The Land (Epcot)
| The Land | |
|---|---|
 |
|
 |
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| Epcot | |
| Area | Future World |
| Coordinates | 28°22′26″N 81°33′06″W / 28.373957°N 81.551744°WCoordinates: 28°22′26″N 81°33′06″W / 28.373957°N 81.551744°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | October 1, 1982 |
| General statistics | |
| Designer | WED Enterprises |
| Theme | Humanity's relationship with nature |
| Sponsor |
Kraft (1982–1992) Nestle (1993–2009) Chiquita (2011-present) |
The Land is the name of a pavilion that sits on the western side of "Future World", one of two themed areas of Epcot, a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida United States. It opened on October 1, 1982, as part of the Phase I features for the grand opening of what was then known as EPCOT Center. "The Land" is a 24 hectare (2.5 million square foot) facility dedicated to human interaction with the land itself. It explores how humans can both use the land for their benefit, and how they can also destroy it. Future Technology in better preserving the land is also explored in the pavilion, along with a focus on the celebration of the land itself.
While "The Land" pavilion has existed since 1982, it has gone through three significant phases. The pavilion's first incarnation involved a ten-year sponsorship under Kraft Foods Inc. from 1982–1992. Kraft played a vital role in co-financing the everyday functions of the attractions, restaurants, and shops inside the pavilion. The pavilion's interior and exterior design featured earth tone colors and exotic plant life.
In 1993, plans were made to update and modernize the overall tone of EPCOT Center, including a major refurbishment of "The Land" pavilion. Kraft withdrew its sponsorship on September 26, 1993, with Nestle taking its place. Co-financed by Nestle and the Walt Disney World Resort, a gradual refurbishment of the pavilion began on September 27, 1993.
The pavilion itself was cosmetically freshened. While some of the original design elements remained, the addition of more vibrant colors and fabrics to the various restaurants and shops gave the pavilion a more modern and refreshed look. The names of certain shops, restaurants, and attractions also changed during this time. The pavilion's main attraction, Listen to the Land, which took guests on connected boats through various exhibits within the pavilion, reopened mostly unchanged as Living with the Land on December 10, 1993.
The Kitchen Kabaret Revue, another of the pavilion's original attractions featuring an Audio-Animatronics presentation about nutrition, closed on January 3, 1994. It was replaced with a new show titled Food Rocks, which featured some of the elements from the original show with an updated presentation intended to be more modern and appealing to younger audiences. Food Rocks has since closed down to make room for "The Land"'s newest attraction, Soarin'.
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