Gran Fiesta Tour Review and Planning Info
Gran Fiesta Tour opened on: April 2, 2007.
Pull up a list of all Epcot attraction planning reviews here.
Location: You’ll find the ride in the Mexico Pavilion. It’s inside the pyramid in the back left.
Basically, you head into the pyramid and then continue walking back until you see the ride entrance on the left. It’s dark in there, but I have faith that you’ll find your way.
Extra Magic Hours: Evening.
Ride Length: 7 minutes.
Type: Boat ride.
Similar To: “it’s a small world”
Requirements: None.
Scary Factor: Low. There is a little bit of a “day of the dead” vibe in the middle, but it shouldn’t upset anyone.
What to Expect: The Gran Fiesta Tour is a pleasant, meandering boat ride down Disney’s version of the Rio Grande. The story follows José Carioca and Panchito as they try to hunt down Donald for a concert performance. Imagine a shorter version of “it’s a small world” with a few more screens. You can watch a video of the ride here.
Where to Sit: You could request the front row for the best view, but most of what you’ll see is off to the sides.
FastPass+: No.
Expect to Wait: Waits are typically under five minutes. On the busiest of days, which includes holidays and Saturdays during the Food and Wine Festival in the fall, waits may approach 15 minutes. It doesn’t usually get any worse than that.
When to Go: Gran Fiesta Tour opens with the Mexico Pavilion at 11am. The wait, if there is one, will be longest from 12pm to 5pm. If you’re visiting on a particularly busy day, ride right at 11am, or return after 7pm. Otherwise, whenever it’s convenient is fine.
Rating: 6/10
Josh’s Take: The barrier to entry on Gran Fiesta Tour is so low that it would be worth experiencing even if the ride bordered on the worst at Walt Disney World. Fortunately, it’s nowhere close. It’s probably also not particularly memorable for most people, and that’s not solely because it’s next to about seven margarita bars. Disney added Audio-Animatronic versions of the birds at the end of the ride a couple of years ago, which is a nice send-off.
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