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.
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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.
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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