Smoking in the parks...YUCK!

[MissyPrissy]

I don't know if anyone else has encountered this...but I was at WDW for my honeymoon Aug 23-Sept 1...I was SHOCKED at how often I saw people just strolling through the park, puffing away on a ciggarette. I was trying to watch illuminations one evening...had a GREAT spot and this man was next to me (with his very loud RUDE family...as in kid wants to stand where someone is already standing and says very LOUDLY to his dad "Tell that stupid fat lady to move dad!" Dad laughs...mom laughs...kid says it five more times... ) Anyhow, I digress...

This man was chain smoking throughout the entire show...I thought perhaps we had wandered into a smoking area on accident as I was sure that no one would just smoke where ever they felt like it...but nope, not in a smoking area...I honestly don't want to infringe upon the enjoyment of others, but I was really annoyed that this guy would smoke in a very large crowd. To make matters worse I am terribly asthmatic and I did not bring my inhaler b/c I didn't anticipate being surrounded by smoke but I didn't want to move b/c I really wanted to see Illumnations and this was the only night we could do it. I was just going to suffer in silence, but when my breathing got ragged my DH just couldn't take it and asked him to please put his ciggarette out. He said "Oh sure...sorry man...sorry..." drops it on the GRASS and I kid you not, LIT UP ANOTHER ONE less than 30 seconds later. He was obviously very intoxicated (had several of those HUGE tall plastic cups...know what I mean? Shaped funny...big...anyhow..) So I told my DH to just drop it as the show was nearly over.

Has anyone else encountered people just ignoring the rules on smoking in Disney? Why is it that CM's don't do anything about it? I hate it that people are allowed to smoke around kids. *sigh*

anyhow...wow that was a big ol VENT huh? thanks for reading!!!

 

[mandy200587]

I saw it several times this past July. My friend is allergic to cigarette smoke and we we walked by several people who were smoking as they walked. It's rude and I appreciate those who smoke in the designated areas and take consideration of others.

 

[Mickey1122]

Excellent! Another rant thread!
If that sounded harsh, I really did not mean it to be as bad as it sounded. I completely agree that smoking outside designated areas is wrong, I just do not want to spend my time getting worked up over it.
I am just frustrated because there are so many threads like this, where all people do is complain about misbehaving guests. This subject was thoroughly plastered in other threads. It's a pity that we put so much time into getting upset over something. I think we should be talking more about nice things people have done.

 

[princess sparkle p]

We saw this happening in April everyday all over the parks. It disappoints me that the CM's do not do anything when they encounter people smoking out side of the designated areas. After all if you are found eating in a show or on a ride, or using flash photography they stop you. So why not stop smokers when they smoke outside of smoking areas. Smoking is a choice and people have the right to make that choice, but they should not take the choice to breathe clean air away from anyone else.

I am not trying to start an argument, rather just stating how I feel.

 

[MPierce]

Excellent! Another rant thread!
If that sounded harsh, I really did not mean it to be as bad as it sounded. I completely agree that smoking outside designated areas is wrong, I just do not want to spend my time getting worked up over it.
I am just frustrated because there are so many threads like this, where all people do is complain about misbehaving guests. This subject was thoroughly plastered in other threads. It's a pity that we put so much time into getting upset over something. I think we should be talking more about nice things people have done.

This is a perfect post on the matter, I certainly couldn't have said it any better. There are rude, and inconsiderate people everywhere, both smokers, and non-smokers. I refuse to allow anyone to spoil my time at WDW, period.

 

[Tikki-Tikki]

.......sorry, but it kind of takes the magic away when you get a stinking cloud of old smoke from someones lungs puffed in your face, (sorry but this always happens to me), i say live and let live, but, some (not all) smokers have a kind of rebel attitude towards only smoking in designated areas, although they`re shooting them selves in the foot, because one day disney will put thier foot down and totally ban it from the parks all together, ruining it for all those curtious smokers who DO think about others.

 

[cleo]

Excellent! Another rant thread! I am just frustrated because there are so many threads like this, where all people do is complain about misbehaving guests.

Amen to that. And notice how it's never THEIR family who does something obnoxious? (Not directed at the OP here, just a general comment)

What's with all the complaints lately? Geez! And the smoking thing has been 'done to death'. I'm a non-smoker, I hate smoke in non-designated places, but for heaven's sake....enough already!!

I'm not going to close the thread since the OP has every right to let her thoughts be known on the subject and to get replies. If it goes the route this particular topic ALWAYS goes, I'll see you shortly with my big, nasty Whammy Stick.

 

[Tikki-Tikki]

......promises

 

[Evil Queen]

I am smoker, but smoke only where it's "allowed". That's why they have these areas. It's not "allowed", that's why attention to be to it. If the 1st CM shrugs it off, you should go to the next one.

You should had DH go find a CM to ask this gentleman to stop.

As the family member of several people who have asthma, you should always carry your inhaler.

 

[4boysmom]

Ugh, yes! We were there 8-26 - 9-2 & we couldn't believe how much smoking was going on ALL over the place! People smoking while walking, smoking in non-designated places. It was truly disgusting.

 

[princess sparkle p]

Excellent! Another rant thread!
If that sounded harsh, I really did not mean it to be as bad as it sounded. I completely agree that smoking outside designated areas is wrong, I just do not want to spend my time getting worked up over it.
I am just frustrated because there are so many threads like this, where all people do is complain about misbehaving guests. This subject was thoroughly plastered in other threads. It's a pity that we put so much time into getting upset over something. I think we should be talking more about nice things people have done.

If you are all tired of them then don’t read OR post on them…skip it and go onto something that you WANT to read or reply to. Makes simple sense to me…

It would seem to me that maybe some members have not seen all the other threads about non-smoking and now they are giving some of their opinions. I am glad this is not being shut down at this point. I completely understand that some people get out of hand on some threads and they need to be closed, but thanks for giving this one a chance.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

We saw this happening in April everyday all over the parks. It disappoints me that the CM's do not do anything when they encounter people smoking out side of the designated areas. After all if you are found eating in a show or on a ride, or using flash photography they stop you. So why not stop smokers when they smoke outside of smoking areas. Smoking is a choice and people have the right to make that choice, but they should not take the choice to breathe clean air away from anyone else.

I am not trying to start an argument, rather just stating how I feel.

Same here, so here goes!
Honestly, though...my personal feeling is that smoking should not be allowed in ANY of the parks, period. However, I realize that this would be a terrible business decision and would also create a hardship for some families. So it drives me CRAZY that the smoking areas aren't enforced. I will complain to the offenders and CMs when I see it happening, and probably write a letter after my vacation if nothing is done on the spot. I cannot breathe when people are smoking. Period. If other people are going to be selfish and inconsiderate and try to disease MY lungs (and my child's! ) as well as their own, then they can stand a mild tongue-lashing from the likes of me!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I too found it very annoying to have to constantly walk through clouds of smoke. My kids can't take it. They get sick. This was happening all over our resort as well. It was even worse for us as we did all get sick (colds/ear infections) and on top of that had to breathe in smoke while walking to the foodcourt to get some tea.

 

[reefnut]

whammy stick.....lol i like that im a smoker and i would feel guilty if i lite up in the non-smoking area around poeple and little kids.. you non smokers wouldnt understand this but like the op said the guy was doing some drinking witch just makes you feel like you need a cig to live....but i must admit i have smoked in a non smoking area but i make sure im in an area way off the beating path where there is no people that will have to deal with the smell of my death stick (i always go to the world in feb so theres not to many people and plenty of hidding places). i think disney did a pretty good job with making the smokeing areas close enough that when you touring the parks there a spot to smoke when you need to. the cm's should pay better attention to this rule. illuminations is my favorite show and im sorry to hear that it something like smoking took away from your enjoyment.

 

[Lizziejane]

New rules for the board:

1. only happy, joyful, pixie-dust-filled posts from now on please .
2. No complaints or grumbling allowed.
3. We don't care what you experienced while you were on vacation - unless of course everything was covered in pixie dust, then you're more welcome to share.

And yes, I'm being saracastic.

 

[Scraper]

Call it ranting if you want but if this thread stops one person from smoking in the crowds around my family then it is worth it. Lung Cancer is the number one killing cancer. Yes you can get it from seacond hand smoke. I am easy going and tend to let the small things go. I don't believe this is a small thing.

 

[Evil Queen]

I too found it very annoying to have to constantly walk through clouds of smoke. My kids can't take it. They get sick. This was happening all over our resort as well. It was even worse for us as we did all get sick (colds/ear infections) and on top of that had to breathe in smoke while walking to the foodcourt to get some tea.

Not sure about the other resorts, but I'm not sure the values really have smoking/non-smoking sections (other than rooms).

I know last year in DTD, I was trying to locate a smoking area, when I asked security where I could smoke, he did say anywhere, it's out in the open and doesn't follow the same policies as the parks.

I did still sit off to the side of the walkways.

 

[Evil Queen]

Call it ranting if you want but if this thread stops one person from smoking in the crowds around my family then it is worth it. Lung Cancer is the number one killing cancer. Yes you can get it from seacond hand smoke. I am easy going and tend to let the small things go. I don't believe this is a small thing.

I think what many of the posters mean is, there have been a rash of complaint threads. And the smoker's out in the parks has been touched on over and over, posting on it really won't help too much.

Like I said I am a smoker, but I do follow the rules. So, on that note, maybe if enough people would address this with Disney, they would pay more attention to it, or train the CM's to do so.

 

[ToriLammy]

Call it ranting if you want but if this thread stops one person from smoking in the crowds around my family then it is worth it.

But the problem with that line of thought is just this -- the folks who are ignorant enough to smoke in areas were smoking is not permitted are not going to give a darn about a post on a forum complaining about it. If anything they probably laugh and plan on doing it more the next time.

 

[Mono~rail]

Dh and I both smoke, but we enjoy our cigarrettes (sp?) in the designated areas only. It annoys us when we see people smoking outside the designated areas because Disney just might ban smoking completely in the parks.

This is a bit OT, but still relevant. I don't get the people who sit by choice in the designated smoking areas and complain about the smoking going on around them.