We’ve been having a fun time roaming around the Magic Kingdom, and there’s plenty left to see, but the crowds are building up, so let’s hop on over to another park, shall we? How about EPCOT? You did get Park Hoppers, right? (If you’re not sure why I’m asking you that, take a minute to read my thoughts on Hopping versus Not-Hopping. You can catch the next monorail over. We’ll wait for you at Club Cool.)
Now that we’re nicely refreshed with our favorite international beverages, and don’t worry, we’ll be coming back here for a much more extensive tour sometime soon, we’re going to go a little deeper into the park. Yes, the big spiky ball that is Spaceship Earth summons and you might have heard all kinds of amazing things about Test Track, but that’s not where we’re headed today. Our aim is something a little less flashy, but that firmly holds its place as one of my family’s very favorite attractions in all of the World. My friends, we’re going for the Vegetable Boat.
Now, don’t pull out your map or start frantically typing into your My Disney Experience app. You aren’t going to find an attraction actually called the Vegetable Boat. That’s just what we call it. It’s actually called Living With The Land and it is located in, very appropriately, The Land pavilion. Head into the large pavilion and try not to get distracted by the delicious smells that are always coming from the Sunshine Seasons or Garden Grill restaurants. Instead, head to the back corner of the lower floor and get into the unassuming line that seems to weave into the darkness. When you make it to the front, you’ll feel as though you are at the edge of a shady river, and that’s perfect, because you are getting on a boat.
The boat has long green benches and a leafy-looking top that provides the feeling that you are preparing for a grand adventure. There is no driver or tour guide, which means that your family, and anyone else who might have snagged a seat in your boat, is on your own as you venture into the unexplored terrain. First you are treated to a gorgeous thunderstorm during the night as a voiceover welcomes you to explore the different types of land and how humans interact with them. The lightning is breathtaking and the sound of the actual water streaming down around you is nothing short of soothing. This is a great place to relax and decompress after a long day. From there we venture into the rainforest where we see the lush plants and hear from some of the animals that call this place their home. The smell here is cool and fresh, and you can imagine all of the amazing things that come from places like this in the world.
Don’t get too used to the cool rain, however, because you are about to get nice and toasty as you venture into the desert. The air gets hot and dry and you can feel the sun on your skin as you learn about the animals who have adapted to these places and how the plantlife has survived. From here, we move into the prairie, learning that these stretches were once desert, but came alive with the increasing rain. A family of buffalo demonstrates the resources available in this landscape, which looks much greener and more welcoming.
Soon we move into the next section where we are invited for a brief visit to an old-fashioned family farm. Roosters perk you up while a happy dog on the porch of the farmhouse and playful goats make you feel right at home. The crop fields are abundant and a scarecrow and pumpkins harken the harvest. I love this section. While you are drifting through, glance up. You might just catch a quick glimpse of the rotating restaurant above you. From their angle, they get a unique view of the farmhouse, having a very brief opportunity to look into the bedroom at the very top. It’s fully furnished and even features its own hidden Mickey. But don’t listen to any of the urban legend horror stories that tend to focus on this building. Despite how it looks, that bedroom is the only full-scale part of the house. The rest is miniature and is not actually accessible.
After we leave the farm, it’s time to remember that we are having a real learning opportunity. A tunnel features large screens showing images of how humans have used the land to produce food and how technology has changed to make it more efficient. I will point out that there are a few of these images that I’m not very comfortable with, but there’s nothing gory, so most people won’t mind it at all. If you happen to be one of my vegan brethren, however, I will give you fair warning that there are images of chicken farming and cows in their stalls to be milked, as well as pig farming. Again, nothing gory, but you might want to focus ahead of you until you see the reassuring images of blueberries.
After learning about how humans have used the land to the point of damaging it, we get a boost of hope. The voice reassures us that we are finding ways to take care of the land and lessen the impact that we have on it by developing new growing techniques and maximizing output while minimizing damage. We are then ushered into the bright, beautiful greenhouse that is the heart of this ride. Here you will not only get to see some of these incredible techniques — did you know that watermelons can grow on trees? Or that you can grow vegetables in sand? Or that you don’t need any dirt at all to grow fruit? — but you will also get an up-close and personal look at how many of the plants that are used for food throughout the resort are grown. Once you pass through the first greenhouse, there is another moment when veggies might want to turn away or engage in some self-convincing. Your boat heads into a small building where you will see tanks for the farmed fish and shrimp that end up on the menus as well. One word of reassurance — they look like they are really crunched into the space and have no room, but that is actually an illusion. They have a lot of space in the rest of the tank but it is not visible from the ride.
After the fish area, you’re back in another greenhouse. After a tour by an actual lab where they continue to research further growth techniques, you head into a tunnel where the voice encourages everyone to learn more about the land and how to take care of it while it takes care of us.
I adore this ride. I’ve been known to ride it four times in a single day. I recommend when you get off the ride, wander your way over to Sunshine Seasons. This gem is bursting with a huge variety of food (including plenty of vegetarian and vegan options) and has ample seating. Check out the carpet and the tables when you find where you want to sit. The seating area is split up and themed to the four different seasons. Adorable.
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Taryn was born and raised, and still lives in Richmond, Virginia. Neither she nor her husband ever had the opportunity to visit Walt Disney World when they were children, but when their daughter Avalon came along, they decided she was not going to follow in their footsteps. They brought Avalon for the first time when she was 3 and have been hooked ever since. Now along with Taryn’s mother and equally Disney-loving older brother, they go “home” at least once a year, and by the time she is staring longingly at Cinderella Castle from the ferry on their last night, Taryn is well on her way to planning the next trip. As a group consisting of two adults with Asperger’s, including one who is also vegan, a very accommodating husband, an only child, a senior, and a service dog, they are a pretty special family, but Taryn is excited to show that the World really is The Most Magical Place on Earth and that there is a place there for everyone. When she isn’t thinking about her next Disney adventure and trying to come up with a Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party costume that will beat her Oozma Kappa nerd look, she is a professional blogger and novelist, but Taryn also likes to indulge her Disney passion on her Etsy shop It’s Better in Vinyl.
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