The fascinating reason why Disney World has no mosquitoes
If you're gearing up for a trip to the "happiest place in the world," AKA Walt Disney World, you may be surprised at how few mosquitoes you'll find. This isn't by chance; in fact, Walt Disney World has taken a lot of steps to prevent mosquitoes.
Built on swampland but still no mosquitoes
Not only is Florida famous for insects, but the sprawling park was built in central Florida on marshland and swampland.
According to a self-described "civil engineer who loves Disney" on her TikTok account, The Mouselets, you'd be hard-pressed to find a single mosquito at the parks.
“You won’t get bitten by a mosquito at Walt Disney World, and that is completely by design,” she said in a post.
Miles of drainage canals throughout the property
US Army engineer and governor of the Panama Canal Zone, Major General Joe Potter, was brought in during the planning and construction of Disney World to address the issue of stagnant water.
His solution was to dig miles worth of interconnected drainage canals throughout the park and resort properties. The canals work to clear the water, keep the soil dry and prevent flooding during storm season.
No longer ideal for mosquitoes to breed
As a bonus, these canals also transformed the land, making it less ideal for mosquitoes.
“Mosquitoes require completely still, stagnant water to lay their eggs, so by keeping the water in constant motion, it completely disrupts their life cycle before they can ever hatch,” said The Mouselets in a post.
Mosquito prevention doesn't stop there.
“They spray a liquid garlic extract around the park perimeters. Mosquitoes don’t like the smell, but most humans can’t even detect it once it dries,” she explained.
Not the level of pests you'd expect
While it's still wise to pack your bug spray when going to the parks, the good news is that you won't have to worry about out-of-control mosquitoes.
Source: New York Post
