Last weekend we headed off to Birmingham to review the wonderful Disney on Ice presents Worlds of Enchantment at the Barclaycard Arena.
The show features four stories: Toy Story 3, The Little Mermaid, Cars and Frozen, introduced by Disney favourites Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy. With exquisite costumes, stunning scenery, amazing choreography, special effects, pyrotechnics and original Disney music, the magic of Disney is brought to life on the ice. The story takes us from Andy's Toy Box to Under the Sea to Radiator Springs to Arendelle. What a journey!
The Toy Story routine was beautifully done, telling the tale of when Andy goes to college, leaving his beloved toys behind. Their adventure at Sunnyside and their elaborate escape is brilliantly executed and includes Woody taking to the skies on a kite and Lotso being picked up by a garbage truck driver's giant hand. Highlights included the toy soldiers with their synchronised routines and the hilarious love story of Barbie and Ken. It is touching, heartwarming and exciting with lots of laughs thrown into the mix.
The Little Mermaid is one of my favourite Disney films. I love the story of Ariel and her fishy friend Flounder, and Ursula the Sea Witch is a magnificent villain. I loved seeing the underwater kingdom brought to life on the ice with flowing fabric waves and intricately detailed dancing fish. The ice dancer portraying Ariel was perfect for the role, telling the story of how she fell in love with Eric, made a pact with the evil Ursula and eventually broke her spell with a kiss from her prince.
After the interval, we were treated to one of my favourite parts of the show. The Cars from Radiator Springs came to the rescue of Minnie and Mickey's new roadster that had broken down. The full size vehicles are so beautifully made and look great as they drive and spin across the ice. Mater the Tow Truck and Lightning McQueen are brilliant with their fully articulated eyes and talking mouths. We were all enthralled with the four wheeled characters and loved seeing Mickey and Minnie drive away in the pimped up roadster.
Frozen is still the part of the show that everyone is excitedly waiting for and when Anna and Elsa step on to the ice, they deliver with a musical extravaganza. When Elsa brings winter to Arendelle, special effects see snow fall from the sky and fountains freeze before your eyes. Elsa's castle that appears during 'Let It Go' number is spectacular and the arrival of Olaf the snowman received the loudest cheer from the crowd. The ice dancing was exquisite and of the highest standard, and the tale is told with real heart.
This is the perfect show for families to watch together. Seeing a Disney on Ice show guarantees you are in for a treat. With amazing performers, music, costumes and effects, the show is simply stunning. My family love it! It is a perfect show for younger children, introducing them to ice dancing and live performance, with characters and songs they know and love.
To find out when Disney on Ice is coming to a town near you and to book tickets visit: www.disney.co.uk/disney-on-ice/worlds-of-enchantment. The show runs until January 3rd 2016 with Belfast, Dublin, Sheffield and London dates available.