HUGE news was announced today about a new smoking policy in the Disney Parks beginning very soon.
Smoking Policies are changing at Disney World…
According to the Disney Parks Blog:
…beginning May 1, smoking areas will no longer be present inside Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme parks, water parks, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex or Downtown Disney in California.
But if you’re a smoker visiting the Disney Parks, note that the entire properties aren’t undergoing a no smoking policy. Smoking areas will be provided outside the main entrances of the theme parks, and if you’re staying or visiting Disney’s resort hotels, there will still be smoking areas provided for your convenience. Disney Springs has designated smoking areas as well.
The policy begins May 1st, and note that it applies to both Disney World and Disneyland as well as water parks, ESPN WWoS, and Downtown Disney in California.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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YYEEEAAAAA!!!
Now they just need to be better at enforcing it at Disneyland Paris.
There are so many smokers and Cast Members seen reluctant to deal with the issue.
YAAAAAAAAAAY!!! First good change I’ve seen in a long time! Just hope they enforce it and scoot out those who go and hide in the parks and still try to get away with it!
OMG. So happy about this!
I’m actually a little happier about kicking out the big wagons. Smoking was only in a few areas anyway, and I rarely saw anyone smoking outside of them.
This is a welcomed change but what about vaping? I see people vaping all over the park?
Only good if it’s enforced.
That’s nice I guess, but Disney always puts the spots right in a major walkway. We stayed at POP last time and it was right in our main walkway. It was awful. I don’t mind the smoking, but couldn’t they have found a better place?
Good! When we were there in January, I reported a guest smoking on their balcony at the Grand Floridian. Most smokers do follow the rules, but kids (and adults) deserve a smoke free environment.
Today I think that this is great news. But many years ago I was a heavy smoker and wouldnt have been able to spend some hours in the park without a cigarette.
I am so happy about this!
First of all smoking is disgusting and they leave their trash everywhere.
But also I am a bit sensitive to the smell of smoke. I have learned to avoid certain areas in WDW because I don’t want to have a horrible headache.
Thank you Disney!!
There were only a few sections anyway, should leave it be. Plus people will smoke anyway until they are caught.
Very happy to hear this!
I am very pleased with this!
One time we sat down at an EPCOT Festival on a bench, excited to find a place to sit and eat our food. Imagine our surprise to realize we were in the smoking area. It was a nice shady area and one of the few with benches, but we left since we didn’t want to eat with smoke.
It was only a matter of time. I can’t say I completely agree with it though. People spend their lives savings on a trip to go there, they should be able to smoke somewhere within the park. Will vaping be banned also?
LOVE THIS!!!
When I WAS a smoker, even I found the designated areas gross… I luckily have been smoke free for over 8 years now, and I’m happy to see this!
Not Impressed with the new rules. You charge an arm and a leg to get into Disney, and now you are taking away smoking sections. I was planning on a summer vacation to Disney, and now I will take my vacation elsewhere. We are not disgusting people!!! We have rights too!!!! Good Bye to Disney World and all of its parks. I will never visit again.
This is long over due. Smoking areas dont work. Wind just blows smoke to other areas. Maybe build smoking booths with filtration.
Disneyland Paris should employ this! It’s disgusting people smoke where ever they want.
I’m not totally on board with this. With the exception of Epcot, most smoking areas were pretty far away from the crowds. At MK it was in the back between space mountain and barn stormer. Most people didn’t even know that that area existed. Having people leave a park just to get back in isn’t it. If there was a problem with people smoking out of the smoking areas then address those people more effectively and sternly. Same goes for vape users.
❤️❤️❤️❤️. Love this !!! Bye smokers !! ???
Yesssssss! Very pleased. Now I can enjoy the quiet, tuck away spots that were made into the smoking areas. Like the path behind space mountain that goes to the train area near Dumbo. Or the little walkways in AK that overlooked water, No sure they will be able to inforce it though. I saw people smoking out of the designated areas all the time. Can you imagine if you were a smoker, having to go to the front entrance every time you wanted a smoke.
I’m not thrilled with it, as someone who has parents who smoke. There were only like two very off-the-beaten path smoking sections last time we were at magic kingdom. Of course I’d prefer it if my parents stopped smoking, but that’s an incredibly difficult thing to do. But at least their. smoking hasn’t ever affected our ability to go to Disney before. So it kinda sucks for our family, especially since my parents definitely aren’t the most physically fit, and adding the extra walk in and out of the park several times a day would be hard on them.
Wonderful news…wish they would put the smoking areas at the resorts away from walkway to food court,
So sick of this being an issue. If I should happen to want to smoke than it should be right to do so as long as rules are followed. How about banning smelly people from parks??? They are also offensive!!!
Will I be able to buy drinks and wine at the Food and Wine Featival and have a smoke while enjoying them? If not, you should rethink this.
Discrimination… So when will they stop people from drinking through the parks???
Even though I don’t smoke, smokers still have rights and they should have areas for them. I’m sure Disney could designate areas not near anything for smoking.
Yet again the smokers are cast out, our money is just as good as anyone’s we have paid the same as everyone else so why should we be cast out, I think it’s a disgusting decision, shame on you Disney!!!!! ?
Designated smoking areas are not as far off the walking paths as some might say or think, and there have been many times I’ve walked through a cloud of smoke and choked 🙁
Enforcement will be key, especially in bathrooms and additional signs will need to be posted.
As a non-smoker, I appreciate this change … long time overdue!
Does this include vaping? Can you actually provide the policy in the write up? I myself am a non smoker but my husband is European and just switched from cigs to vape. This may deter a lot of non American guests….
Erica, the new policy does apply to vaping, too. The official Q&A language on vaping says, “Are electronic cigarettes and vaping permitted at Walt Disney World Resort?
Smoking and vaping are only permitted in designated smoking areas.”
Sheri, vaping and cigarette smoking are both in designated areas only.
Now, let’s get the alcohol out of all the parks except EPCOT and we will be back to what Walt wanted the parks to be!
This seems like a really harsh decision. While I concur that smoking is a nuisance, sadly it is also an addiction. Meaning that many people are slaves to the nicotine. Given the size of the parks, this will significantly impact the experience of smokers to enjoy their days. I’ve lived with smokers, have had friends and family who have smoked and I can attest that most of them would quit if they could, for many it’s a real struggle, not just difficult but completely and utterly agonizing.
I don’t love the smell of smoke, and I surely want it out of the way, but the few spots inside the park for smokers were well maintained and I’ve never seen anyone smoking outside of them, and those that would do that wouldn’t be deterred by this “extra banishment” either. In fact, this is likely to promote more rogue behavior.
I understand why the parks are doing it, the complaints outnumber the smokers and it’s a poor example for children to see a bunch of adults smoking, in the end Disney has the right to do it, it’s a private business. Sadly this just seems like a decision which is not in step with the many other vices supported and profited off of by Disney… fatty foods, sugary sodas, alcohol… I’m sure there are others.
Please ban all you people who wear perfume. All those fragrances you put on your bodies can give lots of people migraines. Oh, and also, why does Disney promote drinking alcohol so much with all the fancy booze they offer. Drunks are not fun to be around and you stink of alcohol.
ITS ABOUT TIME !!!!! If it does deter non-american guests or smokers from anywhere to go somewhere else, then fine. Our air remains that much more more clean anyway !!!
No one wants to be around smoke at any of the Food Festivals at Epcot or specialty parties in MK !!!
Will it be enforced? The problem has always been that they are always hesitant to enforce the smoking ban.
Yay! I’m so glad! Secondhand smoke is so harmful and I will be glad to not have to walk through it.
I bet obesity kills more people in America than smoking. Perhaps they should ban food.
I like the no smoking in the parks policy but now instead you can smoke outside the main entrances where everybody will be lining up to get in? At least in the park the areas were tucked away and you could avoid it. Everyone has to go through the main entrance to get in.
I understand that the smell of smoke is unpleasant, but I don’t feel that designated smoking areas should be done away with inside the parks. As long as they stay within these areas, it shouldn’t be an issue. They paid the money to go, and they should be able to enjoy their trip as well.
So glad to hear this is happening. No one should have to share space that is polluted with something as unhealthy as cigarette smoke, especially children. Hope it applies to vaping also.
Finally! I just wish the theme parks were also alcohol free. I hate seeing parents walk around with beer or wine in one hand and a small child in the other! Restaurants ok but walking around the theme park no way!
I like the idea of banning smoking in the parks. But I’m afraid that all of the people who want to smoke will congregate around the entrances to the parks which will mean that everyone going to the parks will have to walk through a cloud of smoke to get in. As it is now, if I want to avoid the smoke, I can avoid the few areas where it is allowed. I won’t be able to avoid the entrances. As long as the smoking areas outside of the parks are far enough from the entrances and exits that those of us who want to can avoid them-and that those smoking areas are enforced-it will be fine.
Thank you disney!
Having had family members that were non-smokers die from lung cancer, I can’t understand why anyone would willingly choose to smoke to begin with and I will be grateful to have cleaner air and less exposure to secondhand smoke when I visit the parks!
I smoke and would tell people who were smoking outside those areas that they shouldn’t be smoking where they were.
Disney is going to regret this though because people will stop coming, r will constantly go out of the parks to smoke and they won’t be inside spending money.
I always followed the rules and went way out of the way to go to the designated areas. I will find a more convenient place now… If smoking were illegal I could then understand.
I’m a non smoker and my husband an ex smoker but I don’t think this is needed.
My step children smoke or vape. I don’t think they should be punished like this. It’s going to be an issue for our holiday in November ?