2/8/2006
Gary Stoller

The growing trend of smoke-free hotels is spreading to Disneyland.

All 2,224 rooms at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif., will be smoke-free on March 1, says Disney Vice President Rob Doughty. Last month, Westin became the first big chain to adopt such a policy, banning smoking throughout its 77 U.S., Canadian and Caribbean lodgings.

Disney is making the move because of "steadily declining requests" for smokers' rooms at the three Disneyland hotels at the resort, Doughty says. Only 35 rooms for smokers have been reserved through 2010.

The 990-room Disneyland Hotel and the 489-room Paradise Pier Hotel will become smoke-free in March. The 745-room Grand Californian has been smoke-free since it opened five years ago.

The hotels have a high occupancy rate, and a smoking ban ensures that non-smokers are accommodated in a smoke-free room, Doughty says. Smoky rooms cost more to clean, but Disney didn't decide to go smoke-free to save money, he says.

At Walt Disney World in Orlando, there are no plans to switch to smoke-free hotels, says spokeswoman Kim Prunty. Smoking, however, is not allowed in about 95% of more than 24,000 rooms at 22 hotels there, she says.

Walt Disney World and Disneyland allow smoking only in designated areas at their theme parks. That's also the rule at the company's parks in Tokyo and Hong Kong, says Donn Walker, spokesman for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts.

Disney's two parks in Paris, however, allow smoking everywhere outdoors except in lines for attractions. All Disney hotels abroad have rooms for smokers.

"Our policy is to let each resort determine its own smoking policy," Walker says.

Jacque Petterson, a non-smoking advocate who runs a website that lists smoke-free hotels, says the move to smoke-free rooms in Disneyland sets "a good example for the hotel industry."

At least 200 North American hotels now ban smoking in rooms and other indoor areas, according to a recent survey of major chains and an analysis of media reports by USA TODAY.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says children are most affected by secondhand smoke, because their bodies are still developing.

"Exposure to the poisons in secondhand smoke puts children in danger of severe respiratory diseases and can hinder the growth of their lungs," the CDC states on its website. "The effects can last a lifetime."
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HK Disneyland Allows Smoking in Areas 
 
2005-6-6
 
Hong Kong Disneyland will allow smoking in designated areas and all but one of the restaurants in its two hotels, a spokeswoman said Sunday, a move condemned by a local lawmaker who represents the medical sector. 

The park, due to open Sept. 12, will ban smoking in the restaurant that features Disney characters, but allow guests to light up in designated smoking areas the hotels' other restaurants and in specified outdoor areas, Hong Kong Disneyland spokeswoman Esther Wong said.

"They (the smoking areas) won't be very big," Wong said.

Legislator Dr. Kwok Ka-ki decried the park's smoking policy as bad for children's health.

"Its restaurants and hotels are different from regular restaurants and hotels," he said. "Mostly families and kids go to Disneyland."

"As an ethical enterprise, it's flunked," Kwok said. "Banning smoking doesn't take much in the way of resources."

Wong said Hong Kong Disneyland's smoking guidelines follow those applied to other Disney theme parks in the U.S. and Japan.

Hong Kong Disneyland is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co. and the Hong Kong government.
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(Scroll down for 2004 update)

Response email from Disney World

Thank you for your e-mail message.

Your comments regarding our recent changes to our smoking policy concern us. As of January 30, 2000, the Walt Disney World Resort began allowing smoking in its theme parks in designated areas only. We have adopted this change based on guest feedback that we have received in recent years. This change in policy allows us to respond to our nonsmoking guests' concerns, while also providing options for adult guests who want to smoke. The location of the designated smoking areas within our theme parks is listed below.

Our guests' impressions are very important to us, and you can be sure that we have shared your remarks with the appropriate managers.

Sincerely,
Wendi Williams
Executive Offices
Walt Disney World Resort

DESIGNATED SMOKING AREAS

MAGIC KINGDOM:
... Main Entrance: West side of Ferryboat exit, between exit and Walk Around the World kiosk
... Main Street, U.S.A.: Plaza Landing
... Tomorrowland: Planter across from the exit of Carousel of Progress
... Mickey's Toontown Fair: Benches along back exit of Mickey's Toontown Fair Train Station
... Fantasyland: South side of Tinkerbell's Treasures, under overhang.
... Liberty Square: Mike Fink Keelboat dock and the Enchanted glade
... Frontierland: Exterior seating area of Pecos Bill's Café, near the Caribbean Plaza
... Adventureland: Northeast area of Pirates of the Caribbean; Adventureland Veranda next to the Adventureland Bridge
... TTC: Near the Ferryboat area.

Epcot:
... Main Entrance: Inside the turnstiles by Leave a Legacy.
... Spaceship Earth: Planters located by the east restrooms
... Innoventions Plaza: Right side of MouseGear Entrance

Future World West:
... Alcove area in front of Coral Reef entrance
... Alcove area, near the pond, between The Living Seas and The Land. ... Alcove area between The Land and the Journey Into Imagination pavilion

Future World East:
... Test Track exit area
... Alcove area on the north and south side of Horizons
... Transition area between World Showcase and Future World .

World Showcase Plaza:
... Behind the large planter across from the East and West Towers.
... Norway: Near the Viking Ship play area.
... China: The patio area to the right of the Temple of Heaven.
... Italy: Right side of the Candy Shop.
... American Adventure: The benches along the brick wall.
... Morocco: Beside Kidcot.
... France: Benches next to the drinking fountain.
... International Gateway: Inside the turnstiles on the right.
... United Kingdom: Benches in the Brittania Square.
... Canada: The benches to the left of the Garden entrance. Disney-MGM Studios

Main Entrance:
... Outside of the turnstiles along the grassy hill.
... Sunset Boulevard . Behind Hollywood Scoops
... Fantasmic. . In the main plaza.

Echo Lake:
... Alongside Echo Lake and in front of Hollywood & Vine Cafeteria of the Stars.
... Commissary Boulevard . Near the exit of the Great Movie Ride .
...Muppet Courtyard . Between Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano and Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame: A Musical Adventure.
... Backlot Theater/New York Street In front of the New York Street Warehouse. . Mickey Avenue
... By the restrooms at Tour Bridge 2.
... By the area across from the Disney-MGM Studios Backstage Pass.

Disney's Animal Kingdom:
Main Entrance:
... Anywhere outside the turnstiles
... Camp Minnie-Mickey
... Behind Island Mercantile
... Safari Village Beastly Bazaar
... DinoLand U.S.A. . Restaurantosaurus--outside porch, Chester & Hester's Dinosaur Treasures--mural courtyard, . DinoLand U.S.A. bridge-boat dock entrance
... Asia: Jumanji Trail, Upper Bradley Falls
... Africa: Tusker House Restaurant-outdoor seating tables by Discovery River, Tamu Tamu Refreshments-back courtyard, Conservation Station, By area gate

These locations will feature benches, umbrellas, and ash urns.

All theme park guidemaps include the information listed above, and our cast is always happy to assist guest who may have questions.

Magictrips.com list of smoking spots 2000.

A Letter Regarding Disney Cruise Line

Dear Smokers,
Last week I almost booked a cruise with Disney Cruise Lines for a large group of family members and I found out that they have a strict policy on the ship also. Smoking is permitted in open areas only and on your verandah if you care to spend much more money on a room with a balcony. Smoking is not allowed in your own cabin. I wrote a letter to Matthew Ouimet, President of Disney Cruise Vacations and his reply was as follows:

Thank you for your letter regarding the Disney Cruise Line smoking policy.

I am sorry you have decided not to sail with us because of our position on smoking in staterooms. Please know that we have carefully considered which areas of our ships to disignate as smoking and non-smoking, and we periodically review our policy to ensure continued guest satisfaction. Our decisions are based on the feedback we receive from the many guests who express a strong preference for a smoke-free environment, particularly in their staterooms, and our guests who smoke. We strive to find a balance that will make both smoking and non-smoking guests feel welcome aboard our ships.

Therefore, in an effort to provide a cruise experience that satisfies our non-smoking and smoking guests, we have designated areas in many of our lounges as well as all of our open-air decks and private verandahs as smoking areas. We believe this provides a comfortable shipboard living atmosphere for everyone.

As for your suggestion that we publish our smoking policy in our brochure, please be aware that the policy is in fact contained in our current brochure, in the Terms & Conditions section.

Sincerely,
Matthew A. Ouimet
President

My Opinion:
I just finished responding to this letter and I asked him how he based this decision with feedback from "many guests" if the cruise has always been smoke-free. That would be similar to asking teetotallers at a church function if they would like alcohol served at future meetings. This sampling is biased and the outcome predetermined.

Dotsie

2004 update from a visitor:

We vacationed in Florida recently and spent several days at the Magic Kingdom, Epcott, Animal World and MGM. Even with the maps provided by Disney, we found the "smoking areas" difficult to locate.

Initially, every day, we would try to comply with smoking only in the smoking areas. As the day progressed and we saw other smokers in outdoor areas "cupping" their cigarettes in their hands, we did the same. No one bothered us while the parks were open. We did have a security guard approach us at both Magic Kingdom and Epcott after the parks were closed and the fireworks ended, while we were sitting and waiting for the park to clear out. Each one told us that smoking was not allowed. The guard at Magic Kingdom was rude, the one at Epcott polite. I extinguished my cigarette in each case, my boyfriend "cupped" his and we walked away. I then relit another cigarette.

The guard at Magic Kingdom was more upset that we were sitting on a bench on a "handicapped only" bridge than the fact that we were smoking, although all the "handicapped" signs had been removed for the fireworks. (We had been directed to the bridge by the employees in the gigantic cafe close by, for the best viewing of the castle fireworks.) There were no signs designating the area, until we looked at the Magic Kingdom map afterward.

I may be broaching an untouchable topic, but it is an unusual experience to realize that non-handicapped people are second class citizens at Disney World. All the prime seating in the auditorium is devoted to the handicapped and their parties. I don't mind being considerate of handicapped people, but I began to feel as if I was a second class citizen for being healthy.

I'm glad we made our "once in a lifetime" trip to DisneyWorld before the antismoking police have had time to organize themselves to prohibit outdoor smoking further.

Incidentally, Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois still does not restrict outdoor smoking.