Disney presents a spectacle on ice
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Green army men from Toy Story come to life in Andy’s bedroom during the Disney on Ice "Worlds of Enchantment" show on opening night Thursday at Selland Arena.
Disney on Ice presented “Worlds of Enchantment” spectacularly for its opening night in Fresno with classic and recent Disney stories that included: “Toy Story 3,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Cars” and, last but definitely not least, “Frozen.”
Most of the characters reenacted plots from their Disney movies with the exception of the cast from “Cars.” Tow Mater, Lightning McQueen and Sandy instead tried to fix the car of Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
Admittedly, the show did not start off strong. Due to technical difficulties, the main show began 39 minutes late, which made the whole performance seem a tad rushed. Even so, with the help of hosts Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Disney on Ice pulled off a memorable and remarkable show. The atmosphere in the arena was full of fun energy and gleefulness. This family-friendly show made the children giddy with excitement before it even began.
The first Disney tale of the evening, “Toy Story 3,” displayed the show’s dedication to its costumes. All were beautiful and highly similar to the actual film characters' outfits.
The characters that required mascot costumes deserved slightly more praise than the others. The costumes were huge and at times required more than one person to carry and move around — not to mention most likely hard to see from. For one or even two people to wear and carry such a huge costume for hours at a time while ice skating surprisingly well is an accomplishment.
The sets depicting all of the storylines were somewhat sparse, but production made up for it with creative lighting, effects (fog, snow, bubbles, etc.), sound and pyrotechnics. All of the above complemented the figure skating choreography dazzlingly.
Though the production was the highlight of the show, the skaters alone had no problem entertaining with their elegant and lovely routines. While all of the stories and routines were fascinating to watch, “Frozen” was the one that stole the show, and inspired many children present to sing along.
The familiar and iconic story of “Frozen” finished the evening. Queen Elsa and Princess Anna looked and performed magnificently, just as they did in the film. Children in the audience were so taken by the performance they almost lost their marbles when adorable and comical snowman Olaf made his appearance on the ice, but he wasn’t the only character the children fell in love with.
Towards the end of the show, Elsa performed “Let It Go” with style. By the time she finished the kids weren’t the only ones in love with her performance. Her dress was beyond beautiful and nearly impossible not to admire. She skated with elegance exactly like a queen should. Elsa and the rest of the “Frozen” cast wrapped up the show with a bang, leaving the audience in awe and a good memory to go home with.
Disney on Ice is a fantastic event to go to if you want a to enjoy a memorable night out with your kids and family or even if you’re just a Disney fanatic who enjoys and appreciates Disney’s classics. This show is unquestionably worth the money spent. Don’t miss out on this unforgettable performance!
Performances will be 7 p.m. tonight and Monday, as well as 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. today and Sunday, at Selland Arena, 700 M St. Attendees may come dressed as favorite characters if they wish or even arrive early to learn exclusive dance moves from Mickey’s Dance-Along Pre-Show.
General ticket prices range from $18 to $68. Tickets for those ages 2-12 can be bought for $15 for 7 p.m. Monday plus 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. shows Sunday.
Tickets can be found online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-745-3000 or at the Selland Arena box office. For general information on the show, visit www.disneyonice.com/worlds-of-enchantment or www.facebook.com/DisneyOnIce
John Rieping of The Madera Tribune contributed to this article.
