Ever wanted to see a giant pumpkin with Mickey shaped ears?
Much like Spaceship Earth, we can definitely say that Living with the Land is also an educational ride for the whole family. Is it as iconic as the giant white ball in the middle of Epcot? Nah. It’s also not as fun, even if Living with the Land does take you to a real greenhouse and shows you real vegetables that are used across restaurants there. I just don’t think the story is that interesting, the animatronics are as diverse and the message sent is as impactful as what we find on other dark rides in Disney World.
But, hey, I also don’t think you should skip Living with the Land. This can be a fun boat ride, even more so if you have young children and want to rest your legs a little bit. Living with the Land is a fifteen minute informative boat ride that teaches us humans to take care of our forests and soil through cutting edge agriculture techniques, which is definitely what’s happening year after year.
At first, you travel through biomes that show how powerful nature can be. You will see thunderstorms and winds shaping the land that we humans are going to use (aka: destroy) in the coming years. This is the first part of the ride, which doesn’t offer much new or is really interesting to guests, honestly.
The second part at least feels way more original and fun to see. Dubbed the "living laboratory," this segment invites guests into an actual greenhouse within Disney World. Here, visitors can witness a great number of vegetables and fruits cultivated right on site, from banana and cacao to dragon fruits, pumpkins and papaya. Some of them are way bigger than what you are used to, and some of the fruits here even have Mickey shaped ears! You also travel near a few fish tanks to see up close some specimens like tilapias, sturgeons and even small baby American alligators.
Is Living with the Land a must-do ride? Not necessarily, especially considering its lengthy duration and the somewhat less captivating initial segment. However, it does offer a pleasant option for those seeking a bit of relaxation and the opportunity to demonstrate to young guests the journey of food from farms to our homes.
Will kids enjoy it?
Similar to Spaceship Earth, young children are likely to find enjoyment in this ride. They can observe the animatronics in the initial segment and then get up close to real fruits during the second part. Additionally, the opportunity to spot real fish and even baby alligators in some of the fish tanks adds an exciting element that will surely capture their attention.
As it also happens with Spaceship Earth, older kids might find this ride a little bit boring. I just don’t think kids age 12-17 will be much interested in traveling through a greenhouse and staying seated for fifteen minutes in an educational ride that moves pretty slowly. I bet they’d have more fun in something like Test Track or Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
