While this may seem silly, having fewer bees on the planet can have drastic consequences for all of us. The bee population is declining. While experts focus on viable solutions and suggestions, Disney World has its own solution to lend a hand. And that solves another problem that the park also has.
Last week, Disney shared a video on Instagram that answers a question that fans have had for a long time. Not about bees, but the annual life-size gingerbread cake shows the park exhibits every year around the holidays (there is a connection, we trust).
This gingerbread houses is “stunning life-size storybook” gingerbread houses that are not like any we made at home with the kids. These culinary masterpieces are “beautifully decorated with white chocolate candies, edible snowflakes and sugar poinsettias.”
They are edible, but Disney World does not sell them, nor can guests break down a piece and feast. Guests were therefore curious about what the park does with these massive exhibits that are usually gone by the beginning of the new year. Do they throw away the gingerbread? Do the staff eat it?
The park appears to be using these gingerbread house exhibits to help the declining bee population, according to a now viral social media post. According to the company’s placement, the dismantling of the gingerbread houses begins with chefs and support staff picking up the edible items from the large wooden structures that keep the houses upright.
“After we break down every piece of cookie, candy, and cute chocolate character, every gingerbread exhibit is taken apart and brought to our tree farm,” Disney World sauce chef Rheanna says in the video. “Local Florida bees can feast on sweets until every bit is gone.”
“It helps the declining bee population by keeping them well-fed during the winter months when food sources are harder to find,” she continues.
Barry Stockwell, who works as a planned work specialist in Disney’s event decorating division, explained that the idea of using their gingerbread exhibits at Disney World to help the bees began years ago.
“Ten years ago, when we were cleaning our annual gingerbread show, we noticed that bees were very attracted to the sugar on the exhibits after deconstruction,” Barry explains. “We decided to bring the exhibits to our Disney tree farm and lay them out in our field to give the bees a chance to collect the sugar on the wooden structures.”
When the bees are filled on the sugar, the pieces of wood are power washed and reused the following holiday season.
