Actors bring our favorite characters to life on the big screen, but there’s something unique about seeing that same character in three-dimensional reality in a theme park. Radiator Springs is one of the most popular places at Disneyland Resort, as fans can become part of the world of Cars, one of Pixar’s biggest franchises, despite its strangeness. But for Larry the Cable Guy, the voice of Mater the Tow Truck, what people apparently love the most is hearing him speak Spanish.
Mater and Lightning McQueen are back this week with Cars on the Road, a new series of animated shorts coming out on Disney+ Day. But fans don’t need to wait for Disney+ Day to see Mater and friends as they can all be found at Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort. I recently had a a chance to speak with Larry the Cable Guy about all things Cars and he told me one thing people always mention to him after visiting Cars Land is that they were surprised to learn Mater knows a foreign language. He explained…
It is unbelievable just going through there and hearing Mater give announcements. I think the biggest comment I always get are ‘Man, we went to Cars Land and we loved it when Mater started speaking in Spanish.’
Most announcements at Disneyland Resort attractions, the ones telling you to keep your seatbelt fastened and to remain seated until the ride comes to a complete stop, are given in both English and Spanish, but in most cases, there’s a different performer giving each announcement. Not so in Cars Land, as Larry the Cable Guy does the Spanish announcements himself. Although, while he does a remarkable job, you get the impression he really doesn’t speak Spanish.
Of course, Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree isn’t only the place where you can hear Mater speak in Spanish, it’s also the place where you can hear Mater sing. The dulcet tones of Larry the Cable Guy sing as you go flying around in circles on the attraction. It’s actually a lot more fun than that sounds.
It’s maybe a little surprising that Mater speaking Spanish is the thing that most people remember when they’re talking to Larry the Cable Guy. At the same time, it is certainly something that is memorable, because it’s the last thing you expect. Larry the Cable Guy has a very distinctive voice, and you don’t really expect to hear another language coming out of it. Clearly, Mater is just reading the words phonetically, and doesn’t really understand what he’s saying. It’s pretty hilarious.
Radiator Springs at Disney California Adventure will likely do something special on Disney+ Day to celebrate the release of Cars on the Road. The series brings together Lightning McQueen and Mater for an epic road trip, and lets the two friends spend more time together than we’ve actually seen in the later few Cars movies.
