Inside Experimental Greenhouses to Grow One-of-a-Kind Plants

Epcot tomato plant sets a new world record

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Behind the brightly colored, mosaic facade of The Land pavilion at Epcot sits non-descript offices where greenhouse magic takes place. Horticulture and entertainment — which some call “horti-tainment” — blend to create some of the most visually interesting fruits and vegetables found under one roof anywhere in the world.

From Mickey Mouse-shaped food and tons of tomatoes to Cinderella pumpkins and lemons the size of bowling balls, the Epcot Science team at The Land works night and day to cultivate produce and other foods on the pavilion’s Living with the Land attraction to give guests something they can’t see anywhere else. Living with the Land, a narrated, 14-minute boat ride through the farms of yesteryear as well as the greenhouses of tomorrow, showcases the team’s research and work inside The Land’s four greenhouses.

Some of the horticulture highlights:

A world record harvest from a single tomato vine: Yong Huang, Epcot’s manager of agricultural science at The Land pavilion, is working with a new “tomato tree” that is currently growing inside the theme park’s experimental greenhouses. The only one of its kind in the United States, the plant yields thousands of tomatoes at one time from a single vine. Huang discovered the plant while on vacation in Beijing, China. After meeting with scientists responsible for that plant, Huang brought its seeds to Epcot and created a specialized greenhouse for the fruit to grow. The golf ball-sized tomatoes are harvested and served at Walt Disney World Resort.

So far, the massive plant has produced a world-record harvest of more than 20,000 tomatoes with a total weight of more than 850 pounds — and it’s still growing! The record-setting plant can be seen by park guests during the Living with the Land boat ride.

Mickey Mouse-shaped cucumbers: The Land Science team developed a special, elongated mold that is placed around a young cucumber. As it grows, the vegetable forms the familiar shape of Mickey’s silhouette. The cucumbers are harvested and served atop salads at Walt Disney World Resort.

Mickey Mouse-shaped watermelons: Building on the success of the Mickey cucumber, the team created a similar mold for watermelons. Guests on the Living with the Land attraction often see the Mickey Mouse-shaped watermelons growing on the vines inside the greenhouses.

Mickey Mouse-shaped pumpkins: Autumn brings the biggest harvest of pumpkins at The Land, and Mickey Mouse-shaped pumpkins have quickly become a favorite. The Mickey Mouse-shaped pumpkins –some which weigh nearly 100 pounds — are harvested and placed inside the greenhouses for guest viewing. Also featured: the Cinderella pumpkin, named for the shape it shares with Cinderella’s famous coach.

Nine-pound lemons: While they’re not Mickey Mouse shaped, the nine-pound lemons grow to what their descriptive name implies — a lemon that weighs nine pounds. These sour mammoths begin as young, green fruit on trees inside the greenhouse. As they mature, they take on the familiar lemony-yellow hue and preserve all of the taste of smaller variety lemons.

“Cucumber tree”: Similar in concept to the “tomato tree,” The Land’s “cucumber tree” has produced more than 800 individual fruits. That’s more than 525 pounds of cucumbers.

Guests on the Living with the Land attraction also see:

The Tropics Greenhouse, growing crops native to Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America and the southern United States. Rice, sugar cane, peanuts, cacao, bananas and a 59-foot peach palm flourish under a 60-foot dome.

The Aquacell, showcasing crops that swim — fish and other aquatic life including alligators, catfish, tilapia, sunshine bass and American eel.

The Temperate Greenhouse, featuring the concepts and technologies of sustainable agriculture, including intercropping, integrated pest management and specialized irrigation systems that reduce waste and increase crop production.

The Production Greenhouse, where tons of tomatoes, peppers, lettuce and other vegetables are grown for use in The Land’s Garden Grill Restaurant and other Epcot restaurants. The Land scientists utilize growing systems that are kinder to the environment and improve productivity.

The Creative House, showing imaginative ways to grow crops — without soil, hanging in the air, even on a space station. USDA scientists currently are working at The Land to develop dwarf pear trees for greater production efficiency.

“Behind the Seeds” greenhouse tour: Guests interested in taking a closer look at the four greenhouses and fish farm that are part of the Living with the Land attraction can take the 45-minute “Behind the Seeds” tour. Tour highlights include tasting produce grown in The Land, taking an herb and spice challenge, feeding fish at the fish farm, sprouting seeds to take home and releasing ladybugs.

Cost is $12 for guests ages 10 and over, and $10 for guests ages 3-9. Same day reservations may be made at the tour desk on the lower level of The Land or guests may book a tour in advance by calling 407/WDW-TOUR (407/939-8687).

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