7 Things You Didn't Know About 'The Little Mermaid'

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In honor of the 25th anniversary of 'The Little Mermaid,' where breaking down seven things you might not know about the Disney classic.

How many wonders can one cavern hold?

It's been 25 years since The Little Mermaid has been a part of our world and in honor of the film's silver anniversary we're revealing seven "treasures untold" about the Disney classic.

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7. I spy Mickey Mouse and friends!


In the opening scene when Ariel's father King Triton arrives at the arena, you can briefly see Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck in the crowd of sea-people. Don't blink because you might miss them!


6."Part of Your World" was almost cut from the movie.

Ariel almost lost her big solo number after the song didn't test well with children in early screenings. Thankfully, another screening was set up and was a greater success with an adult audience. Could you imagine the film without that song?

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5. Was Prince Eric related to Sleeping Beauty?

In the dining room in Prince Eric's castle on Ariel's first night on land, there is painting on the wall of Prince Phillip and Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty.

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4. Sebastian the British Crab
.
Our favorite crustacean was initially supposed to have a British accent but it eventually was turned into a Jamaican accent-- this opened more opportunities for Calypso-style numbers like "Under The Sea."


3. Oscar Glory


The Little Mermaid
won 2 Academy Awards in 1990 and gave Disney back some serious Oscar cred. Not only was it the first Disney film to receive an Academy Award since 1971's Bedknobs and Broomsticks but the film's wins for Best Original Song and Best Original Score would be repeated for their next four films-- Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), The Lion King (1994) and Pocahontas (1995).

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2. Hidden Mickey Ears!
If you look closely you can find a couple of hidden Mickey Mouse ears in the film including in the scroll Ursula gets Ariel to sign and in the shape of a woman's hair in the scene where the animals are trying to stop the wedding. Can you spot them?

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1. Ariel was based on a teen star
.
It's been said that Ariel draws influence for many real-life people. But none more famous than Who's The Boss? star Alyssa Milano who helped inspire Ariel's look and personality.

What's your favorite scene from The Little Mermaid? Let us know in the comments section or tweet @DDirecto using #ETNow.