Ariel Relocating to Echo Lake Again for the 2026 Holiday Season at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Ariel, from the live-action version of The Little Mermaid, will move to a temporary meet-and-greet location at Disney’s Hollywood Studios starting October 28, 2026. According to the Walt Disney World website, Ariel will relocate from her regular location inside Walt Disney Presents to Echo Lake, near 50’s Prime Time Cafe.
This marks the second holiday season that Ariel has moved to Echo Lake. Last year, her location at Walt Disney Presents was converted into a seasonal Santa Claus meet-and-greet. Disney hasn’t confirmed the reason for this year’s move, but this is likely why.
Ariel Returns to Echo Lake for the Holidays
Starting October 28, guests can find Ariel meeting near 50’s Prime Time Cafe in Echo Lake at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Disney has described the relocation as temporary but has not announced when she will return to Walt Disney Presents.
We visited Ariel’s temporary Echo Lake meet-and-greet location during the 2025 holiday season. At that time, she greeted guests outdoors near the former Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost, wearing her light blue dress from the live-action film.
During our visit, we found that the outdoor location was exposed to the elements, so inclement weather could interrupt appearances. Our previous article includes photographs and additional details about the location.
Why Is Ariel Moving Again?
Last year, Ariel relocated to Echo Lake in late October to make room for Santa Claus inside Walt Disney Presents during the holiday season. She eventually returned to her regular meet-and-greet location on January 12, 2026. We should know more details in the coming weeks.
Guests planning to meet Ariel during their Walt Disney World vacation should check the My Disney Experience app for current character locations and appearance times. These details can change, especially during seasonal events.
For more information, see our complete guide to meeting Ariel at Disney World, which covers her character appearances at Ariel’s Grotto at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
You can also browse our Disney’s Hollywood Studios character guide for more meet-and-greet locations throughout the park. For characters in all the parks, see our list of characters who meet at Disney World. In the meantime, we’ll keep an eye on this temporary location for Ariel and provide updates if and when she returns to Walt Disney Presents. Check back with ResortsGal.com for more details, and sign up for our newsletter for updates.
In the Comments
Have you ever met Ariel in her live-action look? We actually prefer this location at Echo Lake because it’s a much better place to get photos in the daylight, especially when the weather is more pleasant! What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
