The Land Pavilion: Not just Soarin'!

Despite Epcot's humble beginnings as the educational EPCOT Center, theoretical heart of Walt's to-be-expanded-upon idea of a technologically and socially advanced city, the park has emerged as the home of some of Walt Disney World's more thrilling experiences. Test Track, Mission: Space, and Soarin', or "The Big Three" as we call them here at Second Star Films™, attract adrenaline junkies early and often. These attractions tend to fill up fast and stay busy most of the day.

While we love The Big Three (even if Mission: Space tends to make us all a bit queasy), we can't help but feel for those lonesome attractions which fall by the wayside. Sure, we're amongst the throngs of people fighting to queue up for Soarin' immediately after rope drop, or getting a fist full of Fastpasses for later and then bee lining to the next attraction on our touring plan. But what about those other poor, lonesome attractions nearby? What about them?

The Land has been a staple of Epcot since the park's opening in 1982 and in addition to Soarin' (yes, there are OTHER attractions in the pavilion) The Land hosts some of our favorite experiences and has fantastic details which may be overlooked. Some guests even insist that The Land is...BORING. Well, we're here to hopefully change your mind about this hidden gem. Although, calling The Land hidden seems somewhat ironic since it is by far the largest pavilion in all of Future World covering six acres.

Walking up to the entrance to The Land guests will notice that the entrance walkways slope gently upward. The walkway themselves and the intricate tile mosaics flanking them on both sides hide some secrets of their own. Without giving away too much here, pay attention to the colors used in the walkway and take some time to appreciate the artistry in the tiles used in the mosaics. 

Guests actually enter the pavilion on the second floor. Standing on the balcony overlooking the open first floor you'll be almost eye-level with four beautiful balloons floating within the glass rotunda. If you have some time (in other words you aren't speed-walking your way down to the escalators which probably aren't working anyway) take a moment to appreciate the intricate designs painted on these balloons. We think you'll be pleasantly surprised. The balcony is also a great place to people watch. It's incredible to see this tidal wave of people moving down the ramps and into the pavilion. It's also a great spot to catch the intoxicating aromas of Sunshine Seasons, the food court immediately below the balcony. Beware, however, that the deliciously sweet and savory smells of breakfast in the morning and the incredibly diverse array of foods served at lunch may just prompt you to pause in your touring to enjoy a meal.

A quick side note, Sunshine Seasons may top the list of our favorite quick-service places to eat in all of Walt Disney World. Where else can you order Mongolian beef, a Reuben panini and an oak-grilled rotisserie chicken under the same roof?

Before you head down to the first floor you can also enjoy Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable, a fantastic 20 minute film shown in the Harvest Theater (from the entrance, head down the right ramp and you'll run right into it) starring your favorite characters from Disney's The Lion King. Maybe it's a little preachy but it's still a stunning film with a great message. It's also a great air conditioned stop after a long day of touring.

Living with the Land is also one of our favorite attractions in Epcot. The boat tour starts as many Epcot attractions do, with a narrator taking you through some audio animatronic vignettes, but after that you are treated to a unique look behind the scenes as the tour passes through a working greenhouse and laboratory which not only grow much of the fresh food consumed in Epcot (including the Garden Grill on the second floor of The Land) but innovates ground-breaking ways of increasing crop yields and production. Trust us, the tour isn't just going to interest the green thumbs in your party (we can't even get grass to grow), there's a lot of interesting things happening in The Land.

Sure even by Epcot's educational standards the Land Pavilion feels a bit slower than other parts of the park but it's one of the few pavilions left which, to us, still feels like it still enlivens the original spirit of EPCOT Center. The Land pavilion feels familiar and comfortable. It brings back memories of classic Epcot and surprises us every time we stroll up the multi-colored walkway, past the mosaic, and into the upper level of the rotunda.

So, after you've safely secured your fastpasses for Soarin', ridden Mission: Space so many times you think you might actually BE Gary Sinise, and designed the car of the future in Test Track, head across Future World and stroll through The Land. You won't regret it.

Check out Second Star Film's Hidden Disney page for the Land Pavilion video plus many more.