Thanks for the compliments, UmbrellaFish!
I aspire to be a writer and publish my stories someday...
But going back to the Ariel discussion, there is one thing that hasn't been mentioned yet as to why Ariel is so popular; her theme song "Part of your world".
Simply put, the song is extraordinary. The other princesses have great songs, too, but it would be foolish to deny that "Part of your world" is the most powerful of them all and resonates with people the most.
Humans, especially little children, yearn to be part of something greater, to belong and be accepted by others and most importantly, be loved. Ariel's song is a perfect representation of those desires. Long before she met Eric Ariel was fascinated by the world above, but was chained down by both the fact that she is a creature non-existent in the real world and her father's well intended but exaggerated discipline. The scene in which she sings "Part of your world" while dancing around her trinkets shows us what her true desire is and can only live it through stuff she finds sunken in the sea.
In a way, we are all like Ariel. We all have desires or dreams that are bolted down by reality, and the song perfectly captures that lament.
Its true that the other princesses have dreams that are expressed through song, but none are as well realized as "Part of your world".
So this aspect might also add to Ariel's popularity; She's the modern representation of the dream of a better life where our aspirations are realized despite the consequences.
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