How Do They Do It? Bug Control...

[KickTheSky]

I was at Walt Disney World Resort last week and part of the week before that. It was hot and humid and a bit rainy, too. One would think with all of that, and from all the horror stories I have heard about 5 foot giant man-eating bugs down in Florida, that we would have been carried off my giant mosquitoes. Thing was, we never saw a bug, save for a couple butterflies, during our entire stay at the WDW Resort. We certainly HEARD them, but never did we see them or were we bothered by them.

So, that begs the question... how does Disney control the bug population...or do they have to?

 

[bradk]

it's a mixture of things. they do spray somewhat, but keep it to a minimum.

mostly for mosquitos, they use traps that lure the mosquitos by releasing a lot of carbon dioxide, one of two things that attracts mosquitos to humans (the other being heat)

 

[Disney Von Drake]

Mosquito control for WDW is handled by the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID). The RCID is one of 56 Mosquito Control Districts in Florida. Mosquito control is accomplished via Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM).

IMM is very important at WDW due to the fears associated with West Nile Virus. A widespread outbreak of West Nile Virus in or around the WDW area would devastate tourism. You can learn more about the details concerning mosquito control at WDW here: http://mosquito.ifas.ufl.edu/Florida_Mosquito_Control_Districts.htm

 

[bradk]

this is the most recent information on the EPA site

http://www.epa.gov/oppbppd1/pesp/strategies/2005/wdw05.htm

 

[DWDude]

So how do they control the cockroaches/palmetto bugs???????

 

[disnut8]

My husband knows the true secret of Disney World. They just won't allow a bug there.

Seriously, as others have pointed out, there are controls that are non- evasive to humans that Disney World employs. It's amazing the things Disney World does behind the scenes to protect the on stage magic. Bug control is one of them. I guess Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones should book all their vacations to Disney World.

 

[csharp7]

All the bugs are at the Ugly Bug Ball!

It sure is tough to be a bug at Walt Disney World....

 

[brymolmom]

Mosquitos might be okay but during lovebug outbreaks they don't do so well. I happened upon them last Sept (about the 2nd - 3rd week) and they were HORRIBLE. I mean - walking through the parks you would get them flying right into your body and you were even afraid to open your mouth to talk. Seriously, I'm not exhaggerating when I say it was a constant annoyance and constantly shoo-ing them away when outside. THe resort was even worse - my sister and I stayed out by the pool for about 10 minutes before throwing in the towel. The door to our room would have about 50 on it that we had to swat off before trying to get in the room so they wouldn't all end up inside.

And the best/worst part was that the CM who I asked for a can of bug repellent or RAID so that I could spray off the door kept telling me 'they're not harmful'. I would reply 'They are if there are 20 in your BED!'.

Anyway - happy you got lucky to avoid the bugs this time around.

 

[Feralpeg]

Very large flyswaters!

 

[Corryn]

We went last October and the LoveBug situation was Horrible! As Brymolmom said, they were in our rooms, in the curtains, on the floor, everywhere
When we were by the AKL pool it was also very bad. The waitress placed coasters On Top of our drinks - if you took it off for just a second without sipping your drink, PLOP! After a few times of plopping in the drinks I would just pick the damned bug out and drink the drink - I know, gross, but I think it was about $8.00 for a strawberry daquiri!

As far as no palmetto bugs, I did see ONE while at DownTown Disney.
I know someone posted links, but it would be interesting to hear here what gets done as far as pest control

 

[okeydokey]

We were amazed in June that even at the campground at Ft. Wilderness, there were no misquitos. Not only that, but one of the kids dropped a piece of potato chip on the ground under the picnic table and the next day it was there and not one ant was on it. Our travel mates thought it was creepy, what do they do with all the bugs?

 

[disnut8]

Not even Disney can do anything about the love bugs. Nothing will make them go away except for time. Once they are done doing their love bug thing they disappear. It's just something that you have to live with. I find the love bugs kind of cute.

 

[ogreenlee]

I saw no love bugs last week. Saw one HUGE palmetto bug (oversized cockroach for those who don't know) in MK on the way out. Husband and DD4 got 3 skeeter bites between them at AK.

 

[Minnie0107]

I saw no love bugs last week. Saw one HUGE palmetto bug (oversized cockroach for those who don't know) in MK on the way out. Husband and DD4 got 3 skeeter bites between them at AK.

This is the only thing that really freaks me out! We live in NW Florida so we are use to misquitos and love bugs, but giant roaches! Really how big was the one that you saw and were was it, on the ground?

 

[Spine_DR]

a family friend of ours owns a pest control company and they go to a pest control convention that is held at WDW every couple of years. When she came back she talked about all the things they do to control bugs including certain plants.

 

[The Mick]

Take the Behind The Seeds Tour in EPCOT. They go into some of the things they do to control bugs. It's mostly crop and plant-related insect control, but it gives some insight.

 

[jberry5]

WDW now requires that they have tickets to get in the park. Bugs not having too much disposable income have been finding other places to spend their time now.

I did think about the same thing when we were just down there, because right now we're getting eaten alive by the mosquitoes at home, but it wasn't much of an issue during our stay at WDW. Just each had a couple of bites, but I don't even think those were mosquitoes, then one I saw on myself looked bigger than a mosquito.