Friday, November 22, 2013

Disney on Ice: Rockin Ever After

Sebastian with Triton's daughters
Take a group of world class figure skaters, beloved storybook characters, amazing lighting and special effects, sprinkle a little pixie dust and the result is The Disney on Ice Show, "Rockin' Ever After." There is something special about Disney because it seems that no matter what they put their hand to turns to magic. So this is what a rock concert would look like, Disney style.

We were fortunate enough to see the show at the Comcast Arena last night on its opening night. The anticipation was felt throughout the auditorium and especially in the seats next to me. My three year old is a Mickey Mouse fanatic. We arrived early and she must have asked to see him at least a hundred times while we awaited the magic (one of hazards of always arriving early). The wait was worth it though when the lights dimmed and the magic begin. Her face lit up when Mickey, Minnie and friends skated out from behind the impressive curtain.
Excitement in the audience built just as the music reached crescendo. Mickey and Minnie introduced some lesser known, but still beloved characters like Pinocchio and Druzilla and Anastasia the evil step sisters of Cinderella fame. These acts didn't seem to have much to do with the rest of the show, but did provide a good warm-up for the main portion of the show.
Triton's daughters, Sebastian and Ariel swam their way onto the ice and immediately grabbed every one's attention. The colorful costumes were a delight for the eyes and the music was catchy and familiar to anyone who has ever enjoyed the "Little Mermaid."
My favorite scene of the whole night was when the ice was filled with colorful fish, mermaids and other sea creatures. The costumes glowed on stage under the black light and the jelly fish, which were spinners held by dancers twisted and danced as the sea creatures glided across the ice.Ariel also did an above ice acrobatic act which was interesting for the audience, both young and old.
The Fab 4, Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy returned to introduce the rowdy thugs from Tangled. The Rapunzel show was different than other Disney on Ice Tangled shows I've seen. The best moments were preserved, of course. The catchy scene in the Snuggly Duckling where everyone shares their dreams and the conflicts between Flynn, Maximus and Mother Gothel and Rapunzel were all depicted. The soundtrack from this movie is one of my favorites of all Disney shows.

The highlight of this portion of the show was when the villagers released the lanterns into the "sky."
Lantern Release
It was magical and was much appreciated by the audience who expressed their gratitude and amazement with a proper amount of "oohs" and "awws."
Intermission gave my children time to stretch their legs and gave my husband time to stock-up on goodies like popcorn and cotton candy. After fifteen minutes, the show started again with our gracious hosts, the Fab 4 who transitioned into the latest Disney princess, Merida and the show "Brave." Honestly, I have not seen the movie, but knew enough about it to follow along with the storyline.
My favorite moment during this portion of the show was the fire-ball arrow that Merida shot in order to win her own hand in marriage. Pyrotechnics have always enthralled me. The triplets were adorable too!
Princess Belle's story followed. The scene opened with Gaston and his musical number which lead into the rest of the story. Belle wore her blue dress throughout the entire act, which was a little disappointing to my daughters who wanted to see Beauty dance with Beast in her famous yellow dress.
Many of the favorite songs from the movie were featured, including the always popular "Be Our Guest" scene which brought out the dancing plates and silverware. Take special note of the chandelier that lowers from the ceiling.
All the main characters, Ariel, Prince Eric, Flounder, Sabastian, Merida, Belle (who finally put on her princess dress), Prince Adam, Rapunzel, Flynn and Maximus and of course our gracious hosts all shared the ice for the finale. There were also 16 rockers dressed in colorful, 1980s style clothing and carrying light wands were also there to add to the interesting delightful end. A few more fireworks and spins and the show ended. The audience showed their delight and appreciation with a round of applause and whoops and hollers.

I highly recommend attending the show at Comcast Arena through Sunday, November 24th or in your hometown. Seeing the perfection of the dancers and the unison in which they skated is worth the price of the ticket alone.

Here are a few answers to common questions and tips to enhance your experience:

1. Arrive early to find parking. Depending on the day and other activities going on in Everett, parking can sometimes be challenging. We have never had a real problem finding parking, but are sometimes further away than we'd like.

2. Bring a few activities to keep little one's busy while waiting for the show to begin and during intermission. Small children enjoy Disney themed stickers and coloring books or a small toy featuring one of their Disney characters (many choices at the dollar store). You may also want to download a free app onto your smart phone that can be enjoyed by the younger guests in your party.

3. Bring enough money to buy snacks or souvenirs, We bought cotton candy and a small popcorn and spent around $19.  Both were large enough to be shared with our party of five. The cotton candy came with a King's Crown with Mickey Mouse ears attached. A nice keepsake, but hard to share between three children.

As for other souvenirs, here are the ones that we noticed:
  • A spinning Frisbee that was demonstrated during the start of the performance for $10.
  • Coloring book for $5
  • Full color programs were $20
  • Popcorn $7 (small) and $12 (large)_
  • Cotton Candy ($12)
  • SnoCones $12
  • Pizza was $6 a slice (offered by Comcast, not Disney on Ice)
 Other items that were available, but that I did not see the price of:
  • Lemonade in reusable cups
  • Swords
  • Plush dolls (princesses and other characters)
  • Reusable shopping bags
  • Crowns and princess wands
  • Ceramic figurines

4. Familiarize yourself with the arena's policies on outside food and drinks. Here is page with all the information for Comcast Arena.

http://www.comcastarenaeverett.com/arenainfo/rulesprohibiteditems.ashx?p=1144
Though I do not know their policies about foods or snacks for babies, toddlers and diabetics, I have been told by Comcast security that these items are permitted granted you do not bring items that can be purchased inside the arena (such as bottled water and cotton candy). I have heard that juice boxes and small snacks like crackers are permitted. Double check this with Comcast Arena or your local facility if watching the show elsewhere before attempting to bring them.

5. Though the rules state that cameras are not typically permitted, there was announcement before this particular performance that stated that cameras were permitted, but only for personal use. Double check prior to bringing your devices.

6, We wore jeans, t-shirts with a sweatshirt over top and were comfortable. We of course, had to add a layer or two when we went outside. Brrrrrrrr!!

7. We were surprised to see alcholic beverages were being sold during the show. Please drink responsibly!
8. Though I didn't find the volume loud, my eight year old did. She is usually pretty sensitive to loud music and gets a head-ache, so we brought ear-plugs with us which worked great. I noticed that they were on sale at the arena for $2 a pair. We got a pack with eight pairs at Walmart for under $3.

9. Note that there is no re-entry once a patron leaves the Comcast Arena at Everett during an event (except for medical emergency). Don't forget to bring everything you will need for the show with you before you leave the car. Put everything into one bag and make a check-list prior to leaving for the show including any medicines you may need. 

 10. As mentioned above, food prices can be rather high, so be sure to ward-off the growlies by eating prior to the show. We like Brooklyn Brother's across the street from the main entrance, but there other good options in the area.

11. There are bag checks for everyone who enters. I appreciate this safety measure during large scale events. You will be asked to open your purse or bag and any prohibited item will have to be returned to your vehicle or thrown-away (trash cans are available at the front door.

12. There will be a lot of little girl's in princess costumes, so if you have one who is prone to follow the crowd, you may want to consider having yours dress-up. Mickey Mouse ears and other Disney clothing items will also be in seen during these types of events. Wear yours with pride.

13. It appears that glow sticks are permitted. They are not as amazing as the $20 spinner lights available at the show, but may keep little ones from demanding the more expensive version.

14. Set a budget for how much you want to spend once you get inside. I like to budget a little money so the kids don't get green-eyed over the treats and toys they see around them. But if you simply don't have it in your budget to purchase anything on-site, consider bring your child's favorite princess fashion or stuffed doll along. You may want to bring some small items pre-purchased from the Disney Store or even the dollar store. If you do have it in your budget, it is always fun for the kids to walk out with the blue Disney on Ice bag and have a keepsake to bring to show-and-tell.

15. Relax and enjoy the show. Don't get stressed over ticket prices, crowds, finding parking or the pressure of buying a hundred dollars worth of merchandise. The best souvenirs are memories and photographs and the most important thing to bring home from the event is the bond that is created with those you went with.

Thank you for reading this blog. Feel free to comment if you have a tip I've forgotten or have a comment. If you miss this show, check out the Disney Junior Show coming to Comcast in January.


I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events. Even though I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine.

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