WDW Parks Banning Smoking, Stroller Wagons, Loose Ice Beginning May 1st

[Nick]

I have a new Voodoo Donut idea!

This is actually an incredibly fitting idea given the brand’s identity.

If a smoking ban reduces crowd levels then I'm for it.

Spoiler Alert: It won’t and crowds will continue to get larger.

 

[RevFreako]

Good.

 

[SeventyOne]

Now, yes. Obviously, the times are a changin.

When it happens, I am sure the Mouse's lobbyists have a clause all set to put in saying its a no go at theme parks. Of course, still going to be an issue at the hotels, but by then Florida won't be unique (like Colorado) and WDW tends to attract an older, family-friendly guest no matter.

HHN, tho, they're gonna have their hands full.

 

[Scott W.]

Very different reaction to the news in the U.K.

 

[s8film40]

I think this could work better if they “phased it in” by actually strictly enforcing the current policy first. It would give CM’s some time to learn what the reactions are like and how to deal with them before they have to answer the question of “well where can I smoke then” with outside the park.

I honestly think they won’t really enforce it that strictly and it will just become a game of smokers trying to find random out of the way places throughout the park to get as much in before someone comes and politely tells them to put it out. Ultimately I think it will just make things worse.

 

[Disneyhead]

The smoking ban won't stop me from visiting the parks, but it will greatly effect how long I stay at the parks.

 

[Scott W.]

I’m hoping that Disney will be employing more people at security and the turnstiles to cope with the extra traffic.

 

[NuteGunrayWasFramed]

I think this could work better if they “phased it in” by actually strictly enforcing the current policy first. It would give CM’s some time to learn what the reactions are like and how to deal with them before they have to answer the question of “well where can I smoke then” with outside the park.

I disagree. I did attempt to enforce the rule when I was a CM but I was always met with the argument of “What difference does it make if I smoke here versus 25 feet away, over there?” My fiancé did the same thing, often having cigarettes flicked in her face. If Disney provides a clear boundary of “you cross those turnstiles, it’s a smoke-free zone” then it’s easier to enforce and less open to gray-area arguments.

 

[s8film40]

I disagree. I did attempt to enforce the rule when I was a CM but I was always met with the argument of “What difference does it make if I smoke here versus 25 feet away, over there?” My fiancé did the same thing, often having cigarettes flicked in her face. If Disney provides a clear boundary of “you cross those turnstiles, it’s a smoke-free zone” then it’s easier to enforce and less open to gray-area arguments.

Well yeah that’s the point I was trying to make, Disney currently doesn’t give it’s CM’s anything to really back up the existing ban. If they actually want this to work they’re going to have to come up with some mechanism that goes beyond just simply politely telling guests not to smoke and to move to smoking areas. Whatever that is would be easier to test out with the current policy. Like I said though I really don’t think they’ll do that and people will just smoke wherever until told not to, actually making the situation worse.

 

[NuteGunrayWasFramed]

Well yeah that’s the point I was trying to make, Disney currently doesn’t give it’s CM’s anything to really back up the existing ban. If they actually want this to work they’re going to have to come up with some mechanism that goes beyond just simply politely telling guests not to smoke and to move to smoking areas. Whatever that is would be easier to test out with the current policy. Like I said though I really don’t think they’ll do that and people will just smoke wherever until told not to, actually making the situation worse.

I’m sure there are mechanisms in place. I.E. if someone doesn’t starts smoking, is asked to stop, doesn’t stop, report guest to coordinator or leader who will have security apprehend them. There are a lot of measures that Disney takes in general that the public is not made aware of: see their guest services complaint logs.

 

[Vyrus]

I foresee many security guards constantly walking up to people within the park and telling them to put it out or be escorted out. This is going to cause people to quickly take a very long puff in front of the security and then put it out. By then they probably had gotten through at least half of the cig anyways so this policy would be a moot point.

How its enforced is going to be popcorn watching moments within the park

 

[Nick]

When it happens, I am sure the Mouse's lobbyists have a clause all set to put in saying its a no go at theme parks. Of course, still going to be an issue at the hotels, but by then Florida won't be unique (like Colorado) and WDW tends to attract an older, family-friendly guest no matter.

HHN, tho, they're gonna have their hands full.

HHN and Mardi Gras concert nights are *already* filled with people smoking weed everywhere. It's become a normal smell during those times of the year. Although right now they can arrest the people once caught. Once caught when fully legalized, they'll just get kicked out of the park, I assume (if even that much).

 

[s8film40]

I’m sure there are mechanisms in place. I.E. if someone doesn’t starts smoking, is asked to stop, doesn’t stop, report guest to coordinator or leader who will have security apprehend them. There are a lot of measures that Disney takes in general that the public is not made aware of: see their guest services complaint logs.

I actually worked at Disney when they started the smoking areas and stayed there for about 14 more years. They don’t follow through like that. Even if they did that guest would be long gone by the time they went through some process like that. Then assuming they did manage to have some big confrontation like that the guest would go and complain to their hotel and end up with hundreds of dollars in “compensation”, I saw things like that happen all the time. So really what I’m getting at is I don’t think Disney has the backbone to follow through with this the right way. I could be wrong though, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

 

[Nick]

I think this could work better if they “phased it in” by actually strictly enforcing the current policy first. It would give CM’s some time to learn what the reactions are like and how to deal with them before they have to answer the question of “well where can I smoke then” with outside the park.

Yup, especially because when a CM gives that answer, they're gonna get laughed at (or screamed at) and they guest will light up as soon as they walk away from the conversation.

 

[s8film40]

Yup, especially because when a CM gives that answer, they're gonna get laughed at (or screamed at) and they guest will light up as soon as they walk away from the conversation.

The only thing I ever found to really work when someone was really defiant was to use peer pressure. When I worked in Monorail’s I would explain to the guest just loud enough so others could hear that we were required to shut down power to the monorail system if we smell smoke (technically it’s true, although a bit of an overreaction) resulting in a bout a 30 minute delay. That usually worked.

 

[Nick]

I foresee many security guards constantly walking up to people within the park and telling them to put it out or be escorted out. This is going to cause people to quickly take a very long puff in front of the security and then put it out. By then they probably had gotten through at least half of the cig anyways so this policy would be a moot point.

How its enforced is going to be popcorn watching moments within the park

And you just know some Security guards are gonna love this authority over guests in such a powerful way that they'll be sure to give us one. Security is full of either pushovers or people who are drunk with power.

 

[NuteGunrayWasFramed]

I actually worked at Disney when they started the smoking areas and stayed there for about 14 more years. They don’t follow through like that. Even if they did that guest would be long gone by the time they went through some process like that. Then assuming they did manage to have some big confrontation like that the guest would go and complain to their hotel and end up with hundreds of dollars in “compensation”, I saw things like that happen all the time. So really what I’m getting at is I don’t think Disney has the backbone to follow through with this the right way. I could be wrong though, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

We would follow through like that for any other rule-breaking action. Not sure where you worked but everyone I knew followed this same procedure or just called security outright. In addition, if someone were to complain about the policy, they’d most likely end up doing it again, and then again and then get trespassed for the three strikes rule with guest relations. Just depends on how they approach. My personal guess is they’ll view it with zero tolerance.

 

[Nick]

The only thing I ever found to really work when someone was really defiant was to use peer pressure. When I worked in Monorail’s I would explain to the guest just loud enough so others could hear that we were required to shut down power to the monorail system if we smell smoke (technically it’s true, although a bit of an overreaction) resulting in a bout a 30 minute delay. That usually worked.

Well people shouldn't have been smoking there anyway, though.

It's different when you're working in MK and you have to tell the guy who's smoking where a smoking area used to be that they can't smoke there because it's not a smoking area, especially if it's an out of the way spot. You'll get a bunch of talk back and there's no room for peer pressure because what can you say? The only thing that would work is if the CM said they were going to have to call security, but the person would probably challenge you and say something like "Go ahead", finish the cigarette, and be out of there before security even gets there.

My personal guess is they’ll view it with zero tolerance.

And my guess is that if they do that, they'll end up with a whirlwind of negative social media outcry. I get that it's private property, but when you're in park's that are as big as these, you need to at least allow one area for guests to smoke or it becomes open season on the whole park.

 

[shiekra38]

Very different reaction to the news in the U.K. View attachment 9217

Joke's on you, I don't know what Chuffing or Prams are

Also, is it too soon to start discussing banning Vape pens?

 

[s8film40]

Well people shouldn't have been smoking there anyway, though.

It's different when you're working in MK and you have to tell the guy who's smoking where a smoking area used to be that they can't smoke there because it's not a smoking area, especially if it's an out of the way spot. You'll get a bunch of talk back and there's no room for peer pressure because what can you say? The only thing that would work is if the CM said they were going to have to call security, but the person would probably challenge you and say something like "Go ahead", finish the cigarette, and be out of there before security even gets there.

Yeah I think some people just thought it was a grey area since it wasn’t a park. It was rare and most people just put it out. And yeah most people would be long gone by the time any type of security or management would show up. Probably easier now with the bag checks.

One of my favorite responses was when I was working in the hotels, this older guy was smoking at the front entrance and a CM told him he couldn’t. He just said “oh, well I’ll get in my car then”.