Universal often follows Disney's Lead...

[Robo56]

I don't give a rats patootie the reasons this ban is coming in for smoking,

And the giant strollers that seem to carry enough stuff for a months visit to go camping in the Himalayas!!!

Now on a serious note.....I Have no objections to Universal instituting a smoking ban or requiring strollers to be within a reasonable size.

 

[schumigirl]

Hi Schumigirl, Don't suppose you've heard talk about when the ban might in be place? Sadly, my husband smokes and I'm nervous now about buying airfare for an August trip... (side note - I love your trip reports )

The Disney ban comes into force May 1st.

And Thank you so much......I`m glad to hear that....

 

[schumigirl]

Now on a serious note.....I Have no objections to Universal instituting a smoking ban or requiring strollers to be within a reasonable size.

 

[ICan'tWait]

Thank you Skylock and Shumigirl. =) I'm curious about when Universal will follow Disney's lead. We have Universal APs and wanted to fit in another trip. I also wonder if Universal will just ban the parks or if they'll ban City Walk. I think I read Disneyland banned in Downtown Disney in California but that they did not ban at Disney Springs.

 

[schumigirl]

Thank you Skylock and Shumigirl. =) I'm curious about when Universal will follow Disney's lead. We have Universal APs and wanted to fit in another trip. I also wonder if Universal will just ban the parks or if they'll ban City Walk. I think I read Disneyland banned in Downtown Disney in California but that they did not ban at Disney Springs.

It was within a general chat we were having with several people and the conversation turned around to this ban being announced by Disney soon.

So, I can`t tell you anything about whether or not Universal will follow suit and introduce the ban there too.....

 

[greg9x]

The world is changing... If you're still smoking these days your in for a tough road. It's not going to be accepted in public anymore. (Former 2 pack/day).

The theme parks are doing too well right now, so they can choose to implement more restrictive policies... I'm sure if all the smokers stopped going it would hardly affect attendance. The non smokers greatly out number smokers, and many don't want to be exposed to second hand smoke.. So this policy is more attractive to that crowd.

Yes, the strollers get ridiculous... No need to bring half your house with you. Yes, young kids can't walk all day, but a small manuverable umbrella stroller is sufficient. Years ago when it wasn't as crowded you could get away with larger strollers, but not these days. Been going bagless the last few years and it is much more enjoyable than hauling stuff all over.

The ice thing I understand as people try to be sneaky and get around the rules... But never been a cooler person either, again why haul something around all day... But we also take midday breaks so we aren't needing that much anyway.

 

[Sue M]

I don't think the ice thing is weird.

I imagine it has to do with the security line. Maybe ice has been spilled (and then melts). Maybe those dollar store soft sided coolers I see people with was dripping water everywhere.

I say this because it said you can use those refreezable ice thingys. It is only loose ice you can't have.

I think it’s a security thing too. Anything could be buried in a cooler full of ice, and security would have to stick their hands in the ice to search. I think if people put ice cubes in ziplock bags it would be acceptable as it’s not loose ice.

I do notice smoking areas! ESP the one just past EE in AK. Yuck. You have to walk right by it to go over the bridge to get to the Nemo show, Dinosaur, etc. Hold my breath and walk fast. Smoke messes with my sinus.

 

[Sue M]

I don't give a rats patootie the reasons this ban is coming in for smoking, I just hope Universal follow suit and ban it there too...….

And the giant strollers that seem to carry enough stuff for a months visit to go camping in the Himalayas!!!! Usually no kids in them either...…..imagine we all turned up with giant strollers in the one day.....no one would be able to move!!!!

But, did hear talk when we were there of a smoking ban......I`m all for it!!!! And yes, I`d be that person to point out someone flaunting the rules to TM when people don't think rules apply to them......there`s always some.

So true! And not fun when you get bashed in the back of your leg with one of those strollers going full speed.
I would report smoker too when I’ve seen them walking around the park smoking, but there never seems to be a TM around when it happens. I have reported at hotels when there’s been someone smoking on a balcony near mine or on outside corridor.
I have concerns that the smoking ban will increase this behaviour in the parks. I think they’ll have to institute a penalty if caught smoking like immediate eviction from the park that day to dissuade people from breaking the rules.

 

[Charade67]

I’m going to be at Disney World pre-ban and Disneyland post-ban. I am actually looking for the smallest bag that I can carry that will hold my phone and a few other things. I can’t imagine bringing a stroller full of stuff to the parks. I just wish people would stop wearing gigantic backpacks. I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve nearly been knocked over by those.

 

[Mrsjvb]

To prevent congestion in the future, Disney has banned bigger strollers in the parks and give specific measurements of limitations.

As well as banned "loose" and "dry" ice. As for the ice, there has not been official word, or reasoning for the ban, so that's up for debate on what the reason is.

Key word being ‘loose’. Security doesn’t need to be rooting around a cooler full of loose ice( or dry) where things could be lurking. Ziplock bags of ice will be oermitt d.. easy to shift out of the way to see what’s inside.

 

[Mrsjvb]

Could be! I’d like to see Disney’s press release though because the link between banning loose ice and improving traffic flow, as the articles are reporting, isn’t intuitive. However, they didn’t say you can’t freeze bottles of water or anything, which is good if you can’t have ice cubes for drinks.

Easy. Security guy faced with loose ice is gonna have to spend several minutes rooting around looking for those bootleg Mickey bars. Now all he has to do is spend 30 seconds looking under a few self contained bags of ice. Plus no more frostbite by the end if the day. Security line moves faster, rope drop is easier to get to.

 

[Monykalyn]

Also, I pulled up an article that did give explanation for the ice, as it states, "As of March 28, loose and dry ice is no longer allowed in Disney parks. Reusable ice packs are recommended. Cups of ice are available for free at food and beverage locations in the parks. The change was made to improve guest flow, according to the Disney website."

Security can't be sifting thru loose ice in coolers.

I've read that the ice thing is a problem because people fill their coolers with it and security has to dig through the ice cubes to see if anything is hidden there. Screening like at Universal would allow them to just throw the coolers through the screener instead of rummaging around through the ice cubes.

Damo beat me to it-this is what I read too-that stuff could be hidden in layers upon layers of ice. I'd stick water bottles in the fridge turned to coldest setting, in the bucket of ice in Disney rooms, and have extremely cold, semi frozen bottles of water by am.

Dry ice needs to be handled properly, it can easily become a serious hazard in a small space that isn’t well ventilated as it causes carbon dioxide gas to form. Unless it’s in a styrofoam cooler it can be an accident waiting to happen. Disposal of it is another issue, you can’t just put it in a garbage can or down a toilet, drain or sewer; as pressure can build.

It can also cause burns! But my favorite thing to do when I was a CM assigned to "GLOW" (we used to walk around with those glow sticks and other light up toys at night) was to go drive the cart to the dry ice storage an load up the coolers! Back then the sticks were activated by being cracked and warmed up and you could stop the glow part by storing in dry ice. Had to have gloves to handle though!

What guests needed to keep things THAT cold as to necessitate dry ice? The mind boggles.

It doesn't "melt" though, causing drips. It evaporates so stays cleaner I guess? but it can burn too if left in contact with bare skin too long.

But, did hear talk when we were there of a smoking ban......I`m all for it!!!! And yes, I`d be that person to point out someone flaunting the rules to TM when people don't think rules apply to them......there`s always some.

People need to be educated that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.

Yes!! Smoke is the one true trigger for my asthma which is well controlled. I've ended up in ER gasping for breath with too much unavoidable smoke exposure. Overwhelms my rescue inhaler. In fact just had the inhaler prescription refilled, JIC for cruise (although the casino on last ship didn't seem that bad, and even Las Vegas casinos seems there weren't as many smokers as years past)

I've hardly ever noticed strollers at Universal (although I go in September and May so maybe not a lot of kids), but they're definitely not nearly as much of a problem as they are in Disney so I'd be surprised if they implemented the same policy at Universal.

Strollers at Disney are definitely out of control.

I just wish people would stop wearing gigantic backpacks. I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve nearly been knocked over by those.

I am with schumi on this one too-my goodness you aren't trekking into the wild outback for weeks on end expecting to live off sap in trees and weeds!! And those huge packs stick a good foot out from the owner and my kids have been hit a couple times-you'd better believe I said something in not nice terms. I've also seen some wearing the pack in reverse-across their chest instead-and I have commented and thanked them for that too!

 

[tony67]

personally I hate cigarettes and always have - but at Universal I've never had issues with smokers - they always seem to be in the smoking area
The only people I have seen not following the rules are the Vapors - the feel those rules dont apply to them - I saw people on more than one occasion looking around and then vaping

 

[fireflymedic]

I sure hope the smokers don't switch to chewing tobacco for their nicotine fix. Can you imagine people spitting all over the place.

 

[Disxuni]

I sure hope the smokers don't switch to chewing tobacco for their nicotine fix. Can you imagine people spitting all over the place.

I doubt they'll get that desperate. If anyone switched to that, I can only imagine doing that for spite purposes. "You never said no chewing tobacco!"

I think that is the main reason why vaping eventually had to be put into the same category as smoking was due to almost everywhere has no smoking signs, but not any "no vaping" signs, and it was getting so ridiculous they had to eventually add "no vaping" into the category since people would be a smart aleck and probably argue it's completely different concept.

 

[keishashadow]

Yes!! Smoke is the one true trigger for my asthma which is well controlled. I've ended up in ER gasping for breath with too much unavoidable smoke exposure. Overwhelms my rescue inhaler. In fact just had the inhaler prescription refilled, JIC for cruise (although the casino on last ship didn't seem that bad, and even Las Vegas casinos seems there weren't as many smokers as years past)

So many cruise ships have the most direct route from MDR to theater right thru the reeking casino. The whole idea of non smoking areas in even larger casinos is a nice idea, but only in theory.

 

[Sparkly]

I can see them following Disney in the smoking and wagon bans anyway. Don't know about the ice ban. Does Universal generally get a lot of people bringing large coolers in? Last I visited, you couldn't bring huge picnic lunches in, could you?

 

[Disxuni]

I can see them following Disney in the smoking and wagon bans anyway. Don't know about the ice ban. Does Universal generally get a lot of people bringing large coolers in? Last I visited, you couldn't bring huge picnic lunches in, could you?

They have certain description restrictions on containers that kind of limits it to individuals not being able to bring big coolers. For example, they cannot be hard, which traditional massive coolers are hard whether it's plastic, or even styrofoam. I'm sure people have brought a pretty big insulated bag which works around that. However, it'll never be as big as a massive cooler.

Besides, even if someone did bring a cooler, where would you keep it? Unless you plan to have someone park it at a bench all day and baby sitting it, there is nothing else you can do with it unless you're not worried about it being taken away whether it's security, or a park guest. I would imagine that would be the main reason it wouldn't be done often even if they could, or at least that would be my reasoning for not bringing in a big cooler.

 

[TommyJK]

I honestly feel bad for smokers if they lose their smoking areas. Yes it's a bad habit and second hand smoke is bad for others. But as long as the designated smoking areas are tucked away from main path traffic (which at Universal they definitely are) then I don't see an issue with keeping them.

As a former smoker I know how difficult is is to quit and it took me years to finally do so. It has both a chemical and psychological addiction that makes it really hard to finally kick the habit. So I indeed have sympathy for those who still smoke and haven't been able to quit.

People are more susceptible to be exposed to second hand smoke walking down any busy street in public than they are at Universal based on where the smoking areas are located.

 

[verleniahall]

During the regular day at universal, we did t see smokers ‘out and abojt’ but as soon as it transitioned to horror nights, they were smoking EVERYWHERE