There are three cabelleros – but Donald is missing! Now Panchito and José have to go looking for their amigo before their big concert tonight.
Follow along on a boat ride of the Rio Grande with these birds of a feather as you enjoy a tour of some of the most famous sights of Mexico through video scenes, colorful animatronics, and great music.
Keep reading for our complete guide to Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros.
Gran Fiesta Tour Quick Facts
Location
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros is located inside the pyramid in the Mexico Pavilion at World Showcase in Epcot, next to the Norway Pavilion.
Here it is on a map:
How to Ride Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros only has a Standby Line. There is no Single Rider Line or Lightning Lane.
Do I need to use Genie+ at Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros?
Genie+ is not available at Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros.
Even though there isn’t a Lightning Lane available, rarely does a long wait build for Gran Fiesta Tour. Usually, lines also move pretty fast here.
Be sure to check out our touring strategies for Epcot for more Genie+ advice.
Rider Switch/Child Swap
As there is no height requirement for Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros, this attraction does not offer Rider Switch.
Rider Switch is Disney’s system that allows guests with small children to take turns riding bigger rides, while another person/people wait with the little one.
You can learn more about Rider Switch via our handy guide.
What to Expect when you Ride
Queue
When in the queue for Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros you’ll wind back and forth through adobe walls and beneath colorful cutout banners before being directed to your boat.
Ride Vehicles
The boats for Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros look similar to those found at “it’s a small world” and feature 5 hard-backed rows that can seat 3 to 5 people per row.
Motion Sickness
As Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros is a gentle boat ride, the chance of motion sickness is unlikely. If you want to know about rides that can cause motion sickness, read our guide.
Accessibility Information
Those in ECVs must transfer to a wheelchair to ride Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros. You can ride the boat in a wheelchair or you can transfer to a boat seat.
Handheld captioning is available for guests.
On the Ride
If you prefer to experience Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros without spoilers, you may want to skip this section.
As you board your boat, you’ll see posters advertising that the Three Caballeros are performing a concert tonight.
Float around the large Mayan pyramid, the San Angel Inn Restaurante, and a volcano before entering a tunnel where Panchito Pistoles and José Carioca of The Three Caballeros introduce themselves.
Even though there are three caballeros – one is missing! Donald Duck has disappeared, and now Panchito and José have to find him before the concert tonight.
Follow along with Donald as he tours Mexico, while José and Panchito chase after him on a magic serape. See beautiful scenes of this southern nation like the Mayan pyramids, cliff diving along the coast, the white sand beaches, even the majesty of Mexico City.
Then enter a colorful world of dancing animatronics, including a band of skeletons playing Mariachi music.
From here, you’ll float into Mexico City, where fireworks explode overhead and the Three Caballeros, finally reunited, are performing just for you!
Is Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros Kid-Friendly?
This gentle boat ride that takes you on a search through Mexico for a missing Donald Duck is appropriate for guests of all ages.
Strollers
Strollers are not allowed in most queues at Walt Disney World, including Gran Fiesta Tour.
Instead, you’ll need to leave your stroller in the designated stroller parking area located outside the pyramid next to Choza de Margarita in the Mexico Pavilion.
History
El Rio Del Tiempo (The River of Time) was one of Epcot’s opening day attractions, debuting on October 1, 1982.
The original ride took guests on a tour of the different regions of Mexico, as well as documented its rich culture and history.
This boat ride closed in 2007 and reopened the same year as The Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros.
It was the first World Showcase attraction to feature Disney characters based on an existing property, with Norway following in 2014 with Frozen Ever After.
On December 4, 2015, animatronics of the Three Caballeros from the Mickey Mouse Revue (an indoor audio-animatronic stage show at Magic Kingdom that closed in 1980) were placed into the attraction’s finale.
Other Fun Details
- Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros is inspired by the 1944 Disney film The Three Caballeros.
- Panchito, the leader of the trio, is the only Mexican character of the three. Donald is a U.S. citizen while José is Brazilian.
- The attraction’s flume system and boats were manufactured by Arrow Dynamics, who also worked on “it’s a small world” and Pirates of the Caribbean.
- Animator Eric Goldberg, best known for his work on the Genie in Aladdin, directed the animation for the ride.