Saw two smokers in the park today

[WonkaKid]

I really hate when people smoke/vape at DL outside of designated areas. For a few reasons. 1. It’s against park rules, just as cutting or drinking is. 2. It’s selfish. The smoker puts his/her own needs and desires above every other guests’. It’s a gross discourtesy. One of the reasons I love to come to DL is that most guests are in a good mood and are kind to one another, as I hope that I am.

The first smoker I saw was around 10:00 as he walked through Tomorrowland. He must have known it was against park rules because he only took a few drags... and then tossed his lit cigarette quickly into a garbage can - another reason to dislike the behavior.

The second was just a few moments ago as I left HM. A guy was leaning against the rail on ROA. I smelled smoke and, shocked, looked around. Then I saw him conceal his smoke beneath the rail. Most people will smell a cig before they see it, as I did. I don’t know who he thought he was fooling. I look forward to the day when guests who smoke in the park are kicked out. DL has banned it for a reason.

Some people will disagree with me. But Disney and I are on the same side in this matter. Perhaps you should direct your displeasure at them and not at me.

 

[MillauFr]

Even worse was the person smoking pot at the Candy Cane Inn yesterday morning. Smelled nasty

 

[Dismama2boys]

I saw a lot of smokers in the park in July, most not even trying to hide it. It’s so very frustrating that CM’s won’t/can’t enforce that rule - my infant has weak lungs and it was just maddening that she was continually exposed. We’d leave the area, of course, but it made us miss out on things through no fault of our own.

 

[lildreamer101]

Wowsers! Where are the designated areas in DL and DCA?

 

[dotfurio]

I've heard Disney will eventually ban smoking in the parks altogether. I look forward to it. I gag every time we walk by the smoking area.

 

[GoingSince1990]

I've heard Disney will eventually ban smoking in the parks altogether. I look forward to it. I gag every time we walk by the smoking area.

Disneyland has slowly been eliminating smoking areas, most recently the one near the Matterhorn which was awful because it was so close to the slow-moving Matterhorn queue. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they went the Legoland route of not allowing any smoking inside the park gates.

 

[22Tink]

I've heard Disney will eventually ban smoking in the parks altogether. I look forward to it. I gag every time we walk by the smoking area.

Me too. I absolutely hate the smell.

 

[Kender]

I've sent CMs chasing after vapers before. Person was trying to hide it in her back pocket with a huge cloud around her every time she took a puff. That was back in October.

I smelled someone today a couple hours ago walking in a huge crowd on Main Street. Too crowded to spot. But I did loudly ask "who's smoking where they aren't supposed to?"

I really hope it's true they're heading towards no smoking at all in the parks. The current DL smoking area drifts over to Thunder Mountain while riding it on some days. And that path connecting Adventureland and Fantasyland is totally not passable if you're sensitive because of the smoke.

If nothing else, it will have to go by next summer when GE opens.

 

[twitch]

I once walked by a smoker outside Star Tours (near the Astro Orbitor queue). I happened to see a castmember standing nearby, caught their eye and made a pointed look/headshake in the direction of the smoker. They were quick to catch my drift and deal with the situation.

While castmembers might not go looking to enforce the smoking rules, I would expect any of them to deal with it when/if another guest were to complain or point out the problem.

 

[Tink1987]

You want to try being at Disneyland Paris where it’s accepted. You have over 50 people smoking in a queue. Even though it was banned years ago, the Cast Members do nothing as it’s just accepted as part of the French culture. Cigarette bins and butts everywhere.

 

[sky13]

You want to try being at Disneyland Paris where it’s accepted. You have over 50 people smoking in a queue. Even though it was banned years ago, the Cast Members do nothing as it’s just accepted as part of the French culture. Cigarette bins and butts everywhere.

Yes it’s pretty bad there (or at least it was the last time I went, which was last year). The CMs there did tell people who were actively smoking walking into queues that they had to put it out before queuing. But the smoking was everywhere outside of the queues. And within the queues people were vaping - I was unfortunate enough to be stuck behind a group that was vaping during a long queue for Crush’s coaster, which was just depressing to be in...

In contrast being in DL today for the first time in 6 years - I didn’t notice any smoke at all, which was great! (I have a few more days here to see what it’s like though...)

 

[NannyBeBe]

I wonder how the smokers would respond if they were told that their smoke could cause an asthmatic child to have an attack that resulted in cardiac arrest and that child could die right there in front of them. I wonder if smokers even realize how dangerous their smoking is to people with respiratory challenges.

 

[Cubbiecakes]

I wonder how the smokers would respond if they were told that their smoke could cause an asthmatic child to have an attack that resulted in cardiac arrest and that child could die right there in front of them. I wonder if smokers even realize how dangerous their smoking is to people with respiratory challenges.

In my experience, that would just make them smoke more and aim the smoke at you.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

I wonder how the smokers would respond if they were told that their smoke could cause an asthmatic child to have an attack that resulted in cardiac arrest and that child could die right there in front of them. I wonder if smokers even realize how dangerous their smoking is to people with respiratory challenges.

They don't care. Smokers tell you to take the asthmatic away from them. Like their personal habit of dependence needs to overtake other people's need to breathe. I know nicotine is a terrible addiction, but if you are at Disney... buy some Nicorette gum or wear a patch for a few hours but don't ruin the experience for who-knows-how many others!

 

[Dismama2boys]

I wonder how the smokers would respond if they were told that their smoke could cause an asthmatic child to have an attack that resulted in cardiac arrest and that child could die right there in front of them. I wonder if smokers even realize how dangerous their smoking is to people with respiratory challenges.

I haven’t found this to be a big deterrent with some, unfortunately. I mean, they aren’t all that worried about their OWN health, so.....

I do think, though, that a lot of smokers do care and go out of their way to not do it around others. It’s always the few bad ones that stand out, just like anything else.

 

[DisneyJade]

As a former smoker, I can see both sides of this (not the walking through the parks smoking. that's totally unacceptable, and I never did that as a smoker. ever.) but I'm torn on an all-park smoking ban. I actually think that might lead to more people sneaking smokes anywhere they want/happen to be standing. The smokers who currently stick to smoking areas might get desperate enough for a cigarette that they light up in places they normally wouldn't, if no smoking areas are available.

I wonder if Disney could have just two - on opposite ends of the park, far away from foot traffic. There are a couple of places in Disney World where smokers have to walk down a path to a private area far from other people to smoke. When I smoked, I much preferred that, because A) I did not want my smoke around children and B) it sucked going to a designated smoking area and still getting dirty looks from people. In Disneyland, those spaces are harder to create, due to the tight quarters, but if they limit smoking to two distant spots, it could work.

Please don't flame me for this opinion. As a non-smoker now and a parent of two small children, I *hate* the smell of smoke and get really angry when people smoke in inappropriate place, such as crowded areas with kids. However, I sometimes see threads like this that start to make all smokers sound evil for having an addiction. I think of most smokers as victims, not villains. Many of them do not WANT to be smokers but are struggling with the addiction. The kind of people who walk around Disney smoking are the kind of people who would be inconsiderate jerks even if they were not smokers. Hope that makes sense.

ETA: I strongly disagree with the pp who wrote that smokers don't care about asthmatic children and would tell you to take the child away from them. Even when I smoked, I was horrified to see cigarettes around children. It is totally inaccurate (and kind of offensive) to see a generalization that claims all smokers do not care about the welfare of others.

 

[dotfurio]

I get the perspective that if you don't give them a place to smoke they will randomly do it anywhere, but I don't think it's too much to ask that they go outside the park to smoke (I think it's allowed in DTD). If someone wants to smoke that badly it isn't all that far to exit the park. Inconvenient if the security line is packed or it's a close the park kind of attendance day, but people can choose how much they want to smoke at that point.

 

[Dismama2boys]

I agree that there should be a smoking area in the park, as it seems like not having one at all will prompt more to just flaunt the rules. Especially rules that aren’t really being enforced.

 

[MrsD.Duck]

Two years ago we did our last family vacation at disneyland, stayed at the Grand Californian like we always do which is a non smoking hotel, our oldest son who smokes would walk to the smoking area around the front of the hotel. Meanwhile in a room near us someone was constantly out in the balcony smoking pot and when we complained we were told the couldn't do anything about it because it was legal..hello so is tobacco but you are on top of that if someone complains, which we have done before. We couldn't enjoy the balcony at all during our trip which is one of the reasons we book the Grand.

 

[tarheelalum]

As a former smoker I can't stand the smell of cigarettes now but I must admit I've never seen anyone smoke outside of the designated areas at Disneyland.

In general on my first trip back to California since we moved away, I did smell marijuana smoke in public areas a few times away from Disney but didn't see anyone smoking cigarettes. The same people who demonized cigarettes are now seemingly promoting marijuana. And that makes about as much sense as a coke vending machine in a diabetic clinic.