May Trip-LoveBug Season...What the heck was I thinking?????

[Alessandra Gabriel]

Coral Springs is WAY south (I used to live there), so that information may not be useful for your trip to Orlando.

Oh I know, I was just gonna ask what they use to protect their cars. Part of me thinks this spray stuff may not work too well, kinda sounds too good to be true, but its only $14 so I may just order it and see.

 

[JaxDad]

A friend of mine in Gainesville used Pam non-stick spray to make it easier to clean off love bugs, and he SAID it worked well. Of course, he didn't have the nicest vehicle, so he probably didn't care what he sprayed on it!

 

[Alessandra Gabriel]

We just bought a brand new Highlander, it came from the dealer with an extra paint protectant, so Im hoping it has some extra stuff on it to protect the paint job. Ive read people putting Pam and baby oil on their cars for the bugs. Im definitely gonna have to do some more research!

 

[Cuppie]

I own a collision repair shop, and was going to tell you use baby oil to. It will make it easier to wash off. Also, depending on how long you will be there, you don't want to let you car sit and bake in the hot sun with both the bugs and oil. There is a car wash at the gas station by hollywood studios. Which will (if you use baby oil or the like) get most of those bugs off.

 

[Alessandra Gabriel]

I own a collision repair shop, and was going to tell you use baby oil to. It will make it easier to wash off. Also, depending on how long you will be there, you don't want to let you car sit and bake in the hot sun with both the bugs and oil. There is a car wash at the gas station by hollywood studios. Which will (if you use baby oil or the like) get most of those bugs off.

Thank you!

 

[kokomos]

We've been in May about 5 times. 1 time they were pretty bad coming home the car was covered to the point had to turn my wipers on and it smeared everywhere. This was on the turnpike between orlando and Ocala. There is a service station that has a rinse station for free before you get back on interstate. Once we got back on the interstate they were pretty much gone.

 

[SillyFamily]

If you wash the vehicle frequently you wont need baby oil on it. I would wax it before you leave and apply rainex to your windshield. Go through the car wash when you arrive then spot clean through your trip as needed. They really arent that bad if you dont leave them on your vehicle for long periods of time. Im talking every couple of days not hours. You might also think about buying a bra for your car (i think thats what they are called). They will protect your car from the lovebugs and minor dings from the road on your trip. Just dont forget to rainex your windshield if you buy the bra. They are always a pain to clean from your windsheild if you dont rainex. Your windshield wipers will not be very succesful cleaning them off alone.

 

[RmeDad]

Ok so we leave for our week long trip on May 16th, and up to this point I have been sooooo excited, that is... until I started reading about these darn LoveBugs. I have read previously a little bit about them, but never really paid too much attention to it. In my mind I pictured ladybugs and never really gave it too much thought. Well today, I finally decided for some reason to google LoveBugs, and holy crap now Im completely freaking out!
First of all, yes I know I should have done some more reasearch before booking a May trip. Of the numerous times I have been to WDW, I have never been in May and yes I should have done my homework...but alas I did not... obviously.
What has me so worried are two things, first of all apparently there are swarms of these things in May. How the heck are you supposed to enjoy an outdoor park with swarms of bugs? Now maybe when I go there wont be any swarms, maybe there will be just a few bugs flying around (which would be fine) but Im trying to prepare for the worst and I just dont know how this will be enjoyable with swarms of bugs flying around. Second, we are driving down, in our new car, and Ive read that Lovebugs can destroy the paint on your car...has anyone tried anything that worked protecting your car from these bugs?
Has anyone just gotten back from WDW that can report on the LoveBug situation?

Don't worry about the Love Bugs, the gators will eat YOU, oops I mean THEM! And stay out of the damn lakes!

 

[cgattis]

There aren't "swarms" of bugs. Will there be lovebugs? Probably. Will there always be two of them flying around or on some surface? Yes. Because they are lovebugs and they, well, er, like each other, a lot. Will some people freak out and try to kill the lovebugs? More than likely. Will the lovebugs harm anyone at all? Nope.

Since you are driving, I would recommend you take some water and paper towels with you and when you stop for rests or fuel, just wipe down the outside of the car either with the towels or just with the windshield stuff the gas stations provide.

Maybe "swarm" means something specific that love bugs don't do. But the word "cloud" can certainly be appropriate. I've definitely experienced them (albeit closer to the Cape than Orlando) where they were literally thick in the air and just all over us by the dozens at a time. And no they don't bite or sting, but I still didn't want them in my eyes, my mouth, my hair, my drink, etc. And they are exceptionally soft, so if you brush them away, they, um...squish. Blech. I hope you don't have that, OP, but yes it actually CAN be pretty gross.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

OP, are you anticipating a few swarms of bugs or something more? From your comment it seems you may think the love bugs are something on the scale of a biblical plague. I don't think they gather in a never-ending cloud that coats the state of Florida. It is mostly a few swarms here and there on property.

As for your car, if the paint job is that big a deal why not consider renting a car for your trip. It just may be worth it for your peace of mind

 

[Alessandra Gabriel]

In my mind, yes Im envisioning biblical plague like proportions...but mainly becuase I freak out about stuff like this. Im sure the reality of the situation is nothing to worry over or lose sleep over, so Im trying to take a deep breath and just go with it.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey]

I have taken several trips to WDW during May and had never seen one. We get them out west also and this year, I haven't seen a single one.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

As a former Central and West Florida resident (Orlando, Celebration, and Sarasota) I can agree with the others that they are not bad. Wash your car and you'll be fine! I also cannot ever remember being bothered by them or other bugs in the parks. When we lived in Celebration, there was a truck that came around to spray for mosquitos on a daily basis. I wonder if that helped with love bugs? If so, it's possible that WDW does the same thing.

 

[4Ds4Diz]

I have been to Disney in May and remember sitting around the pool at the Poly, there were a few around, but not annoying. I know you are freaked out by bugs and that can be stressful, but they were not swarms of love bugs. I agree with previous poster that they can be more like a cloud. Now I have never seen a cloud of them around the resorts. I did see a cloud when driving around the property last April. One of the Disney buses was covered on the front end. Looked like a bearded bus! LOL It made me think of the movie Cars. I had never seen that before.

I am sure you will be in your happy place and not even be aware if any are around! Have a magical trip!

 

[SnowWhite1015]

I was in Florida in May of last year (Clearwater, St. Pete, and Orlando) and I hate bugs of all kinds. I think I saw maybe ten love bugs total in a week, and I'd say only one was on WDW property. As for the car thing, we had a rental so I can't tell you anything about the paint job, but I will say after they bake onto the windshield all day they are damn near impossible to get off!

I had honestly expected WDW to be teeming with insects and I was pleasantly surprised. The only time I saw wasps was at the Part of Expedition Everest right before you start going backwards. I'm a total wuss when it comes to bugs and I was fine at WDW.

 

[rlduvall]

In September of 2006 I was at WDW when they had quite an epidemic of love bugs. They were all over the car, hotel door [Pop Century] and inside wall by door [for when we opened the door]. I don't fear bugs, but they actually did bother me when I was walking through DHS through a cloud of the little buggers and had to keep my mouth closed up tight to avoid them getting in my teeth. And it's very hard for me to be quiet. Other than that, they are perfectly harmless to humans.

 

[goofyintoronto]

In September of 2006 I was at WDW when they had quite an epidemic of love bugs. They were all over the car, hotel door [Pop Century] and inside wall by door [for when we opened the door]. I don't fear bugs, but they actually did bother me when I was walking through DHS through a cloud of the little buggers and had to keep my mouth closed up tight to avoid them getting in my teeth. And it's very hard for me to be quiet. Other than that, they are perfectly harmless to humans.

This was my experience too. OMG I HATE LOVE BUGS! yes they are harmless, but when its love bug season, theyre everywhere! I was at Pop I think way back in 2010? or 2011? Man oh man, those things were everywhere. They crawled under our door and came inside our room. In one night i stomped on 12 of them! About a dozen love bugs a day is a bit much wouldnt you say? They werent noticeable in the parks, but they sure were noticeable at the resort. I was dodging them constantly. Im not sure when in May theyre around, but good luck to you. Theyre awful. Im not gonna lie.

I should mention that I absolutely HATE bugs of any kind.

 

[sherezada]

I'll be in the minority here and say that they really bothered me on our trip to WDW last week. As soon as we stopped for our pic in from of the castle there was a "cloud" of them, as another poster said. The CM said "Oh, don't worry, they're harmless. They might just tickle you a bit then leave you alone." Um, not true! The darn things seem to want to follow you and stick to you no matter how much you try to brush them away. I hated them.

 

[Alessandra Gabriel]

This was my experience too. OMG I HATE LOVE BUGS! yes they are harmless, but when its love bug season, theyre everywhere! I was at Pop I think way back in 2010? or 2011? Man oh man, those things were everywhere. They crawled under our door and came inside our room. In one night i stomped on 12 of them! About a dozen love bugs a day is a bit much wouldnt you say? They werent noticeable in the parks, but they sure were noticeable at the resort. I was dodging them constantly. Im not sure when in May theyre around, but good luck to you. Theyre awful. Im not gonna lie.

I should mention that I absolutely HATE bugs of any kind.
This

I'll be in the minority here and say that they really bothered me on our trip to WDW last week. As soon as we stopped for our pic in from of the castle there was a "cloud" of them, as another poster said. The CM said "Oh, don't worry, they're harmless. They might just tickle you a bit then leave you alone." Um, not true! The darn things seem to want to follow you and stick to you no matter how much you try to brush them away. I hated them.

And this is what Im afraid of!

Im just hoping that in the next two weeks these nasty things will be gone. But at least I will be prepared for the worst, so I wont be caught completely offguard if they are still out in full force. I will definitely report on my love bug experience when I get back!! Im getting my car waxed this weekend in preparation for these darn bugs and buying some bug & tar remover to wipe off all the ones we kill on our drive down.

 

[goofyintoronto]

And this is what Im afraid of!

Im just hoping that in the next two weeks these nasty things will be gone. But at least I will be prepared for the worst, so I wont be caught completely offguard if they are still out in full force. I will definitely report on my love bug experience when I get back!! Im getting my car waxed this weekend in preparation for these darn bugs and buying some bug & tar remover to wipe off all the ones we kill on our drive down.

Good luck to you. I really hope theyre gone before your trip.