The long wait to see The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure at Disney California Adventure Park is nearly over. Disneyland Resort has taken down the scrim and most of the scaffolding that hid the building for two months, and the ride’s refreshed facade is finally in view.
Two Months Behind the Walls
Construction walls first showed up around the Paradise Gardens Park attraction in August. Over the following weeks, scrim and scaffolding spread around the whole structure until almost nothing but the entrance to the Little Mermaid (1989)-inspired ride was visible.
In mid-October, Disney cast members rolled up the scrim and tied it to the scaffolding, which gave guests their first peek at the building’s updated look. Since then, the fabric and most of the framework have disappeared.
The Little Mermaid Ride Facade Unveiled
On October 28, WDWNT shared the first photos of the ride without scaffolding or scrim since the project began. Plywood barriers still surround portions of the attraction building and its outdoor queue, so the area isn’t entirely open yet.
Disneyland Resort doesn’t appear to have made any significant design changes. Instead, the work looks like a repaint of the cream walls, bronze trim, blue columns, and other detailing, all of which look refreshed after years of weather and wear.
What Remains
A section of scaffolding is still standing on the side of the building, near the covered outdoor queue. Because all of the scrim fabric seems to be gone, that scaffolding and the remaining plywood walls will likely come down soon, though Disneyland Resort hasn’t confirmed a timeline.
Disneyland Resort never commented publicly on the project. Despite the extensive exterior construction, the ride remained open and operational throughout.
Has construction ever impacted your visit to Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort? Disney Dining would love to hear about your experience in the comments!
