Disney bans smoking, oversized strollers, and loose ice in theme parks

Starting in May, the only smoke coming out of Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom will be from the fireworks.

Disney announced on Thursday that it is banning smoking, vaping, and stroller wagons in Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disney water parks, and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, effective May 1. There will be designated smoking areas outside of the entrances, and smoking visitors will be able to return to their park once they are finished, a Disney spokesperson told the Orlando Sentinel.

Dennis Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services, said it's "about time" smoking was banned at Disney parks. Because the company typically sets trends, he expects other theme parks will reconsider their own policies as well.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Under the new rules, strollers must be no larger than 31 inches wide and 52 inches long, and — effective immediately — visitors are no longer allowed to enter a park with loose ice in coolers. Instead, guests are asked to use reusable ice packs, or request ice from restaurants on property. Disney says guards won't have to dig around in ice at bag checks, getting people inside the parks faster.