This, combined with reports that Disneyland has actually been removing benches to make space, would likely indicate this is all being done as a way to help with guest traffic ahead of the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Smoking areas are now places everybody can be and nobody will be holding up traffic with strollers that are too big.
At the same time, it probably wasn’t looking out for people’s health that led to this change.
Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios especially are about to become very crowded, and every bit of real estate is going to matter.