There’s a reason why people call Disney the Happiest Place on Earth. If you’ve ever been there, you realize that it is completely designed for the enjoyment of those who are visiting. It doesn’t matter whether you are riding on one of their rides or if you are simply doing some shopping, it’s difficult not to smile in the process. It seems as if there’s another reason why it is a happy place: There are no mosquitoes.
If you’ve ever been to central Florida where Disney is located, you realize that there are a lot of mosquitoes. At certain times of the year, it’s almost as if they can pick you up and carry you away. If you are at Disney World, however, the mosquitoes are noticeably absent. What did they do to keep them away?
Disney was only planning the attraction in 1964 when he was at New York’s world fair. He met a retired Army Maj. Gen., William E Potter, and learned a little something about controlling mosquitoes. The pest control methods that he was aware of, thanks to his work on the Panama Canal, really helped to control the bugs at the central Florida location.
Potter was hired by Disney to remove mosquitoes in the area that would eventually become Disney World. The trick was, he didn’t want him to use chemicals to kill the mosquitoes, he just wanted them moved from the property.
There are some different techniques that Potter put in place to make the area mosquito-free. For one thing, he removed all possibility of standing water on the property. This included using plants that would allow for water runoff rather than having the water collecting in petals and leaves. They also dug drainage ditches so that the water flowed away from the property rather than staying stagnant.
The reason why this works so well is that mosquitoes need water standing in place in order for their larva to hatch. If there isn’t any standing water, there aren’t any mosquitoes. Of course, there is plenty of water at Disney but it is kept moving, regardless of whether it is with a fountain or on a ride, such as Splash Mountain.
If you have an opportunity to visit Disney, take a look at everything that is designed into the park. It doesn’t matter if you are looking at the buildings, the drainage trenches, or the groundwork, you will not be able to find standing water that is stagnant anywhere. It’s just a little something that makes Disney a happy place.