February 12th, 2013 by Stinkhead
Disney on Ice: Treasure Trove made a stop in Baltimore at the 1st Mariner Bank Arena this past weekend and we were there to marvel in the excitement. This time we brought our own princess too. Click below for more pics and my write-up.
Disney on Ice is one of the Feld Entertainment properties (along with other favorites Monster Jam, Nuclear Cowboys and the Ringling Bros Circus). To me, that means that they’re going to start right on time, have an appropriate intermission, and end right when they should. I’ll also walk out at the end feeling like I got my money’s worth, and my kid will be exhausted on the ride home. This has rung true for every Feld-managed event I’ve been to, and it was certainly true this past weekend. But a-ha! There was a new bonus that I hadn’t experienced (or noticed) before. Feld events always start on time, and I’m very grateful for that. I usually have my son (five years old) and sometimes one of his friends, and I know, I know it can be difficult to get someplace on time, but it’s not impossible. We’re always in our seats 10-20 minutes before the start. But not everyone else is. And those late comers always seem to be sitting in front of us. Feld knows not everyone with small children is on time, but they also honor the times they say they’re going to start. So this is brilliant… they start the show with some song and dance and exercises to get the crowd up on their feet, and even a special appearance by the Incredibles family. Here’s the thing, this isn’t really part of the larger show. Mickey and friends have not yet appeared to introduce the acts. So they start the show on time, but begin with some entertaining filler, so you’re not missing the main event as the lollygaggers file-in in front of you. (See above). Brilliant!
The afternoon gave us a good mix of classic and contemporary Disney favorites. It kicked off with Alice in Wonderland, went into Peter Pan, and then after the intermission we got Lion King, Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Tangled and then ALL the princesses in a big parade. And of course Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy come out between acts to guide the show. We were wondering if Alice was in the mix for the grandparents’ sake, or if they’re trying to boost DVD sales and keep the older costumes in use. Either way it was entertaining, but of course the kids went nuts for the more modern characters. I liked how segments like Lion King and Aladdin had a song or two, but it was a different enough presentation from the earlier Disney on Ice we visited (100 Years of Magic) where they were more heavily featured. It didn’t feel like a “lite” version of something we already saw. I really like the mix.
Overall the show was a blast. Is there a downside to a Disney on Ice event? So far we haven’t really experienced one. The very first Disney on Ice we attended was Dare to Dream, and was more heavily girl-themed, but everything we’ve seen since has been very well balanced and it all has been very enjoyable for my son. We brought one of his princess friends this time, and she wore her Brave styled princess dress and was actually on her feet in amazement most of the show. At one point we noticed that she had a fistful of popcorn she hadn’t been able to focus on eating, for about ten minutes. The only thing I’d say to be prepared for is the snacks and merchandise. I used to think I was so smart, bringing small toys like glow-sticks or Hot Wheel Monster Trucks (to Monster Jam) to avoid the gimme-gimmes at the merch stand, but no matter what you do, your kids will eventually see the other kids in the audience with the over-priced spinning flashlight things. You can try to hold out for awhile, but to be safe, I’d be prepared to spend a bit on souvenirs and snacks when you’re there. C’est la vie, amiright?
We all had a blast. I feel like we have another year or two until my son feels like he’s too old for Disney on Ice. I guess peer approval may weigh heavily on that too. But for right now we’re loving it and we all had a lot of fun. Check out my pics below, and swing by Disney On Ice.com to see which show is coming to your town next.
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Posted in 2&up, Boys, event, Girls, kids, review | Comments Off on Disney on Ice Treasure Trove
