio was an ashtray. I just went through the info packet that I received at check-in and there isn't anything about smoking or not smoking on the balcony.

Like I said, the person I spoke with on the phone said this was a new policy they were working on transitioning into.

I really don't want to start another big mess or anything. I just thought it was interesting information, so I thought I'd pass it on.

 

[pumpkinboy]

GEM, I am wondering what brought this up for you? I see that you are a fellow Preemie parent (ours was 27 weeks, 2 lbs 10 oz, and it was scary for a while), so is your little one especially sensitive? Our DD was on all the athsma meds thru about age 3, but when she turned 4 she no longer needed the nebulizer (Thank God!) and she probably won't need the inhaler soon, as her lungs are great now. But I recall when she was really small, we would avoid places where there was any possibility of second hand smoke (or paint fumes or a new rug for that matter) as it would send her breathing crashing. DD is now a perfectly healthy soon to be 5 yr old redhead , looking forward to heading to WDW two days after her birthday, and then several times in the following year as our APs burn a hole in our pocket.

We had a smoking room in a hotel one night this summer (tho none of us smoke - it was all that was left), and we all came out of that night feeling aweful - part of it may have been that it was a low level Comfort Inn (tho comfort seemed scarce there ), but a lot of our queasiness the next day was due to the smoke residue that stuck to everything in the room and its furnishings. Next time we go to Mystic CT, we'll stay in the Hilton, darnit! Thank goodness our DD's lungs are healthy now, or we never would have survived that night.

We now put "non-smoking, medical reasons" as our top request with DVC, just in case.
Very Cute Baby, BTW!

 

[daannzzz]

Disney's Grand Californian Hotel at the Disneyland Resort in California is an all non smoking hotel. I had heard about it ahead of time but they informed me when I made the reservation (and again when checking in) that it was a non smoking facility. We had a great room in the monorail courtyard that had some roofs right below our balcony and then the monorail beam. The hotel had only been open a couple months but there were cigarette butts all over the roof that we looked down on.