HHN and Smoking

[inkkognito]

Why the heck to they claim that smoking is limited to designated areas on HHN when there is NO...I repeat absolutely NO NO NO enforcement? I double checked the map because I thought maybe there were no restrictions, but it does indeed list them for the event. That was my only real gripe with HHN...no wild drunks, rowdiness or anything else annoying. I lost count of the times I almost got burned by someone swinging their cigarette at their side in the crowd, and the smoking in the lines was rampant even with all the TMs, security etc. It was like breathing a cloud of Marlboro all night long. I know there's a big crowd density, but there is a heck of a lot more security too...you'd think they'd at least make a token effort. I'm very sensitive to smoke, so I've spent three nights hacking and blowing my snot nose from dealing with hours in the cloud.

 

[tropical depression]

it's not just Universal, Disney, Sea World, Busch Gardens... none of the parks enforce the non-smoking policy. if I'm asked for a survey as I leave any of them any given weekend, it's the only thing I comment on.

 

[inkkognito]

In general, Disney seems to have less people flaunting the smoking rules than USF/IOA...I've noticed that over the past year or so. But at least during regular hours, I can walk ten feet at Universal or IOA without choking. Tonight there were even people smoking while watching Jack's show...ugh! That's just plain rude. Sure wish he would have dragged them onstage to be his volunteers. I can even smell the smoke on my clothes...never had that happen at a theme park before.

 

[ky07]

now wait a minuet I smoke but have respect for non smokers and always smoke in the areas that are for that purpose and it always burns me up when others don't care and light up anyway and then you get the ones well due to ones that don't care we will take surveys and try to get the smokers stopped and its for that reason I stopped taking my family to Disney cause thier hotels went smoke free and not being mean but your not going to stop someone if they really want to smoke.

 

[Metro West]

In general, Disney seems to have less people flaunting the smoking rules than USF/IOA...I've noticed that over the past year or so. But at least during regular hours, I can walk ten feet at Universal or IOA without choking. Tonight there were even people smoking while watching Jack's show...ugh! That's just plain rude. Sure wish he would have dragged them onstage to be his volunteers. I can even smell the smoke on my clothes...never had that happen at a theme park before.

You're talking about two entirely different things. You started this thread talking about HHN and then mention Disney. What does Disney have to do with HHN? I smoke but follow the rules and it doesn't matter where I happen to be...Disney or Universal. I have never seen Universal as bad as you claim except at HHN...never during the day. Security can not be everywhere all of the time at HHN and since it's a dark during the event, it's really hard to enforce anything. Universal can not control the adults who know the policy but choose to ignore it. After four years of going to HHN, I just accept the fact that people are going to smoke and drink and I don't let it bother me.

 

[Metallicat]

Why the heck to they claim that smoking is limited to designated areas on HHN when there is NO...I repeat absolutely NO NO NO enforcement? I double checked the map because I thought maybe there were no restrictions, but it does indeed list them for the event. That was my only real gripe with HHN...no wild drunks, rowdiness or anything else annoying. I lost count of the times I almost got burned by someone swinging their cigarette at their side in the crowd, and the smoking in the lines was rampant even with all the TMs, security etc. It was like breathing a cloud of Marlboro all night long. I know there's a big crowd density, but there is a heck of a lot more security too...you'd think they'd at least make a token effort. I'm very sensitive to smoke, so I've spent three nights hacking and blowing my snot nose from dealing with hours in the cloud.

This year was my 8th year in a row going to HHN's. every year I always e-mail Universal and gripe and complain about how they don't enforce the no smoking rules. (except in designated areas) like you, I'm sensitive to cancer sticks and come home with a sinus infection almost every single year.

This year I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw security telling people to get rid of their smokes in lines! every single line I was in someone was scolded for smoking. they think they can hide them by their sides, but you can't hide their stench. I loved to see the smokers being pointed out and lots of times other people in lines would chime in "yeah, put out the smoke!" all I can say is its about time.

 

[MsDisney]

You're talking about two entirely different things. You started this thread talking about HHN and then mention Disney. What does Disney have to do with HHN? I smoke but follow the rules and it doesn't matter where I happen to be...Disney or Universal. I have never seen Universal as bad as you claim except at HHN...never during the day. Security can not be everywhere all of the time at HHN and since it's a dark during the event, it's really hard to enforce anything. Universal can not control the adults who know the policy but choose to ignore it. After four years of going to HHN, I just accept the fact that people are going to smoke and drink and I don't let it bother me.

I'm going to mention Disney, but only to say that I see people smoking at ALL of the parks and not in the intended smoking areas that are provided for everyone's comfort! I didn't notice much extra smoking at HHN when we went, but I will say, as with the Food & Wine event at EPCOT, where there is more drinking going on than normal, people that don't follow the rules are more noticeable since I think the more they're drinking, the more apt they are to light up more frequently...

They DO say (well, Chris Porter does, anyway) that drinking and not smoking is like pooping and not peeing!

The sad thing is, it's those non-rule-followers who end up ruining it for those who DO, and I really appreciate the folks who DO.

And on another Disney note, I smelled something burning behind Japan one day that was clearly NOT a cigarette, cigar or clove...and I have YET to smell THAT at Universal!!!

Karen
MsDis

 

[Metallicat]

I'm going to mention Disney, but only to say that I see people smoking at ALL of the parks and not in the intended smoking areas that are provided for everyone's comfort! I didn't notice much extra smoking at HHN when we went, but I will say, as with the Food & Wine event at EPCOT, where there is more drinking going on than normal, people that don't follow the rules are more noticeable since I think the more they're drinking, the more apt they are to light up more frequently...

They DO say (well, Chris Porter does, anyway) that drinking and not smoking is like pooping and not peeing!

The sad thing is, it's those non-rule-followers who end up ruining it for those who DO, and I really appreciate the folks who DO.

And on another Disney note, I smelled something burning behind Japan one day that was clearly NOT a cigarette, cigar or clove...and I have YET to smell THAT at Universal!!!

Karen
MsDis

If you are talking about smelling pot, believe me, I have seen and smelled my share of it at Universal. especially over at the Hard Rock hotel. I saw a whole joint laying on the sidewalk, I've smelled it in the hallways, I've seen security walking the halls asking about the smell and I've seen two half smoked joints in the hallways on two separate occasions. I've smelled it over near men in black too. I've never smelled it at any of the Disney parks, but once I went to put my $$$ in the room safe and there was a little in there. I knew EXACTLY what it was. hey, I grew up in the 70's.

 

[inkkognito]

You're talking about two entirely different things. You started this thread talking about HHN and then mention Disney. What does Disney have to do with HHN?

I mentioned Disney for comparison purposes...if more people follow the smoking rules at the WDW parks than the Universal parks (and as a smoke-sensitive person/obsessive theme park goer, I can vouch that they do), that says to me that USF/IOA (at both HHN and in general) needs to do something different. No reason why they can't have the same level of compliance. These days, the lesser smoke level is the only thing I prefer at Disney over USF/IOA.

 

[AlexandNessa]

I have to ask ... did you stop and complain to Guest Services before you left? If so, what did they say? If not, why not?

 

[inkkognito]

Didn't complain yet as I like to do my complaints (and compliments) in writing. Now that HHN is over (at least for us...my feet are blistered from three days of commando haunted housing so I don't think I could handle more this weekend), I can kick back and write my compliment letters about our tour guides and my complaints about the smoke.

 

[PatriciaH]

We had Frequent Fear passes last year but did not get Express Passes like we normally do for HHN. We figured we would see a lot on different nights. Well after waiting in line for two houses with many smokers and drunks, we went to guest services and asked for our money back. They did it gladly and said it happens all the time (refunds given due to the smoking/drinking.) Now we only do the Express Pass!

 

[JLTraveling]

I have no clue why they even claim to restrict smoking to certain areas during HHN. I'm a smoker and I follow the rules under normal circumstances, but truthfully, I don't bother during HHN. The reason? It's super dark, super crowded, and there's already fog/pyro/scents polluting the air anyway. Plus, just like everyone else, I'm trying to fight the crowds and the clock, and run around like a nutcase getting things done. I do NOT, however, smoke in lines or while watching shows.

Why doesn't Universal enforce the policy during the event? Easy. There's too much else going on that's higher priority. Security and Orlando Police are stationed at every house/scarezone/anywhere crowds gather. Scareactors get assaulted. Fights break out. People urinate in the bushes. People get hurt due to their own/other park guests' stupidity. The security staff is only so big, and they have a lot more to worry about than telling people to stop smoking.

I'm sorry for those of you that are genuinely allergic/sensitive to smoke. But I would wager that you're in the minority. For those of you who just "don't like to be around smoking/drinking/whatever," HHN is what it is. An exciting, rebellious, overcrowded party. It's not everyone's cup of tea. But judging from the ticket sales, I'd say Universal is doing something right. For those of us who love that atmosphere, it's a fabulous time that we look forward to every year.

 

[inkkognito]

I expect the drinking at HHN (although I have to say that on all the nights we were there, I didn't see any blatantly bad drunken behavior...people were definitely inebriated but were not acting in a way that disturbed their fellow guests). But the part that gets me about the smoking is that Universal claims that it is restricted...why even bother with the charade? Since this was my first HHN, I had no idea that the "smoking areas" on the map were BS. If they don't want to control it, that's their choice...but don't pretend that you do.

Oh well, at least with Express Pass it wasn't too much of a problem in the lines. But by an hour or two in, I had a snot nose every night from the smoke...I could have matched that clown in Jack's house booger for booger!

 

[ChrisFL]

I was in line for the Dreamwalkers house and saw SEVERAL TM's even climbing up to get a better view of the crowd and many times told people to put out their cigarettes, 10 seconds later they lit up again...it's not a problem of enforcement, it's a problem that people at HHN just don't give a **** about the rules and it's sad to say it.,

The line cutting was a bigger issue, IMO as I saw tons of that going on with no enforcement and the 90 minute waits turned into 2.5 hour waits

 

[inkkognito]

I was actually shocked that I didn't see any line jumping. Granted, we were usually in Express unless standby was short, but the Express line jumping is so rampant during regular hours that I figured it would be out of control during HHN. I guess we just lucked out...no problems with that at all. The only line jumper I encountered was when we got there early for Stay and Scream and popped into Express for a ride on the Mummy, only to be cut off by Trailia Parktrash and her brood of young 'uns. She soon discovered she had jumped the wrong person...last I saw of her, she was exiting the line with the brood and calling me some pretty choice names. She may be from the trailer park, but I am from the streets of Chicago!!