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Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros is a boat ride attraction in Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. It opened on April 6, 2007, replacing El Rio del Tiempo, and is housed within the pyramid-shaped structure at the Mexico Pavilion. The attraction was announced on February 23, 2007 although construction began on the ride on January 2, 2007.

Plot[]

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.

Trivia[]

  • 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[]

Caballero animatronics

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[]

Gallery[]


v - e - d
Disney Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros Logos
Media
Saludos Amigos (video/soundtrack) • The Three Caballeros (video/soundtrack) • Walt Disney anthology seriesHouse of MouseMickey and the Roadster RacersSouth of the Border with DisneyWalt & El GrupoLegend of the Three Caballeros

Books: The Penguin That Hated the Cold

Disney Parks
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three CaballerosIt's a Small WorldMickey Mouse Revue

Entertainment: Let's Party Gras!Max LIVE: Gettin’ Goofy With It
Restaurants: Mickey & Pals Market Café
Parades: Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade: DreamLightsDisney Adventure Friends CavalcadeDisney's Party ExpressMickey's Soundsational Parade
Fireworks: HarmoniousMickey's Mix Magic!Wonderful World of AnimationWondrous Journeys
Spring: Fashionable Easter
Summer: Soryo Kobu
Halloween: Goofy's Skeletoons Street Party
Christmas: Mickey's Most Merriest CelebrationWorld of Color: Season of LightThe Viva Navidad Street Party

Characters
Saludos Amigos: Donald DuckLlamaPedroMama PlanePapa PlaneAconcaguaGoofyJosé Carioca
The Three Caballeros: Panchito PistolesPabloPenguinsAracuan BirdBurritoFlying GauchitoYayaToy Bull

Members of the Saludos Amigos Artist Tour: Walt DisneyFrank ThomasLee BlairMary BlairNorman Ferguson
Legend of the Three Caballeros: XandraDaisy DuckApril, May, and JuneBaron Von SheldgooseLord Felldrake SheldgooseLeopold the HorribleBaroness Von SheldgooseHumphrey the BearEugenia Ferdinand-FerdinandClinton CootPeteDonald's KettleLarry the MinotaurAstro MummiesMoon BotsJupiter, Venus, and MarsTermitesApolloMoai CommanderLava LizardsMoaiKing VomitGoblinsBaydoodiorSpike the BeeDapper DuckGeorge WashingtonAbraham LincolnThomas JeffersonTeddy RooseveltMonoHanzyClementinePriestessGods of Life and DeathKarasu TenguSheldgoose's AncestorsKing ArthurLancelot, Galahad, Kay, and BorsMerlinTyroneGaryYeti StaffMr. SpiritBlazebeak

Objects
Caballeros' AmuletsFelldrake's Staff Felldrake's RingSpark of LifeMagic MirrorsXandra's AtlasMystic BarrierWorld FruitXandra's Bow
Episodes
Legend of the Three Caballeros
"Dope-a Cabana" • "Labyrinth and Repeat" • "Pyramid-Life Crisis" • "World Tree Caballeros" • "No Man Is an Easter Island" • "Stonehenge Your Bets" • "Mount Rushmore (or Less)" • "Nazca Racing" • "Mexico à Go-Go" • "Mt. Fuji Whiz" • "Thanks a Camelot" • "Shangri-La-Di-Da" • "Sheldgoose Square Dance"
Songs
Saludos Amigos: Saludos AmigosLa Blanca PalomaEscravos de Jó Aquarela do BrasilTico-Tico no Fubá
The Three Caballeros: BaíaHave You Been to Baía?Pandeiro & FluteOs Quindins de YayáThe Three CaballerosLas PosadasMexicoJarabe PateñoLilongoYou Belong to My HeartLa ZandungaJesusita en Chihuahua
Legend of the Three Caballeros: Moai VacationGoblin JailDraw the LineShangri-La-Di-Da
Others: We Are The Three CaballerosMy Name is PanchitoPagode na Disney
Locations
South AmericaBrazilMexicoArgentinaChilePeruUruguay
Deleted Concepts
Pluto and the ArmadilloThe Laughing GauchitoCaxangaCuban CarnivalThe Hornero BirdBlame It on the SambaMiguelito Maracas


v - e - d
New epcot logo
World Celebration
Spaceship EarthImagination! (Journey into Imagination with FigmentImageWorks: The What-If Labs) • Dreamers Point
World Nature
The Land (Awesome Planet Soarin' Around the WorldLiving with the Land) • The Seas (The Seas with Nemo & FriendsSeaBaseTurtle Talk with CrushMr. Ray's Pop QuizBruce's Shark ChallengeFinding Dory's Friends) • Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana

Seasonal: Living with the Land: Merry and Bright Nights

World Discovery
Mission: SPACETest TrackWonders of Xandar (Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind) • PLAY! (Animation Academy (Opening in 2024))
World Showcase
Mexico Pavilion (Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros) • Norway Pavilion (Frozen Ever After) • China Pavilion (Reflections of ChinaWondrous China (Opening in 2024)) • Germany PavilionItaly PavilionThe American AdventureJapan PavilionMorocco PavilionFrance Pavilion (Impressions de FranceBeauty and the Beast Sing-AlongRemy's Ratatouille Adventure) • International GatewayUnited Kingdom Pavilion (Mary Poppins (Opening in 2024)) • Canada Pavilion (Canada: Far and Wide) • DuckTales World Showcase Adventure
Resorts
Disney's Yacht Club ResortDisney's Beach Club ResortDisney's BoardWalk ResortDisney's BoardWalk VillasDisney's Caribbean Beach ResortDisney's Riviera Resort
Current Entertainment
Luminous: The Symphony of Us
Former Attractions and Entertainment
Future World
Universe of EnergyJourney Into Imagination (Journey Into ImaginationUpstairs Image WorksMagic JourneysCaptain EO) • Imagination! (Honey, I Shrunk the AudienceCaptain EO TributeJourney Into Your Imagination) • Ellen's Energy AdventureHorizonsWorld of MotionWonders of Life (Body WarsCranium CommandGoofy About HealthThe Making of Me) • CommuniCoreThe Land (SymbiosisKitchen KabaretFood RocksCircle of Life: An Environmental Fable) • SplashtacularThe Living SeasInnoventions

World Celebration
Odyssey (The EPCOT Experience Center)
World Showcase
China Pavilion (Wonders of China) • Norway Pavilion (Maelstrom) • Mexico Pavilion (El Rio del Tiempo) • Canada Pavilion (O Canada!) • Epcot ForeverHarmoniousIllumiNationsIllumiNations 25IllumiNations: Reflections of EarthThe Soul of JazzAgent P's World Showcase AdventureKim Possible World Showcase Adventure
Seasonal: Millennium VillageTapestry of Nations

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