Rumored EPCOT Retheme May Take Over Disney Expansion Plans

Perhaps one of the most popular and most heart-wrenching Disney Pixar releases of the last few years is 2017’s Coco. Featuring the Mexican holiday of Día de los Muertos, Coco tells the story of Miguel, a young boy who loves to sing and play guitar like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz, despite music being “outlawed” in his family.

When Miguel accidentally ends up in the Land of the Dead, he finds his ancestors, tries to change their minds about music, and learns the truth about de la Cruz. He also finds his grandfather, Héctor, the true musician behind the famous songs, and reconnects his family.

One of the pressing matters of the film is the fact that Héctor is being forgotten by his family, which is a permanent death sentence in the Land of the Dead. The last living relative who remembers him is his daughter, Coco, who is also Miguel’s aging great-grandmother with Alzheimer’s.

Towards the end of the movie, Miguel sings “Remember Me” to Coco in an effort to help her remember her father and save Héctor from a tragic end. It’s nearly impossible to watch Coco without crying at least once, whether due to the heartbreaking portrayal of Alzheimer’s, the idea of being forgotten after death, or just the thought of a family torn apart across generations.

Because of the film’s tragic underlying story, it’s highly possible that the film will never get a direct film-based attraction in one of the Disney parks despite speculation that it may one day replace the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros at EPCOT’s Mexico Pavilion.

Coco already has some presence in the area, with a long-term Día de los Muertos display in the entrance of the pyramid. However, the tone of Gran Fiesta Tour and Coco’s messaging is a stark contrast.

Gran Fiesta Tour is a fun boat ride through different aspects of Mexican culture. Inspired by the 1944 film The Three Caballeros, guests can see Donald Duck, José Carioca, and Panchito in a variety of shenanigans that culminate in a performance of “The Three Caballeros” at the end.

In comparison, retheming the ride to feature scenes from Coco would be a drastically darker ride emotionally and tonally, despite the film’s colorful setting and imagery.

It’s possible that Disney could do something similar to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and create a storyline that takes place after the events of the movie but features the same characters and colorful setting of the Land of the Dead while celebrating the beautiful tradition of Día de los Muertos.

Given Disney leadership’s insistence on infusing more IPs into the parks along with its $60 billion investment plans, however, it wouldn’t be out of the question for Disney to eventually consider retheming the Three Caballeros to something more recent and relevant.

Disney World’s Beyond Big Thunder Mountain expansion project has created a ton of speculation on what could eventually be brought to the park, with possibilities ranging from a Villains Land to something themed after Encanto (2021) or even Coco. 

Although there hasn’t been any official update or confirmation on what Disney is actually planning for the area (or if they even are still planning something), they would have to be very creative with how they work around the main themes of Coco, although it isn’t impossible.

For now though, it seems as though the Three Caballeros aren’t going anywhere, but fans will have to wait a little longer to see if Walt Disney World decides to dedicate any more space to the beloved Pixar film.

Do you think Disney needs more Coco in its parks? Should it take over the Mexican Pavilion at EPCOT? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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