Disney Installs 2,800+ Warning Signs Ahead of Major Rule Change Impacting Every Guest
Over 2,800 warning signs are being introduced to one Disney resort ahead of a big rule change on Thursday.
There are 12 theme parks under Mickey Mouse’s global domain right now (at least until Disneyland Abu Dhabi comes to fruition). While you can find several consistencies across each international park, some are shaped by their own local laws, cultural norms, and operational priorities.
For example, while U.S. parks enforce strict costume restrictions – with the exception of Halloween parties like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom and Oogie Boogie Bash at California Adventure – Tokyo Disney Resort generally permits more elaborate guest attire.
Food policies, queue systems, and entry requirements can also vary by location. In late 2024, Shanghai Disneyland updated its rules to mandate that guests must provide an ID that matches the name on their ticket to enter the theme park.
Yet Another Rule Change Kicks in on
This week, the park is set to change yet another rule as it tightens smoking restrictions for all guests.
According to China News, new rules kick in on May 29 ahead of World No Tobacco Day on May 31 and International Children’s Day on June 1. These include reducing designated smoking areas, upgrading no-smoking signage, and implementing a reminder card system.
Shanghai Disney Resort is cutting the number of smoking areas in half, reducing the total from 24 to just 11. The changes come after a full review of guest flow and feedback, particularly in areas where non-smokers had little choice but to walk through second-hand smoke. Smoking points near major entrances and busy paths are being removed or relocated to ease congestion and improve the experience for all guests.
Smoking—whether it’s cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or any product that emits vapor—is only permitted in clearly designated areas. To reinforce this, the resort is installing more than 2,800 new “No Smoking” signs across Shanghai Disneyland, Disneytown, Wishing Star Park, and both resort hotels. The signs, which match the style of each area, include visuals for both traditional and e-cigarette use.
Cast members will also receive refreshed training on how to address smoking violations, including bilingual reminder cards with QR codes to help guests locate the nearest designated smoking spot. As part of the resort’s ongoing push for considerate behavior, guests will also notice posters featuring Chief Bogo from Zootopia, reminding them to be respectful and follow the rules. Updated smoking area information will be available on the resort’s website and app.
Earlier this year, a disagreement between Shanghai Disneyland guests over smoking in an unauthorized area went viral after another parkgoer caught the conflict on camera.
Disney Cracks Down on Smoking
This follows shifts in attitudes towards smoking at other Disney parks. Back in 2019, Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort went totally smoke-free, with guests only permitted to do so in specific areas outside the park entrances.
Universal Orlando Resort also followed suit earlier this month, prohibiting guests from smoking at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.
Meanwhile, Tokyo Disney Resort still has smoking areas within its parks, with three at Tokyo Disneyland and two at Tokyo DisneySea respectively. Hong Kong Disneyland and Disneyland Paris both also retain designated smoking areas.
The latter, however, has made headlines in the past for the number of guests who continue to flaunt this smoking rule. Parkgoers (us included) have noted several cases of guests covertly – or, in some cases, openly – both smoking cigarettes and vaping in the theme parks.
In some cases, Disneyland Paris guests have been spotted smoking in extremely high-traffic areas, such as the Emporium entrance on Main Street, U.S.A. and near popular attractions, such as Le Carrousel de Lancelot.
France notably boasts a higher concentration of smokers than the vast majority of other European countries, ranking third in the WHO European Region for tobacco use, with 16.4 million adults smoking in 2022. An estimated 28% of French residents described themselves as smokers in 2023, versus 11.6% of Americans in 2022.
Do you think guests should be allowed to smoke at theme parks?
