We have never met Ariel inside the grotto..

[cgbsilver@hotmail.co]

I just realised that we have been to Disney many times and have never made it to Ariel's grotto. Every time we have been there, the line has been really long and thought to our self we will be doing that later, but never got around to it.

So, does anyone have pictures of what the inside looks like? and what goes on after that long line. Pleasse share.

 

[ArielsMommy]

I'm not sure how to post pics, but Ariel's grotto is a "must-see" for us at WDW. We always time the line and it usually takes less than half the posted time to get in to see Ariel. The only time it the posted time was even close to the actual waiting time was when "Ariel" needed to take a break. They close everything off for about 15 minutes so the guests can't see a mermaid walk away and ruin the magic.

 

[beattyfamily]

The below photo is from 2002 but it hasn't changed:

edited to add....

Here's our 2006 Ariel's Grotto photo with Prince Eric, which was a GREAT surprise!

 

[meeko_33785]

Ariel's Grotto is ecentially just a meet-and-greet with Ariel. It's one of the few places where you can find Ariel in the parks, so if you want to meet her, it's definatly a must-see. Other than that, there are some interactive fountains in the courtyard that the kids can run through, but you don't really need to wait in line for those.

 

[grumpymakesmehappy]

Ariel's Grotto is a really neat little area. Somehow we have always bypassed the Grotto on the way to something bigger. This time I decided that since The Little Mermaid is one of my all time Disney favorites, I had to meet Ariel. Plus DH was determined to get a picture with her because as he said, "Ariel's hot"! Let me remind you, this was his first trip and all it took was one autograph book and he was hooked on the characters and the disney magic! Anyways, Ariel noticed my engagement ring & wedding bands and asked DH "just who gave her that?" She couldn't have said anything more perfect as far as he was concerned. He loves it when I get complimented on my rings. I think he's just proud. Well, he told her he gave them to me and she went on and on about them. When DH walked out of the Grotto he was 10 feet tall. He looked at me and said, "not only is she hot, but she's got great taste." It was too funny. When we got home, he showed his buddies the picture of the hot mermaid he met at WDW! So yeah, I guess we'll be back in line later this month to meet Ariel again!

 

[willis37862]

We tried three times on our last trip in Sept to see Ariel here. And every time the wait was close to an hour. Next trip I am going there and park it and wait I don't care how long it takes.

 

[MickeyNicki]

Does anyone know what time Ariel show up? She is DH nieces new fav character. We have 8:05 ressies at CP so we can get right over there to be the first in line (after we wake Tink of course!)

 

[TLHB70]

I am pretty sure it opens at 10.
On our trip 2 weeks ago we went to Fantasyland first. We rode Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, Snow White and then went to Dumbo. Even at that time there was a pretty good wait for Dumbo (20 minutes or so). Ariel's grotto opened when we were in line for Dumbo. (So I can tell you Ariel didn't open with the park.) I didn't want to leave the line for Dumbo and told DD that we would go see Ariel as soon as we left Dumbo. By the time we got to Ariel's grotto (I guess about 15 minutes later), the line was already long and we waited 45 minutes to see her!!!!!!! BTW, the time sign showed 25 minutes. The lady in front of me kept up with it on her watch and swore it was 45 minutes. The CM even came out and told us to all push up closer to each other to make the line look shorter than it really was!!!!!!!!!!!! I swear; she really told us that!!!!!!!!!

 

[TLHB70]

Here's our 2006 Ariel's Grotto photo with Prince Eric, which was a GREAT surprise!

Wow! What a special treat to get Prince Eric!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have never seen a picture like this before!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish we would have had him too!!!!!!

 

[willis37862]

I am pretty sure it opens at 10.
On our trip 2 weeks ago we went to Fantasyland first. We rode Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, Snow White and then went to Dumbo. Even at that time there was a pretty good wait for Dumbo (20 minutes or so). Ariel's grotto opened when we were in line for Dumbo. (So I can tell you Ariel didn't open with the park.) I didn't want to leave the line for Dumbo and told DD that we would go see Ariel as soon as we left Dumbo. By the time we got to Ariel's grotte (I guess about 15 minutes later), the line was already long and we waited 45 minutes to see her!!!!!!! BTW, the time sign showed 25 minutes. The lady in front of me kept up with it on her watch and swore it was 45 minutes. The CM even came out and told us to all push up closer to each other to make the line look shorter than it really was!!!!!!!!!!!! I swear; she really told us that!!!!!!!!!

I believe you. The sign said twenty minutes when we were there and there must have been 20+ people in front of us. We sat there 15 minutes the line didn't move , we had ps at CP to get to so we had to leave. So don't believe the sign.

 

[beattyfamily]

I've been in the Ariel's Grotto line many many times (I have a little red-head who LOVES her) and it is always longer than the sign says. For some reason, she takes many breaks and they are at least 15 minutes at a time.

 

[Camilo]

When we went in September, the park map indicated she would be there starting at 10:00 AM.

We were nearby at 9:35 AM and decided to check the Grotto (there were no CMs outside) and she was inside.

We took several pictures with her, no other guests were there. It was pretty cool.

It could have been just luck that she was there 25 minutes before, but someone might want to check it out if going in a near future. Show up 20 minutes before the "listed time". You might see her there.

 

[MousekaMaddi]

I think she always starts at 10am, we usually keep CLOSE track of the time and then go right over at 9 45,ppl usually wont wait in line for something that isnt "ready" yet so there are just a few die hards already thereand the line goes fast then....but if u wait till shes OPEN the line gets torturous..... what we have also done is ...around lunch got to Pinocchios village house and get a lunch on a tray, carry it to the line and eat while sitting in line on the wall(the wall is the line) kids can eat and then run thru water a bit before its your turn, kills 2 birds with one mermaid,LOL becuz u would have sat and eaten somewhere anyway right?
shes a must see photo op! Ive never seen Eric with her...bonus for u!

 

[RoyalCanadian]

It could have been just luck that she was there 25 minutes before, but someone might want to check it out if going in a near future. Show up 20 minutes before the "listed time". You might see her there.

This is quite similar to DD's encounter with Ariel at the Grotto in early January 2005. We had avoided the line-up on previous days in the MK but took the advice of the Fairy Godmother at CRT and went directly to the Grotto as soon as we arrived at the park that morning. DW and DD made a bee-line for the Grotto while I took care of the administrative details of renting the stroller and getting some information at Guest Relations. When I arrived at the Grotto line it was DD, DW and a very nice older CM (wearing an oxygen tank) who kept calling back to the Grotto to ask if Ariel was ready to receive visitors yet.

It was nowhere near the posted 10am opening, but this CM decided to make a little bit of magic happen for our DD who was hopping with excitement.

We were ushered in to the Grotto to meet Ariel and DD visited with her for 5-10 minutes without the pressure of anyone else trying to get in. DD had her photo taken with Ariel and proudly showed Ariel her Little Mermaid "dinglehopper" and then we had a family photo taken with Ariel. I reminded Ariel about the flirtatious look she gave me at the parade in Disneyland Paris the previous September and she just gave me one of those Ariel looks that makes grown men turn into jelly.

 

[fAnnF]

I've never waited in line for her, thinking that at some point the line had to get shorter. Then I was there in August and Ernesto came threw and there was no line for her and I met her and got several pictures, but no Prince Eric(I'd wait an hour for him)