At long last, the classic Behind the Seeds tour of the greenhouses within The Land has returned to EPCOT, and we were there for the very first tour!
The tour made its grand return on October 2. It costs $35 for the hour-long walking tour per person.
Our tour guide Cast Member was Abby, who was both delightfully personable and very knowledgeable about the subject matter.
For those who don’t know, Behind the Seeds takes you on a backstage tour of the greenhouses around The Land at EPCOT, and is conducted daily. You can check the My Disney Experience app for updated availability.
During our tour, we visited two labs, four greenhouses and the fish farm. We got to touch, smell and taste throughout the tour, as well as see up close how hydroponics and aquaponics work. Interestingly, the tour runs in reverse compared to Living with the Land’s path.
The first lab is the Biological Control Lab, where you’re shown videos of bugs and how efficient they are in reducing pests. Following, we visited the Research Lab, where they show how Disney makes the Mickey-shaped mini gardens you can buy when you are done with the tour.
In the first greenhouse we met Stanley, the sensitive plant. You’re allowed to touch Stanley and experience how when he’s touched, the leaves curl as a defense mechanism. Our guide explained how in a hurricane he will fold up his leaves naturally to protect himself from damage. They also showed us how we can do the hydroponics at home and gave us a handout.
Plus we got to sample a cucumber grown in the greenhouse, no jumping out of the boat required!
We stopped into the aquaponics lab and got to see the farmed fish, including catfish and tilapia. We also got to feed the tilapia!
Then we continued to enter all of the greenhouses. Our guide explained the special methods through which many of the plants are grown. And she pointed out how many plants grown at The Land are served across EPCOT, a well-known fun fact for frequent riders of Living with the Land.
In the final greenhouse, we smelled some of the most expensive spices in the world — vanilla and saffron to be exact. After some extra photo time, we were lead back out the way we came.
If you can’t make it out to EPCOT, don’t worry! You can take the tour with us courtesy of our YouTube channel below.
All in all, we highly recommend this tour for anyone who loves Living with the Land and is fascinated by nature and farming. It’s a wonderful experience, and at a surprisingly affordable price considering the prices many Walt Disney World Enchanting Extras cost these days.
Are you excited to see the return of the Behind the Seeds tour? Let us know in the comments below!
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