Smoking in theme parks...What are your thoughts?

[Philrad71]

Ehh im fine with it really, but until they get to close to a wooden coaster its a problem!

 

Cue the "unless it's Mean Streak" replies in 3,2,1....

 

[cmullin]

It only annoys me when it's not in the designated areas, but I don't see the point of having them. Smoke before you go into the park and after you leave, there's really no need.

[LiMiT]

This is a really good discussion topic, so thank you to whoever brought it up!

 

I find myself agreeing with most of the members on this thread about the policy. Lately, I've seen Six Flags Over Georgia step up their enforcement policy. Either that or the smokers have suddenly become aware of the rules, and are eager to follow them. I think the first possibility is more likely.

 

So on the location of the smoking areas discussion, any ideas of ways to find better locations for smoking areas that wouldn't discourage smokers from using them?

[SharkTums]

Yeah, I've seen some people smoking the E-Cigs in Disney queue lines, then get obnoxious with cast members when they asked them to stop. I think they are all the same and need to be enforced the same.

[gerstlaueringvar]

As long as smokers are in certain area, it would be fine. It's one of the things that they need everyday (but I definitely hate smoking) so it's unfair to take it away from the smokers.

[Rollercoaster Rider]

I hate smokers honestly. If you want to speak through a hole in your throat fine, But I want to live til' I'm at least 50. That's what I love about Storybook Land; Their smoking section is outside of the park. Which is where all smoking sections should be.

 

 

If you want to smoke, Don't go to a populated area. Simple as that.

[thrillrider]

So it's fair to have to smell it? It's not my habit.

Edited February 28, 2014 by thrillrider

[RCjunkie]

As long as it's in decent designated area's and enforced I am fine with it. With legalized marijuana in Colorado I wonder how parks will deal with that? Will they allow it in the designated smoking areas?

[coasterkyle]

I know some employees will try to avoid the confrontation when walking down midway to tell people to put it out. But I've noticed people try to hide it on the midway from us by cupping it in their hand or when we do tell them to put it out they do so then once we are out of view they light it back up. My favorite times are when the are cupping it in their hand I saw them doing it and Ill stay in their view so until ash from the cigarette falls into their hand and makes them drop the cigarette. I then proceed to go tell them the Smoking policy and politely tell them to smoke in a designated area.

 

My least favorite confrontation are the guests E-cigs and its hard to enforce the rule that those too need to be used in a designated area and there is no pamphlet or sign that says E-cigs are apart of the smoking policy. Because you'll get the guest that will argue that it isn't stated, that your making that up, and their is no way to get help (security, Supervisor, etc) to help explain that it is a rule.

[Rollercoaster Rider]

As long as it's in decent designated area's and enforced I am fine with it. With legalized marijuana in Colorado I wonder how parks will deal with that? Will they allow it in the designated smoking areas?

 

 

Allow it near food venues? Sorry couldn't resist.

[Jhcbiinoc]

As a smoker, I will say that there should be designated areas for smoking that are away from the main path and not where non-smokers have to walk through them, and I will add that I wish the parks would enforce the policies better. I get angry when I see other smokers lighting up in a non-smoking area and especially in line. Just because I elect to smoke, those who do not wish to smell or breathe it should NOT have to.

[thrillrider]

I guess that I don't have that big of a problem with designated smoking areas, as long as they are not near the pathways. The problem is, a lot of smokers ignore the rules and smoke anywhere they please.

[netdvn]

Busch has designated smoking areas and a park-wide announcement on the intercoms every 15-20 mins saying smoking is only allowed in designated areas. Even if they're E-cigs. It's not fair for smokers to see someone smoking an e-cig in line or on the pathways, so the park basically makes a blanket statement banning all smoking except in the smoking areas.

 

It becomes difficult to enforce during Haunt when the fog machines are on full force and the park is slam packed with people. It's not uncommon to see people smoking around the fog machines. Haunt season tends to draw a pretty rowdy crowd regardless.

[megametal]

As someone who rarely smokes (I smoke only on my theme park trips, actually), I don't some parks (Carowinds, especially) putting the smoking areas in front of restrooms. I mean, everyone has to use those and I'm sure they don't want to go through a cloud of smoke to get inside of one. Hersheypark's smoking areas are done pretty well. All are inside gazebos, if I remember correctly, and most of them are behind buildings. In fact, they're pretty hard to find even with a map handy.

 

I'm pretty sure smoking tobacco is going to be basically illegal in public in the next 10 years anyway, so I doubt it'll be a problem much longer. I expect some parks to disallow it before then, and not even have smoking areas anymore.

[Meteornotes]

A park needs to have clearly marked designated areas that are away from attractions and populated areas. And enforcement of rules by a park is a must, even if this means hiring better security. And I would guess with the proliferation of E-cigs and such that parks are going to have to add these to their smoking rules.

 

dt

[cal1br3tto]

I think well-placed designated areas are the best answer for now. There may be increasing support and motivation for having all-park bans as a few parks do now, but I can understand and sympathize with the inconvenience to smokers (some of whom may light up more than once an hour).

 

It's interesting the variation in enforcement. I've heard of parks (I believe) immediately ejecting and banning people for as little as barely stepping out of a marked area (though I believe in that case, there was more to the story that the guests weren't being open about). On the other hand, the Washington State Fair has openly posted on Facebook that they have chosen not to enforce their policy because it's too difficult when so many people flout the rules. I saw (and smelled) a number of people smoking tobacco and e-cigs there even in the queues.

 

What bothers me is Six Flags parks are now advertising e-cigarettes (and also have designated areas for e-cigs only, though I'm not sure if that's for the comfort of smokers who want to avoid tobacco smoke, or just a marketing gimmick). I'm not in favor of promoting any kind of smoking, and the jury is out regarding the possible risks of e-cigs.

[Comeagain?]

I like designated smoking areas. And when I see people in the park I'll ask them to please go to a smoking area, or put out the cigarette. It drives me crazy to see or smell people smoking in line though. Especially at a wooden coaster. As far as e-cigs, personally, I find it annoying when people stand in the middle of a crowded station smoking their e-cig. Outside of smoking areas off to the side of a path doesn't bother me as much, but in a crowded area I think it's rude. And I know that we get guests who complain about e-cigs in the station.

[thrillrider]

Even E cigarettes are dangerous.

 

Here....

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/249784.php

 

 

Here....

http://www.dailynebraskan.com/opinion/rooney-e-cigs-carry-harmful-side-effects-for-smokers-nonsmokers/article_30127d5c-991a-11e3-b53c-001a4bcf6878.html

[yay101]

I am personally against smoking, but if people have to smoke then I think designated areas are okay.

[aCoasterStory]

My idea has always been to have people walk around the park with massive water guns & use them to extinguish any cigarettes that are being smoked outside of designated areas (and also soak the perpetrator). Obviously they would need to post signage that smoking outside of designated areas is punishable by soaking and that the park is not liable for any water damage to the property of guests violating park policy (not sure if that can be done legally).

[thrillrider]

Or....The staff actually inforce there own rules.

[goatdan]

It's interesting the variation in enforcement. I've heard of parks (I believe) immediately ejecting and banning people for as little as barely stepping out of a marked area (though I believe in that case, there was more to the story that the guests weren't being open about).

 

In the park with the immediate ejection policy that I described on the second page, if you were six inches over the line, you were leaving the park, so this story very well may be true. The discussion was if they were close, should they still be ejected and the answer was unless the area was so full that people literally couldn't stand in it, if they were close but not in the area they were breaking the rules and should be kicked out. Otherwise, the person doing the 'kicking out' would have to make another judgment call on exactly how far away the guest was, and once that happens you're on a slippery slope to non-enforcement.

 

I'm actually surprised, I managed to visit about 10 parks in the past couple years that were not the park that I'm thinking of, and don't remember seeing one problem with a smoker in any of them, so it's disappointing to hear that it happens so often.

[Koasterking48]

Note: Obviously the "you" I use in this post is not directed at anyone in particular, but the many annoying smokers I've encountered in the past. Just throwing a disclaimer out there:

 

My personal policy for smoking is the same everywhere whether I am in your home (you will not smoke mine however) or am within 5-10 feet of you. I hate breathing in second-hand smoke, and regardless of whether second-hand smoke is a really serious health issue or not, it is a public nuisance for everyone else. This is why it is socially frowned upon (you're probably going to get slapped with a fine if caught) in many states to smoke in certain public areas. Now in a theme park, you have your area, you stay in it. If the park does not enforce their designated area smoking policy, then there is a problem. Smoking in line or on a midway makes me believe you are a pretentious prick who thinks they are above the rules. I understand that there are probably a few smokers on this website, but I just ask you to stay in you area that is a bit away from the rest of us.

 

This also leads to E-cigs and Vaps. These two products are becoming much more popular in recent years, especially with teenagers. They are all over the place now in public and are possibly trying to replace the cigarette. I am around vaps almost every week and know what they "smell" like. Yes, the scent is almost non-existent, but it's still technically something you smoke. I believe that they too should be included in the smoking policy as well.

 

That being said, smoking is a personal choice when you start out and I strongly discourage people doing it in public. If you are addicted, you still have time to kick it.

[azza29]

I'd also like to see parks step up the enforcement of designated smoking areas. There is definitely a subset of the smoking population who do not give a damn about anyone else and will smoke wherever they like unless park security or a manager intervenes. This is especially the case when waiting in line - guests should not be put in a position where they have to either put up with someone's secondhand smoke, or risk an altercation by asking the smoker to put it out.

[booink]

If it would only be up to me, smoking would be 100 % banned from theme parks and that rule should be enforced by the employees. However, as there would be way too much complaints, it's ok for me if there are smoking areas as long as 1) they are out of the way so I don't go trough a tobacco cloud to ride my favorite coaster, and 2) never in or near children areas, not because I visit them but because it's a very bad example and childs are allowed to not smell the awful odor of a burning cigarette.

 

I think that most parks do a good job managing smoking areas, even tough I sometimes see some very poorly placed smoking areas close to a waiting line for example, but some parks really do not enforce the "no-smoking" rule outside of smoking areas and this should really be. No smoke outside of a designated area or no smoke at all.