Mickey Mouse and friends are performing at the 02 Arena from December 26th through until January 5th with Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream and it’s a show – whether you have girls or boys (despite their aversion to princesses) – that we recommend for all the little ones.
Like other Disney on Ice shows, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald set the scene for movie characters to take the ice. Unlike other shows, which pull from a multitude of movies, Dare to Dream focuses on four: Cinderella, Tangled, Snow White and The Princess and the Frog, so the children are able to engage with more of the story, and parents, however unfamiliar, can figure it out.
If you can manage it, sit close as the characters interact with audience members, and kids sitting close by might be picked to try on Cinderella’s glass slipper or help Rapunzel and Flynn launch a floating lantern. Favourites who are not part of the main show, like Princess Jasmine, Aladdin and Ariel from The Little Mermaid, appear towards the end so, if your daughter wants to dress as Snow White, she’s there, too.
The first portion is The Princess and the Frog and, right away, you notice how many details go into this production—from the costumes to the choreography to the music. Starting off in New Orleans, boogie to the beat of the bayou with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen, who embark on a magical and musical journey that all begins with a faithful kiss. Along with the lead pair, it’s very impressive to see skaters wearing the bulkier costumes, like Louis the gator and Ray the Firefly, being able to get around the ice so gracefully and so well. The Princess and the Frog offers some brilliant special effects, too, like the scene where Prince Naveen and Tiana turn into frogs, and later, back into humans.
Next stop is the enchanted forest of Snow White where, accompanied by the Seven Dwarfs, she faces treacherous challenges and a deathly apple to find her one true love, the Prince. “This show is different from anything we’ve ever done, and we’re excited about all the exhilarating aspects we have included in this production,” says Producer Juliette Feld. ‘This is the first time Rapunzel is featured on the ice with her tremendous amount of hair and new this year, Snow White, the princess who started it all, will be joining the show with her friends, the Seven Dwarfs, bring more magic than ever before.”
During Cinderella, it’s great to see “Cinderelly” get decked out by Fairy Godmother, and it’s really cute when her mice friends also show up. Even with so many Princesses in the show, boys are missing out if parents don’t take them, because for every princess there is also a prince and Prince Charming’s grand entrance is a highlight that proves they are also a big part of the performance.
The Tangled portion opens with Flynn descending from the rafters and swiping a princess crown from Mickey and his crew. Then, together with Rapunzel and Maximus, the Captain of the Guard’s determined horse they embark on an uproarious journey that takes adventure to new lengths! The dancing in this portion is not to be missed; in fact, it is one of the best parts of the show. All pairs on the ice are incredible skaters and at one point, Rapunzel and Flynn actually take to the air above the ice for a dance that gets a huge response from the crowd.
All your favourite princesses take to the ice in a spectacular finale which has to be the ultimate Disney Princess event of a lifetime! If you have ever been a Disney fan and can accept a firefly being taller than a human, you’ll enjoy this show almost as much as the children but, of course, it’s still a kid’s show so expect much of it to be aimed towards them, not you.