Credit: Jeremy Thompson, FlickrThis week, Walt Disney World Resort silently removed a piece of living history from the Living with the Land attraction at EPCOT. Days later, without announcement, the Land Pavilion ride abruptly closed, and guests in the area reported that the water had been drained.
Living With The Land Icon Removed
In early February, reports started swirling on social media that the largest tree had been removed from the dome-shaped greenhouse in Living with the Land. Some Walt Disney World Resort guests even reported witnessing cast members digging out the tree’s roots after chopping it down.
Disney Parks fans who couldn’t make it to Central Florida reached out to locals in a panic, asking for confirmation that such a central part of the 43-year-old attraction had been destroyed. On February 11, X (formerly known as Twitter) user @AnthonyCEyre shared footage of the tree while it was still in place:
Hold on! – Is it true that the big tree in the middle of the dome on Living With The Land (LWTL) removed today?
(Old video of mine)
Hold on! – Is it true that the big tree in the middle of the dome on Living With The Land (LWTL) removed today?
(Old video of mine) pic.twitter.com/bytybtNhjO
— Ant (@AnthonyCEyre) February 11, 2026
Unfortunately for fans of the opening-day EPCOT attraction, it looks like the reports are accurate. On Wednesday, livestreamer Theme Park Giant rode Living with the Land. His footage not only confirms that the tree is gone, but shows Disney cast members using shovels to dig in the area (presumably removing its roots, as earlier reports suggested). Watch below.
But the removal of the central greenhouse tree wasn’t the only strange happening in the Land Pavilion this week…
Sudden Ride Closure at EPCOT
On Thursday, reports emerged from Walt Disney World Resort guests that Living with the Land failed to open alongside EPCOT. The ride was not scheduled for any refurbishment or maintenance, and the closure was unannounced.
It’s not uncommon for Disney Park rides to open a little later if opening procedures are delayed or a minor technical issue requires attention. However, it quickly became clear that whatever was going on with Living with the Land wouldn’t be resolved within a few hours…
According to EPCOT guest reports, all of the water has been drained from Living with the Land, signaling a much bigger issue with the ride. Disney cast members appeared to be investigating the track (which is usually hidden underwater) in the loading area, where all boats had been removed.
Walt Disney World Resort has not made any public statements about the closure or said when the Land attraction would reopen.
Will you miss the tree in the Living with the Land greenhouse? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!