Meeting Ariel

WDW FAN8403

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jan 15, 2009
My fiance likes Ariel, and would like a picture with you but only if she is the mermaid, not as the human. So is she a mermaid at Ariel's Grotto and can you get a picture WITH her, or just OF her?

Also how busy is it? Is there a time of day that would be better to go than others?
 
Yes, she is a mermaid at the grotto and yes you can take pictures. There is a photopass photographer available and you can also take your own pics. It is much like any other meet and greet where you can take your time and get the pictures you want.
 
Ariel is my favorite!
Here's a scrapbook page I did of a friend's daughter meeting her for the first time -

between me and the photopass guy, we got lots of pictures!

ArielPage.jpg
 
Ariel is my favorite!
Here's a scrapbook page I did of a friend's daughter meeting her for the first time -

between me and the photopass guy, we got lots of pictures!

ArielPage.jpg

oh that is so cute, I can't wait to get some pictures of them :) It is one of my goals of the trip.

So when is the best time to go? Is it usually very busy?
 
Yes, she is a mermaid at the grotto and yes you can take pictures. There is a photopass photographer available and you can also take your own pics. It is much like any other meet and greet where you can take your time and get the pictures you want.

How about Tinker Bell? Is she ever walking around the park? Or does she just start the fireworks?
 
The line for Ariel at the grotto can be huge - we got there one morning In December 08 before it opened, had a while to wait but only about 15/20 minutes once she Arrived.
 
The line for Ariel at the grotto can be huge - we got there one morning In December 08 before it opened, had a while to wait but only about 15/20 minutes once she Arrived.

So what would be your opinion to go? Get there like 20 mins before the Grotto even opens?
 
So what would be your opinion to go? Get there like 20 mins before the Grotto even opens?

Just asked DBF how long we were in line before it officially opened - we got there about 20 or so minutes he thinks. It was a "quiet time" during the first week and a half of December.
 
Just asked DBF how long we were in line before it officially opened - we got there about 20 or so minutes he thinks. It was a "quiet time" during the first week and a half of December.

Ok we are going the second week in feb so from what i have heard, it is pretty slow time (considering what it could be I mean).
 
ariel is the best, yes her line is long, but usually she is so sweet and takes time with everyone. she is my daughters favorite and we waited about 45 minutes ( my dd is only 2, so this felt like forever ) but it was worth it because she talked and posed with her for 5 or 6 minutes.
 
How about Tinker Bell? Is she ever walking around the park? Or does she just start the fireworks?

Prepare to wait at least an hour for Tinkerbell. We were just there the beginning of January, MK itself wasn't crowded at all at this time, shortly after toon town opening and waited almost 2 hours. This was after the CM told us 45 minutes when we got in line. The line itself isn't long but it's one of the slowest moving lines I've ever been in.
 
Ariel tends to be a long line because as a mermaid, you can really only find her in her Grotto, for Staging purposes;) She's not like Belle and Snow White and can just walk out to her meet and greet space and then leave when her time is up. She is hidden in her "grotto" so the people in line can't see her when she gets on/off her rock...

Tink is found in person with her fairy friends (2 of them) but only in Toontown Fair. they have created a set up where you "shrink" down to fairy size as you move down the hall to see her. THen when you get in the character room, all the ojects are larger than life, like the teacup that is as tall as an adult, a stack of coins as high as the room, etc. Disney needs to make the character greetings as "real" as they can!

Oh, and I think Tink is a longer line because they play a game with the kids when they enter the fairy room, and dance around the room and sing. So its not just a "go up to Tink, say hi, pose for a pic and get an autograph" there is more to that character greeting than most! They also only let a few kids into the room at a time, so the line moves slower!
 
Ariel tends to be a long line because as a mermaid, you can really only find her in her Grotto, for Staging purposes;) She's not like Belle and Snow White and can just walk out to her meet and greet space and then leave when her time is up. She is hidden in her "grotto" so the people in line can't see her when she gets on/off her rock...

Tink is found in person with her fairy friends (2 of them) but only in Toontown Fair. they have created a set up where you "shrink" down to fairy size as you move down the hall to see her. THen when you get in the character room, all the ojects are larger than life, like the teacup that is as tall as an adult, a stack of coins as high as the room, etc. Disney needs to make the character greetings as "real" as they can!

Oh, and I think Tink is a longer line because they play a game with the kids when they enter the fairy room, and dance around the room and sing. So its not just a "go up to Tink, say hi, pose for a pic and get an autograph" there is more to that character greeting than most! They also only let a few kids into the room at a time, so the line moves slower!


Ok wow, that is alot of great info to keep in mind. Do you know what the line waits are before you get in line? Or do you just jump in and HOPE that there are not that many people waiting?

Also maybe later in the afternoon would be better when alot of people are at the parades, and little kids probably leave for a rest?
 
Ok wow, that is alot of great info to keep in mind. Do you know what the line waits are before you get in line? Or do you just jump in and HOPE that there are not that many people waiting?

Also maybe later in the afternoon would be better when alot of people are at the parades, and little kids probably leave for a rest?

I know Tinkerbell is posted before you get in line but I didn't find it to be very acurate. I don't know if I said it here but it was supposed to be a 45 minute wait when we got in line. We ended up waiting over double that.

Oh, and I think Tink is a longer line because they play a game with the kids when they enter the fairy room, and dance around the room and sing. So its not just a "go up to Tink, say hi, pose for a pic and get an autograph" there is more to that character greeting than most! They also only let a few kids into the room at a time, so the line moves slower!

This is true. They let about three families in at a time. They do play games with the younger kids. There was a an infant and a little girl in front of us. The infant was crawling around the floor and Tinkerbell and Fawn got down and crawled along with it. Iridessa (sp?) then said " Ohh butterfly races. How fun!!"
 

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