For you smokers out there......

[colleen costello]

I spent a week at the Wilderness Lodge Villas in a beautiful 2-bedroom unit that cost me a fortune in points. The room had two balconies, neither of which I could use all week, because I was surrounded by smokers. As suggested here, I DID keep going inside, and shutting the doors so the smoke would not drift int our room.

Why not take off all the balconies in nonsmoking rooms since those bothered by smoke won't be able to use them anyhow? Of course the rooms with no balconies should cost less points. Heaven forbid we ask smokers to be inconvenienced when nonsmokers can just "not use the balconies."

I have just about had it with Disney's non-existent smoking policies. I am sick of missing out on the balcony I paid for because I get surrounded by smokers. The resorts need to find a way to REALLY separate the two groups so nonsmokers don't keep missing out. If you take out the word "smoking" and insert "asbestos" then suddenly the idea of subjecting people to a known carcinogen seems to take on a whole new meaning... "I should be able to sit on MY balcony, ripping up asbestos insulation and tossing it into the air. If bits of asbestos fibers drift on the wind, and are inhaled by those on adjoining balconies, TOO BAD, because there are NO "nonasbestos" balconies." Geez!

 

[Dean]

Smoking is allowed on all balconies in all WDW resorts. A non smoking building means for the interior of the building. The balconies are not part of the inside of the building, so smoking is allowed on all balconies at all WDW resorts. We have asked MS about this and have been given this answer on several occasions.
If someone is sitting on their balcony and they are disturbed by the smoke they can go inside and close the balcony door. The smoke will not drift inside a villa if the balcony door is closed.

You know, I've never seen or heard of an official policy from Disney in this area EITHER WAY, but I'll take my super soaker just in case.

 

[rinkwide]

...I'll take my super soaker...

And
I'll have my water balloon slingshot should you need to call in long-range artillery support.

 

[DisFlan]

If someone is sitting on their balcony and they are disturbed by the smoke they can go inside and close the balcony door. The smoke will not drift inside a villa if the balcony door is closed.

I'm changing my poll vote. I'd voted not to ban, but I'm changing it: Ban all smoking anywhere NEAR a DVC resort, inside and out.


DisFlan

 

[cobbler]

Very simple: Smoking rooms have smoking balconies. Non-smoking rooms have non-smoking balconies.

Therefore, if I see someone smoking on a non-smoking balcony I will assume they are on fire and pound them with my fully loaded SuperSoaker.

Good! I can totally see this happening. And I would have to go inside in fear that I might fall off my balcony because I would be laughing soooooooo hard!

 

[sarhenty]

And
I'll have my water balloon slingshot should you need to call in long-range artillery support.

You know this topic makes me so irate because some people can be so inconsiderate with their "freedom to smoke" but, man, rinkwide you sure know how to ease the fury within me! Thanks for the laugh !!!

 

[Joe&Peg]

Family vacations.... What Disney is made for.... But sometimes it goes like this:

Dad, who is somewhat of a workaholic...(he can afford to take his famly to Disney World)...driven... not used to spending much time with the kids....
smoker, but doesn't smoke around the kids.

Mom..... used to the patter of little feet.... used to riding heard on the kids....
seen by Dad as solely responsible for that aspect of their co-existance.

Kids.....VERY EXCITED....Disney World awaits.

Inject into the equation the New Disney Parkwide Smoking Ban...........

Picture the father rather forcefully coming down on some six year old in the lobby of the Beach Club or in line at It's a Small World.

Picture the number of "You need to handle this....." looks that the mother receives as the father decompensates......

Picture the "Magic" as it slowly fades out of the kid's eyes.

I have seen this happen so many times at WDW without the smoking ban, and its impact on the others around them, that I would shudder to think how nasty its going to get when there's the added stressor of an outright smoking ban.

You could say the father isn't much of a father, but there are a lot of them out there. Just look around the smoking areas of the parks now.

Hesitant to post this. Waiting for the flame.

Just a thought.

 

[Dean]

Family vacations.... What Disney is made for.... But sometimes it goes like this:

Dad, who is somewhat of a workaholic...(he can afford to take his famly to Disney World)...driven... not used to spending much time with the kids....
smoker, but doesn't smoke around the kids.

Mom..... used to the patter of little feet.... used to riding heard on the kids....
seen by Dad as solely responsible for that aspect of their co-existance.

Kids.....VERY EXCITED....Disney World awaits.

Inject into the equation the New Disney Parkwide Smoking Ban...........

Picture the father rather forcefully coming down on some six year old in the lobby of the Beach Club or in line at It's a Small World.

Picture the number of "You need to handle this....." looks that the mother receives as the father decompensates......

Picture the "Magic" as it slowly fades out of the kid's eyes.

I have seen this happen so many times at WDW without the smoking ban, and its impact on the others around them, that I would shudder to think how nasty its going to get when there's the added stressor of an outright smoking ban.

You could say the father isn't much of a father, but there are a lot of them out there. Just look around the smoking areas of the parks now.

Hesitant to post this. Waiting for the flame.

Just a thought.

Or maybe he'd spend a little more time with the kids. I think you'd need a study to support this position, it's a little far fetched. Remember many hotels and timeshare have or are in the process of going all non smoking, including Disney.

 

[Joe&Peg]

Dean,

In the realm of the far-fetched, I'll fund a study on this if you'll fund a study on typical responses of men to getting sprayed with a super soaker...

 

[DisFlan]

I have seen this happen so many times at WDW without the smoking ban, and its impact on the others around them, that I would shudder to think how nasty its going to get when there's the added stressor of an outright smoking ban.

I might have some sympathy for this if there weren't about a dozen ways aside from a cigarette for a smoker to keep his/her nicotine level up to snuff and the grouchiness to a minimum. Gum, patches, lozenges, inhalers, pills... I found the cigarette-shaped inhalers to work particularly well.

Prior to quitting (after 25 years of heavy smoking), I dealt with it in this way for years - in the parks, resorts and elsewhere. Today, there's just NO reason or excuse to inflict second hand smoke on your kids OR other guests. Or to be grouchy about not being able to indulge in your habit wherever/whenever you feel the need. If your workaholic can afford WDW, he can afford a nicotine inhaler.


DisFlan

 

[Dean]

Dean,

In the realm of the far-fetched, I'll fund a study on this if you'll fund a study on typical responses of men to getting sprayed with a super soaker...

No funding necessary, I'll be at WDW for two weeks over the next 7 months, watch for reports of rain but no clouds in the sky.

 

[krbq]

I spent a week at the Wilderness Lodge Villas in a beautiful 2-bedroom unit that cost me a fortune in points. The room had two balconies, neither of which I could use all week, because I was surrounded by smokers. As suggested here, I DID keep going inside, and shutting the doors so the smoke would not drift int our room.
. . .
I have just about had it with Disney's non-existent smoking policies.

Colleen: Disney's policy isn't non-existent, but it doesn't seem to be consistent, either. Last November we had a reservation for a 1 BR at WL, smoking requested. At check-in they gave us a non-smoking room which we said we'd take if we could smoke on the balcony, but we were told we couldn't. I don't know when you stayed there, but at the time of our visit we were told smoking wasn't allowed on the balconies at WL.

 

[Joe&Peg]

They have super soaker alternatives....water hoses, dripping towels, spray bottles, etc......but they just don't seem to give the same satisfaction!

 

[JerJan]

OK...I'm an EX-SMOKER, I've been "SMOKE FREE" now for 7 years and 5 months. I know that because I approach it the same way as being addicted to any other"DRUG" and breaking the habit! I will always be a "SMOKE-A-HOLIC" but I have choosen to have a healtier lifestyle for me and my children. I kind of see it like this I don't want my family hanging around and be subjected to an ALCOHOLIC, a CRACK ADDICT or a HERION ADDICT so why would I want them hanging around a SMOKE-A-HOLIC"? Yes, you smokers out there do have a right to smoke and kill yourself, go ahead....just don't kill us!
If that means that you have to smoke in your own little cubical so be it, just don't pollute the air. Would I want an area provided for people to shoot up or smoke crack
because it's their right??? NO!

 

[Joe&Peg]

I kind of see it like this I don't want my family hanging around and be subjected to an ALCOHOLIC, a CRACK ADDICT or a HERION ADDICT so why would I want them hanging around a SMOKE-A-HOLIC"?


Would I want an area provided for people to shoot up or smoke crack
because it's their right??? NO!

The logical extension of that particular argument is a resort wide ban on alcohol sales.... Care to put up a poll on that issue?

 

[JerJan]

I was only saying that being addicted to cigarettes is a disease just like being an alcoholic or a drug abuser. Yes, they provide an area for people to drink...it's called a bar. They don't provide a shooting gallery or a crack house however.....at least not when I was there in February.

 

[Joe&Peg]

They provide a place for people to smoke...It's called a designated smoking area or a smoking room. And depending on who you ask...a balcony.

And places to drink are also called restaurants, and anywhere at all in any of the parks other than the Magic Kingdom.

The difference, before anybody weighs in, is that smoke drifts and alcohol doesn't. I realize they are different issues. I was just pointing out the problem with your argument.

 

[DVCconvert]

If that means that you have to smoke in your own little cubical so be it, just don't pollute the air. ..[snip]....because it's their right??? NO!

Joe&Peg:

The difference, before anybody weighs in, is that smoke drifts and alcohol doesn't.

So, if what we're all soooo worried about is polluted air that drifts and can 'kill' us -- let's take a few more polls:

a) what/how many car/trucks/suv's do you own or drive?
b) what is the source of power for your electric company?
c) what do you use to heat or cool your house/office with as a fuel?

In the big picture of "how aweful" smoking is to the health of those casually exposed to it verses the 24/7/365 exposure to the atmosphere of the planet we are sucessfully killing - is pitifully small.
I wouldn't worry much about wafting smoke from a couple of balconies away.
At least not until I made a full and complete assessment of what damage I'm contributing to the health and lifespan of the other 5 or 6 billion people on the planet and using that as a measure of relevence.
Despite the more "enjoyable" emotionalism some like to interject in this topic, it's not like being down wind from Chernobyl.

 

[waltfan1957]

Joe&Peg:

I wouldn't worry much about wafting smoke from a couple of balconies away.

thats fine maybe you dont have to but what the people who have severe reactions to smoke or dont they count

 

[DVCconvert]

thats fine maybe you dont have to but what the people who have severe reactions to smoke or dont they count

As a class, folks who have respiratory difficulties are being negatively impacted to a far greater extent by other, greater and more pervasive pollutants. That is my point.

You are putting words in my mouth when you suggest I don't think "they count" - so please don't do that (I don't know if you washed your hands or not! )