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Florida residents and Walt Disney World Resort enthusiasts — not to mention Academy participants — are most likely familiar with the Disney Dreamers Academy.
This program provides countless life-changing opportunities for Black high schoolers or teenagers who are trying to find a path forward in life despite significant obstacles — and now one brand-new Disney princess (who has faced plenty of her own obstacles) is stepping in to provide even more guidance!
The Little Mermaid actress Halle Bailey showed up this weekend at Walt Disney World Resort to celebrate the 2023 Disney Dreamers Academy festivities and to begin her role as a Disney Dreamers Academy Ambassador (fun fact: the marine biologist who directly praised Halle for her performance as Ariel was also there)!
The first day of Disney Dreamers Academy was a ✨dream✨with the help of our 2023 Disney Dreamers Academy Ambassador @HalleBailey!
Check out our Stories and stay tuned throughout the weekend for more of DDA 2023! #ddaDisney #be100 pic.twitter.com/ShmNO2FRZX
— Disney Dreamers (@dreamersacademy) March 24, 2023
The Chloe x Halle singer and Disney star — whose casting in the upcoming live-action Little Mermaid movie resulted in some hateful comments from people who fellow Disney actor Josh Gad called “pathetic” — headed onstage during the Disney Dreamers Academy Weekend and was met with a massive round of applause, after an introduction from fellow Disney Dreamers Academy Ambassador and singer Kelly Rowland!
Halle Bailey plays Ariel the little mermaid in the upcoming live-action adaptation of the 1989 film. The Disney and Rob Marshall movie also stars Javier Bardem as King Triton and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula. Credit: Disney
While in Disney World, Halle Bailey didn’t stop at meeting with (and inspiring) Disney Dreamers; she also met with one particularly-ardent Ariel fan in the Disney Parks to create an adorable moment that has gone viral.
The new Disney princess also took the time to meet with an older (but still modern) Disney princess, Princess Tiana from the animated 2009 Disney movie The Princess and the Frog. Princess Tiana has received a lot of attention lately due to her new Magic Kingdom ride, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, as well as projects like her upcoming TV series and her New Orleans restaurant.
Fans were thrilled to see Ariel with Tiana; take a look at the Tweet below, which shows “The Little Mermaid queen herself Halle Bailey” with “our queen Tiana”!
the way I simply can’t believe that The Little Mermaid queen herself Halle bailey was with our queen Tiana today 😭 like just shook to the core pic.twitter.com/f5gOlDsNA1
— kayla nicole (@KaylaNicoleG) March 24, 2023
Were you at Walt Disney World Resort this weekend? Have you seen Halle Bailey making the rounds in the Disney Parks, or seen some of the inspiring moments coming out of the Disney Dreamers Academy Weekend in general — especially involving this bright young student, who was featured on Good Morning America as a Disney Dreamer!
