This spring sees Disney on Ice present Worlds of Fantasy, which will transport audiences through four magical locations on an action-packed road trip, led by Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and showing at venues around the country from 5th March 2014.
The on-ice excitement begins when an adventurous Mickey Mouse embarks on a journey with Minnie Mouse to uncover each world of fantasy, but the plan gets skewed when their cherry red car unexpectedly breaks down. Although Donald Duck and Goofy try, it takes the assistance of the coolest cars on the ice to get the pistons firing again. Direct from Radiator Springs, Mater, Lightning McQueen and Sally speed into action, zipping and zooming around the frozen highway in an effort to re-energize the roadster.
The life-sized Cars characters were developed by the innovative minds of the prop team led by Feld Entertainment Vice President of Scenic Elements Rick Papineau. Each car took 2,000 man hours to build and is outfitted with custom animatronics including blinking eyes and hydraulic lifts that bounce to the beat of the music. Mater and McQueen even come complete with moving mouths, enabling their dynamic personalities to shine through each time they speak. “The cars are going to be a big surprise because no one will expect them to be so animated, so large or so realistic”, says Papineau.
As one of the Worlds of Fantasy speedily transforms into another, fluorescent coral and clam shell drums appear all around the arena and quickly embody Ariel’s world in The Little Mermaid. Emmy Award winning choreographer Sarah Kawahara combined dance, athletics, and theatrics to add to the excitement and energy of the show. She applies her skill and versatility to familiar and memorable scenes from the salsa dancing fish to the moment that Ariel and Prince Eric realize their love and skate a lyrical duet to “Kiss the Girl.”
Costume Designer Cynthia Nordstrom’s creative designs add to the feel of fantasy on ice. “In this eclectic presentation of Disney worlds, I wanted each to have a different quality,” says Nordstrom, whose costumes can be seen in Off-Broadway productions and in major theme parks around the world. In The Little Mermaid, Nordstrom used a range of stretch fabrics to create amazing color that flows from one palette to the next; aquas melt into greens, and purples transform into hot corals and reds.
Next, Worlds of Fantasy brings together all the fun, humour and warmth of the beloved Disney/Pixar film Toy Story 3 as we head into Andy’s bedroom for Woody, Jessie, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the familiar gang to hit the ice for the high energy Toy Story segment.
Designer Scott Lane wanted to create a fun homage to the Toy Story 3 film with his costumes. “What makes the toy costumes so unique is that many of the surfaces are plastic. We tried to achieve that kind of shiny moulded feeling because toys are a physical thing that every child knows and understands,” Lane says. “The audience can expect to see a lot of colour and fun textures.”
As Mickey and Minnie’s road trip continues, Production Designer Jeremy Railton’s whimsical scenery transforms the arena into an environment that captures the essence of the unique world to follow, as audiences enter the colourful fantasy land of fairies for the Tinker Bell segment.
Railton took particular care with Pixie Hollow. “Because audiences are still getting to know Pixie Hollow, it was important to me to capture the lushness and the scale detailed in the film,” says Railton. Because fairies are miniature in size, Railton used inflatable technology to create a giant tree backdrop. In the finale, larger than life butterflies float onto the ice as oversized inflatable flowers bloom around the ice signifying the arrival of spring.
Worlds of Fantasy offers the perfect combination of elements for fans of Disney On Ice. “From the contemporary feel of Cars and Toy Story 3 to the timeless quality of The Little Mermaid and Tinker Bell, audiences will see four completely different Disney worlds brought to life,” says producer Kenneth Feld. “All of this provides a value that is truly unparalleled in the world of live family entertainment. More than ever before, there’s something for everyone.”
The full tours dates for Disney on Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy are First Direct Arena, Leeds (5th – 9th March), LG Arena, Birmingham (13th – 16th March), Capital FM Arena, Nottingham (20th – 23rd March), The SSE Hydro, Glasgow (27th – 30th March), Echo Arena, Liverpool (2nd – 6th April), Wembley Arena, London (17th – 20th April) and Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff (23rd – 27th April) with tickets, priced from £18 – £45 (plus booking fee), already on sale.