WDW Magazine June 2023 | Page 14

ATTRACTIONS AND STAGE SHOWS APLENTY With its focus on kid-friendly entertainment , Mermaid Lagoon is less about innovative rides and more about the awe of immersing yourself in a spectacularly themed land , where so many nuances and touchpoints transport visitors under the sea . That said , of the handful of rides , some of the cute standouts include Jumpin ’ Jellyfish , which perches guests in seashells suspended by rising and falling jellyfish tentacles ; the Blowfish Balloon Race , which feels like a miniature hot air balloon ride underwater ; and The Whirlpool , which is basically the Mad Tea Party — except with kelp-wrapped cups .
Take a kelp-wrapped spin on The Whirlpool .
The Mermaid Lagoon Theater , meanwhile , feels like an oceanic Festival of the Lion King — a dazzling theatrical concert replete with puppets , projections , and performers . During King Triton ’ s Concert ( song lyrics in English and spoken dialogue in Japanese ), Ariel belts bops like “ Part of Your World ” while floating high above the stage and performing graceful acrobatics .
Then there ’ s Ariel ’ s Playground , less a ride and more a sprawling play area filled with water effects , rock formations , rope bridges , and interactive gizmos that trigger fog machines and Ursula videos . As far as play areas go , this is far from an afterthought , bursting with detail and décor , including Ariel ’ s Grotto with a Prince Eric statue and — you guessed it — whosits and whatsits galore .
King Triton ’ s Concert astounds just as much as Festival of the Lion King does stateside .
Outdoors , the two tame attractions are Scuttle ’ s Scooters , which features sand crab cars twirling around and around , and Flounder ’ s Flying Fish Coaster , a dainty ride that ’ s more akin to The Barnstormer in Magic Kingdom .