Little Mermaid - Underrated Directorial Achievement?

Okay, so I've been diving (pun intended, sorry!) into the filmographies of animation directors lately, and it got me thinking about The Little Mermaid. I know, I know, it's Disney, it's 'for kids,' whatever. But honestly, looking at it through the lens of directorial vision, I think it's hugely underrated. I mean, who directed this thing, even? I was just looking at the credits, and it's Ron Clements and John Musker... gotta add them to the study list. Seriously, think about the visual language. The way Ariel moves underwater is just… breathtaking. The pacing is perfect. Each song feels naturally woven into the narrative and really helps to develop the characters, especially Ariel's longing and Ursula's manipulative tactics. The 'Part of Your World' sequence is a masterclass in cinematic storytelling. And let's not forget the villain! Ursula is iconic, and a lot of that comes down to the way she's animated and directed. The shadow play, the dramatic lighting... it's all so deliberately crafted. I'm not saying it's flawless. Prince Eric is kinda bland, let's be real. And yeah, the whole 'giving up your voice for a guy' thing is problematic in today's social climate, I guess but come on, it's a fairytale. But when you consider all the technical challenges of animating underwater scenes, creating expressive characters, and telling a compelling story, I really think The Little Mermaid deserves more credit as a directed film, not just a 'Disney movie'. Anyone else feel this way? I legit think it's as well-directed as something from Brad Bird, tbh. Interested if anyone else has looked at it this way? Are there other animated films where the directing team really elevated the material?