Ariel’s Grotto re-opens at Magic Kingdom

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Source: attractionsmagazine.com/rumor-queue-ariels-grotto-re-opens-at-magic-kingdom-this-month/

Rumor Queue: Ariel’s Grotto re-opens at Magic Kingdom this month (Confirmed)
written by Tharin White January 15, 2023
We’ve heard rumors that suggest Disney is preparing a surprise opening of Ariel’s Grotto meet and greet location at the Magic Kingdom in the coming weeks, after being left empty since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic closures in 2020.



Rumors suggest that Ariel's Grotto re-opens this month at the Magic Kingdom.
Ariel’s Grotto is attached to the Under The Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid attraction in Fantasyland. This meet and greet location offered guests a chance to meet Ariel with her mermaid tail, unlike when she has legs on other rare occasions.



This video was taken in 2012, when the newly-imagined Ariel’s Grotto opened as part of New Fantasyland. We also shared a viral online video where a Disney fan created a what-if “The Little Mermaid” roller coaster.

Now in 2023, we’ve heard rumblings that Ariel is coming back to the Magic Kingdom. While not yet confirmed by Disney, we have heard this location is expected to open within a month.

We’re not sure if the location will open to full capacity or if it will offer the Genie+ Lightning Lane option, but we do know Disney is continuing to open more and more entertainment offerings. Just this week another character meet and greet location, Pete’s Silly Sideshow, re-opened to visitors of Storybook Circus at the Magic Kingdom.

At the time of this article, Disney still lists Meet Ariel at Her Grotto as temporarily unavailable. There is no listed return date or additional info about the offering, but, we expect to see this change in the coming weeks if the rumors are true.

Update 1/17/22: Disney has confirmed that Ariel’s Grotto will re-open at the Magic Kingdom on Jan. 22 and Enchanted Tales with Belle will re-open at the Magic Kingdom on Feb. 19.




Meet Ariel at Her Grotto is currently listed as temporarily unavailable, but rumors suggest that will change in the coming weeks.

What Disney character is your favorite to meet? Have you been eagerly waiting for Ariel to return to the Magic Kingdom?

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Source: www.wdwinfo.com/walt-disney-world/ariels-grotto-is-officially-open-at-disneys-magic-kingdom/

Ariel’s Grotto is Officially Open at Disney’s Magic Kingdom!
By Erica Resnick - January 23, 2023 | Walt Disney World



It’s a great day when another meet and greet comes back to the parks. Finally, Ariel is back meeting at Magic Kingdom after being closed since 2020. In my opinion, this is one of the most themed character experiences, making it more magical. As a kid, all I wanted to was to visit Ariel’s Grotto and see all of her thingamabobs. This meet and greet brought that dream to life each visit. Here’s everything you need to know about the experience.


Where is the Grotto?
Guests can find the Grotto in ‘New Fantasyland’ to the right of the attraction, Journey of the Little Mermaid. There’s a standby line and a Lightning Lane, but they are only using the standard line. Other characters in the parks offer Lighting Lane, but Ariel’s Grotta hasn’t gotten there yet.

Lightning Lane, Do You Need it?
Ariel is a very popular character. If you are traveling with someone that loves this princess, you might want to rope-drop the attraction and meet & greet. At the time of writing this, they are not utilizing the Lighting Lane. If you are a DAS user, you can go to the Lightning Lane entrance. There, a cast member will verify your eligibility, and you’ll be sent through the line.

Is There a Photographer, or Do You Use Your Camera?
A recent trend at Walt Disney World has been to replace PhotoPass photographers with these camera boxes that capture a few photos. I strongly dislike these boxes. They never get the right angle and always miss those picture-perfect moments.

To me, the best images are when I’m hugging the characters or having a genuine interaction. I barely ever enjoy the posed photos with the character. At the Grotto, they have a character attended that can take pictures with your camera or phone. There is also one of those PhotoPass boxes, but it is not up and running yet.



Overall, having this meet and greet operating once again is excellent. I am so happy to see the offering return, and it gives me hope that soon we will be able to say that everything is open. This was a significant step in the right direction. Will you be visiting Ariel on your next visit to Magic Kingdom?