EPCOT has felt especially lively this holiday season, with crowds weaving between food booths, storytellers, and all the festive nighttime entertainment that comes with the Festival of the Holidays. It’s the kind of atmosphere that turns even the most low-key attractions into seasonal favorites. And this year, no attraction has been enjoying that unexpected spotlight more than Living with the Land.
The moment the Glimmering Greenhouses overlay returned, guests flocked to the ride in a way EPCOT rarely sees for this gentle boat tour. On Sunday, the queue stretched to an unbelievable 85 minutes—something longtime EPCOT fans could hardly wrap their heads around. A ride that normally functions as a peaceful break from the crowds suddenly became one of the hottest tickets in the park.
But with that popularity has come a bit of extra strain. Living with the Land has experienced waves of downtime in recent weeks, including a couple of viral clips showing boats slowly taking on water. No injuries occurred, but the videos spread fast and sparked conversation about the attraction’s maintenance needs.
Then came Monday, December 8—when the situation escalated just enough for Disney to take a rare additional step.
A Message Guests Didn’t Expect
Guests checking the My Disney Experience app were met with a surprising pop-up: an official statement directly from EPCOT’s Vice President addressing the ride’s sudden outage. Disney doesn’t typically push out messages like this unless the disruption is significant enough to affect a large number of parkgoers, especially during a peak season.
The full message read:
**“Pardon the Inconvenience
On behalf of the entire team at EPCOT, I’d like to apologize that Living with the Land is currently unavailable. Our Cast Members are working diligently to get the attraction up and running again, and we are sorry you are not able to experience this attraction at this time. I hope you will enjoy some of our other attractions during your experience in the park today.Matt Simon
Vice President, EPCOT”**
Guests were startled—not because the ride was down (that part has become somewhat common lately), but because of how directly and formally Disney acknowledged it.
A Ride in a Delicate Spot
Living with the Land is currently open again, but based on December’s track record, no one would be shocked if it experiences more downtime as the season continues. Overlay traffic, heavier-than-normal boats, and constant demand can put more pressure on the system than usual.
And with the holiday rush only intensifying, even a brief closure can send ripple effects throughout the rest of EPCOT as guests quickly redirect themselves to nearby attractions.
Keeping an Eye on What Comes Next
For now, EPCOT fans are crossing their fingers that the boat ride stays steady through the rest of December. Its glowing greenhouse scenes have become a seasonal must-see, and guests waiting all year for that peaceful nighttime cruise definitely don’t want to miss their chance.
Still—after an 85-minute wait followed by a formal downtime alert—many are watching the attraction closely. Living with the Land has become one of this season’s brightest surprises…and one of its most unpredictable.
