In 1996, after 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea had been shut down, the space adjacent was turned into a meet and greet area for Ariel (The Little Mermaid). The still full lagoon was used as a space to add a small waterfall and statue of King Triton for some time until it was later filled in.
Ariel’s Grotto remained a meet and greet location for the princess until April of 2010 when the large Fantasyland expansion broke ground. At that time, the King Triton statue was packed up and eventually moved to Anaheim. He now sits proudly atop The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure at Disney California Adventure.