Go under the sea again with Ariel and her friends in this live action musical. This show is great for all ages and is a real treat. Using an impressive array of effects to tell the story, guests feel like they have front row seats to the shooting of the movie. The show is a 20 minute summary of the film and features a few songs and focuses primarily on the beginning of the film and then zips through the end fairly quickly. The opening sequence (Under the Sea) is really well done and is a real showcase of what good puppetry is. The attraction does appeal to nearly every age group out there. Hardly anything to scare the kids and the performances tend to be very good, although it helps if the Ariel you see is on top of her game. The story is fun and cute and is a fun time if you choose to see it.
When I first heard about this, I had no intentions of seeing it. I felt I'd seen the movie, no need to waste time seeing a play. This is no 4th grade play. I left the show amazed, my mouth wide open and a grin on my face. Perhaps it helps many go in not expecting much, but this is really a great show. As mentioned before, the puppetry is quite good and you may need to see it a few times before you can fully figure it all out. Ariel tends to be portrayed well although we hear stories of a "bad Ariel" so depending on the talent level of your show that will dictate how the show goes. The show is short and summarizes a great deal of the second half of the film in a few minutes. In terms of comparing this to the Beauty and the Beast attraction a couple of hundred feet away on Sunset Boulevard, they're both very good although the air conditioned theater and great puppetry give Voyage of the Little Mermaid a distinct advantage. Both have high production values and are worth seeing. The only real problem is overcrowding. Due to its location in a high congestion area, shortly after the first or second showing, there's little chance of getting into this without arriving ridiculously early. My advice is to FASTPASS it when you swing by the area for the first time and go see it when the time comes. This show, unlike other shows, does have areas with better views. Your best bet is to be "courteous" and let others by and then follow them in so you'll be seated in the middle of the row.