You have two days left -- today and tomorrow -- to help Disney and Disney on Ice ("DOI") celebrate 100 Years of Magic.
...and you don't want to miss out on this celebration.
I have seen a lot of Disney on Ice shows over the years, and each one has been special. However, after you have seen quite a few of them, you start to see a number here or there that is repeated in different shows. Well -- let me tell you something -- Wednesday night, I had the privilege of previewing Feld Entertainment's newest Disney on Ice creation, "100 Years of Magic," and magic it was!
This is truly a show you will want to see. I know these shows come to our area a lot, but this one is a bit more special. It doesn't just focus on a specific area or cater to the girls (as a lot of Disney shows seem to do). It truly does focus on the company as a whole, highlighting some of their most glorious achievements - even bringing the Disney Parks and Disney's television history into the mix. (One piece of Disney history I did find missing, however, was Steamboat Willie. I would have loved to have seen Mickey in black and white skating around the area and kicking the celebration off. I mean, isn't that how Disney started off to begin with? ...Or maybe even a nod to Oswald...)
As usual, DOI started out with our favorite Fab 5 entering the rink and setting up the show for us -- Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto (although I'm not sure Pluto is in the mix for this particular show opening).
From there, we are treated to a few highlights from the Disney and Pixar family treasure box -- Aladdin, Finding Nemo, the Disney family of Princesses (although this is a rather "classic" set; no newer Disney Princesses included in this show); and Toy Story (a much shorter version than what is presented in other DOI shows):
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| Credit: Internet David Oppenheimer |
Up next was the final number to wrap up the first half of the show. This - to me - was the crowning jewel of this particular show.
I swear, being a Disney geek, I just about teared up when I saw what came out on the ice. At first, all we saw was a CLOCK FACE (see picture below), highlighted in the spotlight - nothing else. I immediately screamed, "IT'S A SMALL WORLD!" (Yes, I said screamed. Sorry, folks around me. I couldn't contain myself. It just happens sometimes...)
Next up in the 100 Years of Magic celebration was a tribute to the one ride that is iconic to all Disney parks around the world -- IT'S A SMALL WORLD ("IASW"). Yes, I said that -- they did a tribute to IT'S A SMALL WORLD!!
If you absolutely hate the song (as a lot of people do), then this would be a good time to start your intermission, but I'm telling you -- if you leave for this segment -- you are going to be missing out on one of the grandest presentations Disney on Ice has ever done. Flat out. Period.
Not only did Feld Entertainment replicate in it's entirety and in all its splendor the It's a Small World ride facade:
...but when those double doors at the bottom opened...the skaters emerged dressed as the dolls from the ride and singing the iconic tune. (Yes. THAT iconic tune...)
It's a lovely little piece with several of the countries getting their turn in the spotlight. I swear -- I almost cried. THEN...it got even better and Feld Entertainment pushed it UP a notch (in my little and humble opinion)...
Those same double doors opened AGAIN, and yes -- hang on -- the music from the MAIN STREET ELECTRICAL PARADE ("MSEP") begins. I swear (yes, I am swearing a lot during this post) - I jumped up from my seat, started yelling, and the Dad in front of me (holding his two-year old) turned around and gave me the oddest look....(Oh well, small price to pay for Disney geekdom...)
And do you know what came OUT of those doors while the music was playing? Nope. Not the MSEP floats, but floats of the IASW ride! Tying both events and iconic Disney Parks items into one beautiful scene! For instance, do you remember this scene from the IASW:
Feld Entertainment has beautifully recreated it in "float" form for this scene in DOI. (It's very hard to find good images of this on the internet, so you will just have to trust me on this one!)
To cap off the first half of DOI before intermission, Mickey comes down in the hot air balloon that graces us in the white room of the IASW ride inside the Disney Parks. What a glorious way to end the first half!
I could have just gone home after that first half, but Feld had more in store for us to help celebrate. Kicking off the second half of this show, we were treated to a nod to Disney's television past - the Mickey Mouse Club show from the 1950s! So great to see Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck "marching" and singing along with all of us in the audience. Again, I think I teared up a time or two during this number...
From here on out, it was back to the movies -- Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio, Mulan (my favorite Princess), Pixar's The Incredibles, and The Lion King (the iconic Circle of Life moment).
To wrap up this fabulous show in a neat little bow, Feld and Disney bowed down to Disney's iconic musical number, "Circle of Life." While the song played, all the characters from the two-hour show reappeared and dance and sang together. ...and in true Disney on Ice tradition, Mickey and Minnie ended the show by taking their respective bows and thanking us for attending and helping them celebrate:
If you have the chance and live in or close to North Atlanta, I highly encourage you to go and see this Disney on Ice celebration. As I said above, I've seen a lot of these shows, but this one tops them all. I am quite sure it has to do with their nods to the Disney Parks and their television history. I wish more Disney on Ice productions would include nods like these. It pulls at all our heart strings, not just the children's, and it makes for so much more of an enjoyable experience.
I feel that if Feld Entertainment and Disney touched on these experiences and the vast array of material they have available to them (i.e., Tiki Tiki Tiki Room, Jungle Cruise; The Wonderful World of Disney tv show), their audience size could at least double. Disney and Feld Entertainment are missing out on a whole audience! So many adults (without children or with grown children) could easily be pulled into these shows if they encompassed so much more than just what is popular to children today. Tug on our heart strings Disney! You certainly possess the ability and knowledge of how to do it! I, for one, would welcome these additions to your Disney on Ice family!
If you'd like more information on how to see Disney on Ice while it is in town and save $5 on your tickets, click here. Under Promotions & Special Offers, click "Buy Offer" and enter code M100. The code is good for the following performance: Sunday at 5:00pm. Savings will apply to the $30 and $25 price levels.
Feld Entertainment's Disney on Ice plays through Sunday at the Arena at Gwinnett Center.
*Tickets for this event were provided to this website in lieu for promotion and review purposes only. All opinions are unbiased and strictly our own.
