EPCOT’s World Showcase is undergoing more changes.
The international half of Walt Disney World’s EPCOT is built around 11 country pavilions, each combining dining, shopping, entertainment, architecture, and, in some cases, attractions. France has Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Norway has Frozen Ever After, and Mexico has one of the park’s most unique indoor environments.
Guests entering the Mexico Pavilion step inside a towering pyramid containing Plaza de los Amigos, a permanently nighttime marketplace filled with restaurants, shops, and Mexican artwork. Deeper inside, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros carries riders past scenes featuring Donald Duck, José Carioca, and Panchito.
That lineup recently became slightly smaller.
The Oaxacan Wood Carving shop permanently closed after August 31, ending its run inside Plaza de los Amigos. The stand sold colorful handmade wooden figures, with its remaining merchandise discounted by 50% as its final day approached.
Disney has not announced what will ultimately replace the shop. However, less than two weeks after its closure, the Mexico Pavilion is already undergoing another reshuffle.
Mexico Pavilion Starts Shifting Again
Two familiar EPCOT offerings have now changed locations inside and around the pyramid: Mariachi Cobre and the Mexico Pavilion’s Kidcot Fun Stop.
Mariachi Cobre has moved indoors, with the longtime EPCOT performers now playing inside the pyramid in an area previously occupied by Kidcot. Until recently, guests could typically find the mariachi group performing outside near La Cantina de San Angel.
It is a significant location change for one of EPCOT’s longest-running entertainment acts. Mariachi Cobre has performed at EPCOT since the theme park opened in 1982, bringing traditional Mexican folk music to World Showcase for more than four decades.
Performances typically last around 25 minutes. Guests can find current showtimes through the My Disney Experience app, as Disney’s entertainment schedules can vary by day.
Kidcot has not disappeared as a result of the move.
Its previous Mexico station was dismantled last week, temporarily leaving the pavilion without the familiar setup. A replacement has since appeared directly inside the pyramid’s entrance, making the activity one of the first things families encounter after entering the building.
Kidcot Fun Stops operate throughout EPCOT’s World Showcase, giving younger guests activities and country-specific mementos as they travel between the 11 pavilions.
Together, the relocations mean several parts of the Mexico Pavilion have shifted within days of the Oaxacan Wood Carving shop’s permanent closure. None amount to a major overhaul, but the quick succession of changes has renewed attention on what else Disney may eventually have planned for the pavilion.
Gran Fiesta Tour Still Draws Bigger Questions
Speculation surrounding the Mexico Pavilion has historically centered on Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros.
The attraction itself was already the product of a major transformation. Gran Fiesta Tour debuted in 2007, replacing EPCOT opening-day boat ride El Rio del Tiempo while retaining much of the same ride system and journey through the pyramid.
Donald Duck, José Carioca, and Panchito became the new stars, with the attraction following José and Panchito as they search Mexico for a missing Donald ahead of a Three Caballeros concert.
Another Disney character has repeatedly been linked to the space since then.
Rumors about a Coco-themed replacement circulated even before the Pixar movie reached theaters in 2017. The speculation has resurfaced repeatedly over the years, including around Gran Fiesta Tour’s extended refurbishment in 2025.
Disney has never announced plans to replace Gran Fiesta Tour with Coco.
The Pixar film is finally receiving its first ride elsewhere in Disney’s U.S. theme parks. Disney announced a Coco attraction for Disney California Adventure in 2024, with construction beginning in 2026 as part of the park’s wider expansion.
Bringing a similar concept to EPCOT would present another problem: space.
Gran Fiesta Tour occupies a particularly compact corner of the Mexico Pavilion, with a small queue squeezed alongside San Angel Inn Restaurante and the surrounding indoor marketplace.
A major new intellectual property could draw substantially larger crowds than the existing attraction can currently accommodate.
What’s your favorite part of EPCOT’s Mexico Pavilion?
