EPCOT’s Living with the Land: A Bountiful Harvest of Fun and Tomatoes
EPCOT is Walt Disney World’s natural playground, best known for its culinary and topiary triumphs. Living with the Land offers guests an exclusive peek at the magic behind growing the ingredients for EPCOT restaurants, as well as agricultural secrets from across the world.
Living with the Land is a (relaxing) exercise in returning to one’s roots and enjoying the simple things in life: the crunch of fresh cucumber, the glow of a golden sunset, and the bark of an animatronic dog. You know, the usual outdoorsy stuff.
So board the tour boat – not for a Jungle Cruise – but for a float along the river of life!
Listen to the Land, Live with the Land
Just as the seasons change from the sunshine days of summer to the dusky evenings of fall, Living with the Land in EPCOT’s Future World has also evolved through different stages of its inanimate lifespan.
Originally opened in 1982, the ride was called “Listen to the Land.” This moniker was pretty apt, as there were – and still are! – many things to be learned throughout the attraction, which was then sponsored by Kraft.
The biggest change is that the boat tour used to be hosted by a Cast Member, weaving a tale about the African Savanna or American Midwest in real-time. The scenes themselves have also been shuffled, with some being replaced entirely, since the attraction’s debut. The ride initially started off with a segment called “Symphony of the Seed,” which had a rather lovely orchestral backtrack!1 (So long, seeds!)
In 1993, Nestle took over as the attraction’s new sponsor, meaning an update was in order. New scenes, new narrations, and a new soundtrack were implemented. The boat tour was even given a new name: Living with the Land. More than just “listening” and having a passive relationship with the nature around us, “living” encourages us to actively engage with our environment in mutually beneficial ways. Pretty magical the difference one little word can make!
One more change came about in 2006, when Cast Members were nixed from the ride in favor of a pre-recorded narrative by Mike Brassell, who, at one time, also narrated the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover.2
Next year, Living with the Land will turn 40, and we’re so glad it’s still growing!
Walt Disney World’s Most Relaxing Ride??
Today, if you step aboard a tour boat, you’ll be treated to one of the most peaceful experiences you can find in Disney World. For 14 blissful minutes, you’ll be floating peacefully through scenes of living greenery, beneath canopies of dense forest and open sunset, and under the spell of a soothing, baritone narrator.
The ride begins in the midst of a woodland thunderstorm. For little kiddos, the thunder might not be their thing (understandable!), but the sound of the rain pattering against the leaves is *chef’s kiss.* The ambiance of this portion gives me serious writing vibes, and if I could stop the boat here for a few hours to work on my novel, I’m sure I could actually get past chapter one. LOL!
The boat tour also travels through a rainforest fraught with animatronic alligators that look intimidatingly realistic. There are also colorful macaws nestled in the overgrowth, though sadly these birds do not engage in humorous banter like Pierre, José, Fritz, and Michael of Enchanted Tiki Room fame.
From here your vessel will wind its way through a sun-soaked desert that looks every inch like the opening scene from The Lion King. (Feel free to sing “The Circle of Life,” if you so desire.) You’ll even pass by an adorable, pastel-yellow farmhouse – aka the house of my dreams! In addition to its immaculate color scheme, there are a few more special things to note about this house.
The first is house number: 82. This is a nod to the ride’s opening date of 1982. And what about the dog on the porch? Doesn’t he look familiar? Well, he should if you’ve ridden on Pirate of the Caribbean or the Carousel of Progress! These sweet-faced pooches are carbon copies of one another. Now, you may be asking, why would a company as creative as Disney re-use the same, old Rover? There’s a very good reason: he’s modeled after Walt’s own furry best friend!3 (Awww!)
In addition to these hidden details, be sure to keep an eye out for hidden Mickeys throughout Living with the Land -there are quite a few, and some are even in the form of real fruit and vegetables! One of the most obvious Mickeys is the topiary in EPCOT’s greenhouse. Speaking of, the greenhouse is absolutely brimming with amazing plants and produce. It sure would be cool to get some of Disney’s gardening tips. . .especially since I can’t even keep a faux succulent alive!
“Behind the Seeds”
Well, in true Disney fashion – wish granted! With the hour-long “Behind the Seeds” tour, you can walk through all four greenhouses (and the fish farm!) to get the inside scoop on what it takes to be an EPCOT-level green thumb!
Some of the most amazing specimens are the tomato plants. In fact, EPCOT’s tomatoes are world record-breaking. In 2006, they entered the Guinness Book of World Records for “most tomatoes harvested from one plant in one year,” with a total count of 32,194 tomatoes!4
That’s a lot of BLTs.
Or garden salads, more likely, if the Garden Grill Restaurant‘s menu is any indication. That’s right – EPCOT’s bountiful harvest is enjoyed by guests who frequent both the Garden Grill or Sunshine Seasons restaurants! Somehow knowing that magically makes everything taste even better.
After all, as John Denver once sang,
“There’s only two things that money can’t buy: that’s true love and homegrown tomatoes!”
What’s your favorite scene from Living with the Land? Do you think EPCOT tomatoes are flavorfully superior to regular tomatoes? Let us know in the comments below, and we’ll see you on the next adventure!
Cover Image
Photo: Unsplash
Recommended Gear for this Adventure
Disclaimer: We earn a commission if you click any of the links above and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
