Smoking Optional Rooms at VWL

[BCVOwner2002]

When we tried to check in at VWL last month we were told they no longer had any non-smoking rooms available but that we could have a smoking optional room! I told the CM this was unacceptable and that due to allergies (and as per my reservation request) I wanted a non-smoking room. CM told me that this request was never guaranteed and a smoking optional studio at 4:30 in the afternoon was all that was left. I told her I would not take that room and she said she would have to speak with the manager. We were left standing at the front desk for over 30 minutes and the manager never came out to see us. Finally, we were told a non-smoking room was available.

When did DVC start smoking optional rooms? Is this something others have encountered? Annmarie

 

[ErinC]

I still would love to hear what the difference in smoking and smoking optional are. I find this ridiculous. It IS either a SMOKING room or a NON smoking room. Why the sudden movement in the hotel industry to a third category of smoking optional? Somebody please enlighten me.

 

[ncligs]

Originally posted by ErinC
I still would love to hear what the difference in smoking and smoking optional are. I find this ridiculous. It IS either a SMOKING room or a NON smoking room.

I agree!! AnnMarie you did the right thing to ask for a manager.I would NEVER accept a smoking room with a reservation made at 11 months out for non-smoking.

 

[Granny]

I think it's pretty straightforward really.

DVC's goal is to book all DVC resorts to 100% capacity all the time. But on any given day, they don't know what the mix of smokers and non-smokers will be. They can't turn away smokers with a legitimate reservation just because they are out of smoking rooms. And while they could ask smokers not to smoke in a non-smoking room, that might be more than many smokers can handle.

So they create a third class of rooms. They fill up the smoking rooms with smokers, then if they get more smokers, they put them into a room that sometimes has smokers and sometimes has non-smokers and call it a smoking optional room.

This would also be the place they would put people who do not list a preference on smoking or non-smoking.


Then they run into a problem when there is a really small number of smokers at a resort at any given time. All the non-smoking rooms are taken. So they have to dig into the smoking optional rooms, figuring that this kind of room (when ionized) is better than giving the non-smoker a dedicated smoking room.


I think this is a real pain for DVD, and it wouldn't surprise me at all to see everything go to non-smoking. But look for it to happen through legislation, not policy.

Just my humble opinion.

 

[ncligs]

Originally posted by Granny
I think this is a real pain for DVD, and it wouldn't surprise me at all to see everything go to non-smoking. But look for it to happen through legislation, not policy.

I agree with your post above Granny and I think it will happen in the near future. There would be a lot less problems with reservations and requests. After all...... this is Florida

......not Alaska

. Smokers can always step outside(and not on the balcony) if they need a cigarette.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by ncligs
I agree with your post above Granny and I think it will happen in the near future. There would be a lot less problems with reservations and requests. After all...... this is Florida

......not Alaska

. Smokers can always step outside(and not on the balcony) if they need a cigarette.

I do doubt that will ever happen. Smokers are members and have paid for membership. They have as much right to enjoy their vacations as non smokers. Some people do not wish to have to step outside to smoke and, frankly, do not need to hear rules about where they may smoke in "their homes". Perhaps they should make it all smoking and eliminate all the "problems" with reservations. If you think making it all non smoking will eliminate problems, think again, it will open a can of worms you all don't want to see.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by ErinC
I still would love to hear what the difference in smoking and smoking optional are. I find this ridiculous. It IS either a SMOKING room or a NON smoking room. Why the sudden movement in the hotel industry to a third category of smoking optional? Somebody please enlighten me.

Smoking optional means you have the option of smoking in the unit or not. some people do not object to being in a smoking optional unit even if they don't smoke. This is not a third category, there are still only two and the key word is "optional".

 

[threeprincesses]

THanks for the info. We are checking in there in two days and a smoking room is something I cannot tolerate. I think you did the right thing; the same thing I will do in the same situation!

 

[floridafam]

Who in their right mind would think that "smoking optional" rooms are actually a good idea? A smoking optional room is, in fact, a smoking room.

What a joke.

 

[ErinC]

Thanks floridafam! Those are my exact same thoughts. Im glad to know that I'm not the only one who sees it this way.

 

[BCVOwner2002]

Gail,

I don't want to start a debate over smoking and non-smoking but when a request is made shouldn't it be honored? When I made the reservation I wasn't told that they didn't have any non-smoking rooms available nor was I told I might have to take a smoking optional room. This is unfair and deceptive in my opinion. I would've asked to be moved somewhere else rather than stay in a smoking optional room.

As for people's rights I have a right to not breath or smell cigarette smoke and it is obvious many states and towns feel this way too since many have banned smoking in public places, including restaurants and work places.

I thought this was important for other DVC members and resort guests to realize that according to the CM at VWL a non-smoking room is not guaranteed. By the way, I never got a welcome home either! I think she was mad that I didn't take the smoking optional room.

Annmarie

 

[floridafam]

I also think MS should inform people if this is the case. If I have a reservation for October do I have to worry about being placed in a "smoking optional" room?

I wasn't looking at this question as a debate, either.

I can't believe MS wouldn't have to inform people if this was the new policy.

I thank you for posting this.

If anyone receives comments on this issue from MS when you are making/changing, etc. a reservation, will you please post?

 

[Mrs. Snowgod]

The link below is to a post that was on the Resorts board. I remember thinking to myself that this may have taken a very different course had it been on the DVC board.

Is this off-topic? Yeah, sort of.... but before all the good folks on this board get into Smoking Debate #8,642, I thought I'd offer a little distraction.

Enjoy... or not:

Thread on Poolside Smoking Policy

Thanks, BCVOwner2002, for making us aware of your recent experience. It will be helpful info to many.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by BCVOwner2002
Gail,

I don't want to start a debate over smoking and non-smoking but when a request is made shouldn't it be honored? When I made the reservation I wasn't told that they didn't have any non-smoking rooms available nor was I told I might have to take a smoking optional room. This is unfair and deceptive in my opinion. I would've asked to be moved somewhere else rather than stay in a smoking optional room.

As for people's rights I have a right to not breath or smell cigarette smoke and it is obvious many states and towns feel this way too since many have banned smoking in public places, including restaurants and work places.

I thought this was important for other DVC members and resort guests to realize that according to the CM at VWL a non-smoking room is not guaranteed. By the way, I never got a welcome home either! I think she was mad that I didn't take the smoking optional room.

Annmarie

Annmarie,
I don't disagree with a thing you stated in your OP or now. I also feel a request for a "smoking" room should be met also.

I don't have a problem with a ban on cigarettes inside, none what so ever.

I am sorry you encountered a problem, but, it is apparently impossible for MS to tell if you will get a smoking or non smoking room at this point. It is annoying from both sides, btw.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by floridafam
Who in their right mind would think that "smoking optional" rooms are actually a good idea? A smoking optional room is, in fact, a smoking room.

What a joke.

It is just hotels etc. being PC.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by floridafam
I also think MS should inform people if this is the case. If I have a reservation for October do I have to worry about being placed in a "smoking optional" room?

I wasn't looking at this question as a debate, either.

I can't believe MS wouldn't have to inform people if this was the new policy.

I thank you for posting this.

If anyone receives comments on this issue from MS when you are making/changing, etc. a reservation, will you please post?

This is not a new policy, it has been in effect since the beginning.
Room requests are just that, requests, not guarantees.

 

[floridafam]

I also agree, Gail.

Smokers should be guaranteed a smoking room and non-smokers should be guaranteed a non-smoking room. It just seems so simple.

Would it be that hard for MS to book by smoking/non-smoking?

Do members not want it this way? I would give up my home resort, 11 month window reservation for a non-smoking room if I tried to check in and was told there wasn't one available.

I just think that if they could book by smoking/non-smoking then EVERYONE would be happy.

 

[RobDoc]

Originally posted by BCVOwner2002

When did DVC start smoking optional rooms? Is this something others have encountered? Annmarie

DVC has always had "Smoking Optional" rooms and smoking/non-smoking has always been a request only and requests have never been guaranteed. The current policy has been in place since the first DVC resort opened in 1991 (and actually since the first Disney resort opened in 1971).

Requests are noted, but not guaranteed.

 

[jmminarik]

Originally posted by BCVOwner2002
due to allergiese

It may be just my skewed perception but it seems to me that the vocal DVCers around here either smoke or have allergies. Maybe they should reclassify the rooms as 'allergy optional'.

< / SARCASM >


-joe

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by jmminarik
It may be just my skewed perception but it seems to me that the vocal DVCers around here either smoke or have allergies. Maybe they should reclassify the rooms as 'allergy optional'.

< / SARCASM >


-joe

LOL, very true. I think there are more with allergies than smokers, however. Everyone that seems to dislike smoke has allergies.