Finding Princesses at Disney World: Ariel

 

Photo Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

If you’ve got little princesses of your own, chances are their number one priority is going to be meeting other princess, be they mermaids, magic carpet riding, or born with freezing powers.

The good news is, Walt Disney World makes it very achievable to encounter as many of your favorite princesses as you’d like! Across the four parks, princesses have meet and greets and dine with subjects. The locations will vary, with some princesses meeting indoors for the entire day, and others meeting outdoors during a specific time slot. Some princesses seem to be everywhere, while a few only meet in one place.

But that’s not all! You can also indulge your royal side with a princess meal at a deluxe resort, or ride their attraction 700 times, or watch their Broadway style stage shows, or wave to them as they parade by. The princess possibilities are so much more than just a meet and greet. You can fashion entire park days, even entire vacations, around your little one’s favorite princesses. By knowing where your favorite princesses are, you can craft the perfect plan to meet them all before you turn into a pumpkin.

Ariel

Photo Courtesy of Walt Disney World

Ride: Under the Sea- Journey of the Little Mermaid, Fantasyland, the Magic Kingdom.

A slow moving dark ride where you take a clamshell through the most memorable scenes from “The Little Mermaid.” No height requirement.

FastPass: Yes.

Photo Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

Ride: Mickey’s Phillharmagic, Fantasyland, the Magic Kingdom

A scene in Donald’s musical mischief features Ariel singing her classic, “Part of Your World.”

FastPass: Yes.

Photo Courtesy of Walt Disney World

Show: Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Hollywood Studios.

A 17 minute musical extravaganza filled with all your favorite songs from under the sea.

 

Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Hollywood Studios. Photo Courtesy of the Disney Parks Blog.

Meets: Ariel’s Grotto, Fantasyland, the Magic Kingdom.

Ariel usually meets from when the park opens to about 30 minutes before closing, but be sure to check the Character Times Guide. This is the only place to meet Ariel in her fins! At meal locations, she meets in her green dress.

FastPass: Yes.

Ok, so this is crazy. As I was uploading the photos for this post I realized that the Ariel who helped us announce the Teacup in 2018 is the same Ariel our girls met in 2017, as seen in the picture below. She really is a part of our world.

Parade: Ariel in her tail is featured in the Festival of Fantasy Parade at the Magic Kingdom daily.

Dining Options: Plenty! Ariel is one of the rotating princesses at both Cinderella’s Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom and Akershus in Epcot, both of which serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But if you’d like to see her alongside Prince Eric, check out the Bon Voyage Breakfast at the Trattoria al Forno at the Boardwalk. They serve breakfast from 7:30am to 12pm.
Bonus Mermaids: If your little lady just wants to be where the people are, you might consider the mermaid makeover at the Pirate’s League in Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom, or visiting the Art of Animation resort for an afternoon, where an entire wing of the resort features giant statues from “The Little Mermaid.”

My Take: Ariel is one of those princesses you could easily base a whole trip around. She’s a pretty big deal in the legacy of Disney, with “The Little Mermaid” ushering in the Second Golden Age of Animation, and that is reflected in the parks. She not only has her own ride and dining option, but she is featured in OTHER character’s rides and dining options.

Under the Sea- Journey of the Little Mermaid was the MVP of our 2018 trip. We rode it 6 times, and each time it was a joy. The queue goes from outdoor to indoor, taking you past winding water ways and into the caverns where the ride is housed. On the way, you’ll meet Scuttle and a little blue crab. My frying pan was obsessed with the blue crab.

From Mama experience, if your gal is dressing up as a princess, Ariel is one of the best options for that Florida heat. Ariel’s dress designs usually include tank straps or cap sleeves, which make them more comfortable than, say, Elsa’s long sleeved, caped affair.

If you’ve got a shy or easily distracted little one, consider doing a meal with Ariel in addition to, or even instead of, visiting her at the Grotto. While it is undoubtedly cool to meet the undersea princess with her gorgeous green tail, the cave little setting and dim lights might be a little distracting for younger kiddos. Meeting Ariel at Akershus or Trattoria al Forno allows for the same interaction time, but in a brightly lit environment that feels less foreign to kids.We loved our most recent interaction with Ariel at Akershus. That being said, the Grotto is super cool and older pre-school to elementary age kids are sure to love it.

Photo Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

Is Ariel your favorite princess? What is your favorite Ariel experience? What about your favorite meal with Ariel? Tell me about it in the comments and be sure to check out our “Finding Princesses” series to locate all your favorite royalty!

Kristen B. is wife to the best Prince around, mama to the spunkiest little princesses, and lover of all things Disney. She started her savings journey five years ago and is now dedicated to making her family’s wishes come true one coupon at a time. She is so excited to take her love of saving to the next level and share her journey with you! Click here to catch up on Kristen’s Savings and join in on your own savings adventure!