Ultimately I think Disney is thinking about ALL guests with this ban. If they can get smokers to quit - that would be a great thing for smokers and those that love them (even if they do not want to admit it). I understand free will and all but think about how much heathier one could be and the reduced costs for the masses - but I do digress as that is a far more deap and complicated discussion!
I honestly do not think they care one whit about helping anyone other than their bottom line and those they are entrusted to care for. If they have been inundated with complaints concerning smokers wo wander out of the DSA, or by guests who have been affected by the smoke drift, and if the cost to clean up has become higher than they want to absorb, then it makes sense to shut the option down. I also believe they may care about these employees stuck with the cleanup. I find it hard to believe they honestly look at the overall health of their guest population and are hoping to improve it.
If wheelchairs were only available to physically handicapped people, and not to obese (food addicted) people...Would you perceive Disney as being biased and unwelcoming of obese people?
Disney makes this announcement one month before it's implementation. It doesn't announce these DSA locations, because there probably isn't any work to be done, i.e. installing seating. For all the public knows at this time, is that there's going to be an area somewhere probably nearer to the parking lot.
It may not seem like a big deal to a non-smoker. But it's the culmination of the prevailing atmosphere at the Disney parks, where minimal, out of the way DSA's still managed to create an antagonistic anti-smoker atmosphere. <self edited>
Okay, I understand you are upset. No one is stopping a non smoker from joining the smokers in a DSA. I have followed my DDIL but left because I hated it. No one asked me to leave. If you want to rent a wheelchair, or eat more cupcakes then you should to remain slim, have at it. You are trying to make this a discrimination issue and for the life of me I cannot understand how it is that. This is a business decision, pure and simple. If you made a decision that would improve the overall satisfaction of 85% of your business patrons, would you say, "Sorry, no can do Buckeroo."?
I understand that you feel like a pariah. I understand you think that the atmosphere is antagonistic towards smokers. It probably is. I know my own home is antagonistic towards smokers. I won't have it in my home. I discourage anyone from smoking on my front porch, and I would prefer they do not smoke in my yard. I imagine there is a small percentage of people who do not like my decisions, however I prefer to make the majority of my family and friends happy, myself included, then indulge one smoker who does not want to move away from my windows. WE all have our thing, and yours happens to be one that makes a large percentage of people uncomfortable in one way or another.
I think we all have choices in terms of where we visit. I will never visit a park outside the US that allows smoking freely. I do not feel my preference outweighs the mindset there, but I choose to stay away. I rarely step foot in casinos that allow smoking, but when I do, I do not feel anyone in my area need to accommodate my preference, and if I want a smoke free area ( No matter what they say, smoke travels there) I will take the long hike and head to the outer regions in the North 40.
How difficult would it be for multi-billion dollar Disney to install the smokers zones like they have in Europe, so that the smoke is contained and doesn't drift?
If Disney had done that, it would have marked a real solution effort to maximize the comfort of non-smoking guests, and treated smokers with a modicum of respect.
Disney has chosen to just basically said to smokers, "you're very welcome to leave...the park, and enjoy our parking lot."
But why should they?
I grew up in a time where smoking was accommodated everywhere, then limited, and now nearly eliminated, at least in CA. I tell my kids about smoking sections on airplanes and in restaurants and they just don't believe me. These are VERY good changes, and I can't ever imagine going back. Think about it; you used to be able to smoke on airplanes, in any seat, regardless of who was sitting next to you. That's CRAZY is today's world! I'm sorry if you feel as though you are in an antagonistic atmosphere, but it really is more than a little surprising that Disney has been so accommodating to this point - not the other way around.
I agree. I grew up during that time and boy have things changed since then!
When they banned smoking here the small corner lounges saw a drop in business for the first few months, but everything soon went back to normal. A lot of restaurants actually reported an instant increase in business from non smokers who didn't have to breathe in smoke anymore.
The same occurred in my area. A big hoopla that amounted to nothing really. I know we started dining out more often once I did not have to compete with smoke to enjoy my food.