Disney on Ice Wins Gold
Friday Night Family Fun at Disney on Ice Dazzles “Mommy, when is Elsa coming out?” Lucy asked in a grave tone. She didn’t know that the Imagineers like to save the sensational moments for a bit deeper into the show. “Soon,” I promised her, hoping the ads I saw weren’t misleading. The Facebook ads are…
Friday Night Family Fun at Disney on Ice Dazzles
"Mommy, when is Elsa coming out?" Lucy asked in a grave tone. She didn't know that the Imagineers like to save the sensational moments for a bit deeper into the show. "Soon," I promised her, hoping the ads I saw weren't misleading.
The Facebook ads are how it all started. A month ago. when the banner for Disney on Ice popped up on my feed, I clicked for more information. The tickets range from roughly $23 to $175 with the pricier tickets giving you floor seats and engagement with the performers. I clicked some more. I saw a sparkly Olaf. I looked at our calendar. I talked to my husband. We got our tickets.
Maybe it was Winter Olympics fomo, not being able to see the play-by-play without the NBC app. Maybe it was the few seconds of Alysa Liu spinning that left me wanting more.
Or maybe the call of Disney magic was echoing in my memories. I remember going to Disney on ice as a child. I have a hazy sense of being in Disney heaven without actually being at an amusement park. I got all dressed up to see Minnie. My parents told me I was showing off my new pink coin purse from my seat (for Minnie to see), and overflowing with little girl pride.
Watching Ice Princesses
I love figure skating. I loved watching Michelle Trachtenberg use math to figure out to spin in Ice Princess. My first time skating was a daddy-daughter event with Girl Scouts. It felt like flying. And falling. Lots of that too. But I didn't have to be graceful as long as I gained some speed with the sound of Donna Lewis singing "I love you, always forever, near and far, closer together" in the background.
Then, there were years of watching Kristi Yamaguchi and Scott Hamilton. Years of stunning Winter Olympics took my breath away.
It's the magic of dancing and athleticism, precision, and acrobatics. It's the way music pairs with the blades driving arcs around the rink. It's the cold air surrounding each skater while warm muscles power legs to speed forward into glide after glide. The costumes are the icing with the soaring silk of ballet skirts, beaded sleeves, glittered hair, and dramatic eyes. It's absolutely captivating.
My Little Princess
And I got to share this wonder with my little wonder on Friday night.
She put on her blue teacup Elsa dress, her sparkly pink high heels, her silk pink gloves, and her Minnie ears. We got there early, because we wanted time for parking and snacks. It gave us ample time to gawk at the other girls wearing princess dresses, the horribly overpriced merch, the delicious-smelling food, and the trickle of excited kids waving bubble wands and light-up toys. The arena filled up with hype and children.
Vyster Memorial Arena Seats & Stitch
We could see the ice pretty well from Row Q. Lucy and I would eventually play tug-o-war with the binoculars. I liked seeing the makeup and costumes a little closer. Lucy mostly like taking the binoculars from me. We splurged and got her the Stitch Cup Snowcone. I devoured a chili dog. We opened the gummy candy we brought with us. The dance DJ ice skated to the corner booth and started the music.
Our Fave Movie Characters Hit the Ice
The show had everything. Pyrotechnics, acrobatics, flashing lights, enormous animal costumes, waving flags, dancing rings, flipping skaters, brief ballet vignettes (thanks, Ariel), familiar songs - though re-arranged to abbreviate the stories. They brought to life Wish, Lion King, Moana, Frozen, and The Little Mermaid. My favorite moment was Simba and Nala pair skating to "Can you feel the Love Tonight." The power, the romance, the lions!
Though Scar too put on an villain performance that was truly compelling. The muscular lion with this wild mane played trapeze, flying up in the air before returning to the pack of awaiting hyenas. Lucy was thrilled to see Hyenas.
Remember the parades at Disneyland? (Or whatever Disney park you spent your childhood at). This was like that. Except here the zebras and seahorses were elaborate costumes controlled by figure skaters. They were spinning, speeding, circling, jumping. Pumba and Sven had four feet and somehow skaters balanced these huge costumes with two!
There was drama, humor, love, adventure, tragedy, hope, and magic. Just like a classic Disney movie, your emotions ride each storm.
Lucy waited eagerly, impatiently, for Elsa. She wanted more Elsa and less Anna. She thought Maui was amusing. She was happy to see Olaf. Almost every time Minnie and Mickey appeared she jumped up. She danced during the songs. She waved at the characters. She spooned her snowcone and gave us hugs periodically, just to express her excitement.
The post-show walk to the car was a little rough, after expending so much enthusiasm for so many hours. We were tired, hungry, and emotionally spent. How do you come down from the clouds? Walking down the bleak pavement to the parking garage, we could still visualize the smoke machines, flashing lights, musical movie hits, and rhythmic movements of each ice dancer.