Disney Bans Smoking In The Parks Plus New Stroller & Ice Restrictions
Walt Disney World Resorts has rolled out a few new rules for its parks. Two start in May and one change is happening immediately.
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Smoking Changes
Starting on May 1, 2019 all smoking areas in the Walt Disney parks will be eliminated (in the US). This will also take place at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and Downtown Disney in California. Disney Springs in Orlando will still have smoking areas and so will hotels for guests and people dining on property in front of the establishment. Smoking will be allowed outside the front entrance of the parks in designated areas.
Stroller Changes
Large strollers will be no longer allowed at Disney parks and stroller wagons are outright banned. The new restrictions will be no larger than 31 inches wide and 52 inches long. This rule also goes into effect on May 1, 2019.
Ice Changes
The last change deals with people bringing coolers into the park. Loose and dry ice will no longer be permitted. If you bring goods in you would like to keep cold ice packs are recommended. You can ask for or a cup of ice at any vendor in the park to use in your cooler. They also offer free ice water to anyone who is in need of hydration.
They say you can still bring in ice in a cup or in plastic bags (sandwich bags) so that may be a way to get around it for people staying at hotels.
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Conclusion
Smoking is not as popular as it used to be but this will be a pain for anyone who is still a smoker, like my parents. I don’t think having a designated smoking area away from everything was bothersome before.
The stroller rule makes sense since they are a huge part of the congestion problem in the parks.
Bringing ice packs will be an issue for anyone that doesn’t have a freezer where they are staying and getting ice from the ice machine at the hotel was an easy fix. I have to imagine this rule is to move security checks a long quicker since you can add ice once you are in the park. I hope they add some ice filling areas if the lines get long at vendors because of this.
You can find all of the info on the new rules at Disney Parks Blog
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Just left Disneyland today after spending a week there and I absolutely can see how the smoke bothers people. Maybe the park being crammed made the smoker area worse. Three times we passed the smoking area and it was not a pleasant experience. It was also the quickest way to get across a crowded park. When you see a dozen people smoking with a plume of smoke lingering for a good 50 feet while you push your little ones it makes you wonder why they would allow it out in the open like that. Maybe they can put them in a box so we don’t have to breathe that crap in. My mom is a smoker too and if it means she won’t come then so be it. I just don’t have sympathy for smokers, sorry.
We had a double wide stroller that was within the requirements and it was plenty big enough so that’s also a reasonable policy.
Ice not really sure why they’d care. We brought ice packs so didn’t matter for us. Maybe it’s to prevent water and the mess their security team deals with when searching bags.
Yeah I think it has to do with security. Plus I’m sure anything they can do to make it harder for people to bring food is welcome by the accountants.
Are electronic cigarettes and vaping permitted at Walt Disney World Resort?
Smoking and vaping are only permitted in designated smoking areas.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/parks/rules-updates-parks-resorts/?CMP=ILC-DPFY19Q2wo0328190001A
Any idea if e-cigarettes will still be allowed? If not, that means my wife won’t go to Disney, which in turn means that I won’t go to Disney. Given that the smoking areas were all outdoors and reasonably discrete, this makes zero sense to me. Thanks for the heads up, though. Having an intensely angry wife unexpectedly is not the funnest thing ever.
I am not sure – If I had to guess I would say it is included in the ban. I agree that the areas were out of the way and I don’t see how they bothered anyone. Always better to know ahead of time – Universal for your wife then!
Guess we can agree to disagree. I don’t consider a 50 foot swath of smoke from at least a dozen people reasonably discrete. They don’t allow smoking in or directly near many private businesses so I don’t see why not allowing smoking in a children’s themed amusement park should be any different. Either way, if they’re enforcing this policy then they have enough support, otherwise it wouldn’t happen.
With the money Disney has, perhaps a solution would be to create an indoor, ventilated area for smokers and not along a relatively narrow path.
I honestly think people are freaking out more about the ban on the wagons then anything. It will be interesting to see if they back down on that.
Yeah I mean there were a few wagons which I thought had great functionality. Specifically having an overhead canopy that doubled as both a sun shade and overhead storage system. Then again, they’re so long with the outstretched handle that it’s probably a safety concern with the traffic. I personally want to get one of the large wheel wagons that can handle a trip to the beach.
With as much pull as Disney has it wouldn’t shock me to see manufacturers advertise a more compact “Disney approved” version. Then again, kind of defeats the purpose of being able to plop two kids in it.