Why are there no mosquitoes at Disney World? It’s a fascinating topic – so let’s get into it!
If you’ve found yourself wondering ‘why are there no mosquitoes at Disney World?‘ you’re not on your own!
Many people have asked the question ‘Why are there no mosquitoes at Disney World?’ – especially after returning home and realizing they escaped without a single bite!
And it’s a true Disney miracle really because Florida is known for being a mosquito hotspot. So why and how, at Disney World (in the heart of Flordia) are there no mosquitoes to be seen? Well, you’ll find out below!
And let’s face it, you’d expect there to be loads of mosquitoes at Disney World.
It’s a busy place, there’s a lot of water, and the humidity is an ideal setting for them… So it begs the question! Why are there no mosquitoes at Disney World?
So let’s get into it and find out the answer to ‘Why are there no mosquitoes at Disney World?‘.
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It all started with one man.
The answer to the question ‘Why aren’t there mosquitoes at Disney World?‘ starts with one man. General Joe Potter.
Joe Potter was an MIT graduate and known for his incredible skills in engineering. Not what you’d expect when talking about mosquitoes at Disney World!
Potter and Walt Disney met at the 1964 World’s Fair. He had already spent some of his career coming up with genius methods for pest control (with a particular focus on mosquitoes).
For example, Joe Potter had previously served as governor of the Panama Canal Zone, which is an area known for having lot (and we mean LOTS) of these ghastly bugs. So the problem of mosquitoes at Disney World was something he knew he could help with.
Once Potter and Walt got talking, and his experience in pest control and mosquito control had been mentioned, it’s rumoured that Walt Disney literally gave him a job there and then.
After all, Walt Disney was creating a magical land for people to escape into, and mosquitoes just didn’t fit the brief.
One of the biggest challenges for building a park in Florida would be the mosquitoes, and so it just made sense to tackle the issue head on.
Which is exactly what they did.
Why aren’t there mosquitoes at Disney World? Well, pay thanks to Joe Potter and Walt Disney, because without their teamwork, you might have walked away with a fair few itchy bites!
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The Mosquito Surveillance Program
Shortly after, the Mosquito Surveillance Program was introduced to Disney World, and their job was to monitor and prevent bugs and (specifically) mosquitoes from entering the Disney World parks.
It’s no accident that there are no mosquitoes at Disney World, in fact, it’s down to a lot of hard work and clever thinking by a team of skilled individuals.
Why are there no mosquitoes at Disney World? Well these guys have a lot to do with it!
Read more about visiting Disney World: 10 Things to do in Disney World if you don’t like rides!
How are there no mosquitoes at Disney World?
Now, let’s move on to the question ‘how are there no mosquitoes at Disney World?’ – because the ‘how’ part is really important.
Well, it’s down to a few different techniques, involving both the structure of the buildings and the water within the park.
Why are there no mosquitoes at Disney World? It’s a lot of clever planning, design, and landscaping strategy.
You might think initially, that Joe Potter invented a way of killing the mosquitoes that entered the parks, but it’s actually not the case. The approach is prevention-led.
There are strategies and methods that prevent the mosquitoes from entering and breeding in the park – which then lessens their numbers, so they’re so unnoticeable, it’s like they’re not even there.
The general approach is to make the park somewhere that is absolutely un-ideal for mosquitoes. The park is designed to be a pretty rubbish habitat for them – which means they’re so much less likely to thrive and survive there.
Why are there no mosquitoes at Disney World?
There are a few techniques involved…
Disney World was created purposely with lots of flowing water.
This means there are very few places in the park for mosquitoes to live or lay their eggs. One of the main ways Disney World archives, this is by avoiding having any still or ‘standing’ water.
Standing water means water that isn’t moving of flowing, like a pond for example.
Without standing water, the mosquitoes don’t have any ideal places to lay their eggs, and therefore, don’t do it. Which cuts their popular numbers down hugely.
Water in Disney World is constantly flowing or moving… it’s a small point of difference, with a huge positive impact.
It’s also all about the structures of buildings and the landscaping…
The next big difference (to help cut down on mosquitoes in Disney World) is all about how the buildings are built.
The way most rides and structures are built in Disney World also helps keep the mosquitoes away. When asking ‘Why are there no mosquitoes at Disney World?’ – this has a lot to do with it.
The buildings have been designed in such a specific way, meaning that puddles and pools of water won’t accidentally or unintentionally form on the roof, or windows, or alleys. This means that even in the rainy months of the year – there won’t be any stagnant or still water laying around waiting for mosquitoes.
And don’t forget using nature itself…
When asking ‘why are there no mosquitoes at Disney World?’ – don’t forget about all the little extra touches that help keep these pesky bugs at bay.
For example, Disney landscapers and designers also make sure any water is filled with minnows, goldfish, and a type of fish called mosquito fish, whose job it is to eat any larvae that might slip through. How smart is that?
They’ll also avoid planting any wildlife in the parks that might encourage pooling of water (for example, plants with big expansive leaves).
Weirdest of all, and one of our favorite facts about ‘why are there no mosquitoes at Disney World?’ – is that involves chickens. Did you know that there are numerous chicken coops all over Disney World? These chickens are tested regularly for different antibodies related to mosquito-borne diseases.
If any of these tests come back positive, it’s an indication of mosquitoes at Disney World, and (more so) an indication of which part of the park to start looking. It’s incredibly smart thinking!
Do they use repellent to keep mosquitoes away from Disney World?
It’s a great question, and I’m sure it’s something you were expecting to hear when you asked ‘why are there no mosquitoes at Disney World?‘.
But, the answer is no. At least, they don’t use chemical repellents.
Actually, Walt Disney was always very firm on this. He didn’t want any unnecessary chemicals entering the park, because it could lessent the enjoyment of his parks for the visitors. Which makes complete sense!
But he also knew that lots of mosquitoes at Disney World would lessen the enjoyment too.
So, they found a natural remedy for keeping the mosquitoes at Disney World at bay. Can you guess what they used?
They use Garlic to repel the mosquitoes at Disney World!
Yes Garlic!
Good for keeping vampires away, and keeping mosquitoes at Disney World away too! Who’d have thought it?
But don’t worry, they don’t use enough Garlic essence that you (and human) would ever notice it. It’s used in tiny tiny amounts (only noticeable to the mosquitoes at Disney World, but not detectable by any humans).
So don’t worry, you won’t visit Disney World and end up smelling of Garlic! Phew!
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It sounds simple right?
When you asked the question ‘why are there no mosquitoes at Disney World?‘ you were perhaps expecting a more complex answer, but the solution was really quite straightforward.
If you can stop the mosquitoes at Disney World from breeding, then you can really reduce the population of them in a specific space. And then for any that slip under the radar, there are natural repellents in place too.
And whilst the solution to ‘why are there no mosquitoes at Disney World?’ might seem simple – it’s actually taken years of planning and construction to perfect and implement.
New rides and attractions at Disney World need to take into account the question ‘why are there no mosquitoes at Disney World?‘ and ensure they’re sticking to the guidelines around no stagnant or still water. And it’s the same for any new cafes, or buildings too.
When you consider just how huge Disney World is, this is quite an achievement and something that needs constant management and maintenance!
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Why is it important there are no mosquitoes at Disney World?
Because Disney World is all about enjoyment and escapism.
It’s hard to enjoy yourself when you’re being pestered by bugs, or feel like you’re being eaten alive.
Walt Disney knew this, and he knew that having too many mosquitoes at Disney World would dampen the experience for many of his customers, and the customers always had to come first.
Hopefully we answered your question ‘why are there no mosquitoes at Disney World?’ in enough detail!
It’s important to remember, that there may always be the occasional mosquito at Disney World that slips through the many protections around the park, but the team at Disney World has done their best to ensure mosquitoes don’t ruin your day or bother you too much!
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