Fiesta Mariachi Skeletons

The Fiesta Mariachi Skeletons are characters featured in the Mexico Pavilion's dark ride at Epcot's World Showcase.
==Background==
The mariachi skeletons are citizens of the Mexico Pavilion in Epcot who live in a dark ride in a section representing what Mexico is like in modern times. They are skeletal figures resembling typical skeletons used for the Day of the Dead festival, more specifically resembling mariachi musicians. Each mariachi member uses his own different instrument while forming a band - mainly a guitar, a trumpet, a violin, and a bass. All four of them each wear an individual sombrero to show that they are mariachi musicians.
===Development===
The fiesta skeleton figures were developed for the former attraction El Rio del Tiempo at the Mexico Pavilion, where they were displayed during the second act representing Mexico in modern time since the attraction first opened on October 1, 1982, the day Epcot opened. They remained in this section over the years prior to its closure on January 2, 2007. The attraction later reopened on April 6, 2007 as Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros. While many elements from the predecessor were removed from the attraction, the skeletons in the current incarnation remain the same function they did in the predecessor.
==Appearances==
===El Rio del Tiempo===
The skeletons appear throughout this attraction, representing of what Mexico is like in modern day during the attraction's second act. They can be seen playing instruments as guests pass by, while "Vistas de Mexico" plays throughout the rest of the ride. The next section after the room consists of a montage of various places found across Mexico in real life throughout the ride.
===Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros===
The skeletons appear in the current incarnation of the attraction, representing of what Mexico is like in modern day during the attraction's second act. The only exception is that the ride's story itself focuses on Panchito and José Carioca searching for Donald all across Mexico. Like in the predecessor, they can be playing instruments above a bridge decorated with the words "Fiesta Hoy" ("Fiesta Today" in Spanish) that guests pass through. While they maintain the same movements they did in the predecessor, the only exception is that the "Vistas de Mexico" theme was replaced by "The Three Caballeros" playing throughout the ride.
==Trivia==
*The way the animatronic skeletons use their instruments throughout both incarnations of the ride - El Rio del Tiempo and Gran Fiesta Tour, are reminiscent to the way the mariachi band members - a cactus, a donkey, a straw figure, and a rooster, move in the It's a Small World attraction at the neighboring Magic Kingdom park in the Mexico section in the South America room. Unlike the skeletons, none of the mariachi musicians from Small World uses a cello.
*In the current incarnation of the Mexico Pavilion's dark ride, the bridge where the skeletons are performing are seen holding musical instruments and the words printed on the bridge read, "Fiesta Hoy" ("Fiesta Today" in Spanish). The predecessor version of the ride featured no words decorated on the bridge - although in both cases, the skeletons both use the same functions.
Category:Skeletons
Category:Theme park characters
Category:Disney characters
Category:Hispanic characters
Category:Adults
Category:Males
Category:Deceased characters
Category:Musicians