Living with the Land updates

WDWLover#1

WDWLover#1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
There's now an updated spiel:

Among the changes, you will notice that a lot more information about unusual (but edible) plants are given while the boat is in the Tropics greenhouse. Also, in the Production greenhouse, the famous nine-pound lemon tree has been moved to the back. In the Strings greenhouse (the area where most plants are hanging from strings) there are many more plants that were recently added, and the section before the finale was recently refurbished and now includes a new way to furnish water to plants. All of these additions and changes are finally reflected in the updated spiel.

Also sources have been stating that the 'sliding doors' are back. If you had the chance to visit Epcot in the past, you may remember that the dark ride section of Living with the Land was physically separated from the greenhouses using thin doors that used to slide from the ceiling to the flume. There are about four sliding doors throughout the ride, but they were all turned off many years ago as they stopped working and... well, nobody fixed them. They've now decided to fix them because the temperature in the greenhouse has been fluctuating too much; they were installed to maintain a set temperature in the greenhouses and to control the humidity levels. It seems like it took them way too long to understand that these doors are actually essential. :banghead:

Sources are also stating that the boat storage building is now being completely refurbished, and new railings are being installed on the roof of the building (like it is being done property-wide). I've seen this happen in tomorrowland and adventureland. What I'm worried about is if the normal day guest can see them; are they being well hidden?
 
MerlinTheGoat

MerlinTheGoat

Well-Known Member
I did notice a few different plants in the greenhouse on my visit a couple of days ago, different placements and some different growing methods (I didn't pay as much attention to the spiel but i would guess it was altered to go along with the physical rearrangements). There were also a lot more cast members working in the greenhouse with the plants than i'm used to seeing (though perhaps it was based on the early time of day I visited).

I rode this ride on October 2nd, I don't believe the sliding doors to the greenhouse were working. I do think I recall them working a few years ago when I visited from 2010-2011 however. At least two anyways, ones before you go into the greenhouse. I honestly don't remember seeing them on my visit a few days ago though, and I likely would have heard the noise they make and seen the change in light. Doesn't look like they were working in this video either.

I'll also mention that this ride needs a LOT of work inside regarding the animatronics, even many of the simpler figures either weren't moving or only had partial motion. Most of the animated animal figures in the rainforest scene (below Garden Grill) were not moving at all. Even simple moving ones, butterflies didn't flap their wings, the beetle looking bugs didn't move as they should, alligators didn't snap their jaws etc. You can kind of see these issues in the video, but it has even gotten a bit worse since this was taken. Same goes for the buffalo figures, the only ones moving were incredibly sluggish and missing a LOT of their intended motions. The farm scene seemed pretty good at least (the dog that was missing a couple of years back was present and working). I don't even know when the last substantial refurbishment for this ride was, but it's really beginning to need it with all the stationary animals inside. Needs a good solid cleanup.
 
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jt04

jt04

Well-Known Member
WDWLover#1 said:
There's now an updated spiel:

Among the changes, you will notice that a lot more information about unusual (but edible) plants are given while the boat is in the Tropics greenhouse. Also, in the Production greenhouse, the famous nine-pound lemon tree has been moved to the back. In the Strings greenhouse (the area where most plants are hanging from strings) there are many more plants that were recently added, and the section before the finale was recently refurbished and now includes a new way to furnish water to plants. All of these additions and changes are finally reflected in the updated spiel.

Also sources have been stating that the 'sliding doors' are back. If you had the chance to visit Epcot in the past, you may remember that the dark ride section of Living with the Land was physically separated from the greenhouses using thin doors that used to slide from the ceiling to the flume. There are about four sliding doors throughout the ride, but they were all turned off many years ago as they stopped working and... well, nobody fixed them. They've now decided to fix them because the temperature in the greenhouse has been fluctuating too much; they were installed to maintain a set temperature in the greenhouses and to control the humidity levels. It seems like it took them way too long to understand that these doors are actually essential. :banghead:

Sources are also stating that the boat storage building is now being completely refurbished, and new railings are being installed on the roof of the building (like it is being done property-wide). I've seen this happen in tomorrowland and adventureland. What I'm worried about is if the normal day guest can see them; are they being well hidden?
Click to expand...


My guess is the doors were turned off under previous management. And now slowly and decisively and with great care and thought they continue to "turn the boat around" ;) and correct for past mistakes. Someday this rescue of WDW might make a for great book. :geek:
 
DougK

DougK

Well-Known Member
I love Living With The Land. I do miss having live humans doing the spiels but at least they have updated the recorded one. There should be more attractions like this, ones that are educational and something the entire family can ride, in EPCOT Center. I mean EPCOT. Oh I guess I mean Epcot. Whatever.
 
Mike S

Mike S

Well-Known Member
MerlinTheGoat said:
I did notice a few different plants in the greenhouse on my visit a couple of days ago, different placements and some different growing methods (I didn't pay as much attention to the spiel but i would guess it was altered to go along with the physical rearrangements). There were also a lot more cast members working in the greenhouse with the plants than i'm used to seeing (though perhaps it was based on the early time of day I visited).

I rode this ride on October 2nd, I don't believe the sliding doors to the greenhouse were working. I do think I recall them working a few years ago when I visited from 2010-2011 however. At least two anyways, ones before you go into the greenhouse. I honestly don't remember seeing them on my visit a few days ago though, and I likely would have heard the noise they make and seen the change in light. Doesn't look like they were working in this video either.

I'll also mention that this ride needs a LOT of work inside regarding the animatronics, even many of the simpler figures either weren't moving or only had partial motion. Most of the animated animal figures in the rainforest scene (below Garden Grill) were not moving at all. Even simple moving ones, butterflies didn't flap their wings, the beetle looking bugs didn't move as they should, alligators didn't snap their jaws etc. You can kind of see these issues in the video, but it has even gotten a bit worse since this was taken. Same goes for the buffalo figures, the only ones moving were incredibly sluggish and missing a LOT of their intended motions. The farm scene seemed pretty good at least (the dog that was missing a couple of years back was present and working). I don't even know when the last substantial refurbishment for this ride was, but it's really beginning to need it with all the stationary animals inside. Needs a good solid cleanup.
Click to expand...
I'm crossing my fingers that the animatronics get fixed. Saw the scene go through various states of nonfunctionality during my trips this year. Last time all that worked was the Crocodile bobbing in the water. No mouth movement. FIX THIS ALREADY TDO!!!!!!!! :banghead:
 
ProfSavage

ProfSavage

Well-Known Member
When did the automated spiel start? I went on Living with the Land last in 2006 and I could have SWORE there were people manning the boats...
 
MerlinTheGoat

MerlinTheGoat

Well-Known Member
danlb_2000 said:
Video from 2011 with the doors still working. When did Iger take over?

Click to expand...

Thanks for that video, I can confirm that the door to the greenhouse was NOT working on October 2nd. It was just perpetually open. It was functioning properly throughout my visits between fall 2010 and early 2012 (I was renting in Orlando at the time while looking for real estate farther south and had the opportunity to spend a lot of time at WDW). I'm unsure precisely how many doors there are in the ride (i'm aware of at least one), but the one right before you enter the greenhouse worked just a couple of years ago and is now not functioning.

rybarr87 said:
When did the automated spiel start? I went on Living with the Land last in 2006 and I could have SWORE there were people manning the boats...
Click to expand...
According to wikipedia, your date is almost spot on as to when cast members ceased narrating (it says August 2006)-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_with_the_Land#Timeline
 
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MerlinTheGoat

MerlinTheGoat

Well-Known Member
danlb_2000 said:
I found a video from 2013 where they were not working.
Click to expand...
My previous trip before October 2nd this year was February 2012. I believe they were working properly back then. They were at least working throughout the second half of 2010 and throughout much of 2011.

If sources are saying the sliding doors are back, then it had to have been done in the past several days since I rode it.
 
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MerlinTheGoat

MerlinTheGoat

Well-Known Member
I will mention since it was brought up (bit offtopic), Spaceship Earth from what I could tell was in pretty darn good shape. Yes the flaws such as the narration and ending are still present, but maintenance wise it appeared to be in pretty good condition overall. I didn't notice any animatronics that weren't working as they should. Even the phoenician boat was tipping and all the steam engines at the printing press scene were working properly (with actual steam). The burning smell was also present and strong. The only thing that could perhaps use some TLC is the mammoth projection at the very beginning, it seems much darker and a bit fuzzier than I remember it being a few years ago. And the track could probably use some work to make it less bumpy. But otherwise the ride looks like it's in solid to great condition maintenance wise.

And there's a lot that can go wrong in this ride (tons of sets and detailed animatronic figures to break or wear out), either they've been super lucky about nothing breaking lately or someone is keeping an eye on things and fixing it as it's needed. Either way I was pleasantly surprised and pleased to see the good condition of things (again excluding the narration and poor descent).
 
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RSoxNo1

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
The new narration debuted on a single boat a few weeks ago. I had one cast member tell me about it and then when I requested to be on that boat from another cast member they had no idea what I was talking about. With the old narration the queues were stacked on top of one another, hopefully the same issue doesn't continue with the new narration.
 

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