For you smokers out there......

[smjj]

I would hate to see this become a practice or encouraged by this board because those who truly need the NS for medical reasons may not be able to get their smoke free room.

I did not request a NS room for medical reason, it was offered when we stated very firmly we would not tolorate a smoking room. What is wrong with that?? DVC is the one who assigned us the NS room, not us...smjj

 

[Danthesand]

Smoking optional rooms are just DVC’s latest euphemism for a smoking room. It just doesn’t sound quite as smoked in as a smoking room. What would a smoking room be? Smoking mandatory?

DVC: I’m sorry sir, the only room we have left is a smoking room.

Me: Do you mean smoking optional?

DVC: No sir, we have non-smoking, smoking optional, and smoking. This one is a smoking room.

Me: What does that mean?

DVC: If you accept he room, at least one member of your party must smoke in it.

 

[DisneyGirl]

Aren't MOST rooms in all of the Disney resorts non-smoking?? I think that is the only request I have always had honored. I would think there would be a bigger chance of a smoker ending up with a non-smoking room than vice-versa...

At SSR, it is very new, and there may be a chance that you won't even smell the smoke even if it is smoking optional (not that I would willingly take the smoking room, but if there is no other option, it may not be that bad)

 

[smjj]

Aren't MOST rooms in all of the Disney resorts non-smoking?? I think that is the only request I have always had honored. I would think there would be a bigger chance of a smoker ending up with a non-smoking room than vice-versa...

At SSR, it is very new, and there may be a chance that you won't even smell the smoke even if it is smoking optional (not that I would willingly take the smoking room, but if there is no other option, it may not be that bad)

Don't quote me on this but I seem to remember others here stating here that if all smoking rooms are gone, the CM's allow smokers to smoke in NS rooms. Does anyone know if this is indeed correct??..smjj

 

[JimMIA]

I posted this on another thread, but I'll add it here where it's actually on-topic. I was on a trip out West last week and encountered a non-smoking policy I have never seen before.

At two separate, very nice, Best Western hotels they had me initial a statement on my checkin paperwork that said I understood that there would be an extra charge if I smoked in a non-smoking room.

At the Best Western Great Northern in Helena, MT, the charge for smoking in a non-smoking room was $150! I asked if they really enforced that, and was told, "OH YEAH!" They said their housekeeping staff reports any smoke in the room and they tack the charge on the credit card.

They've had people challenge their credit card bills, but the hotel has stuck to their guns and collected the money. In fact the only problem they reported was when they first started, they only charged $100 and people just paid it and smoked anyway. But when they raised it to $150 and enforced it, they got almost 100% compliance.

At the other Best Western (Phesant Hill in Spokane, WA), the extra charge is $200! They also said they truly enforced it, even in the face of complaints and chargeback attempts. A manager told me they'd never lost a credit card chargeback dispute over the policy, because they have the guests initials right on the rental agreement.

I thought their policy was an interesting and sensible response to inconsiderate people. Many smokers are considerate and would not smoke in an NS room, but there are some who will. IMHO, if they choose to do that, they should be prepared to pay for forcing housekeeping to come in and scrub the place from floor to ceiling.

 

[CarolMN]

IMHO, the problem is that Disney has show no inclination whatsoever to enforce a N/S policy.

There have been several reports that Disney CMs tell guests that they may smoke in the N/S rooms when they complain about not getting a "smoking optional" room. In fact, several posters have reported that housekeeeping will bring ashtrays to N/S rooms upon request. There have been enough of these reports to convince me that the will CMs tell the guests whatever they think will make them happy.

Unless/Until Disney is willing to make and enforce a policy, some guests will continue to have problems. Those who want a policy (similar to the ones mentioned by Jim) strictly enforced should write to Disney/DVC.

Best wishes -

 

[BensMom]

Do you want to know the real danger of smoking? Tell a chain-smoking idiot that he needs to smoke in a designated area on Disney property (which was about 20 feet away from where he was standing) after he had way too many beers at ESPN (and his team probably lost), and he, in front of adults and children alike under the Boardwalk port-au-cochere, screams at you and calls you every single superlative cuss word (words describing female anatomy, etc.) at the top of his lungs that he "can smoke anywhere he wants," attempting to pick a fight with me and the people I was with! True story. Since when am I working for Disney? It's pretty sad when there are lots of kids at Disney who suffer from asthma and one of the biggest substances out there today affecting these kids is second-hand smoke. We love Disney and one of the reason we keep returning is their so-called, designated smoking area policy.

DISNEY NEEDS TO POLITELY AND SUCCINCTLY ENFORCE THEIR NONSMOKING POLICIES.

 

[kritter]

I agree..I have a huge problem with this I have a medical condition which does not allow me to be near smoke at all..I had a collapased lung three times this winter soo bad three months in the hops... dr.says if I breath in smoke lung will collapase..never smokeda day in my life and had to have 20% of my lung removed form this...
so this is really one of my pet peaves.

 

[BensMom]

Kritter,

It sounds like your condition is a bit more than a pet peeve. Let's face it, breathing in second hand smoke creates a health condition for us all, even though we don't ask for it. I have a problem with smokers saying they have rights. When you infringe upon another's health, you have no right to do so. Disney has attempted to create a serene, politically correct solution to this problem, but it has not been enforced. I don't know what was worse for us that night -- being downwind from this chainsmoking moron or having to listen to his ignorant rhetoric about his rights as a smoker.

I am a firm believer that this is America; we can do anything we please. However, when it impinges on others' health, I got a problem with it. DON'T TREAD ON ME (or my lungs, or my kid's lungs).

 

[Dean]

Do you want to know the real danger of smoking? Tell a chain-smoking idiot that he needs to smoke in a designated area on Disney property (which was about 20 feet away from where he was standing) after he had way too many beers at ESPN (and his team probably lost), and he, in front of adults and children alike under the Boardwalk port-au-cochere, screams at you and calls you every single superlative cuss word (words describing female anatomy, etc.) at the top of his lungs that he "can smoke anywhere he wants," attempting to pick a fight with me and the people I was with! True story. Since when am I working for Disney? It's pretty sad when there are lots of kids at Disney who suffer from asthma and one of the biggest substances out there today affecting these kids is second-hand smoke. We love Disney and one of the reason we keep returning is their so-called, designated smoking area policy.

DISNEY NEEDS TO POLITELY AND SUCCINCTLY ENFORCE THEIR NONSMOKING POLICIES.

That's what my super soaker is for.

 

[kritter]

I agree with you!!!

 

[dianeschlicht]

That's what my super soaker is for.

LOL, Dean! I think I might just have to start packing one of those!

 

[katallo]

This will be our first stay at DVC BC and I'm confused about the smoking issue. We have never had a problem at other Disney resorts because there are designated smoking rooms.

We've requested a non smoking unit, but after reading many posts I'm wondering if there are non smoking units. We definitely would have a problem (asthma and allergies). I know they try to spray and air the room, but the smell definitely returns! Hope we haven't made a mistake.

 

[DVC-Don]

I've been doing 2 or 3 DVC stays per year since 2001 and have not gotten a smoking room or a smokey smelling room yet.

 

[carol1231]

We too have not received a smoking room in our past 21 DVC trips. So I guess we have been blessed.

 

[Chuck S]

Been members since 1992, haven't received a smoking room, except by choice, since it was ready when we arrived and we'd have had to wait for a non-smoking room.

 

[Caskbill]

Members since '93 and only got a smoking unit one time, when we checked in late (about 10:00 pm on a Sunday) and there were only 3-villas left, all of them smoking units.

Have gotten non-smoking units a couple of times where someone had obviously smoked in them.

 

[CarolA]

I have only received smoking rooms when I asked for one. I can't tell you how many other visits I have made, but I have never had a smoking room without the request. (I get one when I travel with my mother who smokes)

 

[TimmyP]

Man, I must have bad luck.

Four stays since becoming a DVC member and I've had a smoking-optional 1BR once (despite checking in at 4pm) and a smoked-in, non-smoking studio on another occasion.

But I seem to have an adventure at every check-in -- my other two stays were a 1BR at BCV that hadn't been cleaned yet (at 10pm) and getting an HA, preferred view 1BR when I requested a non-HA standard view (after being told at check-in it was a non-HA/std view).

We actually have come to expect an issue when we check-in. Now I always leave the front desk during the check-in process to inspect the room before finishing up the paperwork. I don't want to, mind you, but I'm 0-for-4 so far.

 

[dianeschlicht]

In 20+ stays, we have never gotten a smoking optional room (wouldn't accept it if we did), and only once got a non-smoking room that had obviously been smoked in. I have, on the other hand, been bothered by smoke coming into the bathroom area from another unit in a non-smoking building, and when I called the front desk, they said they would have housekeeping check it out and remind the offending smokers that smoking was not allowed. I wish they would put an extra charge on for non-smoking rooms that have been smoked in.