If you're heading to Disney California Adventure soon, you may do a double-take when you pass through the Paradise Gardens Park area. The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel's Undersea Adventure has been almost completely swallowed by construction walls, towering scaffolding, and dark scrims — making it one of the most dramatic-looking refurbishment projects the park has seen in a while.

The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel's Undersea Adventure: Still a Park Favorite

For those who may not be familiar, The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel's Undersea Adventure is a beloved dark ride located in the Paradise Gardens Park area of Disney California Adventure. Guests board colorful clamshell vehicles and glide through Ariel's story, surrounded by characters and songs inspired by Disney's animated classic The Little Mermaid (1989). Ariel, Sebastian, Ursula, Prince Eric, and more all make appearances along the way.

Unlike some of the park's bigger thrill rides, this attraction offers a gentler, slower-paced experience that families with younger children can enjoy together. Its large, detailed exterior has long been a recognizable landmark in this corner of the park — though right now, guests will have a hard time spotting much of it.

Massive Scaffolding Now Covers Nearly the Entire Building

The scale of the construction has grown significantly over just the past couple of weeks. Earlier this month, walls and scrims appeared around portions of the entrance and the right side of the building. Since then, the work area has expanded dramatically.

Construction walls now surround nearly the entire attraction building. Large sections of scaffolding rise behind those barriers, while black scrims conceal much of the familiar exterior. From certain angles, very little of the building's themed look remains visible — a striking change from what guests saw only a short time ago.

One familiar sight does peek above the construction: the King Triton statue can still be spotted rising above the black scrims, offering one of the few clear glimpses of the attraction's themed exterior. The walls and scaffolding also extend behind the nearby merchandise kiosk.

The Ride Itself Remains Open

Here's the most important thing for upcoming visitors to know: The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel's Undersea Adventure is still operating. Disney has not closed the ride as part of this exterior refurbishment.

Even with so much of the building blocked off, Disney has maintained a pathway into the attraction. Openings in the construction walls allow guests to reach the entrance, and seashell-shaped directional signs help point visitors in the right direction. The biggest impact is visual — particularly for anyone hoping to photograph the attraction's exterior. The sheer amount of scaffolding and black covering could easily give the impression that the ride has temporarily closed, but that's not the case. Ariel, Sebastian, and the rest of the undersea crew are still waiting inside.

Could Disney Add More Themed Construction Coverings?

For now, Disney is using fairly simple black scrims to conceal the work happening on the building. That could potentially change if the exterior refurbishment continues for an extended period. Disney sometimes uses themed construction coverings during lengthy projects — particularly when work affects a prominent building that thousands of guests pass throughout the day. Those coverings can replicate the overall appearance of the structure they hide, making the area feel more polished while work continues.

Disney has not confirmed that themed scrims are coming to The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel's Undersea Adventure. For the moment, guests should expect the attraction to look much more like an active construction site from the outside.

What to Expect on Your Visit

For the foreseeable future, this familiar corner of Disney California Adventure is going to look noticeably different. The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel's Undersea Adventure has gone from having relatively limited exterior construction to being almost completely concealed behind walls, scaffolding, and black scrims.

Exactly how long the building will remain covered is still to be seen. But the good news is clear: guests may lose the familiar exterior view for now, but they don't have to lose the attraction itself. Just follow the seashell signs, make your way through the construction walls, and you'll find yourself aboard a clamshell and under the sea before you know it.