The Little Mermaid Ballet Concept
2025-present
A personal project to conceptualise Han's Christian Andersen's 'The Little Mermaid' as a classical ballet in four acts.
Concept
The concept surrounding the story of the ride was very simple and ultimately rooted in the fairy books that I had adored as a kid, a trip through the tiny kingdom of gnomes and fairies and all sorts of strange creatures. Mostly it was an exercise in atmosphere, with the story coming second to the world it was set in, allowing the escapism of this tiny, magical place to be the main attraction.
I settled on this leaf boat design in the end for the ride vehicles. 3 benches, 1m wide, which each roughly seat 2 adults/3 children (6-9 people per boat). Ideally the ride would be on an omnimover system for efficiency.
This guy would appear throughout the ride, including through the queue, acting as a kind of tour guide for guests. His would likely be the most complex animatronics of the ride.
Various concepts inspired by different species of mushroom, the top right found it's way into the final model.
I settled on this leaf boat design in the end for the ride vehicles. 3 benches, 1m wide, which each roughly seat 2 adults/3 children (6-9 people per boat). Ideally the ride would be on an omnimover system for efficiency.
Ultimately, considering the time and space I had available for this project, I decided to craft a model of only a section of the ride I had been working on and leave in in an uncoloured state (although I hope to return to it in the future). The model depicts a town square that guests would pass through around the middle point of the ride, with a cafe, boutique and inn. This scene would be heavily populated with animatronics and statues, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.
Han's Christian Andersen's
