I have been bouncing around reading various sections of this thread.
The original poster mused that he, and his smoking spouse in particular, felt shafted by their inability to land a SMOKING (I corrected a typo that orginally had N/S instead of smoking)
room when checking-in at OKW and VWL on 2 recent vacations. This led him to wonder if the
DVC was shrinking the amount of N/S rooms available at the DVC resorts with the possibility that would eventually lead to virtually none being offerred. He referred to the opportunity to smoke on vacation as a luxury, mentioned that smokers were getting shafted by the DVC and finally wondered if there aren't more DVC members out there who smoke than we think.
Obviously, I could have just copied his entire post but I chose to just summarize the original posting and am going to throw out some random thoughts on the "lack" of "smoking optional rooms" available to those who choose to smoke on their DVC vacations vs. the "lack" of N/S rooms for those that can't stand the thought of spending one minute in a S/O room. Our family belongs to the non-smoking group.
Based on the response to this thread....there was no huge outcry for the lack of S/O rooms.
Smoking is a legal activity and should be allowed and not frowned upon in one's S/O accommodations.
Lots of folks appear to be getting a tad more slick at using a medical condition as an "excuse' to land a smoke-free room.
I agree with those that think that smoking preference should be
just like unit size and be a "guarantee" not a request. Two things with this approach might work, you could leave a pool of unreserved units of various sizes or only allow for say 75% of folks to be guaranteed their breathing preference due to the way check-outs are not exact ie., not a week to week timeshare. The "pool plan" would most likely work but would cause some to not have a vacation. That could also, in the near term, cost the Mouse money and us too which....well, we all know that is the largest cause of most problems that folks have when getting Disney proper to address any somewhat controversial issue. The 75% cut-off would make the 11 month window even more valuable but would not solve the OP's problem or non-smokers getting a S/O room. That could/would still occur.
I have never understood why smoking should be "allowed" on the balcony of a N/S unit. It is a smokers right to smoke their lungs out to their hearts' desires inside the confines of their S/O unit and on the balcony of the same. But, I would hazard a guess, that most non-smokers never in their wildest dreams would find it logical to have someone smoking on their adjoining balcony in a N/S building. I, too, believe that this Disney "waffle" should be stopped. It causes nothing but more resentment between the folks.
I wish that there were outside designated smoking areas at the DVC resorts just like in the parks. This would give those smokers that get stuck in a N/S unit a place to smoke without being hassled. This would obviously be an inconvenience but it is clear that the politicos have taken this issue by the horns and your side appears to be losing.
It is nearly impossible to undo a N/S room that has been smoked in for any length of time short of opening the windows for a couple of days and using a smoke zapper type device. Wiping down the walls, cabinets, etc., is also needed.
The maintenance issue is a good one. I never knew that only kids make messes. You obviously, have never met my spouse or my friends spouses. Wear and tear is a fact of life but the damage to a room caused by smoking is more subtle and not as obvious as a spilled drink or even a mark on the wall. I would just not do as much upkeep on the smoking optional rooms. How much worse can a smokey carpet smell or how much yellow stain on a wall is too much?
Has anyone ever experienced the smoke smell coming through the bathroom venting system of a non-smoking when the ole bladder feels up at 3 in morning and one is sitting there contemplating the meaning of life? Seems that some smokers can't fight the temptation to light up in a N/S room.
Most agree that smokers are definitely in the minority when it comes to DVC membership. But I believe that as a percentage of the 2 groups that there about as many inconsiderate smokers as there are radical non-smokers. The more that can be done to keep the 2 apart, the better. That is why that smoking on a N/S balcony idea is a bad one.
I, personally, have read more posts from folks on these boards who got "stuck" with a S/O room than the other way around. This happened to us in early June and we had to fight to get moved the next day to a N/S room. It is obvious that is happens both ways. I feel the DVC should be much more accommodating in getting these folks moved as soon as possible in their vacation with as little impostion on the guest as possible. Moving is a pain but, with the present system, sometimes unavoidable.
FInally, a smoker who can't get their preference can still smoke "legally" in many areas of Disney, etc. A N/S doesn't have the "luxury" of sleeping in another location, that is the purpose of their room. When it comes to being "shafted", it appears that the non-smoker has a much greater risk of being impacted adversely than the smoker does when staying at the DVC under the current smoking/non-smoking request "rules".
(I corrected a typo that originally has N/S instead of Smoking)