At Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid, guests hop aboard a clam-shell and enjoy a ride through one of Disney’s greatest animated movies.
Ride Information Restrictions Accessibility Location Fun Facts Top 5 Tips
Ride Information
Opening Day: December 6, 2012
Type of Ride: Indoor track ride
Age Recommendation: All ages
Duration of Ride: About 7 minutes
Typical Queue Time: Moderate to long; peaks at about one hour on the busiest days
Single Rider Line: No
Chicken Exit Available: No
Baby Swap Available: No
Type of Vehicle: Clamshell
Type of Restraint: Lap bar
Attraction Open During Extended Evening Hours: Yes. See our Extended Evening Hours page for more information.
Ride Photo Available For Purchase: No
Ride Restrictions
Height Requirements: None
Flash Photography or Video Allowed: No
Safety, Accessibility, and Guest Policies
Accessibility:
- Must Transfer to Wheelchair
- Audio Description
- Handheld Captioning
Location
Park Map of Magic Kingdom:
Other Rides/Attractions In the Area:
This attraction is located in the Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland.
Shopping: Purchase an assortment of goods, including kitchenware, t-shirts, and plush dolls at the nearby “Bonjour! Village Gifts” and “Big Top Souvenirs.” The former shop exudes a Beauty and the Beast (1991) vibe while the latter has a Dumbo (1940) feel.
Dining/Refreshment: Assorted fruits and dips are offered at the adjacent Prince Eric’s Village Market. More snacks and treats can be found nearby at Big Top Treats and Gaston’s Tavern. Guests can enjoy a substantial breakfast, lunch, or dinner at Be Our Guest Restaurant. We highly recommend ADRs for all meals at Be Our Guest Restaurant. Ariel often dines with guests during all meals at Fantasyland’s Cinderella’s Royal Table and EPCOT’s Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. Be aware that we strongly recommended ADRs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at both of these restaurants and that Ariel is not guaranteed to appear, though some assortment of Disney princesses are always present.
Restroom: Restrooms convenient to Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid reside near Gaston’s Tavern.
Smoking Location: Smoking is permitted in designated smoking areas only. Disney parks are smoke free.
Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid Fun Facts
Did you know?
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid is one of six new attractions from the Fantasyland expansion, along with “Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station,” “Enchanted Tales with Belle,” “Pete’s Silly Side Show,” “Princess Fairytale Hall,” and “Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.”
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid is based on Disney’s 1989 film The Little Mermaid.
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid resides in “Prince Eric’s Castle,” an elaborate structure that includes cascading waterfalls and numerous nautical touches and artifacts. You want thingamabobs? They got way more than 20!
- The queue of Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid is themed as a cavern, only accessible because of low tide.
- In the queue, guests partake in an interactive game involving virtual blue crabs. Guests literally point out uncorrelated items to the crabs, who then remove such commodities from Ariel’s collection.
- A Scuttle animatronic entertains guests in the queue.
- The ride vehicles for Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid are shaped like clamshells and are reminiscent of the Haunted Mansion’s Doom Buggies.
- Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid retells The Little Mermaid through projection effects and animatronics. Many memorable songs from the film, including “Part of Your World,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” “Kiss the Girl,” and, most prominently, “Under the Sea,” feature in Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid.
- Another attraction based on The Little Mermaid, the “Voyage of the Little Mermaid” stage show, is featured at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
History
- The footprint of Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid was previously occupied by “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage,” which operated from 1971 to 1994. A recreation of the Nautilus, the famed submarine from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), appears as a rock formation in the queue.
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid is similar to “The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure,” which opened at Disney’s California Adventure on June 3, 2011.
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid is one of two current Walt Disney World attractions that originally debuted at Disney’s California Adventure, the other being EPCOT’s “Soarin’,” called “Soarin’ over California” in Anaheim.
Hidden Mickeys:
A homage to the famed Mickey Mouse cartoon “Steamboat Willie.” Pay attention to the rocks at the attraction’s exit to find this Hidden Mickey.
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Top 5 Tips for Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid
- Take in the architecture of Prince Eric’s Castle and the numerous details in the queue.
- Temper your expectations for the attraction proper; many of the animatronics are very simple.
- Prepare to have some catchy music linger in your head for a while after riding Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid.
- Consider watching The Little Mermaid prior to your visit in order to better appreciate this attraction.
- Guests wanting more interaction with Ariel can find her throughout the day at the adjacent Ariel’s Grotto.