Disney to Give Out Free Insect Repellent to Fight Zika Virus

[JoeCamel]

I am surprised that Orlando has not been a center of Zika transmission. With all the visitors from affected areas south you would expect some travelers to be Zika positive and to have been bitten by a mosquito while in the Orlando area. That critter then goes on to bite someone else. Just chance that it was Miami rather than Orlando where the vector came out.

 

[durangojim]

Good job Disney!

 

[21stamps]

Other sites show photos with a dozen or more cans on multiple tables in a different park location. I will see if I can link it here.

I just hope that people still bring their own.

I am surprised that Orlando has not been a center of Zika transmission. With all the visitors from affected areas south you would expect some travelers to be Zika positive and to have been bitten by a mosquito while in the Orlando area. That critter then goes on to bite someone else. Just chance that it was Miami rather than Orlando where the vector came out.

I think Miami has been expected to get it for quite some time. It was pretty lucky that it took this long.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

Good gesture on disneys part. Definitely to be applauded.

I honestly wouldn't have thought to bring bug repellent and I don't pay attention to a lot of news (my anxiety levels can't take it and I'm comfortable with my head in the sand on certain issues) so I probably wouldn't have connected the dots and then grow worried of zika or anything outside the norm.

Now I'm a bit more aware and grateful for disneys pro activity on this.

 

[wdwmagic]

Other sites show photos with a dozen or more cans on multiple tables in a different park location. I will see if I can link it here.

I'm sure the supply will vary as needed. Other locations have more, and I assume its at the discretion of the Guest Relations CM at each location to beef up the numbers. Disney Springs has around 12 on a table.

 

[BAChicagoGal]

The bugs always seem to find me. My last trip left me with a giant bite on my left leg. Maybe not a mosquito, but it itched like crazy. I went out and bought two travel size spray bottles yesterday, but I'll be happy to take any free product that is offered. I read that it will be in hotel rooms at both Disney and Universal.

 

[Kylo Ken]

I can't stress how good of a precaution this is on Disney's part (crop duster alert! Btw I know it's Pixie Duster for you fools that don't get it).

Self-preparation though is the best form of prevention and protection. I personally recommend hazmat suits and proton packs full of insect repellent. Anyway, I'm glad to see more people are put at ease by this and are using their own intelligence rather than media frenzy to make decisions on how to protect themselves or plan trips.

 

[WDWBryan]

okay the picture is hilarious.

A big sign. A table and one can

 

[MissM]

Ah...that makes sense. I was there last night and we kept encountering people with a STRONG aroma of bug spray - especially in closed spaces like stores. I missed the bug spray stations so I just figured it was people bringing their own. I'm glad they're offering this but I will say, man, the one they are using STINKS!

 

[JUFL2019]

Ah...that makes sense. I was there last night and we kept encountering people with a STRONG aroma of bug spray - especially in closed spaces like stores. I missed the bug spray stations so I just figured it was people bringing their own. I'm glad they're offering this but I will say, man, the one they are using STINKS!

They weren't doing it last night

 

[BAChicagoGal]

I hate using the stuff, because it just makes me feel so slimy after I spray it on. However, the bugs love me. I always come home with some kind of bug bite somewhere on my body.

 

[mgpan]

21, yes we do have a great small water park. We have Alabama Splash Adventure, small yes, but no charge for soft drinks, sunscreen, parking, wifi, rafts, etc. Also home of Rampage, a great wooden coaster. One day is 30 bucks and annual passes are $70 but you get $20 back in food/games, etc. credit.

 

[21stamps]

21, yes we do have a great small water park. We have Alabama Splash Adventure, small yes, but no charge for soft drinks, sunscreen, parking, wifi, rafts, etc. Also home of Rampage, a great wooden coaster. One day is 30 bucks and annual passes are $70 but you get $20 back in food/games, etc. credit.

Nice! I just looked up that coaster (I'm a HUGE fan of wooden roller coasters), it looks really neat! Our water park is a Cedar Fair park, called Soak City- nothing is free.lol. I do think the passes are a great deal at @ $120. We do have another waterpark called "The Beach" - nothing free there either but I got a great deal on Groupon so we went one day. It's nice, but didn't see a reason to go back since we already have passes to another.

I did promise my son that once he is 54" I will buy a Cedar Fair Platinum Pass and we will visit different theme parks and water parks within the group. My hopes are not high of drinks being included at any of them though It would be a more than welcome change if they were!

 

[No Name]

Great idea, great decision.

 

[mimitchi33]

This just shows how nice Disney is trying to keep their guests safe. Great job.

Good move on their part...but...does Central FL no longer have the bug trucks?

For those who don't remember them, they used to be a rather common sight, at least in the 90s (though, frankly, now that I think about it, I haven't seen them for years...) I seem to recall Disney used them a lot at one point...?

I've seen that before! I never knew it repelled insects. I thought it was just spraying water to cool off people.

 

[wdwgreek]

Out of curiosity, MK has a ton of standing water, but in MK I always see families of ducks which are tagged wondering around the park. Are those MK's version of DL's cats. AKA are they permitted to stay in the park because they eat bugs? I've never been bitten in Mk, I'm wondering if those little guys ae part of the bug protection plan MK operates on?

 

[JUFL2019]

Out of curiosity, MK has a ton of standing water, but in MK I always see families of ducks which are tagged wondering around the park. Are those MK's version of DL's cats. AKA are they permitted to stay in the park because they eat bugs? I've never been bitten in Mk, I'm wondering if those little guys ae part of the bug protection plan MK operates on?

They are permitted to stay because they are impossible to prevent(and bad PR if you bring out the guns)

 

[ratherbeinwdw]

That's cool. But honestly, we can't remember seeing a single skeeter during any of our 13 trips. Nice gesture though.

It was the same for us until May. They were horrible on the Jungle Cruise. I had a poncho to cover up. My son didn't. He ended up with multiple bites. What was bad was that the ones he killed had blood in them. At least these weren't the ones that carry zika. Those are easy to identify. We've had them in our area for several years. That's why we are on the state watch list. They've already trapped several. But from what I understand, they weren't zika infected.
They were also around the entrance to the Haunted Mansion.
I started my own outside spraying program. Since I did this, I haven't seen any mosquitoes around my house.

 

[MotherOfBirds]

Bug trucks are great and all, but I don't love having my entire 'hood gassed. We have about 100 bats living in our backyard that keep them to a minimum.

Good on Disney. Worst case scenario for them is that the spray ends up in someone's eyes.

 

[DABIGCHEEZ]

Maybe they actually just, ya know, care about their guests. Shocking, right...

Or maybe really caring about the $$$ lost if a reported Zika case is announced from WDW property.