Disney’s maintenance teams pulled off a little overnight magic at EPCOT. Guests riding Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros on May 28 noticed that the beloved Audio-Animatronics finale featuring Donald Duck, José Carioca, and Panchito Pistoles suddenly looked noticeably refreshed, with no ride closure, no construction walls, and no official announcement.
What Changed On The Three Caballeros Figures
The most obvious upgrades are the characters’ eyes and beaks, which now sport a brighter, glossier finish than riders remember. The figures’ movements appear identical to before, which suggests a careful surface refresh rather than a wholesale replacement of the animatronics. Even cast members at the attraction said they had not been told about any maintenance work, though they agreed the trio looked shinier than usual. KennythePirate has photos of the refreshed figures.
The best part is how it happened: the work appears to have been completed entirely overnight, with zero downtime for guests. That is the kind of behind-the-scenes Disney magic longtime fans love to see, where attractions simply wake up better than they were the day before.
A Good Sign For The Gran Fiesta Tour’s Future
The timing is interesting for fans who follow the rumor mill. The Mexico pavilion boat ride has been the subject of Coco retheme speculation for years, but Disney keeps investing in the attraction as it exists. The ride received a substantial refurbishment in early 2025 that brought digital screens, restored props, and its first all-new sound system since the attraction’s 1982 origins, and new Three Caballeros merchandise, including a spirit jersey, hit shelves just last month.
A quiet cosmetic polish is not a headline expansion, but it is evidence that Gran Fiesta Tour is being treated as a ride with a future. For fans of Donald and his feathered amigos, that is welcome news.
It has been a busy season of small but meaningful EPCOT refreshes. The France Pavilion’s theater just received brand-new seating of its own, proving the little things get love too.
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