Smoking & stroller wagons banned May 1!

[Kender]

OK, so regarding smoking weed at DL.

Smoking weed anywhere other than a private residence or a licensed establishment is still illegal. So, in order for DL to have allowed weed smoking in the (soon to be defunct) smoking areas they would have had to obtain a license. So the smoking ban had nothing to do with 'fear' of weed smokers demanding the same 'right to smoke' as a tobacco smoker.

Hotels are a grey area. But the CM at the Grand who allegedly said "It's legal, what can we do?" was dead wrong. Any property owner (including private landlords) has the right to ban smoking weed, even in a rented apartment. The law stipulates that one has the right to smoke in property that one owns.

Do people 'secretly' smoke weed at DL? Yes, and that's been going on since at least the late '60s. And people smuggle in alcohol too, although probably less now that you can buy booze in DCA and soon in SWL. Will people continue to do so? Probably, and they'll probably be joined by a few 'secret' tobacco users, too. It will be up to Disney to enforce their own rules.

This! The changes are not about keeping marijuana out. There's already rules and laws that govern that.

I would correct "grey area" as being non existent for Disney since it's not a grey area for them. They expressly forbid both smoking in the rooms (balcony included) and marijuana. There was plenty the CM at the hotel could have done as it was a violation of two rules. The response the person received was unacceptable and blatantly incorrect.

Although I do agree it is a grey area for a hotel that allows smoking, but has not expressly forbid marijuana.

 

[MrsD.Duck]

This! The changes are not about keeping marijuana out. There's already rules and laws that govern that.

I would correct "grey area" as being non existent for Disney since it's not a grey area for them. They expressly forbid both smoking in the rooms (balcony included) and marijuana. There was plenty the CM at the hotel could have done as it was a violation of two rules. The response the person received was unacceptable and blatantly incorrect.

Although I do agree it is a grey area for a hotel that allows smoking, but has not expressly forbid marijuana.

We complained about the smoking pot on the balcony several times over several days, I got bounced around to several people and to several security guards it was frustrating and then to be told they couldn't do anything about was when I left a very long complaint before we checked out. There just seemed to be no regard by the staff that this was an issue.

 

[Kender]

We complained about the smoking pot on the balcony several times over several days, I got bounced around to several people and to several security guards it was frustrating and then to be told they couldn't do anything about was when I left a very long complaint before we checked out. There just seemed to be no regard by the staff that this was an issue.

This is extremely troublesome as it is black and white, no room for interpretation in their rules.

My guess? They didn't want to confront anyone. They likely just noted the smoking and will bill that room the recovery fee. Does not excuse it, of course. And I'm very disappointed by the response you received

 

[Baptist]

I don't hear people complaining about alcohol consumption in DCA. Disney even celebrates it during the Food and Wine festival. But, when it comes to legal marijuana, it's banned from the parks. Hypocrites!

I agree that the smell can be obnoxious. But why ban vaping or edibles and celebrate alcohol? Maybe it's because Disney can sell a beer for $10 and they are not allowed to sell marijuana.

 

[lcp9]

I don't hear people complaining about alcohol consumption in DCA. Disney even celebrates it during the Food and Wine festival. But, when it comes to legal marijuana, it's banned from the parks. Hypocrites!

I agree that the smell can be obnoxious. But why ban vaping or edibles and celebrate alcohol? Maybe it's because Disney can sell a beer for $10 and they are not allowed to sell marijuana.

well, you don't hear of many people complaining about being exposed to secondhand alcohol...

 

[Where's Wall-E]

I don't hear people complaining about alcohol consumption in DCA. Disney even celebrates it during the Food and Wine festival. But, when it comes to legal marijuana, it's banned from the parks. Hypocrites!

I agree that the smell can be obnoxious. But why ban vaping or edibles and celebrate alcohol? Maybe it's because Disney can sell a beer for $10 and they are not allowed to sell marijuana.

While it may be "legal" in the state of California, like mentioned earlier in this thread, it is illegal to consume it in public. This is not hypocritical, this is the law.

 

[cmwade77]

I don't hear people complaining about alcohol consumption in DCA. Disney even celebrates it during the Food and Wine festival. But, when it comes to legal marijuana, it's banned from the parks. Hypocrites!

I agree that the smell can be obnoxious. But why ban vaping or edibles and celebrate alcohol? Maybe it's because Disney can sell a beer for $10 and they are not allowed to sell marijuana.

Not really, California law only permits smoking marijuana inside your private residence, it is very clear that it is not to be used in public settings. California law even forbids it from hotels and the argument can be made even from apartments and other rental units, possibly even condos as they have shared infrastructure. There haven't been any court cases about apartments and such that I know of, but the way the law reads, it could potentially ban it.

So no, it is not hypocritical to ban it from the parks since it is illegal everywhere but your own personal residence.

 

[twitch]

Yes, we've often seen the dogs in the lines leading up to bag check in front of the structure at M&F. And seen the dogs alert and deter guests from going through bag check. The dogs give their signal, the handler calmly gazes around, and, sure enough, one or two guests will make a sudden 180* to bolt out of line to head back to the car. If you didn't know the dog had alerted, it would just look like the guests had forgotten something important or maybe had to use the restroom pronto.

This is absolutely what happened the time I saw it. It was a late-teen/early-twenties couple. He saw the dog and handler, and said something to her. She said something like “what are we going to do?” And he said something like “take it back to the car!” And they did a 180° and hightailed it back to the parking lot.

 

[cmwade77]

Sure -- that's fine. That's a choice they make that doesn't interfere with my enjoyment of the park.

Actually, Disney bans all marijuana in the parks, edibles or not. Unfortunately some security officers take this to mean it should include products containing CBD oil, which is not marijuana and has many legitimate uses.

 

[cmwade77]

This is absolutely what happened the time I saw it. It was a late-teen/early-twenties couple. He saw the dog and handler, and said something to her. She said something like “what are we going to do?” And he said something like “take it back to the car!” And they did a 180° and hightailed it back to the parking lot.

Yep, my personal thought is ban all smoking/vaping products from being brought through security and train the dogs to alert to them as well. That would mean that those who smoke would have to leave security, go back to their cars/hotels to smoke and then come back in.

They wouldn't do this of course, but really it would be a great way to help enforce the smoking ban in the parks.

 

[cmwade77]

Of course not. But it doesnt mean there cant or should not be some restrictions on use within parks. After parades or Shows it can be dangerous as the ECV’s try to move through crowds. While your husband doesnt go fast or bump people, due to crowds it can happen quite easily, not to mention not everyone is as courteous. There is also the factor of that there are a surprisingly large # of people that are incapable of driving them carefully or have their grandkids on them with them. Also some people have the ability to get out of them fairly easily so maybe for at end of events ECV’s need to wait b4 moving or have a viewing area to the side. We all slow down a bit as we age or when we are younger due to health issues. Doesnt mean that we should ignore our limitations and impact others by being able to bang through crowds (not saying you do!). Rules need to made not for those who are careful but for those who believe their satisfaction and enjoyment is more important than anyone else’s.

Here is the other side of that coin, most people who use ECVs are quite capable and courteous, even to the point where it could potentially injure themselves in the process with sudden stops, etc. but many people who are walking choose to walk about 2" in front of an ECV while it is moving or worse still:
The people using ECVs are doing exactly as you suggest, waiting off to the side until the crowds die down to a safe level, but then people end up walking right into the ECV and cuss out the person in the ECV that has been waiting off to the side in what should have been a safe space.

In other words, both those who use ECVs and those who are walking need to be courteous and safe and understand sometimes no matter what best efforts you make, accidents happen.

To this end, anyone remember when the rental strollers used to have metal grates under them? People would push those into the back of your ankles and you would have bloody ankles and they would push them hard in a crowd. My point nhere is every group of people have a minority who aren't courteous, it is life.

And no, there shouldn't be restrictions on ECVs, other than to go at a normal "walking speed", i.e. with the flow of traffic and not run over people.

 

[cmwade77]

I just wish there was a compromise with ECVs and those who need mobility assistance would utilize either an electric or regular wheelchair. Those are MUCH different than ECVs and are much easier to control. The problem with ECVs is that they have the ability to move faster than average joe walking speed. In large crowds and impatient (or inexperienced or inconsiderate) people on those is no bueno. Coming into contact with one of those is the force/weight of not only the person on the scooter but also the scooter itself. I would much rather get ran into by a person going at normal walking speed than 200+ pounds of person+metal going full speed ahead.



You haven't?! LUCKY!!!!

Those are all examples from just off the top of my head. The beeping is pretty frequent when the crowds get dense and the crossing Main Street example happened a couple years ago. The scooter was driven by an older gentleman going across the dip down areas in the curbs on either side of the street and I (literally) had to hop out of the way to avoid him coming into contact with my leg. Of course the people I was with thought it was funny, but I saw my life flash before my eyes! haha

Actually, electric wheelchairs are much more difficult to control and you would have A LOT more accidents if everyone that uses an ECV used one. They also operate at much higher speeds, some up to 25 MPH or higher and as a result would actually do far more permanent damage than an ECV.

 

[cmwade77]

Now, as for stroller wagons, I haven't really been in Disneyland for an extended period of time on a crowded day since these have become popular. I tend to leave when the crowds get too much, but we did go to Seaworld this last weekend and it was packed. The number of stroller wagons there made it near impossible for people to walk, let alone for those using wheelchairs and ECVs to move and the people with the wagons were trying to be courteous and get off to the side, but due to the number of people this just wasn't possible. Other people weren't being rude by not letting them over, there was just no way to do so and you ended up with massive traffic jams as a result, so I can definitely understand better now why Disney must ban these, it really is a safety issue, after all, what if there were an emergency that required an evacuation?

It really just boils down to these are too big to be feasible in theme parks and yes, I understand there are those that use them for their children with various special needs, but really they probably need to move to a special needs stroller/wheelchair instead.

The others I do have concern for with this new policy are say single parents that have three kids that need a stroller, there are a few triple strollers that will work, but not many.

 

[Kender]

The others I do have concern for with this new policy are say single parents that have three kids that need a stroller, there are a few triple strollers that will work, but not many.

And, technically, the stroller wagons never actually worked for this anyways. They're only rated for two children. Putting three or more in means that not every child can be strapped in which negates it truly qualifying as a stroller.

I do feel for the larger families with multiple littles, but there are a few options out there like you said. But sadly only a few.

 

[WonkaKid]

Actually, Disney bans all marijuana in the parks, edibles or not.

Even better.

 

[CO2CA]

Actually, electric wheelchairs are much more difficult to control and you would have A LOT more accidents if everyone that uses an ECV used one. They also operate at much higher speeds, some up to 25 MPH or higher and as a result would actually do far more permanent damage than an ECV.

Are you sure about that 25 mph, or was it a typo? I couldn't imagine an electric wheelchair going the same speed as most cars up and down my street, so Googled to find that most go to 4 mph (the fastest being 10 mph, but those aren't at all common) which is average walking pace.

 

[Bossy22]

Are you sure about that 25 mph, or was it a typo? I couldn't imagine an electric wheelchair going the same speed as most cars up and down my street, so Googled to find that most go to 4 mph (the fastest being 10 mph, but those aren't at all common) which is average walking pace.

My buddies electric wheelchair easily does 20mph, easily!!!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I don't hear people complaining about alcohol consumption in DCA...

Keep reading this board regularly -- I've seen lots of comments/complaints (some fairly recently) about drunks and other alcohol-related problems in the parks. When the Mad T Party was still going on, there were lots of complaints about underage drinking and rude/drunk guests in that area. My most recent experience with problem guests and alcohol happened in DL where it was clear that guests had smuggled in alcohol. Security took care of one of the problems.

well, you don't hear of many people complaining about being exposed to secondhand alcohol...

Does drunken barfing in the parks count? Someone was sneaking drinks from a smuggled flask at the Royal Swing Ball, got drunk, and hurled all over the floor, sharing the experience with all the dancers in the immediate vicinity. (Keep in mind that most dancers dress up for this event every week.) Yeah, second hand alcohol... not fun times. CMs did call security for this one to escort the person out.

 

[WonkaKid]

Keep reading this board regularly -- I've seen lots of comments/complaints (some fairly recently) about drunks and other alcohol-related problems in the parks.

Yes indeed. A friend is a CM and tells me that she sees guests have their APs revoked regularly for being drunk or as a consequence thereof.

As an aside, around 9/10 guests make monthly payments for their APs (she tells me. Personally, I don’t like to carry debt so I pay it all at once). If a guest bought their AP, say, a month ago and has it revoked, they still have to make the remaining eleven monthly payments. Put simply, Disney ain’t got time for that ;-).

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... As an aside, around 9/10 guests make monthly payments for their APs (she tells me. Personally, I don’t like to carry debt so I pay it all at once). If a guest bought their AP, say, a month ago and has it revoked, they still have to make the remaining eleven monthly payments. Put simply, Disney ain’t got time for that ;-).

I don't know if the percentage is as high as 9/10, but your friend is correct that if you are on the payment plan and your pass is revoked, you still are responsible for making the payments until your pass is paid off in full.