The Little Mermaid

**The Little Mermaid** is a 1989 Disney animated film with connections to the Disney Parks mythos. It is based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy-tale of the same name written in 1837.

## Attractions

### Mermaid Lagoon

Mermaid Lagoon is one of the themed, "Lands" of Tokyo DisneySea and is themed to the underwater kingdom from the film.

## Connections

### 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

*Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid* in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom takes up some of the space which was previously occupied by *20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage* and several tributes to the defunct attraction can be found nearby. This includes how a bottle of water taken from Submarine Lagoon was smashed over the entry-way to the ride on its opening day, reminiscent of the christening of a ship.

In the ride itself, Ned Land's song from the film, "A Whale of a Tale" is played within the queue as part of its audio-track. Additionally, rock-work around Prince Eric's castle is made in the likeness of the Nautilus (though it is dubious if in-world this is a natural formation or carving). The weathervane of the cartography shop across from Prince Eric's castle has a weather-vane in the likeness of the Giant Squid which sunk the Nautilus and which appeared in the ride as-well.

### Adventureland Bazaar

Across from *Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid* is a cartography shop with a sign saying it is run by one, H. Goff. This is a tribute to Disney Imagineer Harper Goff who is also incorporated within Adventureland's mythos as Prof. Harper Goff. Due to timeline constraints it is unlikely that these two H. Goffs are the same individual though it is possible that they are related.

### Disney Springs

There is a tapestry with a seashell referencing the kingdom in the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique within the town of Disney Springs, Florida.

### Films

* **Aladdin**: In *Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid*, Ariel is shown to have been in possession of the Genie's magic lamp from Aladdin.
* **Atlantis: The Lost Empire**: Artwork in Prince Eric's palace features a mural of, "The Leviathan". While more than unlikely to be depicting the same creature due to their different appearances, a beast identified as the Leviathan also appeared in Atlantis: The Lost Empire where it was a robot created by Atlanteans to protect Atlantis.
* **Cinderella**: The King and Grand Duke make a cameo appearance in the Little Mermaid where they both attend the wedding of Prince Eric and Vanessa.
* **Frozen**: In the film Frozen II, Elsa sees a flashback of her father Agnarr of Arendelle reading a hardcover version of the Little Mermaid with Ariel on the cover and talking its Danish author (Hans Christian Andersen) with his future bride Iduna. It is worth noting that this back-flash takes place between 1812 and 1819 while in real-life, the book was first published in 1837.
* **The Incredible** **Mr**. **Limpet**: The character of Mr. Limpet from this non-Disney film makes a cameo both in the Little Mermaid film and *Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid* attraction.
* **Peter Pan**: Ariel makes a cameo in the Magic Kingdom version of Peter Pan's flight, being seen alongside the mermaids of Neverland. Also in Voyage of the Little Mermaid, the lantern used by Captain Hook to imprison Tinkerbell can be found.
* **Pinocchio**: One of the objects in the queue for Voyage of the Little Mermaid is Gepetto's candle taken from the belly of Monster.
* **Tangled**: A hardcover book version of The Little Mermaid (seemingly the same edition as in Frozen II) appears in the library of Corona along with copies of *Beauty and the Beast* and *Sleeping Beauty*.
* **Treasure Island**: A peg-leg belonging to Long John Silver is mounted in the queue for Voyage of the Little Mermaid at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It is possible that the implication is the leg is part of Ariel's collection.

### Main Street, U.S.A.

In the city-hall of Main Street is a book by Scuttle titled, "The Real Little Mermaid".

### Miss Adventure Falls

Ariel's Snarfblatt (pipe) and contract with Ursula are both artifacts seen in the collection of S.E.A. member Captain Mary Oceaneer in the wreckage of her ship the *M.S. Salty IV* in Blustery Bay. The diver's magazine *Under the S.E.A. Quarterly* also takes its name from the song Under the Sea from the Little Mermaid.

### Pirates of the Caribbean

The story/film is referenced in the film *Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl* when an officer of the British navy sarcastically says to Elizabeth Swann, "A *little mermaid* flopped on deck and told us the whole story" in reference to Elizabeth having been ratted out to him by Jack Sparrow. The figurehead of a mermaid modelled after Ariel appears in Treasure Cove.

## Trivia

* Mermaids similar to those from the film appeared in *Submarine Voyage* and *20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage.*
* When attempting to revive Submarine Voyage, Disney Imagineers (including Tony Baxter) proposed the Little Mermaid alongside Atlantis: The Lost Empire as the basis for new themes for the attraction. This was in futility with ultimately Magic Kingdom's Submarine Voyage being closed down and Disneyland's being re-themed to *Finding Nemo*.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.disneylists.com/2020/07/8-facts-secrets-sea-journey-little-mermaid-disneys-magic-kingdom-2/
2. ↑ https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2016/08/all-in-the-details-bibbidi-bobbidi-boutique-in-disney-springs-marketplace/
3. ↑ https://allears.net/2013/09/23/jims-attic-where-in-the-world-is-mr-limpet/
4. ↑ https://allears.net/2009/04/08/voyage-of-the-little-mermaid/
5. ↑ http://www.mainstgazette.com/2012/05/peg-leg.html
6. ↑ https://duchessofdisneyland.com/disneyland/city-hall-bookcase/
7. ↑ https://www.mousesteps.com/2017/03/12/miss-adventure-falls-family-raft-ride-opens-at-typhoon-lagoon-photos-video/