The Little Mermaid
The attraction that never was
When Disneyland Paris opened, on April 11 1992 in the US was broadcasted “Grand Opening of Euro Disney” TV special. It contained lots of information about the future of Disneyland Paris and the centerpiece was Disney-MGM Studios Europe that was almost identical to the one from Orlando, but with a bigger backlot. This was not the only thing that was in the spotlight- Phase II of Disneyland Paris also caught some eyes- Space Mountain, Indiana Jones, Beauty and the Beast show and… The Little Mermaid Attraction, the subject of this article.
The Little Mermaid was a huge success in 1989 when it came out on cinemas’ screens and it almost became a real experience with bringing it at Euro Disneyland.
The attraction was planned to be located between Discoveryland and Fantasyland, welcoming you with an entrance that was similar to the attractions that is today in Orlando.
The initial idea was brought by Tony Baxter that wanted to tell the story of Ariel in a way that classic attractions do, with Audio-animatronics and beautiful hand-painted backgrounds and lots of props.
The highlight of the ride, after the journey under the sea, was the moment when you were supposed to meet with a 4.5 meter tall Ursula in her grotto, that turns into a skull, with the help of black light, after Eric defeats her.
The design of the ride was complete, even a model being made, but due to financial problems, this attraction was never seen outside the drawing boards.
Thanks to disneyandmore.blogspot.com and DLRP. Fr, we have a better view of the look of the ride.
You can explore the 1992 Disneyland Paris souvenir map on Disneyland Paris Treasures.
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