If you're planning a Magic Kingdom trip in February and you have Little Mermaid fans in your group, you absolutely need to know that Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid is closing for one day on February 12, 2026. This isn't a long refurbishment, but if you only have one Disney day or Ariel is a huge priority for your family, this closure could seriously mess up your plans.
What's Actually Closing at Disney
Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid in Fantasyland will be completely unavailable on February 12 due to what Disney is calling a short refurbishment. The ride reopens after that, so it's literally just one day, but if February 12 happens to be your Magic Kingdom day, you're out of luck.
Disney hasn't given specific details about what maintenance they're doing, but one-day closures are usually routine stuff like lighting updates, ride vehicle inspections, or fixing animatronics that aren't working properly. It's the kind of maintenance that needs to happen but doesn't require weeks or months to complete.
Why This Actually Matters
Under the Sea is a unique high-capacity ride in Fantasyland that helps manage guest flow throughout the park. When it's closed, nearby attractions like Peter Pan's Flight and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train see increased wait times.
This ride is one of the few permanent Disney Princess attractions at Magic Kingdom, providing an immersive storytelling experience with animatronics, sets, and music from the animated film. For families with Little Mermaid fans, losing this ride feels like losing a vital part of the Magic Kingdom experience.
Ariel Has Been in Disney Parks Forever
The Little Mermaid movie, released in 1989, sparked the Disney Renaissance and led to classics like Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. Ariel quickly appeared in parks through stage shows and character meet-and-greets. Disney-MGM Studios (now Hollywood Studios) debuted the popular Voyage of the Little Mermaid live show in 1992.
However, Magic Kingdom didn't open a dedicated Little Mermaid ride, Under the Sea, until 2012 as part of the New Fantasyland expansion, marking the first permanent story-driven ride featuring Ariel in a U.S. Disney park.
What You Should Do at Disney
If Ariel is high on your must-do list, February 12 is not the day to visit Magic Kingdom. If you have flexibility with your park schedule, just pick a different day for Magic Kingdom and you'll be fine.
Instead, February 12 could be a perfect day to hit Disney's Hollywood Studios, which actually has some solid Little Mermaid alternatives that might even be better than the ride, depending on what your family likes.
Hollywood Studios Has Ariel Too
Hollywood Studios lets you meet live-action Ariel, which is a completely different experience from the ride but still really memorable for Little Mermaid fans. The park also features The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure, a stage show that retells Ariel's story with performers, big visuals, and music from the film.
Some people actually prefer the stage show over the Magic Kingdom ride because it has more emotional impact and feels more like a real performance instead of just sitting in a ride vehicle watching animatronics.
This Is Part of a Bigger Pattern
This one-day closure is part of what guests have been noticing across Disney and Universal parks lately. Attractions are getting maintained more frequently, sometimes with barely any notice, as parks try to balance massive attendance with aging infrastructure that needs constant work.
These closures are necessary to keep rides running safely and looking good, but they make it really important for guests to check park calendars before finalizing their plans, especially when specific characters or rides are absolute non-negotiables for your trip.
Plan Smart to Avoid a Disney Disaster
If you're visiting Walt Disney World in February, double-check which attractions are actually going to be open on the days you're planning to visit each park. If Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid is a must-do for your family, just choose a different date for Magic Kingdom and save yourself the disappointment of showing up at Fantasyland only to find Ariel's ride is closed for the day.
With a little bit of planning ahead, you can still experience Ariel's story at Hollywood Studios or just visit Magic Kingdom on literally any other day in February when the ride is actually operating.
