Even the word ‘Disney’ will send shivers of excitement down the spine of any self-respecting child under the age of 14 – pair that with ice skating and you’re in with a winner. Last week Disney on Ice rolled in to town at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast as part of its UK tour of the new show Magical Ice Festival. Featuring such favourites as Ariel, Belle and Rapunzel, this show is undeniably one for all the family. As if that wasn’t enough, what magical ice festival would be complete without ice queen Elsa and her sister Anna, not to mention the lovable oaf Olaf and pesky reindeer Sven?
Produced by Feld Entertainment, Disney on Ice is an assault on the senses before you even enter the arena – there are hundreds of little Disney princesses running around, tons of little Elsas and Annas (and a fair few adult ones too) lapping up the overly expensive merchandise that is served up every few steps. Even though the Odyssey has its own designated merchandise stalls, there seems to be a few dozen extra stands just to house all of the Disney produce on sale and a few dozen extra staff tasked with walking around the arena offering popcorn, candy floss and chocolate fondue all night. You can get a slushie in a Disney cup for £10, a spinny thing that lights up for £17 or a teeny tiny teddy bear of your favourite character for £12 among a whole host of other things. It all seems a bit steep considering a single ticket can cost up to £30 and there are three shows a day being performed, but this is a show for kids after all, and those light up spinny things will undoubtedly sell.
The show itself is fantastic. From the very first second that the lights go down, the curtain goes up and Mickey and Minnie Mouse skate out onto the ice, it’s clear that everyone’s here for a good time. The ice dancers are flawless, they run, jump and swerve around the ice like its not there at all. The costumes are great too, like a ballroom dancer’s take on Disney characters, with loads of frills and sparkle, perfect for a show like this.
Throughout the two hour show we are taken on a journey through the stories of The Little Mermaid, Tangled, Beauty and the Beast, and of course, Frozen. The special effects and props help to bring the show to life – there’s real (fake) snow in Arendelle, Rapunzel’s lanterns float up into the sky and Ariel even does some aerial ribbon dancing (obviously). The highlight of the show unsurprsingly comes in the form of Frozen. As Anna sings ‘Love Is An Open Door’, Elsa belts out ‘Let It Go’ and Olaf ponders what frozen things do ‘In Summer’ the thousands of little voices around the arena shouting out every word are a testament to how good this show really is.
Whether you’ve got kids yourself, or you’re just a big kid at heart, this is entertainment at its finest. A feel-good night of fun, Disney on Ice is a must-see for the Disney fan in all of us.
Disney on Ice Magical Ice Festival is touring the UK, for more dates and to buy tickets click here.
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