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/* Attraction History */
Although Las Tres Culturas de Mexico was fully designed in time for EPCOT Center’s opening day, Disney initially wanted to push the attraction’s construction back until December 1, 1982. According to these plans, the attraction’s lagoon and load area were to be built first, with space left open for the boat ride itself to be constructed at the later date. When other World Showcase attractions were put on hold (including the planned Japan attraction and Germany's Rhine River cruise) however, Disney realized that they did not have enough attractions for the parks expected capacity. Eventually, Disney decided that they would need to construct the Mexico attraction, which was now called El Rio Del Tiempo, in order to help meet capacity. With both time and money running out, various cuts were made to the original designs for El Rio Del Tiempo. The whole attraction was moved indoors, and it was decided that the ride’s track would need to be shortened by 40%.
Following a very quick construction, El Rio Del Tiempo opened with the rest of EPCOT Center on October 1, 1982. 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 scenesand 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>.
On December 4, 2015 Animatronics of the Three Caballeros were added to The Gran Fiesta Tour's finale <ref name= "D23"> https://d23.com/after-35-years-historic-three-caballeros-figures-return-to-walt-disney-world-resort/ </ref>. The figures had previously appeared in the former [[Magic Kingdom]] attraction the [[Mickey Mouse Revue]]. The figures had been absent from Walt Disney World for 35 years <ref name= "D23"/>.
