Watching the latest installment of Disney on Ice show Let’s Celebrate! with my kids (old hats at Disney) and my boyfriend (never been to a DoI show before tonight) was an interesting experience.  Driving up to the Sleep Train Arena, I listened to the kids explain what to expect from the show, talking over each other in their excitement, wondering which characters they’d see…

Anjali: I bet we see Ana and Elsa (from Frozen)
Nik: I don’t know…we would have seen their pictures in the flyer…
Anjali: They’ll be there.  Maybe like a surprise at the end.

The conversation had started earlier over dinner at BJ’s, where I broke it to Nik that I had mixed up the dates and we were not in fact seeing Marvel Live tonight but the Disney on Ice instead.  He was disappointed and it took a while for him to get out of his funk (a root beer and chocolate chip pizookie helped immensely).

Anjali: There’ll be the boy characters as well, there always are.  You’ll like it, Nik!
Nik: Hmmmmpf.

After getting our free passes at the Will Call window, we walked into the Arena, surrounded by families with their children dressed in their favorite Disney costumes. Passing by the booths filled with Disney character toys, mugs, sparkling wands, crowns, etc., Nik cheered up a little, asking if he could get a toy.  “Maybe later,” I replied, thinking of the playroom full of similar items.

Settling into our seats, we watched the people that filled the seats around us, listening to their excited chatter.  The little girls directly behind us, ages 4 and 6, knew everything there was to know about Disney, as we were about to find out…

The show started and as always, it was engaging, lively, and fun.  Mickey and Gang opened with a lively dance, and then the various love stories were played out as the prince/princess couples skated out and danced to their signature songs.  And the little girls behind us sang along, loudly, to each and every song.  Even the ones from Mulan and Lilo & Stitch!  After frowning at me a few times, my daughter decided to enjoy the stereo experience (thankfully!)

The show took us through the various seasons, Halloween was especially fun with the Nightmare Before Christmas characters and sets.  Jack Skellington was a huge hit with my son.  I especially loved seeing the villains we love to hate join him on stage: Maleficent, Captain Hook, Sleeping Beauty’s old crone with the apple (watching the kids in the audience warn Mickey not to take the apple was a highlight!), Jafar, and Cruella DeVille.

Other characters who made an appearance: Peter Pan, the Fairy Godmother, Lilo and Stitch (a fun moment where a group of fire dancers lit the ice on fire and made the crowds gasp), Mulan, the Toy Story toys, and many more.  The show ended with an ode to love, in honor of Valentine’s day, where Minnie Mouse found her true love, Mickey.

While we didn’t see Elsa and Ana in this show, my daughter perked up when walking out of the arena, we were handed flyers for the Frozen show coming up later this month.  Nik was talking over the finer points of the show with my boyfriend, and I interrupted their conversation…

Me: Were you disappointed that it wasn’t the Marvel Live show?
Nik: no, that’s okay, Mom, it might have even been a slightly better show!

High praise from a kid who hates princesses with a passion.

There’s still time to get tickets and enjoy this fun family show… use Code ESHQ25 to Save 25% http://www.disneyonice.com/tickets

While I received free passes from Feld Entertainment to watch the show and share my opinion with my readers, my opinions are 100% my own.  As you probably know, I am honest in my reviews and wouldn’t say I liked something if I didn’t!