Smoking is a topic many people do not want to talk about. Although, there are many people who still smoke and want to be able to while visiting the Orlando area theme parks. Today we are going to go over smoking in the theme parks.
Some of the theme parks are better for smokers than others. Some smoking locations can be very surprising to smokers and nonsmokers alike. For me, I am shocked at the location of one of the smoking areas at perhaps the most popular theme park. But we will get more into that down below.
Up until a few years ago you could smoke where ever you wanted. Than they started having designated smoking areas throughout the parks. Now some of the parks still have smoking areas inside the theme parks while others have them just outside the main entrance.
Universal Orlando
The theme parks at Universal are the best when it comes to smokers. You won’t find the areas on the maps but they are sprinkled throughout. Most are off the beaten path but still very easy to access.
Universal Studios Orlando has the most and easiest to find. There are at least five different locations and most guest would have to go out of their way to walk through them. But like we said you won’t find them on any printed maps. Even looking on the Universal app, you will have a hard time finding where they are.
You need to look for the Guest Amenities tab and find Guest Services to find where the smoking permitted areas are. Universal Studios isn’t a huge theme park but it is still pretty big. The last thing you want to do as a smoker is walking 10 or more minutes to get your fix.
Luckily, you won’t have too! Most of the time you will only be walking for a couple of minutes to get to the smoking areas. Now most of the smoking areas have plenty of seating and nearby you will find areas to grab a drink, bite to eat, or refill your Freestyle drink at.
One thing many of the locations in Universal Studios lack is shade. Florida can be really hot. Especially in the summer months. Some of the areas have a small tree or a single umbrella. However, there are usually plenty of benches to sit down in.
There is nothing better than having a refreshing cigarette while relaxing on a bench. At the theme parks you do a lot of walking. Being able to sit down and relax is a great thing.
I don’t know about you but I enjoy this sit down time while visiting the theme parks. Most of the day at the theme parks is just go, go, go. Here you can stop for a couple of minutes to refresh and relax.
Universal Orlando Smoking Areas
- Near MIB bathrooms
- Outside of Diagon Alley
- Near Bruce (JAWS shark)
- Near Rip Ride Rocket
- Near the Back to the Future Train
- Near Fast & Furious Supercharged
Islands of Adventure also has a couple of smoking areas. Although, these ones are a little harder to find. However, they do have more shade than the ones in Universal Studios.
The views at Islands of Adventure are also better. You can watch and hear everyone screaming when they get launched from Hulk Coaster. See how soaked people get after riding Ripsaw Falls. You can even witness the thrills of the VelociCoaster.
Islands of Adventure Smoking Areas
- Near Ripsaw Falls
- Marvel Superhero Island
- Behind Mythos
- Near the front of the Park
CityWalk is another area that has a couple of smoking areas. These areas are much easier to find too! Plus you will find plenty of areas to smoke at if you decide to walk to the theme parks from your resort. The garden walk has stops all along the way or you can just walk and smoke like we use to be able to do.
Universal Orlando is much friendlier to smokers than the other Orlando area theme parks. Of course, that could be a good or a bad thing depending on how you look at it. For me it is a good thing. Smoking gives me some built in rest time when enjoying the theme parks.
I never feel like I have to go way out of my way to get a little time to relax. You won’t need to completely leave the theme parks to have a cigarette.
Walt Disney World
When it comes to smoking in and around Walt Disney World, you will have a hard time finding a place to go. There are no locations to smoke at within the four theme parks or Disney Springs. You have to leave the park in order to smoke.
Many people think this is a great idea. However, I think it is a bad idea. Before you could find a dozen or more people in the smoking areas when they had them in the park. Sure a dozen doesn’t sound like a lot but when you consider that was at just one smoking area it can add up.
This helps keep the lines just a little bit shorter. Now most of us just suck it up until the end of the day since we have to completely exit the park to go have a cigarette. This in my opinion only helps make the lines that much longer at the four different theme parks.
Now most of the smoking areas are right outside the main gates. You won’t need to go back through security but you will have to get your ticket scanned again. This is true for Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.
At the EPCOT back smoking area and Magic Kingdom smoking area you will have to go through both security and ticket check. It is really a pain in the butt to have to do that. Plus all the extra walking you have to do just to get to the smoking locations. Plus most don’t have many seats and a lot of the times they are packed with smokers.
Even though the smoking areas for the theme parks are in the front of the parks. Most of them are out of the way of normal guest traffic. The only one that isn’t, is the Magic Kingdom smoking area.
This one is right in the middle of the traffic lanes for the guest getting off the buses. To me that doesn’t make much sense at all. Everyone getting off the buses have to walk right through the smoking area. Where as before they were off the beaten path.
Now they are there for everyone to see. I just feel bad for the people that legit hate the smell and small children. You would think that the Magic Kingdom smoking area would be a bit out of the way. There is one location right outside of the ticket check that would work well. However, they instead put it in a main walkway.
Each resort also has a couple of smoking areas. You can find one area right near the food court at most WDW Resorts. Another location is usually towards the “back” of the resort. Plus you can always walk into the parking lot. You just won’t have anywhere to sit unless you have your own car.
Smoking isn’t a subject many people like to talk about or even bring up. But to us smokers it’s something that is on our mind when we are on vacation and visiting a theme park. While there are not many locations within the theme parks. There are a few.
Universal Orlando has the most and is the best when it comes to smokers. Walt Disney World is the worst for smokers. It could even be considered the worst for nonsmokers too due to the location of some of their smoking areas.
Kozmo Photos 