Fodor's Expert Review Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid

The shipwreck theme, craggy grotto rock work, waterfalls, lagoons, and magical landscape of this attraction draw you into Ariel's world long before you board a giant clamshell for a journey under the sea. While you enjoy standing in a shaded queue, you'll see starfish embedded in rocks, a sandy beach, palm trees, sea-grape plants, and other authentic seaside touches. Once inside the cavern beneath Prince Eric's Castle, you can join in an interactive game that plays out around every corner and stars Scuttle the seagull and his animated crab pals.

Through a cave portal, you enter the castle's stone hallways, where you hop aboard a clamshell ride vehicle and, thanks to cold air and light effects, feel the sensation of descending under the sea. You then float past animated and Audio-Animatronic scenes from The Little Mermaid film, including a Broadway-style "Under the Sea" number with Sebastian conducting the undersea orchestra. There are fish conga lines and ominous scenes starring villainess Ursula, but, of course, a fairy-tale ending is in store featuring the Menken-Ashman show-stopper "Kiss the Girl." Most children love this ride, but some tots are afraid in the dark Ursula scene. For people with disabilities: Guests in scooters must transfer to a standard wheelchair to ride; equipped for handheld captioning and audio description.