[2][5] In the early-to-mid-1990s, Walt Disney Imagineering attempted to develop a Little Mermaid dark ride for Disneyland Paris and Magic Kingdom parks.

The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure opened on June 3, 2011[4] in an area of Paradise Pier formerly occupied by Golden Dreams.

In September 2009, Disney announced that Mickey's Toontown Fair at the Magic Kingdom would be demolished to make room for an expansion of Fantasyland.

[8] It reopened May 10, 2014 with several enhancements; new sea creature figures were added throughout the ride, a view of King Triton's castle was added, the "Under the Sea" scene was given a blacklight treatment, and the Ariel and Prince Eric figures' sculpted hair was replaced with realistic hair in the "kiss the girl" and "finale" scenes.

Guests enter through a cavern at low tide, and part of the queue includes an interactive scavenger hunt with Scuttle.

At both Parks, Guests board one of 105 Omnimover vehicles themed as large, colorful clamshells (Similar to the ones found at The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot).

Scuttle greets the Guests and makes a muddled attempt to tell them Ariel's story, while the instrumental version of "Fathoms Below" plays behind him.

The clamshells then rotate backwards as they make their way along the beach and descend "underwater" (an effect achieved through projections and blasts of cold air).

The clamshells proceed into the final scene of the attraction, where King Triton, Sebastian, Flounder, and several sea creatures celebrate the wedding of Ariel and Eric.