'The Little Mermaid': Fun facts to celebrate movie's 30th anniversary

The Little Mermaid has been "Part of Your World" for nearly 30 years!

The classic Disney animated movie hit theaters on November 17, 1989, and was instantly regarded as a hit by critics and fans alike.

Yet even the most loyal fishes may not know these fun facts about their favorite "tail."

-- Have you ever noticed that colors in the opening scene seem muted? It's because they are! Filmmakers wanted to save the brightest colors for under the sea scenes.

-- When we first meet King Triton, he's addressing a group of merpeople. Yet if you take a closer look, you can see Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Donald Duck in the crowd!

-- As many know, "The Little Mermaid" is based on a fairytale by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. However, at the end of the original 1837 tale, the young mermaid protagonist dissolves and turns into an ethereal spirit.

-- In the original story, the sea-witch is not a prominent character. She doesn't even have a name!

-- Ursula was originally portrayed as a spinefish or a scorpionfish with lots of spikes and spines. Instead, filmmakers made her a cecaelia, a mythical hybrid between an octopus and a human.

-- Did you notice Flounder's face when talking about Scuttle? He physically transforms into the seagull!

To celebrate "The Little Mermaid's" 30th, watch "The Little Mermaid Live!" Tuesday at 8|7c on ABC.

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of this station.