Couldn't tell you. Maybe AK ran out of 9s setting up Pandora, and all they had left were 3s?
. It could also be possible that they want to sell more popcorn at AK, though I'm not making a side trek there just to save 60 cents on a bucket.
I wanted to touch on something from your OP:
I'll start off with saying I am a smoker. That said, I also know about the internet dangers of smoking. (Life pro tip: easiest way to quit, don't ever start, it's literally hell to try quitting after being addicted).
Anyway, regarding the smoking sections at MK. There's only 3 at The Kingdom, and one is actually next to the boat dock that collects from The Grand Floridian. So there's only 2 inside the park. Personally, I don't feel that's enough. I also remember when there was a few more, but their placements were terrible for the non-smokers!
If I remember right, one was right next to Cinderella's Castle! I felt bad smoking there, as I couldn't find a direction to blow that wasn't getting smoke into someone's face.
My favorite spot that was removed was behind The Tomorrow Light and Power Company. That's the gift shop adjacent to Space Mountain. I thought, well, if everyone is sucking in all the gas fumes from Tomorrowland Speedway, this won't hurt.
I know Disney wants to keep smoke away from the kids. I know health organizations that want to keep smoke away from the kids. Heck, I want to keep smoke away from the kids! I also think congregating smokers into only two areas of the park is bad, as that creates bigger clouds in those areas, like you experienced.
I think Disney needs to create one smoking area per land. I don't care if it's behind a building. Yes, I know that breaks the fourth wall effect they try so hard to maintain. But smokers are older, we know it's a theme park, it's an illusion. Give us that chance to unwind for a couple moments without going too far.