Last week I had the great opportunity to check out one of the performances of Disney On Ice’s newest presentation, retelling Frozen and Encanto. Previously, I had only seen Disney on Ice in my youth, going decades without until I saw a performance of Disney on Ice: Mickey’s Search Party last year.
That show took me by surprise exceeding every expectation I had for the brand, and left me wanting more. More finally came in the form of their newest tour, Disney on Ice Presents: Frozen & Encanto.
Going back to my youth, I recall a presentation of solely Aladdin on Ice, so the format of two blockbuster films smashed into one was a bit surprising to me. Mickey, Minnie, and friends come out in a rousing number to introduce the show and the music might seem a bit familiar, especially to Disney Parks fans, as its a remix of the theme from the Magic Happens parade from Disneyland Park. Though it originally only ran for a few weeks (and slated to return “soon”) it was nice to hear the music surface again somewhere.
From there, we jump right into the (perhaps too?) familiar story of Frozen. We got to see some pretty astounding performances of the songs from the show in terms of the skating and I was left in childlike wonder just watching the impeccable skill of the athletes as they skated around to “In Summer” and “Let it Go” with the whole ensemble getting involved. To my surprise (and maybe chagrin), the crowds still are absolutely in love with the tale, cheering when the soundtrack goes into the familiar chords that open the oft-played tunes.
Speaking of those crowds, if you thought the applause and cheers for anything Frozen were overwhelming, wait until after intermission. When Encanto is introduced, you’d think One Direction or whatever band-du-jour had come out.
Parents and kids alike cheering and roaring as soon as Mirabel hits the stage. It almost makes you wonder if they weren’t sure if Encanto would hold its own on ice, and stuck with what worked, but I can assure you, Encanto could (and probably should) be its own show. The moment Mirabel appears the crowd absolutely erupts. Another standout moment in my brain is hearing an arena full of people screaming “Grandkid Roundup!” from the “The Family Madrigal” right on cue.
From there, the story is packaged nicely but tightly (as was Frozen) with a few moments of exposition in between the full scale musical numbers. The ensemble worked beautifully in “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” with what seemed like the full cast taking part in the number. “Surface Pressure” also worked with a chorus line of Donkeys behind Luisa dancing in unison. The Encanto portion of the show also featured some aerial acrobatics as well, and though the Frozen numbers were great in their own right, this took Encanto to a whole new level– quite literally.
All in all, the show is a great experience for the entire family and worth checking out when it comes to your town. Personally, I prefer the revue style with different stories like Mickey’s Search Party had, but for fans of either title, this is sure to be a winner. Plus, at the finale, fans of all ages get to see many of their favorite characters—on ice! As soon as Encanto wraps up it’s half of the show (both stories take about 45 minutes each) the finale kicks in and a slew of characters, including Mulan, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Moana, Miguel, and more all hit the ice in a number with another familiar Disney Parks tune, this one being “You Are The Magic” as heard in Magic Kingdom’s Enchantment nighttime fireworks spectacular.
For a complete list of tour dates and venues, be sure to check out www.DisneyOnIce.com