I did this tour recently and it was wonderful! I wanted to share Susanne’s review of the Behind the Seeds tour so you could get the details and maybe check it out for yourself! Enjoy! ~M
After reading an article about it on TMSM, I decided to book the Behind the Seeds Tour for my December WDW Trip last year. For those that aren’t familiar, the Behind the Seeds Tour takes place in The Land Pavilion located in Epcot and gives visitors the chance to get up close and interact with plants, fish, bugs (ewww!), and even some alligators! There are tours scheduled at different times during the day so it’s easy to fit it in your park schedule.
We arrived at the check in desk which is located right beside Soarin’ (most of the time the line for Soarin’ hides the desk!) about 15 minutes before our scheduled time and were given a name tag. You are required to wear the name tag throughout the tour. Our group had about 15 people and one tour guide, who had just graduated from college and was working as an intern. He gathered us together and explained a bit about what we would be doing.
We started in the bug area. I’m not a bug fan so it was a little creepy for me, but they are in tanks so I was able to avoid them. While there, he explained how Disney is using bugs instead of pesticides to ensure food safety and quality. We then ventured into the greenhouse portion of the tour, which is visible from the Living with the Land ride.
Cherry tomato plant – produces 600 tomatoes a month
There are some of the most amazing plants in there! It’s one thing to see them from the ride but another to see them up close. We learned that Disney uses a few methods of unconventional growing like hydroponics (growing without soil) and growing in sand. It’s fascinating to learn the types of fruits and vegetables they grow and what they are used for. Did you know that some of the fruit is shipped over to Animal Kingdom to feed the elephants? Well, now you do! Most of the items grown are used in the restaurants throughout Epcot.
From the greenhouse we went over to the fish and alligator area, also visible from the ride. We learned that Disney farms different types of fish (sturgeon, tilapia, catfish), shrimp (only 1 per tank because they are territorial), and alligators. At one point during the tour, you get to feed the fish! My advice, quickly throw the food and move back!
Alligators hanging out
Throughout our tour, the guide was very knowledgeable and was able to thoroughly explain the processes and answer all of our questions. We learned how those famous Mickey shaped fruits and veggies are grown and even got to taste a Mickey shaped cucumber that was grown in the greenhouse!
The tour lasts about 45 minutes and is worth every penny. We paid $20/adult and $16/child (subject to change) in December. You are walking the entire time so make sure to wear comfortable shoes!
Designs in the sand inside the greenhouse
If you or anyone in your family has any interest in gardening, I highly recommend taking this tour! If you have done the tour already, I’d love to hear about your experience!
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