Do I need to worry about mosquitos?

[PDXmouse]

We are leaving in several days. I have been obsessively hoarding tips to execute to make for the best possible trip. This biggest two that keep showing up are HYDRATE and SUNSCREEN. We’ve got sunscreen, hats, and UV umbrellas. We also have life straw water bottles, electrolyte enhancers, neck fans, and cooling towels.

No one has mentioned mosquitos that I’ve noticed. Is this really not a thing? Or do I need to buy bug spray?

 

[gottalovepluto]

I certainly would but I’m a mosquito magnet. If I don’t wear bug spray at WDW I get bit.

 

[IndyToThere]

I'm a mosquito magnet as well, but never have really had an issue. The only time I've noticed them was when trying to sit on our small patio outside our Boulder Ridge room at WL. But I've not gotten bit in the parks or really noticed them in other places.
I'm sure if you're hanging out in Fort Wilderness camping area, you'd need bug spray. But most resorts are fine.

 

[loves to dive]

I rarely have a problem with them there, at home I can't go outside after dark. The only time I've even noticed any was during a movies on the lawn at YC and they actually had bug spray out there for you to use.

 

[saraheliz]

We were at AKV Kidani last August for 10 days and no mosquito issues at all in the parks or at the hotel swimming, etc. They have their ways.

 

[thinkerbell]

We never had a problem with any kind of bugs until this past trip. Most of our trips have been in the summer. We had a couple in December and February. This trip was the first of May. We are thinking that maybe it was because it was in the spring and that the heat of summer kills them off??? We still have purple spots on our legs from where we were bit. I know one was a mosquito. We are thinking the others were maybe spider bites because we could see two little holes where it was itching. There were lots of love bugs when we first got there but we looked them up and they don’t bite. Hoping our August trip is different.

 

[DLgal]

WDW does a great job of vector control in the parks and resorts, although near bodies of water there will always be mosquitos.

I am a total mosquito magnet, but have never been bitten at WDW and never worry about using any insect repellant either.

 

[livih99]

I'm not sure if this is still a thing, but when I was in WDW in 2017 all of the outdoor carts had mosquito repellant that you could use for free. A lot of them would put the repellant out on the carts after sunset, it was a big jug with a pump

 

[PVTim]

I have never had an issue with them. I do bring along Bullfrog SPF30 just in case (it is a combo insect repellent and sunblock that I usually use when golfing), but have not really needed it.

 

[DLgal]

I'm not sure if this is still a thing, but when I was in WDW in 2017 all of the outdoor carts had mosquito repellant that you could use for free. A lot of them would put the repellant out on the carts after sunset, it was a big jug with a pump

Was that around the time Zika virus was a concern?

 

[livih99]

Was that around the time Zika virus was a concern?

I honestly don't remember but that definitely could be why they were doing that

 

[gharter]

The only time I ever recall them talking about mosquitos was during the Zika outbreak. Even then, we never saw any mosquitos. Even around the lakes and canals.

 

[kdka421]

Huge bug magnet here - I second the comments that in the parks, I don't recall ever being bitten. The only place I remember getting bug bites was by the water at Caribbean Beach Resort.

 

[nw6675]

Never had issues in the parks. I bring some every trip, but have never had to use it.

The resorts are hit or miss. I did notice some at SSR in May.

 

[DisneyTeacher]

Mosquitos love me at home but I don’t have any issues in the parks or walking around our resort. We don’t sit outside much after dark or watch the evening movies on the grass, that might be a little different.

 

[jo-jo]

Agreed with others, not the parks, but at resort. Last trip on balcony at AKL I got a few bites.

 

[leiaorgana]

Being from the UK where we don’t have the kind of insects that they do in the States, we always use bug spray everyday before heading to the parks and normally do a top up at night if we’re going out somewhere. We always stay away from stagnant water and shrubbery at night if we can. My Stepdad seems to be a bug magnet and has had some pretty bad mosquito bites in the past (one particularly nasty one was at AK during the day and we had to take him to first aid there) that required him to go to urgent care and take antibiotics so we just don’t risk it anymore. Better safe than sorry, I say. We always get the deep woods camping one from Publix because that seems to work the best.

 

[_19disnA]

Never a bad idea to bring some sort of bug spray from home so you have the brand you like, works for you and a reasonable price. I assume Disney does various things to keep down mosquitoes since even with all that water around I have never seen it to be a problem. Whether they spray the parks after hours or use some other methods seem to work.

 

[Mango7100]

I bring Sawyers Picaridin spray and use in the evening. During the heat of the day they won’t be as active but dusk to dawn is prime activity. Disney does have a mosquito control program. DH is a magnet but we haven’t had issues in the parks, the resorts have been less reliable.

 

[DisneyOma]

My daughter gets bitten by mosquitoes at Magic Kingdom, usually while we are waiting for the fireworks to begin. We bring a little spray bottle of bug repellant now.