The MousePlanet Mailbag is a regular compilation of some of our reader feedback and writer responses that may be of interest to our readers. We encourage you to drop your questions, opinions, or comments to us in care of our mailbag.
Mark Goldhaber’s report on the recent move by Walt Disney World to go totally smoke-free in its hotel rooms (link) generated a lot of reader response. The first set of e-mail from readers opposing the ban ran last week (link), along with Mark’s response. This week, the readers who support the new hotel smoking restrictions speak their minds.
William H. writes:
I feel this is the best news I’ve heard in a long time. I quit smoking six years ago and have a trip planned this summer at the Yacht Club and Polynesian. I wonder how Disney is going to handle the existing smoking rooms? I requested a non-smoking room. Since all the rooms will be non-smoking now, if they stick me and my family in a former smoking room, we will be able to tell, since we are very sensitive to it. This is still a very good thing. One of the reasons I quit smoking originally was the high cost associated with it but also how difficult it was to find places to smoke. This may give others incentive to quit as well.
Antin B. writes:
In response to your comments on the new Walt Disney World Resort smoke-free policy—It’s about time! Hopefully, the Disney Parks and the Disney Cruise Line will be next to go all smoke-free!
John N. writes:
The ban didn’t go far enough. Disney should impose a total smoking ban on all of its properties. There is nothing worse than waiting for someone to get off of Big Thunder Mountain and the only comfortable place to sit is next to the River of the Americas, which happens to be the designated smoking area. Let families enjoy Disney World without smoking.
The Betz Family writes:
Hurray! While I respect individuals’ rights to poison their own bodies with cigarettes, I resent being exposed to second hand smoke. During our last stay at Wilderness Lodge (August ’05) our gorgeous view of the courtyard, pool, geyser and Bay Lake was often sullied by a neighbour’s cigarette smoke. Good for Disney! Kudos for protecting the air that the majority of us breathe.
Janet writes:
This is wonderful news! I just hope they plan on revamping all of those rooms to really get the smoke smell out! It gets into the bedding, curtains, etc. and just reeks! I’m actually amazed they currently only had 3.5 percent of rooms available as smoking optional. Shows how the general public has really been cutting back on smoking! I suspect some people will still plan to try to sneak a smoke in the rooms, or in the hallways, and unfortunately it’s going to fall on the average citizen to ask them to please put it out. But I really think this is wonderful!
Kim T. writes:
I think it is absolutely wonderful. Why should everyone have to suffer and be polluted by people who choose to smoke? I am very happy with Disney’s decision and I’m sure I won’t be the only one enjoying the fresh air at the resorts!
Mike writes:
I am not an anti-smoking Nazi but I find the new policy refreshing and much needed. Several members of my family have asthma and are easily irritated by second hand smoke. I have become sensitive to second hand smoke also. As a family, we avoid smoking areas everywhere (in and out of Walt Disney World). On our last visit to the Kingdom (3/07), smokers ‘doing their thing’ on the balcony outside our two rooms infiltrated our rooms, thus causing us to call housekeeping to ‘freshen’ our rooms as best they could be cleaned of the smell.
I’ve also noticed an alarming number of park guests ignoring the park smoking policy, smoking wherever they please. This makes it very difficult for us to intentionally avoid second hand smoke. While it may not bother most, second hand smoke is a health issue for my family. A little courtesy from smokers would be nice.
Kelly writes:
I think the new policy is wonderful! My husband and I do not smoke and we do not want to be around it. It is not just the point that smoking is not healthy, it is the fact that second hand smoke can kill. Why should I, someone who does not smoke, have to be in a room or around someone who chooses to do that to their body when I do not? Smoke if you want it is your choice, just not around me or anyone else who doesn’t want to smell it or smell like it or have to unnecessarily pay the consequences of that action!
Beth writes:
I think it a great idea. I hate the smell of a smoky room. I like the idea of a designated smoking area also so that when you are walking the exterior corridors of the hotels to get to your room people will not be hanging outside their room smoking and you won’t have to walk through a cloud of smoke.
T. Ayo writes:
It is about time that all hotels will be non-smoking. I hope they regulate it better than in the parks, where people still roam about smoking. We are tired of getting a non-smoking room only to have those with rooms next to ours smoke on the balcony and have the smoke come into our room. Also it would be nice if the smoking areas in the parks were moved away from the bathroom areas. By being just outside most bathrooms all guests must at some time be subjected to this disgusting habit.
Jill D. writes:
Yippee! Wahoo! Hooray!
I’m SO happy that the resorts are going smoke-free. As an asthma sufferer who reacts badly to smoke, it is going to be wonderful not to have to hold my breath as I run past a group of smokey-joes!
I feel for the smokers, but I gotta breathe!
Kenneth A. writes:
It is about time. After all isn’t Disney supposed to care about environments kids are exposed to? Hurray for Disney for taking a stand that they might lose a few extra guest dollars on. It is good to see them not all about the money.
Kala M. writes:
Hooray for no smoking at Disney resorts! Both of my children have asthma, as do I, and we can’t be around any smoke. More and more places are trying to be accommodating for non-smokers. This should be the rule—not the exception. Thanks Disney!
Gina writes:
Great news. Disney hotels should be smoke free. Second hand smoke is a known cause of cancer and second hand smoke is the primary way kids get exposed to the carcinogens of tobacco. It’s about time that Disney took this stand.
Todd A. writes:
Background: My wife and I are non-smokers and REALLY do not like staying in a room that has been smoked in.
My first reaction to reading this was positive. Then I thought, “How are they going to enforce this?” Undoubtedly some smokers will not follow the rules and will end up smoking in the room. But, since there will no longer be “smoking rooms” that means that the room I stay in may have had a smoker in it just the night before. This will create a certain “Russian-roulette” to being able to get a truly smoke-free room. I hope Disney is prepared to deal with these situations.
We (my wife especially) will not tolerate staying in a room that smells of smoke for even one night. It seems like Disney is setting themselves up with both barrels for new unhappy guest experiences (smokers who want to smoke in the room, and non-smokers who find their room smells of smoke).
Faye W. writes:
It is about time! Bravo to the executives for this new policy. Let’s hope Walt Disney World will strongly enforce this.
As non-smokers we like to sit outside and enjoy the activities and people watch, but often have to move from a very nice seating area when someone sits down next to us without any concern for older people and lights up!
Just booked Port Orleans for September so a double nice surprise to be able to actually enjoy the outside benches for a change! Thanks Walt Disney World. We love you!
Kathy B. writes:
I look forward to every Monday to see what’s new at Disney World. Great job! We just returned from a seven-day stay at the Caribbean Beach Resort. Even though we were in a non-smoking room, our neighbor was smoking outside of his room. Needless to say, the smell came in through our air conditioning unit. Fortunately, the smell dissipated quickly, but it was noticeable at times. The new ruling would eliminate this type of situation. Kudos to Disney on this one!
Suzan writes:
It’s about time. Last week I was on my balcony at Saratoga Springs Resort and smelled cigarette smoke. I looked over the balcony and saw an arm hanging out of one of the ground floor windows with a cigarette smoldering and sending foul smoke up to our balcony.
Also, I don’t think that smoking should be allowed in the parks at all. I’m tired of having my right to breathe fresh air violated by ignorant people who don’t adhere to the smoking rules in the parks. There are not enough cast members to constantly enforce the non-smoking areas in the parks and as a result others suffer the consequences of second-hand smoke.
The cruise line should do something about the smoking on the balconies. My family loves to sit on the balcony and breathe the fresh salty air. But we have been forced inside because of some inconsiderate cigar or cigarette-smoking people. If Disney steps up to the plate and goes smoke-free, I believe that others will follow.
Nick writes:
I think it’s a great idea along with the almost smoke-free park. Health is a major issue, and for a family-friendly park I think it’s the right thing to do. Second-hand smoke is bad for everyone, and children, especially, have a difficult time getting rid of the toxins brought on by someone else’s cigarette smoke. Personally, it’s a bit disgusting to be able to see someone’s bad breath coming your way and not be able to escape it.
Daniel McC. writes:
It’s great. I am an ex-smoker and it always drives me crazy to be forced to breathe second hand smoke. But the big question is, when will Disney start enforcing the “No Smoking” in the parks rule?
Chryste M. writes:
As a Walt Disney World Disney Vacation Club member I’m thrilled. I wish I could live and let live with smokers, but due to my lung problems there have been many times I’ve been driven from my “non-smoking” balcony because of smoking neighbors. Not their fault, granted, but I am looking forward to some relaxing vacation times.
Melanie writes:
Love it! I have no problem with people smoking, but it is one of the quickest ways to ruin a vacation experience—an expensive Disney hotel that makes you ill from the smell of smoke.
Robert writes:
Although I am a non-smoker myself, living in Germany you learn to live with it; I have nothing against smokers. Reading you article I noticed some people couldn’t understand why you are not allowed to smoke outside, e.g. balconies.
My last visit to Walt Disney World we stayed at the Boardwalk. One morning we were sitting having breakfast on the balcony and someone threw cigarette stubs at us. Unfortunately we could not see where they came from. The next day we went out to have breakfast again and the balcony was full of stubs.
It seems it always comes down to the same thing, non-smokers have to respect the smokers but it does not seem to work the other way round.
Thomas K. writes:
I would like to see Disney ship the smokers to the very far corner of Disney World’s 45-plus square miles.
Those few people who are still smoking after everything tells them that smoking will kill them, will never understand how bad their second-hand smoke effects everyone around them. If a smoker, even if they have not lit-up for several hours, passes near you, you can still smell the smoke in their hair and clothes.
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