gran fiesta tour song

Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros

¿dónde está donald duck.

Donald’s disappeared south of the border, and it’s up to the other 2 caballeros from the musical trio—Panchito, the Mexican charro rooster, and José Carioca, the Brazilian parrot—to find him.

Cruise down the Rio Grande on a dark boat ride past some of the most famous sights and cities in Mexico. Is that the missing mallard climbing a Mayan pyramid in Chichen Itza? 

Hilarity and hijinks ensue as the birds go in hot pursuit of their wayward friend throughout this fun-filled ride for all ages.

A Very Animated Experience

Guests Also Viewed

Safety, accessibility and guest policies, times for gran fiesta tour starring the three caballeros.

TouringPlans

GUIDE ME THROUGH—

Questions? Our community can help!

Forums Thoughtful, engaging talk

Chat Quick answers while in the parks

Subscribe now to create a customized Touring Plan for everything you want to do.

• Crowd Calendar
• Disney Springs
• Transportation

• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Early Theme Park Entry
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Extended Evening Hours
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Front-of-Line Services: Genie+, Individual Lightning Lane
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Character Greetings
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Rider Switch for Small Children
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Special Needs Guests (DAS)
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Live Entertainment & Show Schedules
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Refurbishment Schedule
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Lines Mobile App
• Attractions, Parades, & Fireworks
• Height Requirements
• Touring Plans
• Attractions & Fireworks
• Neighborhoods
• Attractions
• Cheapest Disney Tickets
• Park Reservations

• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Basics
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Build-Your-Own Plans

Magic Kingdom

• Disney's Hollywood Studios
• Disney's Animal Kingdom
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Ratings for All WDW Restaurants
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Overview
• Magic Kingdom Restaurants
• EPCOT Restaurants
• Hollywood Studios Restaurants
• Animal Kingdom Restaurants
• Disney Springs Restaurants
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Hotel Restaurants
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Reservations
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Tipping (Gratuities)
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Menu Search
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Disney Dining Plan
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Benefits
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Room Finder
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Compare Hotels
• Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge (Jambo House)
• Disney's Beach Club Resort
• Disney's BoardWalk Inn
• Disney's Contemporary Resort
• Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Disney's Polynesian Village Resort
• Disney's Wilderness Lodge
• Disney's Yacht Club Resort
• The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort
• Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort
• Disney's Coronado Springs Resort
• Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter
• Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside
• Disney's All-Star Movies Resort
• Disney's All-Star Music Resort
• Disney's All-Star Sports Resort
• Disney's Art of Animation Resort
• Disney's Pop Century Resort
• Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort
• Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
• Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
• Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House
• Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village
• Disney's Beach Club Villas
• Disney's BoardWalk Villas
• Disney's Old Key West Resort
• Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
• Disney's Riviera Resort
• Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
• Treehouse Villas at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort
• The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• The Campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort

• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Early Park Admission
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Tickets
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Front-of-Line Service: Universal Express Pass
• Halloween Horror Nights
• Rock the Universe
• Gradventure
• Special Needs
• Kids and Babies

• Universal Studios Florida
• Universal's Islands of Adventure
• Universal Epic Universe
• Universal Studios Florida Restaurants
• Islands of Adventure Restaurants
• Volcano Bay Restaurants
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> CityWalk Restaurants
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Hotel Basics
• Hard Rock Hotel
• Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
• Loews Royal Pacific Resort
• Universal Helios Grand Hotel
• Universal Stella Nova Resort
• Universal Terra Luna Resort
• Universal's Aventura Hotel
• Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort
• Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
• Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites
• Universal's Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites
• Downtown Disney

• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Early Entry
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Rider Switch
• Lunar New Year
• Food & Wine Festival
• Disneyland Park
• Disney California Adventure Park
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Ratings for All DLR Restaurants
• Disneyland Restaurants
• California Adventure Restaurants
• Downtown Disney Restaurants
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Disneyland Hotel
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Disney's Grand Californian Resort & Spa
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Pixar Place Hotel
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> The Villas at Disneyland Hotel
• sidemenu#activeChild" class="text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-between pt-3 md:pt-14 leading-30"> Planning Your Cruise
• sidemenu#activeChild" class="text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-between pt-3 md:pt-14 leading-30"> Tips for During Your Cruise

• common-navbar#activeTab">At a Glance common-navbar#activeTab"> -->
• common-navbar#activeTab">Touring Tips common-navbar#activeTab"> -->
• common-navbar#activeTab">You Might Also Like common-navbar#activeTab"> -->
• common-navbar#activeTab">Wait Times common-navbar#activeTab"> -->

• common-navbar#activeTab">At a Glance
• common-navbar#activeTab">Touring Tips
• common-navbar#activeTab">You Might Also Like
• common-navbar#activeTab">Wait Times

Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros

An Attraction in EPCOT

Last updated: April 25, 2024

At a Glance

The Gran Fiesta Tour incorporates animated versions of Donald Duck, José Carioca, and Panchito—an avian singing group called The Three Caballeros, from Disney’s 1944 film of the same name—to spice up what’s basically a slower-paced, Mexican-style It’s a Small World.

The storyline has the Caballeros scheduled to perform at a fiesta when Donald suddenly goes missing; large video screens show him enjoying Mexico’s sights and sounds while José and Panchito try to track him down. Everyone is reunited in time for a rousing concert near the end of the ride.

At the risk of sounding like the Disney geeks we are, we must point out that Panchito is technically the only Mexican Caballero—José Carioca is from Brazil and Donald is from Burbank. In any case, more of the ride’s visuals seem to be on the left side of the boat, so have small children sit nearer the left to keep their attention, and listen for Donald’s humorous monologue as you wait to disembark at the end of the ride.

• Handheld Captioning
• Audio Description
• Must Transfer to Standard Wheelchair

modal#open click->video-modal#modalVideo">Gran Fiesta Tour Attraction Overview

Touring Tips

Other attractions you might like Users who like Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros, generally also like:

The Barnstormer

Dumbo the Flying Elephant

Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin

Peter Pan's Flight

Here's roughly how many minutes you'll wait for Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros at each EPCOT Crowd Level.

Download chart to share to social media.

Top Premium Touring Plans That Include Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros

All Premium Touring Plans with Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros

Disney Dish with Jim Hill Podcast

Learn more about the latest doings at Disney with Len Testa of TouringPlans & Jim Hill of JimHillMedia.com

Learn more about the latest doings at Disney with TouringPlan's Len Testa & Jim Hill of JimHillMedia.com

Copyright ©2024 TouringPlans.com. All rights reserved.

Join Our Mailing List

• Date Calculator
• Annual Events
• Vacation Planning
• Vacation Packages
• Money Saving Tips
• Disney Genie
• Magic Kingdom
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Blizzard Beach
• Typhoon Lagoon
• Disney Springs
• Restaurants
• Dining Packages
• Dining Tips
• Resort Guides
• Resort Tips
• Planning Tips
• Ship Guides
• Things to Do
• Cruise destinations
• Dining Options
• Disneyland Park
• Disney California Adventure
• Downtown Disney
• Universal Studios
• Islands of Adventure
• Volcano Bay
• Theme Parks

Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros

Join Donald Duck, Jose Carioca, and Panchito Pistoles, the title characters from Disney’s 1944 animated classic The Three Caballeros , on this Gran Fiesta Tour through Mexican history and culture in the Mexico Pavilion’s iconic pyramid.

Ride Information   Restrictions   Location   Fun Facts   Top 5 Tips

Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros Ride Information

Opening Day: April 6, 2007

Type of Ride: Boat ride through Mexican culture

Age Recommendation: All ages

Duration of Ride: About 7 minutes

Typical Queue Time: Short; typically less than 10 minutes

Single Rider Line: No

Chicken Exit Available: No

Baby Swap Available: No

Type of Vehicle: Boats

Type of Restraint: None

Attraction Open During Early Theme Park Entry: No. See our Early Theme Park Entry page for more information.

Ride Photo Available For Purchase: No

Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros Ride Restrictions

Height Requirements: None

Flash Photography or Video Allowed: No

Shopping: Shopping options abound inside Mexico’s multipurpose pyramid. Ceramics, sombreros, pinatas, worry dolls, leather goods, jewelry, apparel, and pottery can all be purchased at the spacious indoor marketplace.

Dining/Refreshment: Augmented by views of a volcano, a pyramid, and Gran Fiesta’s Tour’s boats, guests can enjoy a table service lunch or dinner at San Angel Inn . Offerings at this charming restaurant include steak, beef, pork, chicken, and fish entrees; tacos; quesadillas; soups; salads; and a plethora of margaritas.

Restroom: Facilities are situated in the Odyssey Center. This is across the World Celebration border from the Mexico Pavilion.

Smoking Location: Smoking is permitted in designated smoking areas only. Disney parks are smoke free.

Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros Fun Facts

Did you know.

• Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros replaced a more serious boat ride, “El Rio del Tiempo,” in 2007. Translating to “The River of Time,” El Rio del Tiempo had operated since Epcot’s opening day, October 1, 1982. El Rio del Tiempo was augmented by an upbeat tune of the same name.
• Gran Fiesta Tour features The Three Caballeros.  Donald Duck, Jose Carioca, and Panchito Pistoles from The Three Caballeros (1944) host the attraction. Of the trio, only Panchito is from Mexico, Jose Carioca being from Brazil and Donald from the United States. Jose Carioca had previously appeared with Donald in Saludos Amigos (1942).
• Content differences notwithstanding, the facades and dolls seen during Gran Fiesta Tour are largely unchanged from those of El Rio del Tiempo.
• An imposing pyramid—within the larger pyramid—and a volcano are seen at the beginning of the cruise.
• The protagonists of Gran Fiesta Tour travel via flying sarape, essentially a magic carpet .
• Donald, Panchito, and Jose Carioca enjoy Mexican beaches, restaurants, and dances during the attraction.
• The segment with the dolls is reminiscent of It’s a Small World .
• The theme song, “The Three Caballeros,” from The Three Caballeros is heard instrumentally throughout the attraction.  In addition, the trio singing the lyrics at the end of the voyage.
• Gran Fiesta Tour sits aside the San Angel Inn restaurant, effectively making San Angel Inn the Walt Disney World version of Disneyland Park ’s Blue Bayou Restaurant , which occupies the same position for that park’s Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. Similar restaurants, “Blue Bayou” and “Blue Lagoon,” complement the respective Pirates of the Caribbean attractions at Tokyo Disneyland Park and Disneyland Park Paris.

Hidden Mickeys:

Top 5 Tips for Grand Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros

• With negligible wait times, guests can enjoy Gran Fiesta Tour at their pleasure.
• Consider making an ADR for San Angel Inn and requesting a table with a view of Gran Fiesta Tour.
• Do not expect an educational attraction. Gran Fiesta Tour provides more laughs than information.
• “The Three Caballeros” song may linger in your head for a while after riding Gran Fiesta Tour.
• Consider watching Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros prior to your visit such as to better appreciate this attraction.

Privacy Overview

• Water rides
• Donald Duck
• Saludos Amigos

Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros

• View history
• 3 Attraction Summary
• 4 Development
• 5 Voice talents

The attraction begins in a queue area decorated with posters indicating that The Three Caballeros are to perform a concert tonight.

After boarding the boats, guests float around the Mayan pyramid in the back of the pavilion's main room. Soon, guests enter a tunnel on the side of the pyramid, where Panchito Pistoles and José Carioca of The Three Caballeros introduce themselves, only to find out that Donald Duck , the third member of the group, has run off, prompting Panchito and José to set off on a frantic search for their missing friend.

The next few scenes show Donald touring Mexico with José and Panchito flying on a magic serape , looking for him.

Donald takes in the sites throughout the country. He visits Aztec Pyramids and goes boating, parasailing, cliff-diving and scuba-diving, among other activities.

One scene has characters similar to It's a Small World with dancing animatronic dolls and a Donald Duck piñata . Once past this area, guests enter a cave, which features different scenes of live-action footage with the Caballeros.

After leaving the cave, there are three panels featuring a Mariachi band in the first, some Mexican girls and Donald in the second with Panchito and José pulling away Donald from the girls in the third.

From the mariachi party, guests float into Mexico City , where fireworks are going off overhead and The Three Caballeros are finally performing their concert.

As the journey ends, guests pass a mural map inspired by the one that appears in the film before they arrive at the unload dock.

• Panchito , the leader of the trio, is the only Mexican character of the three, as Donald Duck has always been portrayed as a citizen of the United States while José is a Brazilian. In the movie , Panchito is often seen firing guns into the air and whooping, while José smokes cigars. As with the House of Mouse , probably due to Disney's Standards and Practices, the characters were toned down for the ride and don't smoke or shoot.
• With its dancing animatronic dolls and miniature movies, the ride is a hybrid of the aforementioned It's a Small World and the now-defunct If You Had Wings attraction at the neighboring Magic Kingdom park.
• The ride uses Hanna-Barbera sound effects for the cheesy humor.
• The Aracuan Bird makes a cameo in one of the animations.

Attraction Summary [ ]

Departing from the docks and going past a Mayan pyramid, the attraction begins with  José Carioca  and  Panchito Pistoles  introducing themselves with music and realizing that  Donald  has gone astray. Not wanting to be late for their concert stop in Mexico City, they set off on the flying sarape to look for him. While they search for him, Donald Duck takes in the sites throughout the country. He visits Aztec Pyramids, goes boating, parasailing, cliff diving and scuba diving among other activities. Eventually, Panchito and José catch up to Donald at a Mariachi performance and have to pull him away from numerous girls in order to finally reach their concert, with the attraction ending with a performance of the Three Caballeros song. Guests go past a mural map inspired by the one that appears in the film before they unload at the dock the attraction began at.

Development [ ]

Animatronics from the Mickey Mouse Revue placed into the finale in 2015.

A Three Caballeros-inspired update to the Mexico Pavilion's boat ride was a long-persisting rumor since the early 2000s. Eventually, in 2007, El Rio del Tiempo closed for the long-rumored change. New footage was shot and the new animation for the attraction was directed by Eric Goldberg .

On December 4, 2015, the attraction received an update, replacing the ending scene's animation with the animatronics of the Caballeros from the Mickey Mouse Revue . This was part of earlier plans for the attraction, but refurbishing and repurposing the figures was delayed until then for budgetary reasons.

Voice talents [ ]

• Tony Anselmo as Donald Duck
• Rob Paulsen as José Carioca
• Carlos Alazraqui as Panchito Pistoles

Gallery [ ]

• 2 Inside Out 2

Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros (A Resorts Gal Ride Guide)

Gran Fiesta Tour is a slow-moving boat cruise that offers a unique perspective of Epcot’s Mexico Pavilion. This attraction features three feathered amigos: Donald Duck, Panchito Pistoles, and José Carioca, better known as The Three Caballeros. Below, we’ll look at the details for experiencing this attraction on your next visit.

You’ll find the Gran Fiesta Tour inside the pyramid toward the back of the pavilion. This gentle boat ride cruises down a faux Rio Grande River. Along the way, you’ll see cartoon scenes featuring the Three Caballeros playing at various points.

Here are a few details for experiencing the Gran Fiesta Tour.

Additional Info:

Guests must transfer to a wheelchair. Audio description and handheld captioning are available.

Our traffic signals:

Green Light:

This is an attraction that you must do regardless of the wait. Or it’s an attraction that we deem suitable to experience anytime.

We recommend stopping to check the posted wait times and making a quick judgment call on whether or not to wait.

Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros

Gran Fiesta Tour, formerly called El Rio Del Tiempo, opens daily with the rest of the park and remains open until the park closes. It remains open during extended evening hours when they are offered. It is also on the list of attractions during Epcot After Hours .

When you enter the pavilion’s Mayan Pyramid, you’ll run into what feels like an open-air market. Gran Fiesta Tour’s queue is toward the back left of the pyramid’s interior. The entrance to the queue is next to San Angel Inn Restaurant. It has a large sign overhead.

Here is a look at the queue. It’s not uncommon to find a long line that extends into the rest of the pyramid. However, while the line might appear to have a long wait, the Gran Fiesta Tour has a high capacity and tends to load quickly. So what looks like an hour-long wait might only be 10-15 minutes.

Once you get to the loading area, you’ll board a boat. Each boat has five rows and holds up to four guests per row. Therefore, if you are a large party, you should all fit on one boat. The boat for this attraction is similar to “it’s a small world” at Magic Kingdom. The ride features animatronic dolls, similar to the original Fantasyland attraction.

A cast member will assist guests in ECVs and wheelchairs at the ride’s entrance. They’ll offer the option to board a boat, which requires a step-down. Or, if needed, they will have you wait for a boat that can accommodate a regular wheelchair.

Gran Fiesta Tour’s storyline is that you’re on your way to Mexico City for a concert starring The Three Caballeros. However, Donald Duck has disappeared along the way. So it’s up to Jose Carioca, the Brazilian parrot, and Panchito, a Mexican Charro Rooster, to find him! On your journey, you’ll see some of the sights of Mexico, several dances, a scuba scene, and cartoon cliff diving.

At the beginning of the ride, you’ll pass the giant pyramid and San Angel Inn. Guests from the restaurant can look down and see the boats as they pass. This set-up is similar to the Blue Bayou Restaurant that sails past the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland.

After you pass the pyramid, you’ll float through a series of footage featuring hand-drawn animation overlayed on live-action scenes from Mexico. The music from the scenes comes from the original 1944 Disney film The Three Caballeros .

You’ll continue from room to room as the scenes change to various destinations in Mexico.

Here are some of the animatronics similar to “it’s a small world.”

Here are a few more photos.

Eventually, you’ll travel through a tunnel before reaching the great Mexico City.

Make sure to look up. Faux fireworks explode on the ceiling overhead.

A banner welcomes guests of the Gran Fiesta Tour.

Before long, we see that Donald has made it to the concert with his fellow Caballeros.

They are performing on stage.

As you reach the end of the Gran Fiesta Tour, a mural map displays some of Mexico’s major destinations.

On the far end of the mural, The Three Caballeros say, “Adios.”

Regarding the best times to ride this attraction, we usually find fewer crowds in the late afternoon to evening hours. As mentioned above, if the line looks long, it still usually moves swiftly. However, if you stand in line for several minutes and the line doesn’t move, the ride could be experiencing technical difficulties. If that appears to be the case, you might try to return later. Of course, sometimes, the attraction will pause to load and unload guests with mobility issues.

The Resorts Gal Spin on Gran Fiesta Tour

Gran Fiesta Tour is a simple ride with a vintage feel. We love it, but don’t think that it’s a dealbreaker if you miss it. However, if it’s a hot day and you need to cool off, it’s always nighttime inside the Mexico Pavilion! Take a break and ride this charming boat cruise while you’re there. I doubt you’ll feel like you’re wasting time.

For more attractions, we have an entire list of the rides at Epcot . Or you might enjoy these individual articles:

Other Epcot Rides

Soarin’ Around the World at Epcot (A Resorts Gal Ride Guide)

Living with the Land at Epcot (A Resorts Gal Guide)

The Seas with Nemo and Friends at Epcot (A Resorts Gal Ride Guide)

Journey Into Imagination With Figment (A Resorts Gal Ride Review)

Additionally, we specialize in providing information about the resorts and hotels at Walt Disney World . If you are planning a trip, you might enjoy browsing our list of Disney Hotel Reviews . Here are a few of our favorites:

Nearby Epcot Resorts

Disney’s Beach Club Resort Review (The 2 Reasons This Resort is Our Favorite)

Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Review (We Love This Hotel for So Many Reasons-Except These!)

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort Review (Why We Love This Nautical-Themed Hotel)

Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Resort Review

Walt Disney World Swan Reserve Review (Why We Adore This Upscale Hotel)

In the Comments

Do you plan to ride the Gran Fiesta Tour on your next vacation? Did you find this ride review helpful? Do you have any other questions? We’d be happy to answer them based on our experience.

Hi, I'm Amber the owner of Resorts Gal . We have stayed at every single Disney Resort Hotel. Our philosophy? We believe you can have an incredible time at the resorts without ever setting foot in a theme park. We live near the parks and visit weekly and would love for you to follow along.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Untold Secrets of the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros at Epcot

Are you ready to take an EPIC journey on the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros at Epcot?

In the Mexico Pavilion, hailed as the place where one should start when conquering World Showcase, is one of the best rides at Epcot.

It’s considered to be a family dark ride, but it is also a nice way for you to relax and see the sights!

Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros pays homage to a classic Disney film while showcasing the beauty and culture of Mexico.

Some may say it could use an update. Some say that it should be replaced with a Disney Pixar “Coco” themed attraction.

But for now, there are no plans for such changes or refurbishments. To all my amigos, viajeros solitarios, let’s dive into this classic Disney attraction!

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY  DISCLOSURE  FOR MORE INFO.  Which means if you click on certain links, I may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.

History of the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros

You may be surprised to learn, just as I did when I was researching the history of Gran Fiesta Tour, that it was not the original attraction Disney first had in mind for Mexico Pavilion.

Originally, when the Mexico Pavilion was in the works and not yet built, Disney Imagineers had an attraction called “Las Tres Culturas de Mexico” which was to be an indoor/outdoor ride.

The attraction would take guests through three periods of Mexico’s history.

This attraction would have had a similar structure to the now defunct “If You Had Wings” attraction which was in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom until 1989.

The attraction would have had projections in the rear in physical sets.

You would start your journey in pre- Colombian Mexico, followed by a journey through the colonial period and ending in modern Mexico.

The story was inspired by a Mayan myth in which the gods take the gift of music from the sun and give it to the earth.

This attraction was a good chunk along in its development but it got pushed back to Epcot’s phase 2.

ORDER NOW to secure your Walt Disney World theme park ticket!  GET MY TICKETS.

Enter El Rio Del Tiempo

Eventually it would be changed to “El Rio Del Tiempo” after Germany’s Rhine River Cruise attraction and Japan’s Meet the World show was shelved, leaving not many attractions for guests in World Showcase.

Due to this, El Rio was made an opening day attraction, with it being made a completely indoor attraction and having it be shortened by 40%.

The pavilion and attraction were built fairly quickly and debuted on Epcot’s opening day on October 1, 1982.

In the 1990s, attendance dropped and rumors spread that the ride would be changed.

During the 2007 refurbishment, the decision was made to give the attraction a brand-new storyline and thus Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros was born!

WATCH NEXT: Top 10 BEST Things to Do at EPCOT Food and Wine Festival!

Story Behind the Attraction

Gran Fiesta Tour actually maintains most of the sets, with the most major change being the finale scene where the carousel from “El Rio De Tiempo” was removed and replaced with a stage and a mural was added.

New animation featuring the Three Caballeros, Donald Duck, Jose and Panchito were done by Eric Goldberg to have the feel of Ward Kimball and Fred Moore’s animation style from the film. Screen were added to include this brand-new animation.

A new soundtrack was included which featured a new theme “Paso Doble” and the original “The Three Caballeros” song. New film was shot for the live action Mexico scenes.

Ready to plan your theme park trip? Watch the best vacation planning tips on YouTube. Get started here!

What to Expect on This Disney Dark Ride

The story places guests in longboats and prior to this, you will see posters indicating that the three Caballeros will be putting on a concert!

As you pass by a Mayan pyramid and Volcano , you will enter another room where Jose and Panchito introduce themselves, but quickly discover the third member, Donald Duck, is missing.

Donald has run off on his own adventure and you will join Jose and Panchito through their journey as they go through Mexico to find him.

While Jose and Panchito travel on their Magic carpet. You will travel on boat as we explore different parts of Mexico.

After touring various scenes including “It’s a small world” esque animatronics.

In the finale, you will finally join the Three Cabarellos in Mexico City as they perform their concert with fireworks in the background.

The Three Cabarellos animatronics in the finale was placed in the attraction in 2015 and came from the now defunct Mickey Revue attraction from Tokyo Disneyland.

3 Pro Tips for the Best Ride Experience on the Gran Fiesta Tour Boat Ride at Epcot

We have completed our tour and now we can go over some helpful tips!

• The best time to ride this attraction is during lunchtime, 1 to 3 p.m., or closer towards park close. This allows you to not be in the heat too long or avoid it altogether.
• If you book a dining reservation at San Angel Inn Restaurant, try to ask for seating near the water so you can be near the volcano and have a lovely view of the guests going by on the attraction.
• If you can’t ride during the times I suggested above, bring an umbrella with you. This will help if it rains in line and to protect you from the sun. The queue to get into Mexico Pavilion is currently social distanced and can wrap outside to enter. The wait tends to be no more than 15 minutes however.

Ready to start planning your next Disney World vacation? Listen to the  latest podcast episode on Apple  or on your  non-Apple  device now!

My Final Takeaway on the Gran Fiesta Tour Boat Ride at Epcot

Although Gran Fiesta Tour may seem like another way for Disney to squeeze in an Intellectual Property, its history is fascinating regarding what it could have been, what it once was and what it is today.

It does showcase a small taste of the Mexican culture in a delightfully engaging way for solo travelers and families alike. It’s also a wonderful way to just take a break and relax from a long day at Epcot.

Whether a new change is on the horizon or if we shall have the trio for a few more years to come, we can all agree that we appreciate this relaxing, fun dark boat ride that has bits and pieces of Disney’s past in it.

Until next time, Happy Park Hopping Hipsters!

About the Author

Victoria is a professional solo traveler here to make your solo trips as stress free AND enjoyable as possible for you.

She has over 5 years of Disney and Non-Disney travel experience and was featured by POPSUGAR as one of the Top 50 Black Disney Creators you should follow.

She is a Proud Native to Baltimore, Md but always will call Disney World home. You can find her at Disney Tea with V.

UP NEXT: Magic of Possibility: 9 BEST Epcot Rides and Attractions You MUST Experience

(Original Article Date: September 6, 2021/Updated by Editor on December 19, 2023)

Share this article!

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure Epcot Photo Guide with Secrets, Food and more!

Epcot italy pavilion: hidden secrets and history revealed (world showcase), leave a comment cancel reply.