The diner offered Character Dining (an opportunity for guests to dine as Ariel and other Disney Princesses visit tables), and featured American, Healthy Selections, and Vegetarian cuisine. World of Color water show upcharge dining package reservations could be made as an alternate to required fastpass general viewing.
Both Ariel's Grotto and Cove Bar closed down on January 8, 2018 to make room for repurposing into Lamplight Lounge.[1] Cove Bar reopened briefly in April2018 until again returning to reconstruction.[1]
Ariel's Grotto from the inside featured lights & decorations like underwater details, such as shells, corals, seaweed, fish, etc.[2] The lighting was shaped like shells and man-made objects to resemble Ariel's love for humans and her resourcefulness.[2] Despite the lighting, the restaurant was primarily dark due to how it kept a balance of calm, dimmed lighting.[2] In one of the seats, guests are sat beside an illustration of Atlantica resembling a window behind the underwater sea.[2]
At the outdoor seating of the restaurant, guests are seated in a circular set-up patio with a view of the Paradise Pier from where they sat and the World of Color, which made Ariel's Grotto such a primarily preferred location for viewing it.
In the restaurant, the children of guests are given kids menus with a pack of crayons and smaller plates with oceanic illustrations on the sides.[2] Older guests are given plates with the same design and a larger size. Bowls were opaque, semi-transparent blue bowls with curled ridges to resemble a coral or shell.[2]
Because of Ariel's Grotto's role as a Character Dining restaurant, princesses, such as Ariel, Rapunzel, Jasmine, Snow White, Belle, and Cinderella would greet guests, talk to them, sit down with them and dance next to seating like other Character Dining experiences.[2]
Development[]
Gallery[]
A view of Paradise Pier from a seat in Ariel's Grotto.
A child standing with Ariel for a photo at Ariel's Grotto. (c. 2007)
A photograph of the inside of Ariel's Grotto.
The Ariel's Grotto sign from the view walking into the restaurant.
Trivia[]
During the first six months of California Adventure's operation, Ariel's Grotto was originally a high end restaurant titled Avalon Cove by Wolfgang Puck.[3]
The roof was originally a muted blue until the mid-2000s when it was changed to bright red.[3]
