POR..all was great except for smoking

[DMRick]

The best solution would be for Disney to have designated smoking areas everywhere - and then strictly enforce those rules.. It's the only way to be fair to their customers without running the risk of alienating people that they clearly don't want to alienate..

Exactly, and then, we'll know where not to go if it bothers us. We did accidently (didn't see the sign) sit in the shade near the Dole whips, and wondered why the heck everyone picked that nice shaded area to light up..then we realized it was a smoking area (because it held so many babies and pregnant women, we thought they were all just trying to get out of the sun!)..and as soon as we realized it (someone told us..I guess they saw our puzzled faces) back out into the sun we headed..happy that so many were using that area.
In January and Feb we did encounter a lot of cigarette smoke at the pool and under the overhang by the entrance to the food court at POP..but not the cigars, and not in our rooms. I think it's a younger crowd there and less likely to be smoking cigars. We also noticed a lot of cigars outside at the Poly..the beach seemed to draw them, according to someone staying there, that came over to chat with us (we were on the sidewalks, and the man overheard us talking about NY, and as a fellow NYer, he joined our conversation).
As far as staying at POP versus POR because you might smell cigar..I think it's a chance, as you'll never know. We've stayed at POR several times and it's not been a big problem before. We changed our room at Music once, because cigarette smoke was coming in through the bathroom vent..this would have just been too complicated to change, so we stayed where we were.
I know we have come a long way, from the days when people smoked everwhere. I was really aware of how far, when I went to Ireland, just before they changed their smoking laws. I was shopping at TJMaxx (although they call it slightly different..can't remember the correct name), and the person next to me had a cigarette in her mouth and the ashes were going on the clothes. I wondered why no one said anything, then I realized several were smoking inside. They also smoked on the buses, the trains, and many other places. Then I was reminded that it was the same here years ago. I'm surprised so many people smoke there, because their TV ads against smoking are nothing like ours. I was more grossed out by the ads showing illnesses of smokers, than I was by the smoke itself. I think there would be an uproar if they showed those ads here. If you have ever seen that ad with the gross toenail (I always have to turn my head)..imagine it 10 times worse LOL!

But yep, if Disney just gave both the smokers and the non smokers enforced places (and to be fair, if a smoker is in an "ok" place, non smokers need to not toss dirty looks or make comments), it would be better all around.

 

[C.Ann]

As far as staying at POP versus POR because you might smell cigar..I think it's a chance, as you'll never know. We've stayed at POR several times and it's not been a big problem before.

---------------

You said you stayed in the Bayou section, right? Was the cigar smoking an issue everywhere? I'm wondering if there would be less of a chance of running into it if I chose the mansions instead..

I really, truly would love to spend part of the vacation there, but I'm dead serious about how ill even stale cigar smoke makes me..

 

[Steffi]

We stayed at POFQ last year in a non-smoking room with a connecting door. The smell of smoke coming from the other (non-smoking) room was overwhelming! We called the front desk to complain and were simply told to put a towel on the floor in front of the door - big help . It's so inconsiderate for someone to smoke in a non-smoking room or non-smoking area!

Another smoking rant: resort beaches are not one giant, convenient ashtray! We stayed at YC a couple of weeks ago & the amount of cigarette butts that my DD dug up while playing in the sand was outrageous. Yuck!

That said, Disney has certainly come a long way from when I was a kid. I remember standing in ride lines gagging on the smoke that was coming at me from every direction!

 

[dallastxcpa]

We stayed at POFQ last year in a non-smoking room with a connecting door. The smell of smoke coming from the other (non-smoking) room was overwhelming! We called the front desk to complain and were simply told to put a towel on the floor in front of the door - big help . It's so inconsiderate for someone to smoke in a non-smoking room or non-smoking area!

You are assuming that the smoker's are going against the rules. From reading these boards I can tell you that there are many smokers who are unable to get a smoking room and the cast member tells them that it will be okay for them to smoke in the non-smoking room.

As far as Cigar smoking many people find it relaxing.

Just for information I am not a smoker, but I do believe that smokers/cigar smokers should be able to enjoy all smoking/outdoor areas of the resort just like everyone else including pool areas, benches, waterfront areas etc. Of course they should be responsible and ask for an ashtray as appropriate.

 

[DMRick]

-------
You said you stayed in the Bayou section, right? Was the cigar smoking an issue everywhere? I'm wondering if there would be less of a chance of running into it if I chose the mansions instead

C.Ann, You can call me and I'll talk more about it to you, as I don't want this to become a thread against smokers. Our issue at POR was the cigarette smoke in a non smoking room. There were some cigar smoking going on during our trip, but that was more at the Poly, outside..but of course, unlike cigarette smoke, cigar smoke permeates a much larger area, and is hard to get away from. Someone else mentioned that being a problem at POR.

I was told, when I called down, to have our rooms cleaned, that if a smoking room were not available, and someone wanted one, they were told they could smoke outside, but not in the rooms. I have a medical reason on file and they were well aware of it. They told me that it was very hard for them to police what goes on inside a room, and I understand that. If I was a smoker and saw the non smoking symbol on my door, out of consideration for others, I would not smoke in the room (one of the problems as I see it, is many get non smoking rooms to protect their families, and then go on the walkways a bit from their rooms to smoke. I guess they don't realize that while the smoke isn't going into their room, it is going into someone elses. The person I mentioned earlier, seemed proud that they were smoking in front of someone elses door and keeping the smoke out of their own room). There were plenty of smoking rooms available when we checked in (as they kept offering them to us)..and it was much harder to find 3 rooms together in the non smoking rooms.
As an aside, we sat in three non smoking rental cars, before we found one that didn't smell of smoke (the 4th one we didn't take, reeked of perfume on the seatbelt, which is a migraine starter for me..so it's not just smoke that can be a problem).

 

[colleen costello]

Dallas, I disagree. Many non-smokers are disgusted by smoke, even outside, and many more are made ill by smoke. Disney is hiding its head in the sand about this important issue. I feel the two groups are happy to be separated if you just tell them where to go... If there is one pool, make the tables on ONE SIDE smoking... Same with beaches, etc. If there are designated smoking areas that are clearly marked, the smokers can go there without being hassled and the non-smokers can avoid these areas entirely.

I have recently stayed at Wilderness Lodge Villas and NEVER been able to enjoy the balcony for being surrounded by smokers. What genius mixes up the rooms? Why not make a BLOCK of rooms at one end of the resort the smoking rooms, again, segregating the two groups as much as possible? I resented not having access to my balcony all week. And as far as "smoking in non-smoking rooms," Disney needs to realize that if they are not going to punish the offenders, they at least owe the next occupants of the room a THOROUGH cleaning!

 

[C.Ann]

C.Ann, You can call me and I'll talk more about it to you, as I don't want this to become a thread against smokers.

-----------------

Okay - I'll call you when I get home in October.. Did you forget? No long distance on my phone here and it's a dead zone for the cell phones..

Back to Disney's responsibility though.. The past week or so - when I was researching second resort choices so we could split our stay - I came across a statement that really puzzled me.. It was in regards to one of the POR buildings and it said that bulding number such-and-such was an optional smoking building.. Now what the heck does that mean? You have the "option" of smoking or not smoking in any room? Given a mixed message like that, I can see where a customer might think it was perfectly okay to smoke in any room in that particular building.. I don't think the info was on the DIS - I think it was on Allearsnet - and I believe it was on one of the fact sheets for the POR buildings.. There was also info there on which buildings were "strictly" non-smoking and which ones allowed smoking - and then this "optional" building..

 

[Amy&Dan]

I was actually the one that mentioned the problem with cigar smoking at POR! It was actually just one incident, our last day, by the main pool. Some very nice older gentlemen were enjoying the morning watching their grandkids swim and all three of them lit up cigars. Oh my goodness it was awful. Those grandkids got out of Dodge to avoid the grandpas' smoke! That was the only cigar incident. I did see a lot of people smoking cigarettes by the pools and that was bad enough but the fumes seemed to drift off quicker. I have also stayed at Pop and ASMO and had similar experiences of just a few smokers by the pool and a lot of people smoking outside their rooms there (didn't see that at POR, just luck I guess). I know a lot of smokers feel like they are being ganged up on and don't want to make it sound like I am ranting because mostly I do see people following the rules. I had to get a big kick out of the OP's experience of sitting in a shady spot that turned out to be a smoking area! Same thing happened to us, we found a quiet, shady spot in Liberty Square and thought we had struck gold to enjoy some cool, quiet time only to discover we were in a smoking area. Was surprised at how many little ones were in strollers, powerless to move away, guess however, parents can't leave their kids unattended to go smoke! All of this does make me a nervous wreck as I have planned a trip with my picky inlaws, one of whom has bad asthma and absolutely cannot be in a room where there is any trace of smoke. Hopefully SSR is new enough we won't have a problem. I do think it takes about one time for somebody to smoke in a room to make it smell like a smoking room for a long time to come. It's not really the resort's fault but I can see how it could really taint the experience. My point is that this can happen anywhere, at any resort.

 

[the kabuki]

I feel the two groups are happy to be separated if you just tell them where to go... If there is one pool, make the tables on ONE SIDE smoking... Same with beaches, etc. If there are designated smoking areas that are clearly marked, the smokers can go there without being hassled and the non-smokers can avoid these areas entirely.

Why not make a BLOCK of rooms at one end of the resort the smoking rooms, again, segregating the two groups as much as possible?

Totally agree

Plus, if Disney starts cutting back on the number of smoking rooms, seems like you'll just end up with more people smoking on the balconies, on the walkways, by the pool, and smoking in their rooms.

 

[tiki23]

As a smoker, I just want to say "thank you" to the people on this thread who realize that while smoking is bad and a bad habit, not all smokers are bad people! I go out of my way to be considerate to non-smokers but I am often amazed at the evil looks people give me, even if they are across the street and think I might be pondering crossing to their side.

Also, some advice for non-smokers who get smokey rooms, ask housekeeping to run an ozone machine in your room for several hours while you are away, it will neutralize the smoke. Most hotels have one on hand for just this purpose.

 

[DMRick]

Also, some advice for non-smokers who get smokey rooms, ask housekeeping to run an ozone machine in your room for several hours while you are away, it will neutralize the smoke. Most hotels have one on hand for just this purpose.

They did do that as part of our clean up. It helped a lot on my room..did diddly for the stinkier room next door (the connecting). That room next door just poured the smoke out, which was interesting, since we were there 8 days, and no one in the room smoked.

C.Ann, I assume you'll be "in the city" at some point If not, I'll call your reg number on my cell phone next week.

I was told an optional room was a room where you could smoke or not smoke if the room is needed in one direction or another..as opposed to a non smoking or a smoking room. If they have more non smokers than rooms, the optional rooms may be non smoking..if they have more smokers than rooms, they turn into smoking rooms, so you may end up in the middle of a smoking area, without knowing it. We turned those down. They would have had no problem getting us three rooms over in the mansions, but I would rather be in POP than way over at some of those far rooms. Plus, this time of year, I wanted the shade.

 

[DMRick]

Why not make a BLOCK of rooms at one end of the resort the smoking rooms, again, segregating the two groups as much as possible[/COLOR]?

Keep in mind that people often take the non smoking rooms, even if they are smokers, so their family is smelling cleaner air. Those seem to be the smokers who are smoking on the room walkways and stairways...away from their rooms. Even if a building is non smoking (they are mostly grouped), there is nothing that says you can't smoke anywhere outside you wish..even in front of the no smoking area. Sometimes, several people gather together just for their smoke, in the non smoking buildings.

 

[LuvN~Travel]

Smoking was the only bad thing I had happen at AKL this trip. The only smoking rooms are at the front of the hotel to keep it away from the animals. However, I smelled someone smoking twice from the rooms below ours, and we definitely were on one of the savannah trails! It was REAL tempting to call management and let them know about it.... THey could at least honor the rules of the hotel for the animals' sake!
Kim

 

[BONZO]

Hi,

We had a simialr issue at CSR the other year.

We booked a non-smoking room but two adjoining rooms were booked for a group and they "partied" and smoked out on the walkway outside the room.

The result was that the sound and the smoke would drift into our room. We phoned reception who advised us that only the rooms were non-smoking but other parts of the building was ok.

So, it just came down to folks being considerate of others or not.

 

[Debbie]

We had a simialr issue at CSR the other year.

We booked a non-smoking room but two adjoining rooms were booked for a group and they "partied" and smoked out on the walkway outside the room.

The result was that the sound and the smoke would drift into our room. We phoned reception who advised us that only the rooms were non-smoking but other parts of the building was ok.

We had the same thing at CSR, the one night we stayed there 2 years ago. Non-smoking building, but the neighbours chainsmoked (like every 20 minutes) out on the walkway, right outside my door. I am very sensitive, and could smell it as soon as the cigarette was lit. Nothing that I could do.

Last time we went to WDW, we sat in that nice shaded area near the Dole Whip stand, too. My DDs were quietly dissing the smokers, but I set the kids straight. WE were in the area designated for smoking. If we chose to leave, we could. The smokers were doing the RIGHT thing. No dissing allowed. It did give us a chance to discuss the dangers and the addictiveness (is that a word?) of the habit, though.

Smoking is legal, and while there are a lot of responsible and considerate smokers, sometimes it seems as if it is an entitlement to foist the smoke on me and mine by some of the others. I guess, that I'd really like all smokers to be aware and acknowledge that what they do does affect me. Yes, even in the great outdoors. Just yesterday, Stats Canada (I think that was the organization) released a new report that second hand smoke is just as dangerous as smoking yourself.

Doris, thank you for your report. I appreciate the candor, and I know that despite this one problem, you had a great vacation with your group.

 

[rmontgo892]

I am a considerate smoker in between when I am not trying to quit!

I prefer the designated areas!!! It makes my life easier...usually!!

Here's my prob from the other side...I can't tell you how many times I am in the smoking area and inevitably get some ignorant people giving me dirty looks, comments under their breath etc. Duh, then they figure out it's a smoking area and I deserve the nasty attitude because "I" am in the proper area???

I have always found my fellow smokers considerate in our little designated areas! The consensus from the smokers I talk to is that we prefer an area and some have a hard time finding them but they do seek the proper area out. I know all the areas and help them out with my favorite areas like behind the Christmas shop in the MK.

Some non smokers have the nerve to complain about the areas we do get. Ya can't win with this mentality. I would never but I swear I feel like lighting up anywhere I feel like when non smokers start complaining and giving us smokers dirty looks. Why bother with designated areas when "some" non smokers still aren't happy??? I know I am a leper but geesh, I am in the proper area and some still aren't happy.

Hey, I put my cigarette out at the pool when people come over by me especially kids. I always stake out a spot and do not chain smoke by the pool but enjoy one while there. Bet, no one appreciates it either. I stake out my spots in BB and TL too and thankfully they have designated areas but when it gets crowded...more looks. I had one lady grumble that smokers get the best areas.

So yea, I would prefer designated areas at the resorts too but would appreciate those non smokers with the "attitude" to get a clue and stop with the looks and comments when your in a smoking area.

I have noticed some smoking where they shouldn't. I wonder if these are the same people that abuse the fastpass system.

At the resorts and pool areas it's up to the consideration of everyone to get along. Why some non smokers feel they have the right to tell/demand someone put out a ciggie is beyond me. Never has happened to me personally but I have heard stories and seen it a few times to others. I will put mine out when it gets crowded but if someone was there before you and are smoking...I bet if you ask nicely it will go a LOT further then asking with an attitude and giving dirty looks. But remember, non smokers can move too

I will say this much...if in the future anyone ever asks me to put a cig out with an attitude...forget it!

If you happen upon a lady with a cig at the pool and see her putting it out as you approach...say thanks.

Exactly, and then, we'll know where not to go if it bothers us. We did accidently (didn't see the sign) sit in the shade near the Dole whips, and wondered why the heck everyone picked that nice shaded area to light up..then we realized it was a smoking area (because it held so many babies and pregnant women, we thought they were all just trying to get out of the sun!)..and as soon as we realized it (someone told us..I guess they saw our puzzled faces) back out into the sun we headed..happy that so many were using that area.
In January and Feb we did encounter a lot of cigarette smoke at the pool and under the overhang by the entrance to the food court at POP..but not the cigars, and not in our rooms. I think it's a younger crowd there and less likely to be smoking cigars. We also noticed a lot of cigars outside at the Poly..the beach seemed to draw them, according to someone staying there, that came over to chat with us (we were on the sidewalks, and the man overheard us talking about NY, and as a fellow NYer, he joined our conversation).
As far as staying at POP versus POR because you might smell cigar..I think it's a chance, as you'll never know. We've stayed at POR several times and it's not been a big problem before. We changed our room at Music once, because cigarette smoke was coming in through the bathroom vent..this would have just been too complicated to change, so we stayed where we were.
I know we have come a long way, from the days when people smoked everwhere. I was really aware of how far, when I went to Ireland, just before they changed their smoking laws. I was shopping at TJMaxx (although they call it slightly different..can't remember the correct name), and the person next to me had a cigarette in her mouth and the ashes were going on the clothes. I wondered why no one said anything, then I realized several were smoking inside. They also smoked on the buses, the trains, and many other places. Then I was reminded that it was the same here years ago. I'm surprised so many people smoke there, because their TV ads against smoking are nothing like ours. I was more grossed out by the ads showing illnesses of smokers, than I was by the smoke itself. I think there would be an uproar if they showed those ads here. If you have ever seen that ad with the gross toenail (I always have to turn my head)..imagine it 10 times worse LOL!

But yep, if Disney just gave both the smokers and the non smokers enforced places (and to be fair, if a smoker is in an "ok" place, non smokers need to not toss dirty looks or make comments), it would be better all around.

 

[metta4]

Ugh..reading this has me stressed out. I leave for POR in 8 days. My 2 children..17 months and 3 yrs old have asthma so smoke smell, residue or direct exposure is not an option for us. I am really concerned now.

We stayed at AKL last time and it was wonderful...no problems. I can't change the resort b/c its a business conference for DH and his work has already approved us staying there and we can't chg it now.

What is reasonable to expect from Disney if the smoke is an issue for us given my kids have medical issues???? ..and I'll be hauling a suitcase of meds and nebulizers with me to prove it....

I have requested a nonsmoking room for medical issues
thanks

 

[DMRick]

I have requested a nonsmoking room for medical issues
thanks

My reason was medical also. It was much harder for us to move, because we had three rooms. There really isn't much Disney can do, if someone is smoking in a non smoking room, so if you do have the problem, you can ask to be moved.

 

[#1hockeymom]

Smoking was the only bad thing I had happen at AKL this trip. The only smoking rooms are at the front of the hotel to keep it away from the animals. However, I smelled someone smoking twice from the rooms below ours, and we definitely were on one of the savannah trails! It was REAL tempting to call management and let them know about it.... THey could at least honor the rules of the hotel for the animals' sake!
Kim

I don't know about standard or pool view rooms, but the savannah view smoking rooms are together way out near the ends of the trails. The same floor above or below may not be smoking, though. The smoke you noticed was more than likely coming from a room that was designated smoking.

 

[Lizzybee]

Honestly I think it's a "luck of the draw" thing. We didn't have anyone smoking near our room at POR and we didn't smell any smoke residue in our room. Unfortunately I don't think any resort is "immune" from people who break the rules and smoke in rooms they shouldn't smoke in. On the other hand, I wouldn't "worry" about going to any particular resort based on someone smelling smoke. It can happen, and then again you may be worried for no reason. When we were there we only walked by a couple of girls smoking at the pool. We chose not to stay near them. If you get a room that has that problem and you only have one room and don't need a block of rooms in a row, I'm sure you'll be able to escape the offensive room.