Living with the Land
(photos below)

Of the several attractions in The Land pavilion, Living with the Land is a "perennial" favorite for many Guests. This is a slow-moving boat ride through several nature/agricultural-themed scenes, then it's off to the greenhouses to see what's growing!

Until recently, each pair of boats (they're connected into groups of two boats moving together) had its own live narrator on board, but in late 2006 these Cast Members were replaced by soundtrack recordings, apparently freeing some of the strain that scheduling so many people was placing on the attraction's management. The recording hasn't negatively affected the ride at all--in fact, it seems as though the Guest  throughput has increased since the change was implemented. 

The ride begins as ..."dramatic changes are occurring in the land." Your boat passes by a forest scene in which rain falls, followed by a look into the rainforest, then a dry desert scene. Finally, a farmhouse comes into view (The dog on the porch--isn't he also in Carousel of Progress? Or maybe Pirates of the Caribbean?) Passing the farmhouse, your boat enters the barn with still more scenes--these leading up to the burning question posed by this attraction: How do we feed a growing world population while taking environmental factors into consideration?

Before you know it, you're in the greenhouses, checking out the many plants growing in...sand! The greenhouses in Living with the Land are state-of-the-art, with hydroponics, "aeroponics" (those are plants flying through the air!), and far-out experimental systems like the "nutrient film technique" which grows lettuce in patterns such that you may see a hidden Mickey or the word "Epcot" in the patch. Additionally, you'll see aquaculture in the form of fish tanks and tubes--very interesting!

Anyone who likes gardening or farming--or those with an interest in food production ("Food doesn't grow in the grocery store")--will love Living with the Land. If you want a closer look at the greenhouses, then you're the kind of person who would enjoy the Behind the Seeds tour, a live walking tour of the greenhouses which gives an up-close and personal look at what's "growing on" in there. If you see a group of Guests out in the greenhouse during your boat ride, you're seeing others taking in Behind the Seeds. To register, just show up at the desk at the entrance to Soarin'. The price is reasonable, the experience is incredible! See you there!

Bright eyes! These gators are being farmed in the Aquaculture segment

Great looking stuff in the greenhouse

The boat ahead, meandering slowly along so as to give Guests plenty of time to have a look

Yum! Eggplants!

A tomato tree

Most items are clearly labeled--not everything is so easy to identify here

Look for a hidden Mickey in the lab--and notice the Mickey's Mini Gardens being 
prepared--they're in the trays near the bottoms of the windows

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