Difference between revisions of "Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros"

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(El Rio Del Tiempo)
(El Rio Del Tiempo)
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After passing through ancient times, guests arrived a scene titled Festival of the Children, which represented Mexico’s period of colonization. In the this scene, Audio Animatronic dolls danced and celebrated, as the narrator told guests that Mexico’s ancient culture still thrived. During the Festival, the dolls sang [[Vistas De Mexico]], a song written by X Atencio and Armando Corral. After exiting the colonization scene, guests entered modern times. Screens in this room featured:
 
After passing through ancient times, guests arrived a scene titled Festival of the Children, which represented Mexico’s period of colonization. In the this scene, Audio Animatronic dolls danced and celebrated, as the narrator told guests that Mexico’s ancient culture still thrived. During the Festival, the dolls sang [[Vistas De Mexico]], a song written by X Atencio and Armando Corral. After exiting the colonization scene, guests entered modern times. Screens in this room featured:
  
* A parasailing boat, by a lakeside resort
+
* A parasailing boat by a lakeside resort
  
 
* A mariachi band
 
* A mariachi band

Revision as of 21:11, 25 January 2016

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

Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
Mexicoupdate2.jpg
The entrance to the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros.
Epcot
Land World Showcase
Attraction type Boat Ride
Opening date April 6, 2007
Hosted by The Three Caballeros
Vehicle names Mexico Cruiser
Vehicle capacity 16
Ride duration 8:00 minutes
Formally Known As El Rio Del Tiempo (1982-2008)
FastPass + No

Attraction History

The attraction that would one day be known as The Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros, began as a planned attraction for the Mexico pavilion titled "Las Tres Culturas de Mexico" (The Three Cultures of Mexico) [1] . The ride was going to be an indoor/outdoor boat ride, which took guests through the history of Mexico, showcasing its diverse culture. Las Tres Culturas de Mexico took its ride structure from "it's a small world", and even used a similar, repetitive theme song. The attraction’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. The myth concludes with the idea that "Life was all music from that time on”.

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 [2]. 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 [3]. When the ride reopened on April 6, it featured a brand new storyline and was renamed The Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros [4]. 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 [5].

On December 4, 2015 Animatronics of the Three Caballeros were added to The Gran Fiesta Tour's finale [6]. 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 [6].

Plot

El Rio Del Tiempo

The mariachi skeletons in Festival of the Children scene in El Rio Del Tiempo

El Rio Del Tiempo began with guests boarding their boats and heading off towards a large Mayan pyramid. The boats then entered ancient ruins. Here, a statue of a Mayan High Priest would come to life and speak to the passing boats. The attraction’s narrator also told guests that long ago a great civilization had flourished in Mexico. All around the room, guests could see various natives performing different rituals. The first ritual that guests saw was an elaborate dance titled "Nature and Science". This dance spoke to the native's understanding of man's relationship with the universe. The second ritual performed was titled "Mathematics and Astronomy". This dance highlighted the advanced understanding that the people had about these subjects (including their understanding of absolute zero). Finally, the third ritual shown was titled "Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca. This dance spoke of the native's views on the never ending struggle between good and evil, as personified in a battle between the feathered serpent of light and the tiger god of darkness. Before exiting ancient Mexico, guests would see Aztec King Moctezuma II (who would lose his kingdom to Spain) predicting the subjugation of his people.

After passing through ancient times, guests arrived a scene titled Festival of the Children, which represented Mexico’s period of colonization. In the this scene, Audio Animatronic dolls danced and celebrated, as the narrator told guests that Mexico’s ancient culture still thrived. During the Festival, the dolls sang Vistas De Mexico, a song written by X Atencio and Armando Corral. After exiting the colonization scene, guests entered modern times. Screens in this room featured:

  • A parasailing boat by a lakeside resort
  • A mariachi band
  • Cliff divers
  • A white sand beach
  • A scuba diver

Following these sights, guests entered a city where two rival merchants attempted to sell their goods. The merchants would follow guests along the river, until the boats reached the attractions finale. The end of El Rio Del Tiempo featured a large fiesta inside the city. On their left, guests could see marionettes riding a carousel, as fireworks went off in the night sky. The dolls in this room sang Fiestas De Mexico which carried on until guests reached the unloading area. Before disembarking the narrator would tell guests.

“Goodbye. We will meet again, until then, may you always be delighted with the beauty of Mexico"

The Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros

The Three Caballeros reunited at the end of the Gran Fiesta Tour. Photo: D23

The Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros also begins with guests boarding longboats and sailing of towards a Mayan pyramid. As guests progress past the pyramid, they come across a screen which shows Panchito Pistoles and José Carioca -two members of the famous Three Caballeros. Guests learn that the trio is supposed to perform a concert in Mexico City, but unfortunately, Donald Duck (the third member of the group) is nowhere to be found. In order to reunite the trio in time for the concert, Jose and Panchito board their magic carpet Pepe and set off to find Donald. As Panchito and Jose fly high above Mexico, Donald Duck is shown below wearing souvenirs and taking photos. As guests enter the next scene, they see that Panchito and Jose are still searching for Donald. Other screens in the room show points of interest in Mexico, including a Mayan pyramid and a gondola.

At this point in the attraction, guests enter the Mexico’s Colonization scene. Similar to it’s a small world the scene features various dolls dancing and singing. The colonization is essentially the same as it was when the ride was known as El Rio Del Tiempo, with the only change to the scene being the addition of a Donald Duck piñata.

Continuing on, guests enter the next room where they see Donald chasing after a parasailing boat, which is driving away with his swimsuit. Overhead, Jose and Panchito leave a smoke message for Donald, which reads, “donde esta Donald?” (where is Donald). Moving forward, guests see that Jose and Panchito are now looking for Donald in a Mexican restaurant. When they ask a waiter if he has seen a duck, the man humorously shows them a roasted duck, causing them to flee. Meanwhile, across the room, Donald is shown attempting to rock dive, with predictably disastrous results.

As dusk sets on Mexico, Panchito and Jose continue to search for Donald in the air. Unknown to them however, Donald is actually scuba diving below. Exasperated, Jose proclaims that the show is about to start. As guests enter the next room, they see a mariachi band playing as women dance. Jose and Panchito are finally able to find Donald, and although they need to pull him away from the women, the trio is eventually able to make it to their concert. The attraction’s finale then takes place in Mexico City, as fireworks shoot overhead and Jose, Panchito, and Donald perform their signature song, “The Three Caballeros”. After witnessing the concert, guests return to the loading dock.

Cast

Donald Duck-Tony Anselmo

José Carioca-Rob Paulsen

Panchito Pistoles-Carlos Alazraqui

See the Attraction!

To see The Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros or El Rio Del Tiempo, click play below.

El Rio Del Tiempo

The Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros

Fun Facts and Trivia

  • Animator Eric Goldberg was responsible for animating The Three Caballeros for the Gran Fiesta Tour [7] [8].
  • X Atencio and Armando Corral wrote the music for El Rio Del Tiempo, some of which is reused in The Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros [9].
  • In the scene where all of the Audio Animatronic dolls are singing, guests can catch a glimpse of a Donald Duck piñata [10].

References

  1. http://www.lostepcot.com/worldshowcase.html
  2. http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/el-rio-del-tiempo/news/27jul1999-el-rio-del-tiempo-refurbishment-update.htm
  3. http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/el-rio-del-tiempo.htm
  4. https://www.mouseplanet.com/10926/Remembering_the_Magic_El_Rio_del_Tiempo__Gran_Fiesta_Tour_Starring_The_Three_Caballeros
  5. https://www.mouseplanet.com/10926/Remembering_the_Magic_El_Rio_del_Tiempo__Gran_Fiesta_Tour_Starring_The_Three_Caballeros
  6. 6.0 6.1 https://d23.com/after-35-years-historic-three-caballeros-figures-return-to-walt-disney-world-resort/
  7. http://www.chuckjones.com/artists/eric-goldberg/
  8. http://www.mainstgazette.com/2012/03/el-rio-del-tiempo.html
  9. http://www.disboards.com/threads/el-rio-del-tiempo-song-got-the-lyrics.637690/
  10. https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3445/3268057872_c50253fff1.jpg