Disney on Ice taps into the wonder of the Disney100 celebration with Magic in the Stars, a brand-new show that premiered tonight in Orlando, FL, at the Amway Center. Honoring a century of wishing on stars, the two-hour spectacular incorporates some of Disney’s most iconic dreamers, from Snow White to Mirabel. Feld Entertainment invites dreamers of all ages to join in the fun and wish on a canopy of stars while reliving timeless stories on ice.
The show kicks off with Disney’s anthem, “When You Wish Upon a Star” from Pinocchio. Jiminy Cricket is joined on the ice by the Blue Fairy, who flies in on a wishing star before transitioning to a skating routine. The song’s arrangement further connects the show to the Disney100 celebration, using instrumentations featured in the Sara Bareilles anniversary version of the song. That then segued into “It’s Wonderous,” which underscores Disneyland’s anniversary fireworks spectacular, Wondrous Journeys.
It wouldn’t be a Disney on Ice show without Mickey Mouse and all his pals. On this starry night, Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, and Goofy are wishing on stars. But it turns out that Donald Duck doesn’t believe in the powerful magic that can come from the stars. So Mickey and his friends work together to show Donald just how powerful a wish can be, especially when its made on a celestial body.
First up is Tiana from The Princess and the Frog, who dreams of opening her own restaurant. After a little encouragement from her best friend Charlotte, Tiana enters her fantasy and performs “Almost There” with a skating chorus line of restaurant servers.
Next up is Aladdin, who descends into the Cave of Wonders on a rope, finds a magic lamp, and unleashes a Genie with the power to grant wishes. An ensemble of duplicated Genies take the stage as stunt skaters utilize ramps to give the crowd an adrenaline rush.
After being transformed into Prince Ali, Aladdin takes Jasmine on a magic carpet ride to see “A Whole New World” as the duo performs a thrilling pairs routine.
While looking for the next star, Mickey and his pals find two glowing red, which end up being the eyes of the evil Emperor Zurg from Toy Story. Buzz Lightyear appears, along with his friends Woody, Jessie, Rex, and Hamm. Alongside a team of Green Army Men, giant blasters (inflatable yellow balls) are tossed into the audience and become a fun interactive moment. In order to defeat Zurg, the audience needs to use light-up devices to stun him. A mobile phone flashlight will suffice, but the venue also sells an array of glowing wands and swords that can help.
Next comes a salute to the Disney Princesses. Snow White, Belle, Rapunzel, Raya, and Cinderella briefly unite before getting their own moment in the spotlight.
When we meet Cinderella, she hasn’t yet met her Fairy Godmother. After the other princesses leave, her stepsisters, Anastasia and Drizella, arrive and tear apart the dress her mice made for her.
But all is not lost. “No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true.” The Fairy Godmother appears and with a few magic words given by the audience, Cinderella’s rags and transformed into a beautiful ball gown.
We leave Cinderella at the ball, dancing with her Prince Charming.
We then find Belle and her Beast, who is now human again. They perform a pairs routine to “Beauty and the Beast.”
Snow White appears and shares her dream. “I’m Wishing” transitions into “Someday My Prince Will Come” as she skates around the rink.
Rapunzel finally realizes her dream of seeing the floating stars of Corona with Flynn Rider as the duo skate to “I See the Light.”
And in her Disney on Ice debut, Raya from Raya and the Last Dragon skates and performs an aerial act to “Lead the Way.”
To close out the first act, all of the princesses return to wave farewell before a brief intermission.
After the break, Goofy misunderstands the assignment to find a star when he chooses his favorite automobile celebrity, Lightning McQueen from Cars. He’s joined by “The world’s best backward driver,” Mater, and the duo go tractor-tipping before revving off the ice.
Next, the Family Madrigal invited the crowd to their Encanto, with Mirabel introducing them all through song. One family member was missing though, so she calls Bruno out (to a performance of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”). And the Encanto segment finishes with a third song, the celebratory “Colombia, Mi Encanto.”
Frozen has been an integral part of Disney on Ice for the past decade, but this was my first time seeing songs from Frozen 2 performed. “Some Things Never Change” segued into Elsa’s solo number, “Into the Unknown.”
While all of the characters thus far have wished upon a star, Moana is the only one who has also used them for wayfinding. Skaters usher her arrival through fire, and Moana sails onto the ice aboard her ship, gliding off to perform “How Far I’ll Go.”
With the help of Maui, Moana restores the Heart of Te Fiti and saves the day.
A Disney on Ice finale is what dreams are made of, and Magic in the Stars was no exception. All of the fabulous characters returned for the closing moment, along with Tinker Bell. She flew in, sprinkled pixie dust on the ice, and ushered in an indoor firework display.
I’ve been going to Disney on Ice shows since I was a kid, and every show since always takes me back to the joy and wonder I felt the very first time I saw Mickey Mouse on skates. Magic in the Stars offers a nice mix of classic characters from throughout Disney’s rich history, in addition to some of the newest ones that today’s kids are obsessed with. The top-notch performance skating routines draw “Ooo”’s and “Aah”’s from the crowd, while kids will be constantly excited to wave to the seemingly endless parade of characters. The interactive Toy Story moment also ensures that every kid leaves the arena feeling like a hero. From the mouse that started it all to the song-filled world of Encanto, the fun never stops at Disney On Ice: Magic in the Stars from Feld Entertainment.
Visit DisneyOnIce.com for tour dates near you.