The Land Pavilion at EPCOT: Everything You Need to See, Eat, and Do
Explore The Land Pavilion at EPCOT, including Soarin’, Living with the Land, Sunshine Seasons, Garden Grill, Behind the Seeds and Awesome Planet.
Estimated reading time: 22 minutes
There are some EPCOT pavilions where you really have to go looking for things to do.
The Land is not one of them.
The Land Pavilion is actually one of my favorite places in all of EPCOT because pretty much everything in here is lovely.
You have Soarin’, which is one of my favorite rides at Disney World. You have Living with the Land, which might be the ultimate Disney sleeper hit. There’s a surprisingly interesting behind-the-scenes tour, a giant quick-service restaurant, one of my favorite character meals at EPCOT, and even a movie where you can sit down in the dark and air conditioning for a little while.
And that’s before we get to the bathrooms. Which are also excellent. 😂
The Land isn’t necessarily someplace you pop into for five minutes. It’s a pavilion I would deliberately build into your EPCOT touring plan because once you’ve made the trek over here, you can easily spend an hour or two without leaving the building.
Here’s everything you can see, ride, eat, and do inside The Land Pavilion at EPCOT.
Where Is The Land Pavilion at EPCOT?
The Land Pavilion is located in World Nature, near The Seas with Nemo & Friends and Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana.
And I will warn you about one thing.
You have to walk uphill to get there.
It’s not exactly Mount Everest, but after you’ve already walked six miles around EPCOT, you may have some thoughts about this design choice. 😂
The good news is that when you’re finished, you get to walk downhill.
The Land is also slightly removed from the natural flow between the front of EPCOT and World Showcase. This isn’t someplace where I would plan to continually bounce back and forth throughout the day.
Instead, I think The Land works much better as a block of your EPCOT itinerary.
Come over here. Ride Soarin’. Ride Living with the Land. Get something to eat. See Awesome Planet if you have time. Maybe take the Behind the Seeds tour.
Then move on.
Because once you get inside, there is actually quite a lot to do.
Soarin’ Is One of My Favorite Disney World Rides
Let’s start with the big one.
I love Soarin’.
I have loved basically every version of Soarin’ I’ve experienced, and I am reasonably confident Disney could create Soarin’ Over Random Municipal Parking Lots and I would probably still enjoy it. 😂
There’s just something about the entire concept that works for me.
You’re lifted into the air in front of an enormous screen and then sent flying over landscapes and landmarks while the ride adds movement, wind, music and even scents to the experience.
I love the sensation of flying.
I love the music.
I love smelling the grass and the flowers.
I loved flying over the orange groves in Soarin’ Over California.
I even have affection for the famously crooked Eiffel Tower.
It’s part of the experience at this point. 😂
And with Soarin’ continuing to evolve through different versions of the attraction, I’m completely on board. Put me in the glider and send me somewhere.
Where Is the Best Place to Sit on Soarin’?
If I get to choose?
Concourse B. Row 1.
Every day.
The theater is divided into sections, and your position can affect the perspective you get on that enormous curved screen.
The center gives you the most natural view, which is particularly helpful when you’re flying past things that are supposed to be straight.
Like, say, the Eiffel Tower. 😂
And Row 1 puts you at the top once the ride lifts into position, which means you aren’t looking at another row of dangling feet above you.
Now, would I refuse to ride Soarin’ because Disney assigned me somewhere else?
Absolutely not.
But if we’re talking about my perfect Soarin’ seat, give me B1.
Is Soarin’ Scary?
I don’t consider Soarin’ a scary ride, but there is one thing you need to know if you’re nervous about heights.
You really do get lifted fairly high into the air.
There aren’t roller coaster drops or sudden launches, and the ride itself is remarkably smooth. Most of the sensation comes from the giant screen convincing your brain that you’re actually flying.
That’s the magic of it.
But if you’re seriously afraid of heights, being suspended in front of that screen may feel more intense than the ride statistics make it sound.
For everyone else, I think Soarin’ hits this wonderful middle ground.
It’s thrilling without really being a thrill ride.
Should You Use Lightning Lane for Soarin’?
Yes. I would.
Soarin’ is popular enough that its standby wait can eat up a meaningful chunk of your EPCOT day, and I would much rather use Lightning Lane and save that time for something else.
It’s also a really convenient attraction to pair with the rest of The Land Pavilion.
If you can arrange your Lightning Lane strategy so that you’re coming over here for Soarin’, you can then ride Living with the Land, grab food at Sunshine Seasons, or do something else inside the pavilion before moving to another part of EPCOT.
That’s much better than zigzagging across the park all day.
Living with the Land Is the Ultimate EPCOT Sleeper Hit
And then we come to the ride I think people underestimate more than almost any other attraction at Disney World.
Living with the Land.
On paper, this thing should not be exciting.
It’s a slow boat ride.
Through greenhouses.
About agriculture.
COME BACK. 😂
Because Living with the Land is fantastic.
The first part of the attraction takes you through several different ecosystems before the boat moves into the working greenhouses. And this is where the attraction becomes genuinely fascinating.
You see fruits and vegetables growing in ways you may have never seen before. Plants grow vertically. Some grow without traditional soil. You’ll see enormous produce, unusual crops, and different agricultural techniques being tested and demonstrated throughout the greenhouses.
And you’re just peacefully floating through all of it in a boat.
I love it.
Yes, These Are Real Working Greenhouses
I’ve occasionally seen people dismiss Living with the Land as essentially performative agriculture—as though Disney has just planted some vegetables around a ride so everything looks educational.
No.
These are real working greenhouses.
Disney uses The Land to explore and demonstrate agricultural techniques designed to grow food efficiently while conserving resources. You’ll see methods such as hydroponics and other alternative growing systems being used throughout the attraction.
And the plants aren’t plastic.
They’re growing things.
That’s one of the reasons I find Living with the Land so interesting. This isn’t simply an attraction themed to agriculture. The agriculture is actually happening around you.
It’s old-school EPCOT in the best possible way: entertaining enough that you want to ride it, but educational enough that you accidentally learn something.
Living with the Land Is Especially Beautiful During Flower & Garden Festival
I already love Living with the Land during a normal EPCOT visit.
But I think it’s even better during the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival.
Disney adds special displays inside the greenhouses, and because you’re already surrounded by plants, the festival additions feel completely at home here.
I’ve seen gorgeous edible-flower gardens, elaborate floral displays and other festival touches incorporated into the attraction.
It’s one of those little Flower & Garden experiences that would never be the sole reason to plan your festival day, but it makes an already-great ride even better.
And unlike some festival activities, you’re experiencing this one while sitting down.
That counts for a lot at EPCOT. 😂
Glimmering Greenhouses Is Even Better at Christmas
And then Disney turns the greenhouses into Christmas.
During the holiday season, Living with the Land gets its Glimmering Greenhouses overlay, with lights and holiday displays throughout the attraction’s greenhouse sections.
This is one of those attractions I specifically recommend riding after dark during the Festival of the Holidays.
The difference is dramatic.
Instead of sunlight streaming through the greenhouse, you’re floating through plants illuminated with colorful lights, glowing decorations and holiday displays.
It’s beautiful.
And it’s such a wonderfully EPCOT Christmas experience because Disney didn’t try to turn Living with the Land into something it isn’t.
It’s still plants.
It’s still agriculture.
It’s still Living with the Land.
It’s just Living with the Land wearing Christmas lights. 😂
Go Behind the Scenes with the Behind the Seeds Tour
If Living with the Land interests you at all, there’s another experience here that I think is absolutely worth knowing about: Behind the Seeds.
This is a separately ticketed walking tour that takes you inside the greenhouses you normally see from the boat.
I’ve done it, and I thought it was fascinating.
Instead of simply floating past everything, you get a much closer look at how Disney grows the plants, experiments with different agricultural techniques, manages pests, and uses technology to produce food in some pretty creative ways.
You also get much more explanation than you receive during the attraction itself.
And this is another reason I push back on the idea that the greenhouses are merely for show.
When you actually walk through them and learn about what’s happening there, you realize how much real work is going on behind the scenes.
Disney has long used The Land as a place to explore agricultural technology and share what it learns. That’s one of the things I love about this pavilion.
It’s very EPCOT.
Not just rides.
Not just characters.
Ideas.
And somehow Disney made those ideas fun enough that I voluntarily paid extra money to spend more time looking at vegetables. 😂
And Living with the Land Is Still Just a Lovely Ride
I also don’t want to make Living with the Land sound like you need to be deeply interested in sustainable agriculture to enjoy it.
You don’t.
Sometimes I ride it because it’s pretty.
It’s peaceful.
It’s indoors.
You get to sit down.
The boats move slowly.
The greenhouses are filled with light.
There are flowers and plants everywhere.
And in a park where you can spend an enormous amount of time staring at your phone, watching Lightning Lane times and calculating how quickly you can get from France to World Discovery, Living with the Land asks absolutely nothing of you.
Get on the boat.
Sit down.
Look at plants.
I think that’s part of why I love it so much.
Should You Use Lightning Lane for Living with the Land?
I frequently do, although I wouldn’t prioritize it over EPCOT’s harder-to-get attractions.
Living with the Land generally isn’t the Lightning Lane reservation that determines the structure of my day.
Instead, it’s a fantastic second-wave attraction.
Once you’ve used one of your more important Lightning Lanes and additional selections start opening up, Living with the Land can be an excellent one to grab—particularly if you’re already planning to spend time inside The Land.
And that’s really the secret to this entire pavilion.
Don’t think about Soarin’, Living with the Land, Sunshine Seasons and everything else as four completely separate stops scattered throughout your day.
Do The Land.
Once you’re here, stay awhile.
Because we haven’t even gotten to the food yet.
Awesome Planet Is the One Attraction I Would Call Missable
And then we get to Awesome Planet.
I don’t dislike Awesome Planet.
But in a pavilion containing Soarin’ and Living with the Land, somebody has to come in third. 😂
Awesome Planet is a short film about Earth and the importance of protecting it, narrated by Ty Burrell from Modern Family. It combines beautiful nature footage with some humor and environmental messaging.
It’s perfectly pleasant.
It’s also something I would skip without a second thought if I were short on time.
The big advantage Awesome Planet has over some of EPCOT’s other films is that you get an actual seat.
That matters!
If I’ve already walked several miles around EPCOT and somebody offers me a dark, air-conditioned theater where I can sit down for a little while, I suddenly become much more interested in whatever educational film they would like to show me. 😂
So I think of Awesome Planet less as an EPCOT priority and more as a very nice bonus.
Have extra time? Need to cool down? Kids need to decompress? Feet staging a revolt?
Go see Awesome Planet.
Otherwise, I wouldn’t rearrange my day around it.
Sunshine Seasons Is One of EPCOT’s Most Useful Quick-Service Restaurants
And now we get to another reason I love The Land Pavilion.
Sunshine Seasons.
Sunshine Seasons is the large quick-service restaurant on the lower level of The Land, and I think this place is incredibly useful.
First of all, look at the size of it.
There is a LOT of seating.
That’s valuable at EPCOT even if you aren’t particularly hungry. I’ve absolutely spent 30 or 45 minutes here having a snack, drinking something and simply getting off my feet.
You’re inside.
You’re air-conditioned.
There are restrooms nearby.
You don’t have to leave the pavilion.
Sometimes that is exactly what you need.
Sunshine Seasons Has More Than Typical Theme Park Food
I also genuinely like the food here.
Sunshine Seasons has a nice assortment of meals, lighter options, grab-and-go items and desserts, so you don’t necessarily have to commit to a giant lunch.
I’ve gotten everything from a little hummus platter with crackers, cucumbers and olives to an actual sandwich.
And I really like the Caprese sandwich on ciabatta.
This is one of those restaurants where you can come in starving and get a meal, or you can grab something small because you know you’re going to eat your way around World Showcase two hours later.
Both are completely reasonable EPCOT strategies. 😂
They also usually have a nice selection of desserts and seasonal treats, which makes Sunshine Seasons an easy place to check during the festivals or holidays.
Sunshine Seasons Is Especially Useful for Families
I think Sunshine Seasons is particularly useful if you’re visiting EPCOT with younger kids.
Let’s say you’ve just spent a substantial amount of time at The Seas with Nemo & Friends.
You rode Nemo.
You watched Turtle Talk with Crush.
Your child stared at a ray for 25 minutes.
Everybody is now hungry.
You don’t necessarily want to drag the entire family halfway around World Showcase just to find lunch.
Come to The Land.
Sunshine Seasons gives you a major quick-service option in this part of EPCOT, with lots of seating and enough variety that most families should be able to find something that works.
The same thing applies if you’ve been spending time around Journey of Water or the Imagination Pavilion.
It’s simply a really useful restaurant to remember.
Garden Grill Is One of My Favorite EPCOT Character Meals
And if you want something considerably more substantial than quick service, The Land has another excellent option.
I’ve eaten at Garden Grill, and I loved it.
This is a character dining experience featuring Mickey Mouse, Pluto, Chip and Dale, and I think it’s one of the more enjoyable character meals at EPCOT.
The characters are obviously a huge part of the appeal, especially if you’re visiting with kids.
But I also really like the restaurant itself.
Yes, Garden Grill Actually Rotates
Garden Grill is a rotating restaurant.
And yes, that sounds gimmicky.
I suppose technically it is gimmicky. 😂
But it’s cool.
The restaurant rotates incredibly slowly, so this isn’t like eating dinner on the Tilt-A-Whirl. You may not even notice you’re moving unless you pay attention to what’s outside.
As you rotate, you pass different scenery—including portions of Living with the Land.
That’s one of the things that makes Garden Grill such a perfect fit for this pavilion.
You’re not eating in some completely unrelated restaurant that happens to share the same building.
The entire experience connects back to The Land.
The Food at Garden Grill Is Really Good Too
Garden Grill serves its meal family-style, with hearty, harvest-inspired food brought directly to your table.
And I thought the food was really good.
This is not the EPCOT restaurant I would choose if I wanted an elaborate signature-dining experience. That’s not what Garden Grill is trying to be.
It’s comfortable.
It’s filling.
It’s family-friendly.
And there’s something very appropriate about eating a harvest-style meal while slowly rotating past the attraction devoted to growing food.
I’ve done Garden Grill for a regular meal, but I haven’t tried breakfast yet.
That’s on my list for a future trip, because apparently my ongoing mission is to eventually eat at every possible EPCOT restaurant. 😂
I have a complete Garden Grill review with much more detail about the characters, food and dining experience if you’re considering a reservation.
RELATED: Where to see Mickey Mouse at Disney World
The Land Is Also an Excellent Place to Take a Break
This is something that doesn’t sound exciting when you’re planning a Disney vacation from your couch.
It becomes extremely exciting approximately six hours into an EPCOT day.
The Land is an excellent place to stop.
The entire pavilion is indoors and air-conditioned. Sunshine Seasons has a huge amount of seating. There are restrooms. You can refill water. There’s a portable charger kiosk if your phone is dying.
And there are things to do without immediately walking another half mile.
That combination makes The Land one of my favorite places to regroup during an EPCOT day.
Get something cold to drink.
Charge your phone.
Use the restroom.
Sit down.
Reevaluate whatever wildly optimistic touring plan you created that morning. 😂
Then decide what comes next.
How Much Time Should You Spend at The Land Pavilion?
I would allow at least an hour if you’re planning to experience both major rides.
But The Land can very easily become a one-to-two-hour stop, especially if you eat while you’re here.
Ride Soarin’.
Ride Living with the Land.
Grab lunch at Sunshine Seasons.
Maybe see Awesome Planet.
Suddenly you’ve been here for quite a while.
Add Garden Grill or the Behind the Seeds tour and obviously you’ll need considerably longer.
And that’s why I don’t think of The Land as one attraction stop.
It’s an entire section of my EPCOT day.
When Is the Best Time to Visit The Land?
The answer depends somewhat on your EPCOT touring strategy.
If you’re using Early Entry or rope drop, The Land can absolutely fit into a morning plan—particularly depending on which entrance you’re using and what attraction you’re prioritizing first.
But I also really like The Land as a late-morning or afternoon block.
Once the Florida heat kicks in, spending an hour inside an air-conditioned pavilion becomes extremely appealing.
You can ride two attractions, eat, rest and cool down without continually going back outside.
And because The Land is somewhat removed from World Showcase, I would deliberately plan around geography.
Don’t bounce from The Land to France and then back to The Land and then over to Mexico.
Your feet will file a formal complaint. 😂
Group these attractions together and then move on.
If you’re planning to use Lightning Lane during your EPCOT day, check out my complete EPCOT Lightning Lane guide before you make your selections. I break down which attractions are worth prioritizing, how the tiers work, and how to keep booking additional attractions throughout the day—including rides like Soarin’ and Living with the Land.
Is The Land Pavilion Good for Kids?
Absolutely.
In fact, I think The Land is one of EPCOT’s easiest pavilions for a family to enjoy together.
Living with the Land has no thrill component and works for virtually everyone.
Soarin’ is exciting without being a traditional roller coaster.
Awesome Planet gives you a seated break.
Sunshine Seasons makes feeding everybody relatively easy.
And Garden Grill gives you character dining without having to leave the pavilion.
For very young children, Soarin’s height requirement will obviously matter, but there is still plenty here to do while older family members ride.
Pair The Land with nearby The Seas with Nemo & Friends, and you can build a really nice chunk of an EPCOT day for younger kids without immediately heading into World Showcase.
Is The Land Pavilion Worth Visiting?
Absolutely.
This isn’t one of those EPCOT pavilions I recommend because there’s one attraction you need to experience.
The whole pavilion works.
Soarin’ is one of my favorite rides at Disney World.
Living with the Land is one of my favorite rides at Disney World.
Behind the Seeds takes something I already find interesting and lets you see how it actually works.
Sunshine Seasons is one of those wonderfully practical Disney restaurants that I appreciate more every time I use it.
Garden Grill is a genuinely good character meal.
And Awesome Planet…
…has chairs. 😂
Seriously, though, even the weakest attraction in The Land is a perfectly pleasant way to spend a few air-conditioned minutes.
That’s a pretty impressive batting average.
The Land also represents something I still really love about EPCOT. It’s entertaining, but underneath all of that entertainment is genuine curiosity about the world—how we grow food, how ecosystems work, how technology can help us use resources differently, and why any of that matters.
And then Disney sticks Mickey Mouse in overalls in the middle of it.
Perfect.
More Tips for Planning Your EPCOT Day
If you’re deciding where The Land fits into your EPCOT day, start with my complete list of all the rides at EPCOT to figure out which attractions matter most to your family. My EPCOT character guide can help you work character meets into the day too, and my guide to balancing rides with EPCOT festival activities can help you put everything together without wasting half your day zigzagging across the park.
And remember that EPCOT has much more than rides. My guide to the best shows at EPCOT covers the park’s films and live entertainment—including whether something like Awesome Planet deserves a spot in your particular EPCOT day.
