Opened in 1982 at what was then the second theme park at the Walt Disney World resort, Epcot is associated above all not with rides, but with the pavilions recreating the architecture and atmosphere of 11 different countries through which one can wander for a cross-cultural experience.

That said, Epcot also has 11 rides, including the “Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind” roller coaster, “Journey of Water” exploration trail, and “Glimmering Greenhouses” boat ride.

One of the classic rides around since the park’s opening in 1982, the boat experience takes visitors through The Land Pavilion on agriculture, exploring the human relationship with the earth. It is often described as a backstage water tour of the pavilion’s greenhouses and also operates under names such as “Living with the Land” and “Listen to the Land” (“Glimmering Greenhouses” is the holiday version with lights).

But with the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays ending on Dec. 30, Disney has confirmed that the ride will be stripped of its holiday decorations and operate only as “Living with the Land” until next year.

“Glimmering Greenhouses” to shut down on Dec. 30, return as “Living with the Land”

“It’s a slow-moving boat ride,” writes Disney watchdog blog Inside The Magic. “No characters. No special effects. No storyline overhaul. And yet, during Festival of the Holidays, it became one of the most in-demand experiences across Walt Disney World.

“Wait times regularly climbed into triple digits. At peak moments, guests waited more than 100 minutes just to float past Christmas lights woven through greenhouses. That kind of demand isn’t normal for ‘Living with the Land’ — and that’s exactly why this matters.”

Related: Disneyland shuts down 11 popular rides

This closure is standard for the end of the season and still leaves park visitors with the regular version of the ride. The Typhoon Lagoon water park is also set to close between Dec. 30 and Jan. 1 as the Orlando area is hit by a blast of unusually cold weather.

The National Weather Service is predicting temperatures as low as 30 degrees Fahrenheit, while the Disney theme park is an outdoors-only area full of water rides.

The Volcano Bay water park at competing Universal will also close during this period.

Glimmering Greenhouses is a holiday version of a classic Epcot ride.

Disney

These other Disney World are shutting down in 2026 for the season

Typhoon Lagoon also operates on a seasonal basis until Feb. 14; on Feb. 15, counterpart Disney water park Blizzard Beach opens for the next half of the year.

“Beginning February 15, 2026, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park will be temporarily unavailable,” Disney currently states on its website.

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For those on the West Coast, Disneyland in Anaheim will also close 11 of its rides for maintenance and removal of holiday decorations on a staggered schedule throughout January and February.

Affected attractions include iconic rides such as “Haunted Mansion” and “It’s a Small World” alongside “Galaxy’s Edge,” “Mark Twain Riverboat,” and the “Fantasmic” water show.

As the exact closure and reopening dates vary from ride to ride, those particularly interested in experiencing them are reminded to keep track of the opening schedule on the parks’ websites.

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