Living with the Land

Sail through the greenhouse of The Land Pavilion on a boat tour and feast your eyes on edible food crops from around the world.

“How will we meet tomorrow’s growing needs for food production, yet still respect the needs of the Land?”

On the lower level of The Land pavilion, you will find this educational boat ride somewhat hidden in the corner and out of the way of traffic heading to ride Soarin’. Though the word “educational” may keep some guests at bay, this is another example of the original intent of EPCOT and should be cherished for hanging on through multiple changes that have come to the park over the years. The ride itself begins with a slow trip through rainstorms, rain forests, and the growth of the prairies found throughout the Midwest, before heading into working greenhouses who utilize somewhat new technologies to grow plants, food, and even live animals – specifically fish. While the use of aquaponics is no longer considered new and groundbreaking, it still provides ample ways of efficiently growing crops without damaging the soil and taking up as much square mileage as the conventional methods require. Guests will view standard crops such as pumpkins and lettuce, as well as odder selections such as the beautiful dragon fruit and its lovely hues and shape. There is also an area dedicated to fish farming, where guests can see a revolving assortment of sturgeon, bass, and shrimp. (Unfortunately, the American Alligator is no longer part of the trip. The ride concludes with a collage of smiling people who are proud of the crops they have grown or purchased throughout the world. 

The attraction has been known to have seasonal Easter eggs for eagle-eyed guests, and it’s annual “Glimmering Greenhouses” holiday overlay has become a fan-favorite.

Behind the Schemes:

Living with the Land was originally known as Listen to the Land; however, its name was updated following a 1993 refurbishment which altered the opening scenes as well. The original ride featured a live Cast Member performing the narration, but this too was altered in 2006 by the installation of narration coming over speakers within the boats. While the move was not without controversy, it made financial sense to eliminate those positions even though the result felt like a non-personal experience that didn’t seem as involving as having that live interaction.

The pavilion and attraction have had three different sponsors over the years: Kraft, Nestle, and Chiquita Brands International. At the time of this writing, The Land pavilion does not have an official sponsor.

During the early set scenes of the ride, guests can look upward and catch a glimpse of the rotating Garden Grill restaurant (formerly The Land Grill Room), which just happens to serve some of the foods that guests will view during their boat ride. Reservations for dining can be made through the standard Disney channels and/or apps.

The original ride featured an ear worm of a song fittingly titled “Listen to the Land,” but the song has been erased from the ride soundtrack and reduced to an instrumental version that plays in a loop in the queue area. This Robert Moline tune can be found online as well as on old Disney compilations such as the often hard-to-find-at-a-cheap-rate 1988 album, The Music of Disneyland, Walt Disney World & Epcot Center.

Reality Check:

Dragon fruit primarily comes from Vietnam where it is also known as the strawberry pear. The versions that come from Mexico are called pitahaya.

Each boat can handle 40 passengers; with 16 boats running at a time, Living with the Land has an impressive hourly capacity of approximately 1600 passengers per hour, making it a true “crowd gobbler,” helping it to rarely have a wait time of more than 30 minutes.

Mike Brassell provides the narration for Living with the Land but has also been featured as the host on the Magic Kingdom’s PeopleMover, as well as voicing characters in such Disney films as Lilo & Stitch and Brother Bear.

At the end of the ride, there are multiple screens showing the hard-working people who assist with the production of food. One of these screens features a person who is affectionately known as the “Sullen Tomato Girl.” See if you can find her!