At a Glance
Duration: 8 minutes, 7 seconds
Look Out For: a few animatronics and It’s a Small World-style dolls, including four singing Día de los Muertos skeletons
Opening on April 6th, 2007, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros takes you on a playful search for Donald through the wonders of Mexico. But how scary is Gran Fiesta Tour? Let’s take a look at the stats:
1. Ride Length
Gran Fiesta Tour has a ride duration of 8 minutes and 7 seconds. However, you may spend a few extra seconds on this attraction due to slight delays or during loading and unloading.
2. Height Requirement and Warnings
Gran Fiesta Tour has no height requirement or official warnings from Disney. Overall, it’s a great ride for the whole family and could be suitable for even the most sensitive riders.
3. Ride Vehicles and Restraints
The Gran Fiesta Tour ride vehicles consist of individual boats seating approximately 15 guests in 5 rows. There are no ride restraints and each row can seat between 3 and 4 passengers.
4. How Does Gran Fiesta Tour Work?
Gran Fiesta Tour works like any other water-based track ride, slowly moving the ride vehicles along a submerged, predetermined track. This attraction is very similar to It’s a Small World – taking you on a meandering journey through the show scenes with no drops, accelerations, or hidden elements of any kind.
5. Is Gran Fiesta Tour Scary?
Gran Fiesta Tour is not intentionally scary whatsoever. While the dark “nighttime” scene and Aztec temple theming of the queue might look intimidating to some, the entire ride is fun, playful, and not spooky in any way.
The only thing worth noting, in my opinion, are the three animatronics of the caballeros at the end of the ride (all friendly and not humanoid) as well as the one scene featuring some dolls and Día de los Muertos-inspired skeletons. This scene looks like it’s right out of It’s a Small World – and the dolls are sweet and cartoonish, though still animatronics.
The skeletons are admittedly a bit more “spooky,” though they just play mariachi music from atop a tall arch as you pass under them. They are very reminiscent of the characters in Coco, so if you or your child have no problems with them, these skeletons should be just fine.
6. How High is Gran Fiesta Tour?
Gran Fiesta Tour does not involve heights. As an indoor water-based track ride, you and your ride vehicle will remain on the ground at all times.
7. How Fast is Gran Fiesta Tour?
Gran Fiesta Tour does not go fast. Much like Na’vi River Journey or Living With the Land, this attraction moves at a very slow, leisurely pace for the entirety of the ride.
8. Does Gran Fiesta Tour Have Drops?
Gran Fiesta Tour does not have drops. In fact, this gentle ride has no thrill elements whatsoever.
9. Does Gran Fiesta Tour Cause Motion Sickness?
Gran Fiesta Tour should not cause motion sickness for most riders. While this attraction does use involve some screens, it lacks any spinning or 4D effects that could cause nausea. If you had no problem on similar rides like Living With the Land or Na’vi River Journey, this attraction should be just fine.
10. Is Gran Fiesta Tour Claustrophobic?
Gran Fiesta Tour could feel claustrophobic to some riders. While the simulated “outdoor” setting and gentle track certainly take the edge off, this attraction still has a relatively long ride duration and slow pace – making it an iffy choice for claustrophobic riders. However, if you had no problems on other long, slow rides like Spaceship Earth or Living With the Land, this one should not be a problem.
11. Are There Animatronics on Gran Fiesta Tour?
There are several animatronics on Gran Fiesta Tour. As previously mentioned in the Is it Scary section, you will encounter three animatronics of the caballeros at the end of the ride, as well as quite a few It’s a Small World-style dolls on this attraction. They are all cute and cartoonish, however, and most of the action takes place on screens.
It is worth noting, however, that the Día de los Muertos skeletons in the Small World-inspired scene could be a bit unsettling to some. While they simply play mariachi music from atop an arch above you, they still might be a problem for anyone particularly averse to skeletons.
Gran Fiesta Tour Queue Walkthrough
The queue entrance is located inside of the Mexico pavilion in Epcot. Much like Living With the Land, the line simply winds around a few times directly in front of the loading station – making for an easy exit if you decide not to ride. The entire area is exquisitely themed to a “nighttime” scene in Mexico, featuring a gorgeous Aztec-inspired pyramid and lush jungle scenery. It’s worth noting that the queue shares the space with many shops and an often-bustling restaurant – making it feel a bit cramped and noisy at times.
Gran Fiesta Tour Ride Walkthrough
Once boarding the ride vehicles, you’ll set off into the river, drifting slowly in front of the Aztec pyramid before entering the temple. This initial segment of the ride can seem like you’re heading into a somewhat spooky adventure, but rest assured – the entire ride is fun and lighthearted.
You’ll come across Jose and Panchito (on screen) as they realize that their third caballero, Donald, is missing. They set off on their flying carpet in search of him as Donald excitedly sees the sights of Mexico, snapping pictures and exploring the cities.
After exiting the temple section, you’ll find yourself in a scene right out of It’s a Small World. Among the many dancing dolls, you’ll also encounter four Día de los Muertos skeletons playing mariachi music atop an arch as you drift underneath them.
On the other side of this scene, you’ll find Donald waterskiing and cliff diving (again, on screen) as the caballeros continue to search for him. As the “sun sets” you’ll enter a beautiful nighttime scene lit by fireworks as an on-screen mariachi band plays. Finally, the three caballeros are reunited and they sing you out (in animatronic form) as you head back into the loading station.
That’s it! Remember, everyone’s riding experience is a little bit different and only you can decide whether to hop on that ride vehicle or not. I just hope this guide helps you be prepared and enjoy every second of your Disney experience!
So what do you think? How scary is Gran Fiesta Tour? Leave a comment to help keep this guide up to date!
For a full visual of the ride and queue, be sure to check out this video from 4K WDW:
