DESCRIPTION: (from Disney Branded Television's press release, May 2024) Disney Branded Television announced today the premiere date for the highly anticipated animated musical series "Disney Jr.'s Ariel." Inspired by "The Little Mermaid," the series will debut on THURSDAY, JUNE 27, on Disney Junior (9:00 a.m. EDT/PDT) and air on Disney Channel later that day, with an initial batch of eight episodes available on Disney+ the following day, FRIDAY, JUNE 28. Additionally, new recurring cast members were announced, including Yvette Nicole Brown, Melissa Villaseñor and Ron Funches. To help build excitement for "Disney Jr.'s Ariel," it was also announced that a new series of shorts titled "Disney Jr.'s Ariel: Mermaid Tales" will be featured across Disney+, Disney Channel and Disney Jr. beginning Wednesday, June 5. Each two-minute short will highlight a different aspect of Ariel's life in Atlantica. Set in the Caribbean-inspired fairytale kingdom of Atlantica, the series follows young mermaid princess Ariel (Mykal-Michelle Harris) as she embarks on underwater adventures with her family and friends, including King Triton (Taye Diggs), Ursula (Amber Riley), Flounder (Gracen Newton) and mer-friends Fernie (Cruz Flateau) and Lucia (Elizabeth Phoenix Caro).