Under the Sea - Journey of The Little Mermaid Ride at Magic Kingdom With Toddlers and Young Kids
Fantasyland is one of our family’s favorite areas to visit in Magic Kingdom because there are so many rides that the whole family can experience together. My kids are currently ages 5 and 2 ½, so we’re always looking for attractions that we can all go on despite the age and height difference between them. Under the Sea - Journey of The Little Mermaid has become one of our regular stops because it typically has shorter waits than many of the other nearby rides, offers Lightning Lane if we’d rather skip the standby line, and doesn’t have a height requirement.
The ride is inspired by the classic film and follows Ariel, Sebastian, Flounder, and Scuttle through memorable scenes from the story, including meeting Prince Eric, making a deal with Ursula, and ultimately celebrating Ariel and Eric’s wedding at the end. In this post, we’ll share more about what the ride is like, what young kids can expect, and why we think it’s a great choice for families visiting Magic Kingdom.
Ride Stats
Location: Fantasyland at Disney’s Magic Kingdom
Height Requirement: None
Ride Duration: About 6 minutes
Ride Type: Slow-moving dark ride
Ride Vehicle: Pink clamshell that seats 2; single lap bar
Lightning Lane: Available
The Queue
The queue is partially outdoors and features a waterfall with some rockwork, but there isn’t a lot to keep young kids entertained while you’re waiting in line. My 2 ½-year-old did have fun pointing out the starfish hidden throughout the rocks, but other than that, there’s not much for little ones to interact with. Once you move indoors, you’ll pass a talking Scuttle, but the rest of the queue is fairly standard.
Because it’s a continuously loading ride, we found the line kept moving throughout our wait. Even so, we had a harder time keeping our toddler entertained during our 10-minute wait. Parts of the indoor queue are more dimly lit with plain walls and not much to look at, so standing still for that long was a little challenging for him. Once we reached the loading area and he could see we were almost on the ride, he had an easier time.
The Ride Experience
As you approach the pink clamshell ride vehicles, you’ll step onto a moving walkway before boarding your clamshell. We usually get the kids seated first, place our bags on the floor, and then the lap bar will lower. Since the ride never stops loading, my husband and I have found it easiest for one of us to help our toddler get in and out of the ride vehicle while the other takes care of our diaper bag. Our 5-year-old is able to get in and out on his own, so this system has worked well for our family.
Once you’re on the ride, you’ll slowly travel through scenes inspired by the movie, beginning with Ariel and Flounder looking over Ariel’s collection. Along the way, you’ll hear songs from the film and pass colorful scenes filled with dancing fish and familiar characters. One of my favorite parts of the attraction is the animatronics. Ariel and Ursula are really well done and help bring the story to life.
There are a few scenes that are more dimly lit, particularly when you pass by Ursula. Nothing during these scenes has ever scared either of our kids, but if your little one is sensitive to darker rides, it’s something to keep in mind. There’s also one point where your clamshell travels backward for a short time. It’s very gentle, and the bubble projections make it look like you’re heading underwater.
One of the highlights of the ride is the large musical scene filled with colorful fish and dancing animatronics. It’s such a fun scene and one that always seems to capture our kids’ attention. Truthly, neither of my kids has actually seen the entire movie, but they both still really enjoy this ride. It holds my toddler’s attention from beginning to end.
For me, this attraction also brings back a certain level of nostalgia. I grew up watching The Little Mermaid, and it was one of my favorite moves as a kid. It’s fun being able to experience the story again while sharing it with my own kids.
At about 6 minutes long, it’s also a nice opportunity to sit down, cool off, and enjoy a relaxing break from the heat before heading to your next attraction.
Nearby Attractions
One thing my husband and I try to do whenever we visit Magic Kingdom is explore one land at a time instead of walking back and forth across the park all day. We’ve found that taking a more systematic approach helps cut down on the amount of walking, which can make a big difference when you’re visiting with young kids.
When we’re spending time in Fantasyland, we like to experience several of the attractions nearby. A few of our family favorites include “it’s a small world” and Dumbo the Flying Elephant, especially since Dumbo also has an indoor playground built into the queue that’s great for little ones. If your child enjoys meeting Disney characters, Ariel also has a character meet and greet located right next to the ride, making it easy to do both while you’re in the area.
I also recommend using the My Disney Experience app while you’re in the parks. It’s helpful for checking wait times at nearby attractions, viewing the park map, and managing your Lightning Lanes if you decide to purchase them for the day.
Final Thoughts
Under the Sea - Journey of The Little Mermaid is a fun ride that the whole family can experience together. With often shorter wait times than many of the other nearby attractions, it’s one we’ll usually stop by whenever we’re spending time in Fantasyland. If the posted wait time is 15 minutes or less, we’ll almost always ride it. On busier days, we’ll sometimes use a Lightning Lane instead.
For me, it’s also a fun reminder of one of my favorite Disney movies, and now I get to share that experience with my own kids. If you’re visiting Magic Kingdom with toddlers and young kids, we’d definitely recommend adding Under the Sea - Journey of The Little Mermaid to your plans.