El Rio Del Tiempo

[Caribbean Lady]

Is anyone else extremely angry that they changed this ride? I just saw Gran Fiesta Tour for the first (and definitely my only) time. It was disgusting! Sure, It's great for little kids, but the countries are supposed to educate people about the culture and history of each country. The new ride does nothing of the sorts. In addition to stupid video clips, which you can't even see because the boat moves so fast, the clips aren't even explained!

I'm also angry because they took out my faaaaavorite part of that ride - the salesman who goes from screen to screen trying to sell you things.

I was so disappointed when I saw this "great new update" (<-- voice filled with sarcasm) and I almost cried. Does anyone else share my opinion?

[mickeymatt]

I don't know. I have not ridden it yet. I do agree with Disney that it needed updating but you are right it should be educational.

[mritty]

If you think that the "salesmen going screen to screen" was educating you about Mexico and its people, I'm pretty happy they got rid of it. . .

[tjcjr]

Suffice to say you are not alone. The public outcry from Disney purists when this ride was converted could be heard clear across the country. The bottom line is that Disney needed a way to attract more kids over to the World Showcase and the Kidcot Funstops, a character meet and greet here and there or a magic act at Japan just weren't entertaining enough reasons to make excitable younger guests want to tag along and puruse the shops for a few hours with their parents. This strategy seems to have worked too for unlike the original ride, this new one always seems to have a line as does the Donald, Jose and Panchito photo op area.

[Sorria]

I like the original better, but I don't find the new Gran Fiesta Tour unbearable, but the first one was definitely superior in my opinion.

As a side note, as I've been to Mexico myslef, the salesperson following you trying to get you to buy something was probably the most accurate part of the ride in depicting how the country is.

[smith913]

I was surprised how much my kids loved Epcot. I fully expected to spend most of our time at Magic Kingdom, but they were in love with all aspects of this park! It will be interesting to see this ride in Oct. I think we were on it so many times, we had it memorized!

[Caribbean Lady]

I don't think that the salesperson following you was educational necessarily - but it depicts the culture and what Mexico is really like. I doubt that there are cartoons flying around the country.

I agree that it needs to be updated, and possibly changed/updated to attract children - but really, this ride just doesn't fit.

[DisneyLove28]

I liked it in the sense that it was a much needed update, but I'm not sure that putting in cartoons was the best idea. And I was really upset when they took out hidden mickey made out of pots that used to be in front of the screens! I loved all that little stuff they had there and now it's just balloons.

[Jiminy Cricket]

I wish they would have only put the Three Caballeros at the end in the fiesta scene. Little kids love their antics in the other scenes, but it takes away the mystery and the majesty of the old ride. They need to do something with the tunnel entrance like a narration and music and some fog to create a more somber mood like before.

[Jiminy Cricket]

I wonder how many kids or adults remember the Three Caballeros? The original cartoon was made in 1944, but ran for years, but I had not seen it for a long time.

[DisneyLove28]

Honestly, I'm not sure if I've ever actually seen it! If I did I don't really remember!

[Sharpays Mom]

I definitely prefer the old ride and my kid liked it even when she was small. But, if they need to now use cartoons to attract the kids, they should position them so they don't block the pictures of the country. Now, you can't see much at all because the cartoon characters take up the whole frame.

[FigmentMushu]

I rode El Rio Del Tiempo a few times, usually with new guests. I wasn't much of a fan. It felt like It's A Small Latin World.

Adding the Three Caballeros is an inspired choice and makes the attraction a lot more fun. I don't think it takes too much away from the culture being displayed, because the original attraction was only skimming the surface to begin with.

I prefer when Disney uses an attraction to breathe life back into some classic characters as opposed to using whoever is new to try and bring freshness to an attraction.

[Tmntrans]

Well, I rode it 2 weeks ago with a boat full of college kids who were of some sort of Mexican decent and there was another boatload behind it that with students they knew. They spoke in Spanish and I understand a little and what I can gather from it that they loved it. They yelled Viva la Mexico at LEAST 20 to 30 times. They were proud of their heritage as well as what they saw. These kids were from here born and raised here. Personally I liked it but its different from before and meant to be so. I think Disney did a wonderful job on it. Its all about tourism anyway.

[InStitches]

I was surprised how much my kids loved Epcot. I fully expected to spend most of our time at Magic Kingdom, but they were in love with all aspects of this park! It will be interesting to see this ride in Oct. I think we were on it so many times, we had it memorized!

My kids loved this version better than the old one.