Exterior Changes
The Re-Imagining of EPCOT's The Land Pavillion begins on the outside. The beige/tan color that used to encompass the building has been replaced by a soothing, pale green, that makes for a more natural feel. A slightly reimagined sign welcomes guests with a green and lavender color scheme. The trees surrounding the outsidehave been trimmed back to allow for a glorious view of the atriums exterior. The murals outside will remain, along with the central creek. When guests enter, the airport-esque atrium they remebered will be all gone.
The Atrium
The airport atrium has been torn out, and completely replaced with a more lush, natural feel. When guests enter on the second floor, a leave themed carpet greets guests from below. Large wooden handrails allow for safe views of the new forest-esque atrium. The same general layout remains, however, the center lacks tables, but instead there are root- themed benches. In the center, real trees fill the center, as a waterfall falls off of the cliff between the two escalators. The second level will be themed as a tree canopy. The walls on the second level will have leave printed walls witha vine-covered entrance marking the entry point of Biomes, and a new quick- service restaurant. Below, on the first floor, a small rock outcropping marks the entrance to the new Table Service Restaurant, Living with the Land, and the new Sponsored Educational tours.
Biomes
Biomes is the new ride at The Land. This new ride uses a first of its kind "Inverse Carousel Theater" in which guests will be on a O-Shaped turntable, but facing outward, in an opposite manner to carousel of progress. (The central column is used for Cast members) This attraction replaces the Garden grill, reusing its turntable, but reprogramming it. In a newly carved out area, a small queue area resides, which ends at the old ramp up to the turntable, on the outside of the turntable, a curved wall with doors seperates guests from the main seating area. Once guests enter, they will face a wall with a similar mural with similar quotes like those from the old Living with the Land queue. As guests enter, certain quotes are illuminated and spoken by their respective speakers. Soon, a friendly voice welcomes guests to "Biomes- A Carousel Theater Presentation". Soon, to the tune of a new custom song "One", the theater spins into a rainforest biome. Here the narrator talks of the natural wildlife (which are present in animatronic form) before trees start falling to the sound of chainsaws. She talks of the dangers of man to the rainforest. The theater then turns to the tune of "One" into the icy tundra. After wildlife descriptions, we see ice core samples being taken, resulting into harmful particles being released into the air. Secondly, oil drills are seen resulting in a massive oil spill. After turning to the tune of "One" guests see the American prairie. Here descriptions of native bison come to light, followed by seeing animatronics move in with plows, as wheat magically grows out of the soil. Then, when once again turning to the infamous song, we see a screen, where an informational film on how we are working to fix our environmental harms is played. Lastly, we turn one more time to the wall of quotes, where our tour ends.
New Sponsored Tours
Within The Land, two new tour experiences await guests, in the location of the old Sunshine Seasons Cafe. Guest enter through a small rock outcropping into a rainforest with two huts on either side. In front of each hut is a sign with the name of its tour, and additionally a countdown clock until the next tour. Each tour is 10 minutes and one begins every five. One Cast Member runs each tour.
First up, From Bean to the Bar sponsored by Ghirardelli, begins in a rainforest full of Cacao trees. From here, guests transition into farmers picking the plants, and later guests enter the chocolate plant. From here guests see the process that makes chocolate.
Secondly, From Branch to the Basket sponsored by Chiquita. In a similar process to the previous tour, guests will go through a forest of banana trees, followed by a processing plant, and eventually a produce section. Overall, these two experiences will round out the unique experiences in the Land.
First up, From Bean to the Bar sponsored by Ghirardelli, begins in a rainforest full of Cacao trees. From here, guests transition into farmers picking the plants, and later guests enter the chocolate plant. From here guests see the process that makes chocolate.
Secondly, From Branch to the Basket sponsored by Chiquita. In a similar process to the previous tour, guests will go through a forest of banana trees, followed by a processing plant, and eventually a produce section. Overall, these two experiences will round out the unique experiences in the Land.
Dining
Eco Grill
The first new dining in The Land Pavilion, Eco Grill, takes over the location of the former Harvest Theater's upper floor, as well as its lobby and projection room. Guests will enter in a expanded entrance located at the old entrance for the Circle of Life show and enter a queue that leads to a number of ordering kiosks. Guests can order a variety of Mediterranean and upscale american foods, all priced around $8. Here guests will recieve a potted (fake) flower with a built in GPS tracker, similar to Be Our Guest's Rose Tracker system. Guests can then enter through a small wooden structure, into one of three dining ecosystem environments. In one room, guests can enter the ice caverns of the Tundra, as guests are surrounded my magnificently glowing ice. In another room, guests will be surrounded by projection screens, making it seem as if they are surrounded by an endless desert. The seats will be covered in lush pillows, making it seem as if guests are dining in their own lush, desert oasis. Lastly, guests can dine in the dense foliage of the misty rainforest.
The Terrapan Express
The Terrapan Express will seat guests inside of a train. Windows will show views of scenes of the countryside, and other terrains (including cameos to movies such as The Lone Ranger, Cars, etc.) by utilizing in seat speakers and new window projection technology. Guests will enter in an enclosed of station which connects to 3 “platforms” where the three “cabins” await behind double doors. Every 45 minutes, a set of 72 guests will board into one train car. Guests are encouraged not to leave their train during their stay, as there will be everything one needs on board (including bathrooms, changing stations, etc.), however, in the event of a guest needing to leave, guests will be let out a designated exit, so as not to ruin the illusion for other riders. Meals will be served with a fixed cost, and fixed dishes, that will be served at set intervals, similar to meal service at Disney's Spirit of Aloha Dinner show, so as to allow for a constant, uninterrupted flow of guests. This restaurant will serve with Southern cuisine, along with an assortment of deserts.
During Breakfast, "Judy Hopps ZTA Breakfast" will take place. The windows will show videos of Zootpia, and Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps will come through while investigating a case to meet with, and interrogate guests.
During Breakfast, "Judy Hopps ZTA Breakfast" will take place. The windows will show videos of Zootpia, and Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps will come through while investigating a case to meet with, and interrogate guests.
Living with the Land
At the heart of The Land pavillion is its star attraction, the new renovated and expanded "Living with the Land". Guests will enter in a part in the vines of the tree canopy. The queue will wind underneath the canopy, as an occasional animal call is heard. Guests then proceed to their dock, where their boat awaits. Guests then board the same boats from the original ride but float right into the heart of a rainforest. Your narrarator welcomes you, followed by talking about native rainforest wildlife in the area, and how humans have interacted with the rainforests. Long time guests will notice the boats turning right, instead if left. This is due to a track extension into the lower level of the old harvest theater. (Depicted Above) guests then transition into the deciduous forests, followed by the arctic tundra, and lastly the desert with similar descriptions. An easter egg for fans is that the polar bears in the arctic scene are all from Maelstrom. After traveling through the desert, guests will enter the prarie, with a multitude of bison. Here, guests are told of American farms before coming face to face with a barn itself. After a brief turn inside past livestock and chickens (from the original Branstormer), guests will exit the barn under a teetering bale of hay and into the fields. Guests will see farmers plowing the field, and seeding with a unique water effect, all as the narrarator talks of how we are learning to live with the land with new farming techniques. It brings up how at EPCOT, scientists are working with the USDA to find new farming techinques, and they recieved special permission for a sneak peek. From here, up until the end and the new narraration the ride will remain the same, except the canal will be repainted. Guests then arrive at the finale tunnel, where a giant Small world-esque sun shines over a field with a single plant protruding, as the narrarator talks of what we could do if we were "truly Living with the Land". Cast members them greet us and escort us back into the Land pavillion.