Both of my children were begging to go back to a Disney on Ice show after last year. Luckily we got the chance to attend this year’s show, “Follow Your Heart,” at Eagle Bank Arena in Fairfax. We could barely contain them until the 6:30 p.m. showtime! We got to the arena about 30 minutes early, which allowed us time to hit the restrooms and find our seats before the show started. Right on time, the lights dimmed and the show began!
The first half of the show features the characters from the Disney movie Inside Out. Joy, queen of happiness, tries to help Riley through her hockey game as she balances the other emotions: Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness. As they navigate through the emotions, skits with other Disney characters are inter-twined. First came a Beauty and the Beast performance that featured the song “Be Our Guest,” complete with dancing forks, spoons, knives and plates. My kids were mesmerized and the costumes were spectacular.
Next up was a performance of the “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” from Fantasia. While the little ones didn’t recognize the music, they loved seeing Mickey dressed up as a wizard and the dancing brooms were truly magical. Costumed in dark colors lined with glow in the dark strips, they looked the part. I was beginning to sense a theme of excellent costumes- kudos to the wardrobe department of this production! Snow White and her dwarves made the next appearance. The first half concluded with the familiar princesses all coming out and performing a short song. The highlight was Ariel, the Little Mermaid, who performed an amazing acrobatic routine, swinging from a rope high above the ice. My 5-year-old son is still talking about it!
There was a short intermission that allowed just enough time to get another restroom break and peruse the halls filed with food and merchandise. I was prepared this time for the ridiculous prices on plastic wands and snow cones, but my children didn’t even ask for them (luckily!). We wandered back to our seats for round two. Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald were the narrators for the second half, transitioning us into a skit from Finding Dory. Once again, the costumes were fabulous, but the highlight was the enormous octopus, Hank, that glided out onto the ice. It was a cute 10-minute version of the movie that everyone seemed to enjoy. Next up was Toy Story, with most of the familiar characters (Woody, Buzz, Jesse, Rex, Ham, Army Man) skating and singing about friendship. The finale of the show was a full reenactment of Frozen. I thought my children would enjoy this more, and while they did like the singing (“In Summer” was very cute) they got a bit bored. In retrospect, I think they were just getting tired, since we’d hit the 2-hour mark of the show just before the end.
As in the past, I really don’t have any negative comments for this experience. Eagle Bank Arena was clean, the staff was friendly, and we had no issues parking or traveling to and from George Mason’s campus. My only recommendation would be to make sure you arrive with either full bellies or full wallets. As for the production, I was impressed with the number of characters they worked in to the show, and both my son and daughter were pleased to see their favorites. Though it was a tad long, both my children have fun and happy memories from the show. I highly recommend getting tickets next time the show is in town!
Disney on Ice “Follow Your Heart” at the Eagle Bank Arena
www.disneyonice.com
Ticket prices start at $20. Look for coupon codes and discounts at local merchants and through children’s discount websites.
Kept my Children’s Interest: 5
Appealed to Advertised Age Range: 5
I Would Recommend to Others: 5
I Would Return: Yes
Overall rating: 5
All ratings on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being highest.
Meet the Reviewer!
Christy Petrak is a Systems Engineer currently taking a leave of absence to raise her two children, Thomas (5) and Eliza (2). She enjoys spending time with her family, swimming and baking/decorating cupcakes.
