Skating Through the Memories: Disney on Ice Celebrates 100 Years of Magic

The anticipation started building in our house early in the morning. We reviewed some familiar Disney characters and tried to guess which ones would be featured in the show. But nothing could prepare my son and daughter for when the lights dimmed and Mickey and Minnie came skating out in their glittery costumes to start “Disney on Ice Celebrates 100 Years of Magic!” My children were captivated from that very moment, and never lost the wondrous gazes in their eyes during the entire 1.5 hour performance.

After a brief introductory number with Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck and Goofy, the show delved into Disney storybooks from past to present. We saw Pinocchio and the blue fairy come to life, skating to the ever popular “When you Wish Upon a Star.” The kiddos didn’t recognize this one as much, so they were happy when it quickly transitioned to a short recap of Finding Nemo, complete with a giant turtle (the character Crush) crawling out onto the ice.

One of my favorite parts of the show came next. The show creators (Feld Entertainment) ensured all the princesses were featured in a 10-minute skit, starting with Beauty and Beast. Each princess and her prince gracefully transitioned onto the ice, skating to their signature songs and taking a spot along the edge of the ice while the next took their turn. At the end, it was quite a sight to see all the glittering princesses skating together and engaging their fans.

Just as my little one (18 months) was getting a bit wiggly, the Frozen sequence started. She is quite familiar with the characters and songs, so she settled right back in to my lap. The show spent 15-20 minutes recapping the entire Frozen story; understandably as it is their most current hit, though my husband complained it dragged on too long. My kids, however, were thrilled to hear all the songs and were mesmerized by the special effects, especially the pyrotechnics that were just enough and not scary to little eyes and ears.

Intermission came after a solid hour of performances, and just in time for most of the younger audience members. We strolled the halls of merchandise and food options and took a quick restroom break. Eagle Bank Arena was very clean and offered some nice food options, though pricey as expected.

After 10 minutes, the show resumed with four more acts, each about five minutes long. We were excited to see Aladdin skating with the Genie, and my son loved the Toy Story number which featured a marching line of Army Men, Buzz Lightyear, Woody and Jessie.

The longest act of the second half was from Mulan, a story we are not familiar with, which led to a bit of sleepiness and disinterest. However, the show finished strong with an amusing and upbeat collection of familiar songs from the Lion King.

I really don’t have any negative comments about this show. I was impressed with the venue: easy parking, well-marked, friendly staff and very clean. The show itself was well run, ensuring everyone saw their favorite characters at least for a few minutes. They were very punctual, which is important to me as a mom–it started exactly at 6:30 p.m. and wrapped up just before 8:30 p.m.

It was a bit late for my 18-month-old, but she powered through! We may try to get tickets to an earlier performance next time to ensure everyone stays happy and is wide awake. I highly recommend “Disney on Ice: 100 Years of Magic” for all Disney fans, young and old. We can’t wait until it comes back to our area!

Disney on Ice Celebrates 100 Years of Magic at the Eagle Bank Arena

To find future shows/tickets: http://www.ticketmaster.com/Disney-On-Ice-tickets/artist/803710

Eagle Bank Arena: http://www.eaglebankarena.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: 5

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 (4.5) and Eliza (1.5). She enjoys spending time with her family, swimming and baking/decorating cupcakes.

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