Until last week it had been many years since I rode the Land. I noticed that the lettuce tumbler thing that simulated zero gravity was gone. does anyone know why ?
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question for Living With the Land fans
- Thread starter rosebud's mom
- Start date
barnum42
New Member
I don't know for sure the specific exhibit you are refering to - but I think I remember it.
I can't recal for sure if it was there when I rode in September, but they still mentioned experiments growing food in zero G. The unit may have been down for maintencance or they had finished that particular experiment.
I can't recal for sure if it was there when I rode in September, but they still mentioned experiments growing food in zero G. The unit may have been down for maintencance or they had finished that particular experiment.
Epcot82Guy
Well-Known Member
Algae Algae Algae
Actually, if you are talking about the gravity-simulating lettuce drums right at the end of the creative house (the last greenhouse), it was removed a long time ago. While it worked, it was not designed to be in a lit space. Therefore, the outside of the outer drum (where the roots were) became covered in algae very quickly. This was bad for the plants and made maintenance for the intern in creative a NIGHTMARE. Also, this was bad show to have an algae covered drum (and algae is a HUGE maintenance issue throughout the attraction). Therefore, the drum left the end of the attraction.
Actually, if you are talking about the gravity-simulating lettuce drums right at the end of the creative house (the last greenhouse), it was removed a long time ago. While it worked, it was not designed to be in a lit space. Therefore, the outside of the outer drum (where the roots were) became covered in algae very quickly. This was bad for the plants and made maintenance for the intern in creative a NIGHTMARE. Also, this was bad show to have an algae covered drum (and algae is a HUGE maintenance issue throughout the attraction). Therefore, the drum left the end of the attraction.
Thanks for the information. Iloved the Micey shaped pumpkins this time. I wish they sold them around Halloween. sure would make an interesting jack-o-lantern !
imagineer99
New Member
^ It's called soarin'... Maybe you heard of it?
Sloan
Well-Known Member
wheel gone for a long time, but Land still strong
As mentioned (in detail -thanks!) by Epcot82Guy, the big lettuce wheel has been gone for a LONG time - it really must have been "many years" since you were there. While I agree that the Land needs some 'sprucing up', I don't think that it's "beyond boring" - I'll even admit to loving the greenhouse part of the tour - so much so that I have done the "Behind the Seeds" tour and really enjoyed it. Just because it's not a thrill ride and/or not new, does not mean it's boring to all, and I think there's still a place for it. Also, be careful about going after the Land too hard - I've heard that there's a big bear around here who's more than a little protective of that "beyond boring" attraction ...
As mentioned (in detail -thanks!) by Epcot82Guy, the big lettuce wheel has been gone for a LONG time - it really must have been "many years" since you were there. While I agree that the Land needs some 'sprucing up', I don't think that it's "beyond boring" - I'll even admit to loving the greenhouse part of the tour - so much so that I have done the "Behind the Seeds" tour and really enjoyed it. Just because it's not a thrill ride and/or not new, does not mean it's boring to all, and I think there's still a place for it. Also, be careful about going after the Land too hard - I've heard that there's a big bear around here who's more than a little protective of that "beyond boring" attraction ...
General Grizz
New Member
. . .Sloan said:
Epcot82Guy
Well-Known Member
I like that bear for that reason, too. The Land was what got me into science as a kid, and it was great to work there when I got the chance. Losing Living with the Land would be a travesty IMHO.Sloan said:
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
Don't lay the, "it's not a thrill ride" stuff on me. I recognize it's not a thrill ride (I'm talking about Living with the Land, not the pavillon as a whole... I recognize that Soarin's queue is beginning in the land). The problem I have with the ride is that it's purely educational, it lacks the Disney feel short of the pumpkins they're trying to grow with mouse ears. I don't post very often on this site, but that's not for lack of knowledge on the subject. Although attendance figures place it second amongst Orlando themeparks, Epcot is still struggling. Will it benefit from Soarin's opening in 2005? Certainly. But Epcot is definitely lacking when it comes to entertaining attractions. To me, the biggest problem is the Living with the Land ride. I'm not asking for a complete revamp, shutting down the ride or anything drastic, but perhaps some extemperanous thoughts from the tour guides, throw a little humor in there, something that makes the ride more then just an agricultural research project put to a boat ride.
Later, I'll go post on the "Let's just close WDW since they can't do anything right anyway" thread.
Later, I'll go post on the "Let's just close WDW since they can't do anything right anyway" thread.
Captain Hank
Well-Known Member
I'm hoping to get into the very same internship that Epcot82Guy was in, so I'm also quite protective of the Living with the Land boat ride and the pavillion as a whole. The attraction was one of the reasons I decided to go into plant sciences (one of the others being that I fainted while my biology teacher was talking about a heart transplant...but that's a different story). While I wouldn't mind an updating of the initial animatronic scenes to some degree, I think the attraction has a great overall balance of Disney storytelling and science. In my opinion, too much humor would be glaringly inappropriate. Also, just like any other guided attraction, the cast member can make or break the guest experience. This is a tough problem to solve--since a good guide can add a lot to the attraction, but it's impossible to tell if a guide is bad until it's too late.
General Grizz
New Member
RSoxNo1 - did you like the World of Motion?
Unfortunately, we did not have Harold as our tour guide. That's not so say that the one we did have was inadequate, I was just curious to see what he did that stands out above the others.
Grizz, I loved World of Motion. From the caveman blowing on his glowing feet, to the crash went horse-&-buggy met horseless carrriage I thought it was great. I'm a retired teacher and chaperoned a field trip to Epcot once upon a very long ago time. That attraction brought a unit on motion and energy together better than anything could have. Now we have Ellen ? I guess SOME people call that progress.........
Grizz, I loved World of Motion. From the caveman blowing on his glowing feet, to the crash went horse-&-buggy met horseless carrriage I thought it was great. I'm a retired teacher and chaperoned a field trip to Epcot once upon a very long ago time. That attraction brought a unit on motion and energy together better than anything could have. Now we have Ellen ? I guess SOME people call that progress.........
I wish we had Harold when we went. I was there last January and I really, really like Living with the Land, but we had a guide, I want to say his name was Ray? and I'm not quite sure if he even had a pulse. It was like, "Bueler." I understand you can have a bad day every now and then, but technically you are a performer at Disney. If it had been my first time on the ride, then it may have set the tone.
I really like the ride a lot for nostalgia reasons. I remember when I was a kid and going through the farm scene with the dog barking and the roosters and the storm brewing in the back and it still gives me goosebumps. Don't know why, but I like it!
I really like the ride a lot for nostalgia reasons. I remember when I was a kid and going through the farm scene with the dog barking and the roosters and the storm brewing in the back and it still gives me goosebumps. Don't know why, but I like it!
Epcot82Guy
Well-Known Member
Spiels
It sounds like the guides might be given a bit more leeway on their spiels now. When I was there, they were STRICTLY kept to the spiel given, and it really lost something in the attraction. If the guides were instructed more as to what was happening, and they were allowed to actually discuss (like we did on the Behind the Seeds tours), I think that would help alot of hte problems. A strict spiel is boring. Having interaction is not. Wondered if that was changed now if anyone knows.
It sounds like the guides might be given a bit more leeway on their spiels now. When I was there, they were STRICTLY kept to the spiel given, and it really lost something in the attraction. If the guides were instructed more as to what was happening, and they were allowed to actually discuss (like we did on the Behind the Seeds tours), I think that would help alot of hte problems. A strict spiel is boring. Having interaction is not. Wondered if that was changed now if anyone knows.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
Grizz, I'm 22 - and have gone to Disney at least once a year for about 18 years now. As I grew up in the parks, Epcot was my favorite of the three (pre-Animal Kingdom). I liked it largely in part because of Horizons and JII. I enjoyed World of Motion, but the fact that it was always a walk on was very telling. It needed an update (obviously Horizons update was founded more in the safety of the building rather then the necessity of a ride change). That being said, I would like to see perhaps a glimpse of the evolution of motion in the queue area of Test Track. I think the queue area of Test Track is very well done, but I would like to see some recognition of WoM as well. Maybe my gripe with Living with the Land is the absence of the old song. Who knows? Like many people on the site I don't like change for the sake of change. I liked Kitchen Kabaret, I liked food rocks, and I'll probably like Soarin'. I loved JiM, wasn't a fan of the newer version or this newest version. I loved Horizons but I recognized it didn't draw the crowds Disney would have liked. Mission: Space is a spectacular ride - but I don't really care for it b/c it's a thrill simulator (although it's a different type of simulator, I also don't care for Body Wars, Star Tours or Back to the Future the Ride over at Universal). WoM was an informative ride as well, but again never saw the crowds Disney would have liked.
And now it's time for the rant:
We all have to recognize that we're in a new age of theme parks where today's thrill seekers are the target audience. Disney doesn't have the luxury of being able to simply erect a large themeless roller coaster like Kraken at Sea World however. Because Disney is an institution. An institution founded on Walt's belief that "if we can dream it, we can do it," simple quick fixes won't work in Disney parks. Sure a new themeless steel roller coaster will draw crowds, but it wouldn't be identified with Disney. Before I stray too far away from the thread topic and/or be labeled a hypocrite - I'm not proposing a massive overhaul for Living with the Land. I've seen lines upwards of 60 minutes for it, but I gaurantee that the vast majority of the people waiting in that line for 60 minutes have never been on the attraction before. Disney has made changes/updated attractions because they wanted to improve the theme park experience. With attendance at Epcot being a problem, and with modern thrill seekers looking elsewhere (Islands of Adventure) Disney had to step up with the changes that they've made to date (Mission: Space and Test Track). With Soarin' opening in a few months I won't be suprised if another Epcot project is announced soon. I just wish they'd be able to find a way to make Living with the Land more appealing.
And now it's time for the rant:
We all have to recognize that we're in a new age of theme parks where today's thrill seekers are the target audience. Disney doesn't have the luxury of being able to simply erect a large themeless roller coaster like Kraken at Sea World however. Because Disney is an institution. An institution founded on Walt's belief that "if we can dream it, we can do it," simple quick fixes won't work in Disney parks. Sure a new themeless steel roller coaster will draw crowds, but it wouldn't be identified with Disney. Before I stray too far away from the thread topic and/or be labeled a hypocrite - I'm not proposing a massive overhaul for Living with the Land. I've seen lines upwards of 60 minutes for it, but I gaurantee that the vast majority of the people waiting in that line for 60 minutes have never been on the attraction before. Disney has made changes/updated attractions because they wanted to improve the theme park experience. With attendance at Epcot being a problem, and with modern thrill seekers looking elsewhere (Islands of Adventure) Disney had to step up with the changes that they've made to date (Mission: Space and Test Track). With Soarin' opening in a few months I won't be suprised if another Epcot project is announced soon. I just wish they'd be able to find a way to make Living with the Land more appealing.
remingtonsteele
New Member
We are supposed to stick to the spiel script. Certainly a few words can be changed, but if you go too far off script and the greenhouse workers hear, they are supposed to talk to your manager. Some just put more flair into saying the spiel.