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The Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros is an attraction located in the [[Mexico]] pavilion at [[Epcot]].

==Attraction History==

The attraction that would one day be known as the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros, began as an idea for the unbuilt Mexico pavilion. Initially, Disney plans called for the pavilion to feature an attraction titled "Las Tres Culturas de Mexico"<ref> http://www.lostepcot.com/worldshowcase.html </ref>. This indoor/outdoor boat ride was to take gusts on a tour of three distinct periods of Mexico's history. Beginning with pre-colombian Mexico, the attraction would then travel through the country's colonial period, before arriving in modern Mexico. The ride’s storyline came from a Mayan myth which told about the gods taking the gift of music from the jealous sun, and giving it to the songless Earth <ref name="Martin"> http://www.martinsvids.net/?p=963 </ref>. The myth concludes with the idea that "Life was all music from that time on”. The attraction's structure was influenced by two Magic Kingdom attractions. Like If You had Wings, the attraction would feature rear projected film screens in physical sets. The attraction's "colonial scene" would feature singing dolls and a repetitive song in the same vein as [[it's a small world]]<ref name="Martin"/>.

Following a very quick construction, El Rio Del Tiempo opened with the rest of EPCOT Center on October 1, 1982 <Ref>https://d23.com/a-to-z/el-r%C3%ADo-del-tiempo/</ref>. Although the attraction had been quite popular at the time of its opening, attendance began to drop during the 1990s. During this time, rumors were prevalent that the attraction would be replaced by a new Donald Duck attraction; however when El Rio Del Tiempo closed for refurbishment in 1999 no such change took place <ref> http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/el-rio-del-tiempo/news/27jul1999-el-rio-del-tiempo-refurbishment-update.htm </ref>. Instead, at this time, the attraction was cleaned up and given new paint, just in time for Epcot’s Millennium Celebration.

On January 2, 2007, El Rio Del Tiempo was closed for a major refurbishment <ref> http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/el-rio-del-tiempo.htm </ref>. When the ride reopened on April 6, it featured a brand new storyline and was renamed the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros <ref> https://www.mouseplanet.com/10926/Remembering_the_Magic_El_Rio_del_Tiempo__Gran_Fiesta_Tour_Starring_The_Three_Caballeros </ref>. True to its name, the Disney characters José Carioca, Panchito Pistoles, and Donald Duck, from the 1944 Disney movie The Three Caballeros were added to the attraction and the plot was changed so that Jose and Panchito now searched throughout Mexico for Donald. In order to tell the new story, HD screens were added to many of the attraction’s scenes and a new soundtrack was given to the ride <ref> https://www.mouseplanet.com/10926/Remembering_the_Magic_El_Rio_del_Tiempo__Gran_Fiesta_Tour_Starring_The_Three_Caballeros </ref>. Furthermore, at this time the San Angel Inn was expanded into an area that was previously part of El Rio Del Tiempo <Ref name= "epcotbook">The Epcot Explorer's Encyclopedia: A Guide to Walt Disney World's Greatest Theme Park </ref>.