Land Changelog // updated 2026.05.26

World Nature

EPCOT · Walt Disney World

57 changes logged12 spots trackedsince 1982

Everything that changed here

across the land, newest first
Show routine effect churn (3) →
20241 change
  • FixedNov 20, 2024at Soarin' Around the World

    Updated the Soarin' Around the World film: corrected the long-mocked distorted, curved Eiffel Tower scene (re-shot from farther away on a downward approach) and refreshed the finale to show the renovated World Celebration area and Spaceship Earth in its Beacons of Magic lighting, with a new musical arrangement.

    distorted curved Eiffel Tower shot→corrected, more-distant flight path
20232 changes
  • NewOct 16, 2023at Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana

    Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana opened in EPCOT's World Nature neighborhood as a self-guided outdoor walkthrough water-trail attraction inspired by the 2016 film Moana; its debut coincided with The Walt Disney Company's 100th anniversary.

  • Changed2023at The Seas with Nemo & Friends

    The pavilion's exterior was repainted from the blue Nemo-era scheme back toward the original 1986 'Living Seas' tan/beige colorway, the entrance mural was refreshed (some Finding Nemo creatures removed), and the entrance seagull animatronics were removed during the work and reinstalled by November 2023.

    Blue Nemo facade→original Living Seas tan scheme
20202 changes
  • NewJan 17, 2020at Awesome Planet

    Awesome Planet opened in the Harvest Theater at The Land pavilion, a film narrated by Ty Burrell with a score by Steven Price and space imagery by Industrial Light & Magic; it replaced Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable.

  • ChangedJan 17, 2020at Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable

    Awesome Planet, a ten-minute film about Earth's biomes narrated by Ty Burrell, opened in the Harvest Theater as the permanent successor to Circle of Life.

    Circle of Life→Awesome Planet in the Harvest Theater
    Day-level precision rests on Yesterland alone, which gives January 17, 2020; D23 documents the film and credits Industrial Light & Magic with the imagery and space sequences and Steven Price with the score, but the sources consulted do not independently confirm the day. Wikipedia confirms Awesome Planet succeeded Circle of Life in the Harvest Theater without giving a date.
20183 changes
  • ChangedFeb 2018at Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable

    The week after the final showing, the Harvest Theater was turned over to Disney Performing Arts for student workshops and performances.

    public film theater→Disney Performing Arts workshop venue
    Attractions Magazine reported the theater was converted 'the following week'; TouringPlans described the arrangement as temporary, with no announced replacement film at the time.
  • UpdateJan 8, 2018at Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable

    News broke that Circle of Life would have its final showing on February 3, 2018, with no replacement public attraction named for the space.

    Dated to the earliest verifiable report rather than to a Disney announcement day, which the sources do not settle: BlogMickey published January 8, 2018, while Attractions Magazine and TouringPlans both published January 10, 2018. Attractions Magazine reported Disney had 'no plans to share at this time for a future public attraction' in the space.
20162 changes
  • ChangedJun 17, 2016at Soarin' Around the World

    Reimagined as 'Soarin' Around the World': the 'Soarin' Over California' film was retired for a new film spanning six continents, and the attraction added a third theater concourse (about 50% more capacity), a reimagined interactive queue, and a new digital projection system.

    'Soarin' Over California' film→'Soarin' Around the World' global film; 2 theaters
  • BuffMay 2016at Turtle Talk With Crush

    Added Finding Dory characters (Dory, Destiny, Bailey, and Hank) to the interactive show, integrating the sequel's cast alongside Crush.

20101 change
  • ChangedFeb 2010at Living with the Land

    Completed a major refurbishment that replaced the boat fleet with new ten-row and ADA-accessible boats, repainted show scenes, and reactivated the rainforest rain effect.

20091 change
  • Changed2009at Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable

    Nestle ended its corporate sponsorship of The Land pavilion and the film, leaving Circle of Life to run unsponsored for its final nine years.

    Nestle sponsorship→no sponsor
    Sources agree the sponsorship ended in 2009 but differ on when it began: Yesterland and the Wikipedia article on The Land date the pavilion sponsorship 1993-2009, while the Circle of Life article credits Nestle as the film's sponsor 1995-2009. No source names a successor sponsor.
20074 changes
  • ChangedJan 24, 2007at The Seas with Nemo & Friends

    The Living Seas was reimagined and rededicated as The Seas with Nemo & Friends, adding a Finding Nemo dark ride on clamshell 'Clamobile' vehicles and 'living characters' projection that composites the animated cast into the real aquarium tank.

    The Living Seas→The Seas with Nemo & Friends
  • ChangedJan 24, 2007at The Living Seas

    The pavilion was rededicated as The Seas with Nemo & Friends, the successor attraction that took over the Sea Base Alpha site.

    Wikipedia states the pavilion "was rededicated on January 24, 2007". The building had already reopened under the new name in late 2006, so this beat records the rededication rather than the first day guests returned.
  • ChangedJan 24, 2007at Caribbean Coral Reef Ride

    The Seas with Nemo & Friends was rededicated on the site, running the former Seacabs reshaped as clamshell "Clamobiles" over a route lengthened by 280 feet through the old preshow theatre space, with the final section still inside the tank.

    Wikipedia dates the rededication to January 24, 2007 and states the ride was lengthened by 280 feet (85 m) through the former preshow theatre space. D23's Living Seas entry says guests climbed aboard clam-mobiles "beginning in 2006," so this date is the formal rededication rather than necessarily the first day of guest operation; D23 was therefore not cited for this date.
  • Changed2007at Turtle Talk With Crush

    Relocated to a larger former pre-show theater within the pavilion, increasing capacity, as part of the retheme of The Living Seas into The Seas with Nemo & Friends.

    Module 1C→larger second pre-show theater
20064 changes
  • UpdateOct 2006at The Living Seas

    The rebuilt pavilion reopened to guests as The Seas with Nemo & Friends, the old Seacabs having been reshaped into clamshell "Clamobiles" running a route lengthened by 280 feet through the former preshow theatre.

    Sources split on the day, so only month precision is supported: The Mickey Wiki says the rest of the pavilion opened as The Seas with Nemo & Friends on October 19, 2006, while Disney Avenue gives an October 16, 2006 hard opening. Wikipedia supplies the Clamobile rebuild and the 280-foot route extension and dates a formal rededication to January 24, 2007, which The Mickey Wiki instead puts on January 4, 2007; either way guests were riding months before the rededication.
  • ChangedAug 2006at Living with the Land

    Retired the live onboard Cast Member narration used since 1982 and replaced it with a pre-recorded spiel voiced by Mike Brassell.

    live narrator→recorded narration
  • Changed2006at The Living Seas

    When the rebuilt pavilion reopened in late 2006 the Hydrolators had been removed and replaced by glass doors, the preshow film had been retired, and the exhibit halls carried the Sea Base name without "Alpha".

    Filed year-only because no source opened here pins the reopening day; ExtinctDisney gives only "late 2006" and states "The Hydrolators were removed, and the pre-show film was retired. SeaBase Alpha was renamed simply SeaBase", with glass doors replacing the Hydrolator exits. Wikipedia lists the space today as "Sea Base", confirming the shortened name. Recorded on this page because these were Sea Base Alpha's own elements.
  • Area Update2006at Caribbean Coral Reef Ride

    The remaining Living Seas preshow theater, entrance Hydrolators, holding areas and Seacab queue were completely removed and replaced by a new themed queue area.

    Wikipedia dates this to construction that ran throughout 2006, so year-only is the finest precision supported.
20055 changes
  • UpdateNov 23, 2005at The Living Seas

    Part of the pavilion reopened to guests as a remodeled Sea Base, with glass doors serving as the entrance and exit in place of the Hydrolators, while the rest of the Finding Nemo conversion continued.

    The Mickey Wiki ("On November 23, 2005, the Sea Base Alpha half of The Seas pavilion reopened") and Disney Avenue ("The original exit hydrolators were no more. Glass doors were now the exit - and entrance") both give the day independently; Wikipedia corroborates at month precision with "Parts of the pavilion reopened in late November 2005". Recorded so the permanent closure above is not misread: the building returned, the attraction did not.
  • RefurbishmentAug 21, 2005at The Living Seas

    The Living Seas closed for its Finding Nemo transformation, permanently ending Sea Base Alpha as an operating undersea-base experience with its Hydrolators, preshow film and original exhibit modules.

    Wikipedia states "On August 21, 2005, The Living Seas closed for its transformation into The Seas with Nemo & Friends" and ExtinctDisney gives the same date; LaughingPlace corroborates at month level ("officially closed in August of 2005"). Wikipedia's Epcot attraction list gives The Living Seas a 1986-2005 run. The pavilion reopened only under the successor name and the base's defining elements did not return, so the closure is permanent for this entity.
  • ChangedAug 21, 2005at Caribbean Coral Reef Ride

    The Living Seas pavilion closed entirely for its transformation into The Seas with Nemo & Friends, nearly four years after the Seacabs had stopped running.

    Wikipedia gives August 21, 2005 for the pavilion closure and the list of Epcot attractions carries The Living Seas as 1986-2005. An earlier draft of this beat said the retheme had begun in December 2003; that detail could not be corroborated on re-check and was removed.
  • NewMay 5, 2005at Soarin' Around the World

    Soarin' opened in EPCOT's The Land pavilion as a hang-glider motion simulator that lifts riders before an 80-foot concave projection dome, debuting with the 'Soarin' Over California' film carried over from Disney's California Adventure; it took over the space formerly occupied by Food Rocks, which had closed in January 2004.

  • UpdateMay 5, 2005at Food Rocks

    Soarin' Over California opened at The Land pavilion, with the demolished Food Rocks space becoming its FASTPASS distribution area and the start of its queue.

    Yesterland states the former theater space emerged as the FastPass distribution area and queue entrance, with the ride itself housed in an addition built onto the pavilion. The attraction continues on the site today, rebranded Soarin' Around the World on June 17, 2016.
20043 changes
  • NewNov 16, 2004at Turtle Talk With Crush

    Turtle Talk with Crush opened at EPCOT in The Living Seas pavilion, an improvised real-time interactive show letting guests converse with Crush from Finding Nemo via a backstage-puppeteered digital character.

  • NewNov 16, 2004at The Living Seas

    Turtle Talk with Crush opened inside the pavilion in what had been Module 1C, the Earth Systems exhibit.

    Corroborated by two Wikipedia articles: the pavilion article places the opening in former Module 1C on November 16, 2004, and the Turtle Talk article states it first opened November 16, 2004 at The Living Seas pavilion, later moving to a former preshow theatre. No claim is made that it was the first addition of the retheme, which neither source supports.
  • RefurbishmentJan 3, 2004at Food Rocks

    Food Rocks closed permanently after a run of nearly ten years, and its theater was demolished during the pavilion's 2004-2005 refurbishment.

    Wikipedia's Food Rocks article, Yesterland and Wikipedia's The Land article all give the closing date as January 3, 2004; The Land article describes the closure and demolition of Food Rocks as the most significant change of the 2004-2005 refurbishment.
20031 change
  • UpdateDec 2003at The Living Seas

    Disney began re-theming The Living Seas into a pavilion based on the Pixar film Finding Nemo, with no change yet visible to guests walking the base.

    Single-sourced to Wikipedia, which says only that the re-theme began in December 2003. Filed as an update rather than a change because the pavilion ran another twenty months and the first guest-facing piece of the retheme was Turtle Talk With Crush in November 2004.
20014 changes
  • NerfOct 21, 2001at The Seas with Nemo & Friends

    The original Seacabs ride-through of the 5.7-million-gallon aquarium was retired and walled off amid post-9/11 attendance declines; the pavilion continued as the Sea Base Alpha walkthrough until the Nemo overlay.

    Seacabs ride→walkthrough only
  • NerfOct 21, 2001at The Living Seas

    The Seacabs of the Caribbean Coral Reef Ride stopped running and the ride path was walled off, leaving guests to walk straight into Sea Base Alpha after the Hydrolators.

    Wikipedia gives October 21, 2001 and attributes the shutdown to declining patronage after the September 11 attacks; ExtinctDisney independently gives the same day ("the Seacabs were quietly closed on October 21, 2001"), and LaughingPlace agrees at month precision while noting the reason was never made clear. This removed the pavilion's ride experience nearly four years before the pavilion itself closed.
  • RefurbishmentOct 21, 2001at Caribbean Coral Reef Ride

    The Caribbean Coral Reef Ride's Seacabs closed down and were walled off as a result of declining patronage following the September 11 attacks.

    Wikipedia states the date and cause verbatim; it is the only source found for the exact day.
  • Area Update2001at Caribbean Coral Reef Ride

    With the ride shut, guests leaving the Hydrolators walked the former wheelchair bypass corridor to Sea Base Alpha, while the Seacab queue was left intact and the vehicles remained visible through the ocean tank windows.

19991 change
  • Changed1999at Caribbean Coral Reef Ride

    Preshow theatre #2 was removed and a corridor was built through its space, letting guests skip the introductory film and go directly to the Hydrolators and the Seacabs.

    The source is internally inconsistent: one passage places the corridor after the 1998 sponsorship exit, while another says the second theater had been "unused since 1999 when it had been broken up by the bypass corridor." Recorded as 1999 year-only because that is the only year the source attaches to the corridor itself.
19982 changes
  • Changed1998at The Living Seas

    United Technologies ended its sponsorship of The Living Seas, after which preshow theatre #2 was removed and a corridor was built through its space so guests could bypass the preshow on the way to the Hydrolators.

    Filed year-only. Wikipedia states the pavilion was sponsored by United Technologies "from its opening until 1998" and that preshow theatre #2 was removed with a corridor built through its space; LaughingPlace independently gives support "until 1998" and "the removal of one of the preshow theaters so that people could progress directly to the Hydrolators". Neither source dates the removal to a month, so no month or day is claimed.
  • Changed1998at Caribbean Coral Reef Ride

    United Technologies ended its sponsorship of The Living Seas after backing the pavilion since opening day, and all sponsorship references were removed.

    Wikipedia states the pavilion was sponsored by United Technologies "from its opening until 1998" and its infobox reads 1986-1998. The D23 entry names United Technologies as the original sponsor but gives no end date, so it was dropped as a citation here.
19953 changes
  • NewJan 21, 1995at Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable

    Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable, a film in which Simba tells Timon and Pumbaa a cautionary environmental tale, opened in the Harvest Theater of The Land pavilion at Epcot, replacing the 1982 film Symbiosis.

    Symbiosis→Circle of Life in the Harvest Theater
    Wikipedia gives a running time of 12 minutes 22 seconds (Yesterland rounds it to 13 minutes) and a Harvest Theater capacity of 428 per showing, and states the film carried about two and a half minutes of new animation with some live-action scenes recycled from Symbiosis.
  • ChangedJan 21, 1995at Symbiosis

    Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable opened in the same Harvest Theater as the successor to Symbiosis, pairing about two and a half minutes of new Lion King animation with live-action footage, some of it left over from Symbiosis.

    Symbiosis→Circle of Life in the Harvest Theater
    The new animation was produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. Circle of Life itself ran until February 3, 2018, and Awesome Planet premiered in the theater in 2020.
  • RefurbishmentJan 1, 1995at Symbiosis

    Symbiosis showed for the last time in the Harvest Theater and closed permanently after twelve years.

    D23 gives the closing date as January 1, 1995; in70mm.com places the end of the run in January 1995 and attributes it to the pavilion's change of sponsors.
19944 changes
  • NewMar 26, 1994at Food Rocks

    Food Rocks opened in the former Kitchen Kabaret theater at The Land pavilion as a Nestle-sponsored Audio-Animatronic show staged as a benefit concert for good nutrition.

    Hosted by Fud Wrapper, voiced by rapper Tone Loc. Parody acts included The Peach Boys, the U-tensils, the Refrigerator Police, Pita Gabriel, Neil Moussaka, Chubby Cheddar, the Get-the-Point Sisters and a junk-food band called the Excess that interrupted the concert.
  • ChangedMar 26, 1994at Kitchen Kabaret

    Food Rocks, a Nestle-presented Audio-Animatronic show, opened in the same theater and replaced Kitchen Kabaret.

    Wikipedia records that Food Rocks reused some elements of the original show with an updated presentation.
  • Area UpdateJan 3, 1994at Food Rocks

    Kitchen Kabaret played its final performance, vacating the pavilion theater that Food Rocks would occupy.

    Both Wikipedia's The Land article and Yesterland give Kitchen Kabaret's closing date as January 3, 1994.
  • RefurbishmentJan 3, 1994at Kitchen Kabaret

    Kitchen Kabaret played its final performance and closed permanently after eleven years in The Land pavilion.

19934 changes
  • ChangedDec 10, 1993at Living with the Land

    Reworked and renamed 'Living with the Land'; the whimsical 'Symphony of the Seed' opening was replaced by a thunderstorm scene with a new musical score and revised ending.

    Listen to the Land→Living with the Land
  • Area UpdateSep 1993at Food Rocks

    Nestle replaced Kraft General Foods as the sponsor of The Land pavilion, and went on to present Food Rocks.

    Yesterland reports the November 1992 announcement set Nestle to replace Kraft in September 1993, and Wikipedia's Kitchen Kabaret infobox ends Kraft's run September 26, 1993. Wikipedia's The Land article conflicts, saying Kraft withdrew September 26, 1992 with Nestle official January 1, 1993, so no day is asserted.
  • Area UpdateSep 1993at Kitchen Kabaret

    Kraft's sponsorship of The Land ended and Nestle took over the pavilion, leaving Kitchen Kabaret without its original backer for its final months.

    Day-level precision is disputed and is deliberately not asserted. Yesterland places the handover in September 1993 and Wikipedia's Kitchen Kabaret infobox gives Kraft's run as October 1, 1982 to September 26, 1993, but Wikipedia's The Land article instead says Kraft withdrew September 26, 1992 with Nestle official January 1, 1993.
  • ChangedJul 5, 1993at Kitchen Kabaret

    The Orlando Sentinel reported that Disney would replace Kitchen Kabaret with a new show tentatively titled Food Rocks.

    Yesterland block-quotes the report: "Disney Sheds Light on Projects," by Craig Dezern, Orlando Sentinel, July 5, 1993 - "The audio-animatronic 'Kitchen Kabaret,' which focuses on the four food groups, will be replaced by a show tentatively titled 'Food Rocks.'"
19922 changes
  • Area UpdateNov 1992at Kitchen Kabaret

    The Walt Disney Company and Nestle USA announced an expanded alliance under which Nestle would take over sponsorship of The Land pavilion from Kraft General Foods.

    Yesterland dates the announcement to November 1992 and reports the handover was set for September of the following year. Wikipedia cites a November 24, 1992 Variety report for the deal, but that article is paywalled and could not be opened, so only the month is asserted here.
  • Changed1992at Symbiosis

    Kraft's sponsorship of The Land pavilion, the building that housed Symbiosis in its Harvest Theater, ended in 1992 and Nestle took over as pavilion sponsor.

    The Land pavilion sponsor: Kraft→Nestle
    Held to year precision because the sources disagree on the handover: D23 says Kraft sponsored the pavilion until November 1992, when Nestle took over, while Wikipedia dates Kraft's run to September 26, 1992 and Nestle's from January 1, 1993.
19863 changes
  • NewJan 15, 1986at The Seas with Nemo & Friends

    The Living Seas pavilion opened at EPCOT, anchored by a 5.7-million-gallon saltwater aquarium, with guests descending via 'Hydrolator' elevators and touring the tank aboard the 'Seacabs' ride to the Sea Base Alpha research-base walkthrough.

  • NewJan 15, 1986at The Living Seas

    Sea Base Alpha opened as the walkthrough undersea research base inside EPCOT Center's Living Seas pavilion, reached by a preshow film, a simulated descent aboard the Hydrolators and a Seacab trip through the Caribbean Coral Reef tank, under sponsorship from United Technologies.

    Wikipedia, D23 and ExtinctDisney all give January 15, 1986. Wikipedia and D23 both describe the Hydrolator descent to Seabase Alpha and the 5.7-million-gallon saltwater tank; ExtinctDisney supplies the Seacab leg of the arrival and confirms United Technologies as the opening sponsor.
  • NewJan 15, 1986at Caribbean Coral Reef Ride

    The Caribbean Coral Reef Ride opened with The Living Seas pavilion, carrying guests in Omnimover "Seacab" vehicles through the middle of the 5.7-million-gallon saltwater tank after a preshow film and a simulated "Hydrolator" descent.

    Wikipedia gives January 15, 1986 for the pavilion opening and places the Seacab ride in the original guest flow; D23 corroborates the date and the 5.7-million-gallon tank as the largest saltwater tank in the world at completion, but does not name the ride.
19824 changes
  • NewOct 1, 1982at Living with the Land

    Opened with EPCOT Center as 'Listen to the Land,' a slow-moving boat ride through dark-ride biome scenes and the pavilion's working greenhouses.

  • NewOct 1, 1982at Kitchen Kabaret

    Kitchen Kabaret opened with EPCOT Center on the park's first day, playing in a theater inside The Land pavilion.

    A 13-minute Audio-Animatronic musical revue hosted by Bonnie Appetite, voiced by Jeanine Brown, covering the four food groups: meat, dairy, grains, and fruits and vegetables. Acts included the Kitchen Krackpots band alongside dairy, cereal and produce segments.
  • Area UpdateOct 1, 1982at Kitchen Kabaret

    Kraft Foods sponsored The Land pavilion and the Kitchen Kabaret show from opening day.

    Wikipedia's Kitchen Kabaret infobox lists Kraft Foods as the show's sponsor beginning October 1, 1982; Yesterland states the pavilion was sponsored by Kraft Foods when the park opened.
  • NewOct 1, 1982at Symbiosis

    Symbiosis premiered in the Harvest Theater of The Land pavilion on EPCOT Center's opening day, a 70mm documentary about the balance between technological progress and environmental integrity.

    Directed by Paul Gerber and narrated by Philip L. Clarke; shot in 65mm across 18 countries and projected on a 23-by-60-foot screen with a 13-track sound system. D23 and Wikipedia give the opening as October 1, 1982; in70mm.com gives October 2, 1982.

That's every change on the record in World Nature since 1982.

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