Now that we’re in the back half of Hispanic Heritage Month, we want to continue highlighting some incredible ways that Latino and Hispanic culture are being recognized in the mainstream. Disney Parks around the world are home to some great examples of Latino and Hispanic culture, from full sections of a park to restaurants and seasonal celebrations. With that in mind, here are five of the best Latino and Hispanic-inspired locations and experiences you can find at Disney Parks around the world.
5. Miguel’s El Dorado Cantina, Tokyo DisneySea
Located in the Lost River Delta section of Tokyo DisneySea, Miguel’s El Dorado Cantina is a massive restaurant inspired by the legends of El Dorado and the Latin American settings found throughout the area. The restaurant has a distinctly Latin American and Mexican-inspired atmosphere, with its story centering on explorers searching for the legendary city of gold. With hundreds of seats, Spanish-inspired theming and a cantina setting, it stands out as one of the more unexpected examples of Latino culture at a Disney Park, especially considering it’s all the way in Japan. The restaurant has also been incorporated into DisneySea’s seasonal Lazos de la Familia celebration, which brings elements of the Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos to the park.
4. Casa de Coco – Restaurante de Familia, Disneyland Paris
Located in Frontierland at Disneyland Paris, Casa de Coco – Restaurante de Familia brings the world of Disney and Pixar’s Coco into the park through a permanent Mexican-inspired restaurant. The location serves Tex-Mex food and is designed around the world and visual style of Coco, making it more than just a restaurant that happens to have Mexican food on the menu. It gives guests visiting Disneyland Paris an opportunity to experience Mexican-inspired food and theming while exploring the park, and it’s a great example of how Latino culture has made its way into Disney Parks outside the United States.
3. Rancho del Zócalo and El Zócalo, Disneyland
Disneyland in California has its own long-standing connection to Mexican culture through Rancho del Zócalo Restaurante and the surrounding El Zócalo area in Frontierland. Rancho del Zócalo is a permanent Mexican restaurant designed to look like a traditional Mexican hacienda, complete with colorful tiles, fountains, archways and other architectural details inspired by Mexico. The area becomes even more culturally significant during Disneyland’s annual Día de los Muertos celebration, when it’s decorated with flowers, calacas, and other elements inspired by the Mexican tradition. It’s a great example of Disney taking a permanent location and layering even more authentic cultural elements into it during a yearly celebration.
2. Plaza de la Familia, Disney California Adventure
Every year at Disney California Adventure, Paradise Gardens is transformed into Plaza de la Familia, a celebration inspired by Mexican culture, Día de los Muertos and Disney and Pixar’s Coco. The seasonal experience features live entertainment, mariachi music, Mexican food, cultural storytelling and Día de los Muertos decorations, while focusing heavily on the importance of family and remembering those who came before us. What makes Plaza de la Familia special is that it isn’t simply a Coco-themed event. It uses the film as a way to celebrate real Mexican traditions and gives guests the chance to experience them within a Disney Park every year.
1. Mexico Pavilion, EPCOT
It should probably come as no surprise that the number one spot goes to the Mexico Pavilion at EPCOT. The pavilion is one of the most complete representations of a Latin American culture anywhere in the Disney Parks, with Mexican architecture, artwork, food, shopping, and entertainment all coming together in one location. Guests can ride the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros, featuring Donald Duck, Panchito, and José Carioca, listen to traditional Mexican music from Mariachi Cobre, explore Mexican folk art, and enjoy everything from La Hacienda de San Angel to La Cantina de San Angel. The pavilion makes Mexican culture feel like an actual part of the world of EPCOT rather than just adding a Mexican restaurant or attraction to the park, which is why it easily earns the top spot on this list.
The cool part is that even when an entire location or attraction isn’t specifically Latino or Hispanic-inspired, you can still find Latino and Hispanic elements sprinkled throughout Disney Parks around the world. Whether it’s Mexican food, Latin American music, characters, artwork, seasonal celebrations or cultural traditions, there are plenty of examples of Disney incorporating these cultures into its parks. And as Hispanic Heritage Month continues, it’s worth taking a moment to recognize just how many ways Latino and Hispanic culture continues to be represented in some of the most popular entertainment destinations in the world.