Mickey's Search Party

Last December, we went with our friend and her niece to the Disney on Ice show. Afterwards she asked about “the ice skating” frequently. We all decided to go again to see Mickey’s Search Party which is in town this week. Marina is not allowed to dress up for these shows anymore, so she wore a Mulan inspired dress.

I got us tickets on the club level, which gave us a great view of the show. Marina was excited to see our friends who arrived shortly after the show started. At intermission the girls spent that time playing with a little boy who had a bubble blower toy. They all had fun playing with the bubbles.
The performance was really good. It involved lots of acrobatics, audience participation and special effects. We all enjoyed it.

Family Enchantment

Marina and I have been going to Disney on Ice shows for years. This year, her aunt and cousin wanted to join us. So we arranged to go together this afternoon.

Marina is not allowed to dress up for the shows anymore, so she wore her Alice in Wonderland dress. We left early to avoid the crowds. We got a good parking spot and easily got into the building. We picked up drinks and went to our seats.

When the show started, both girls were drawn in by the show. We saw a long Toy Story segment followed by The Little Mermaid. The second part started with a short scene from Cars and ended with Frozen. When the show was over, we took a few photos near the ice before walking out to the parking lot.

Still Daring to Dream

I’ve been taking Marina to Disney on Ice shows for a long time. When tickets went on sale for Dare to Dream she said she didn’t want to go this year. But when one of our friends wanted to bring her niece to the show, Marina was much more interested in going. Instead of dressing as a princess, marina wore her elf dress.

We had a busy day today and didn’t leave as early as we’d hoped. We also ran into rush hour traffic on the highway. But we arrived about fifteen minutes early. We were on the club level they had fancy sodas. So Marina was happy to have a cream soda.

Our friends arrived after the show started. They had been in the wrong seats! Despite her earlier misgivings, she enjoyed the show. The first part had the stories of Belle, Cinderella and Rapunzel. Marina particularly enjoyed the aerial stunts in the Tangled portion.

Marina was hungry at intermission so we picked up some churros and popcorn. When we were back at our seats, she played with our friend's niece for a while.

The second act featured the stories of Frozen and Moana. Both had some great special effects and we all enjoyed singing along. After the show we left fairly quickly. It was a school night after all. Fortunately it didn’t take us as long to get home as it did to get there.

Frozen with Friends

After Marina's birthday party, we had tickets for Disney On Ice this afternoon. The show was Frozen, so I was surprised when they came down in the Ariel and Belle costumes they wore last night.

We ran into construction on our way but fortunately we arrived in time to buy popcorn and drinks before taking our seats. The girls enjoyed the show as well as looking at the costumes of the other kids there. They have been best friends for so long that they call each other sister, so the relationship of Anna and Elsa is special to them. At the end of the show Mickey and Minnie Mouse encouraged everyone to hug someone they love. Of course, they hugged each other.

Follow Your Heart

Being the Disney fans we are, Marina and I never miss a chance to see Disney on Ice shows when they come to town. We had tickets to see the show Follow Your Heart this evening. Marina wore a dress with Alice in Wonderland on it to school today, so I thought she would wear it to the show. Instead, she surprised me by putting on her Alice in Wonderland costume when we got home.

We hit rush hour traffic on our way to the show. There was also a little bit of snow. But arrived with a bit of time to spare. We picked up drinks and Marina picked out some caramel corn to snack on during the show.

We had good seats although the people around us were rather unsettled. Marina was pleased that characters from the movie Inside Out were included in this show. She also got excited to see that Mulan was included in the princess montage.

During intermission, she had fun talking to the kids who were seated around us. She admired their costumes and they liked hers as well.

In the second act, Marina loved the Finding Dory segment. She told me it was her favorite set of the show. During the Frozen segment that closed the show, she happily sang along with the songs, so did much of the audience.

We didn’t hurry out as so many people did. Still, we were able to get to our car quickly and the trip home seemed to take no time at all.

Worlds of Enchantment

Disney On Ice usually comes to town twice a year. The show Worlds of Enchantment was here this week. With our schedule this month, the only time we could go was tonight, so even though it was a school night, we decided to go anyway.

Marina decided to wear her Anna costume. After we ate dinner I realized the show was half an hour earlier than I thought it was, so we ended up rushing out the door. I was worried about rush hour traffic. Fortunately, it wasn’t bad at all and we got there quicker than I thought we could.

We picked up some snacks and went to our seats. There were quite a lot of little girls seated around us, so we talked with them until the show started. As the lights went down Marina hugged my arm and thanked me for bringing her.

The show was made up of four main stories – Toy Story, The Little Mermaid, Cars and Frozen. Marina, along with the rest of the audience, was happiest during the Frozen portion. She and I sang along loudly to all the songs.

After the show was over, we said goodbye to
 the people near us and went out. It was very cold outside and we hurried to the car. It didn’t take us long to get home and we got ready for bed right away.

Rapunzel's Treasure Trove

Marina and I still love to attend Disney On Ice shows. This show was Treasure Trove. We’d seen it a few years ago, but that didn’t keep Marina from wanting to see it again. We looked over the ads for the show and Marina decided to dress as Rapunzel. Since her hair is so long, she decided to wear it loose and added a tiara.

We arrived a bit early and Marina was quite pleased when she saw our seats in the second row. Before the show started we took some pictures of her in front of the ice. We were seated by a family with an 11 year-old girl, so Marina enjoyed socializing with her.

The show started with Toy Story and went through many other Disney movies: Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, The Lion King and Finding Nemo. At intermission we didn’t wander far from our seat and watched the Zamboni clear the ice. Act two was more geared toward princesses. We saw the stories of Snow White, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Princess and the Frog and Tangled. Marina was particularly pleased to see Rapunzel.

After the show we talked with a little girl who was selected to hand Rapunzel a glowing lantern. She and her mother were quite excited at the opportunity. Then we went to the car and drove home.

Frozen on Ice

We have been looking forward to Frozen on Ice for nearly a year. Ainsley dressed as Anna while Marina was Elsa. Ainsley braided both of their hair on the drive to the Pepsi Center.

The parking lot was crazy, but we managed to find a spot. Then we headed right into the show. We settled into our seats before it began and even saw the pre-show skit.

Naturally, the main event was Frozen. Both girls were completely engrossed in the show and even sang along with the songs. At intermission I bought kettle corn and drinks and we took pictures close to the ice.

Marina and Ainsley loved the show. As we left, they were both surprised that it was already dark outside. We got to the car quickly and managed to avoid all the traffic going out.

Summer Ice Skating

This year for her birthday, Marina's friend Ainsley had an ice skating party.

The party started  with the kids got their ice skates and got help putting them on Then the party host lead the kids out onto the ice.

The rink was chilly and despite long sleeve and pants, Marina was still cold. She has been ice skating before, but her skill level wasn’t as high as the rest of the group, so she often she was skating slowly along the edge where she could hold on. But by far her favorite part was when she was holding hands with the other girls and they helped her skate faster.

After skating for a while, the kids stopped for lunch. Then they went out for a little more skating. That didn’t last long. So the party moved on to cake and presents. Then each child got a personalized goody bag created by Ainsley herself. Clearly everyone had a great time!

Ice Fairies

Marina and I are big fans of the Disney on Ice shows. The show playing this week was Worlds of Fantasy, featuring characters from Cars, The Little Mermaid, Toy Story and the Tinkerbell movies. We invited Marina's friend Ainsley. As it turned out, Ainsley's grandmother, aunt and cousin also joined us which only made it more fun.

Ainsley came over to our house a few hours early so the girls could get ready. Since the Tinkerbell stories were included they decided to dress as Tinkerbell and Silvermist. Both girls wore make up and we finished up the look with lots of glitter - gold for Ainsley and silver for Marina. The girls also brought Marina's Tinkerbell and Silvermist dolls from Disneyland.

We went out to lunch before heading to the arena. We were a bit early so we had time to get cotton candy before the show began.

We had really good seats for the show. Naturally the girls favorite part was the Tinkerbell story. The both really enjoyed helping Ainsley's much younger cousin understand the stories.

 After the show, the girls were in no hurry to leave. We took pictures near the ice and around the arena. Finally we were informed we needed to go so the arena could be prepared for the next show. I think the girls were having so much fun they just didn't want to leave.

Disney Magic on Ice

It has become a tradition for Marina and I to attend Disney on Ice shows when they come to town. This time, I splurged and got us tickets in the second row. Marina was pretty excited when I told her.

Marina was disappointed to hear that the characters from Frozen would not be featured in this show. She considered dressing as Anna anyway, but ultimately chose to wear her Jasmine costume to the show today.

We arrived early and picked up a snack before heading to our seats. They were on risers set up in front of the ice, with only a walkway separating us. The view was amazing.

Marina was pleased that the story of Aladdin came early in the show. We also saw performances based on Finding Nemo, Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story, and the It's a Small World ride. At intermission, Marina was fascinated with the zambonis. I explained to her how they resurface the ice.

As the finale began, many of the children from our section gathered in the walkway next to the ice. I told Marina she could join them. Toward the end, the characters began to greet the children. Marina shook hands with Ariel and Mr. and Mrs. Incredible. Then when Mickey Mouse made his entrance, he headed right for Marina and shook hands with her first.

When the show was over, Marina returned to our seats smiling ear to ear. She said she wished she'd gotten to meet Jasmine, but overall she was happy about the experience.

Rockin' Ever After

After a very tiring week, Marina and I slept in this morning. We had a good breakfast before heading out. We had tickets for Disney on Ice, so Marina wore her Merida costume. She brought Saige along as well. We don’t have a Merida costume for the American Girl dolls, so Marina chose to dress her as Ariel.

Our church was having a craft fair, so we went there. One table had crocheted outfits for American Girl dolls and naturally Marina was drawn to those. She found a Little Mermaid outfit which she set her heart on. So, we bought that and Marina changed Saige into it. Next we went to lunch Marina spent more time playing with Saige than eating though.

Next we headed to the Disney on Ice show: Rockin’ Ever After. Marina has been very excited to see it, especially since it featured Merida from Brave. Before we went to our seats we took a look at all the souvenirs. Surprisingly, Marina didn’t ask for any. Instead she wanted food. She ate a bag of pistachios and later ate most of a huge bag of cotton candy which came with a pink crown. As usual, Marina loved the show. She was especially excited for the segment from

It was dark and cold when we left the show. So we hurried home and had hot chocolate while we watched Monsters University.

Treasure Trove

We went to see Disney On Ice's newest show this evening, Treasure Trove. Marina was excited to see this one. At first, she planned to dress as Alice in Wonderland. However, she wanted to take McKenna with her and she wanted them to match. So they both dressed as Cinderella.

We had good seats this time, very close to one of the side platforms used during the show. We arrived a bit early, so we chatted with a mother and daughter seated near us. We took pictures of each other and they were kind enough to share their popcorn.

The show didn't disappoint us. It was filled with many of our favorite Disney stories - Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, The Lion King, Snow White, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Tangled. Marina was a bit disappointed that Cinderella only appeared in the finale. But other wise, she loved the show, after all, she still got to see her two favorites, Ariel and Jasmine.

Dare To Dream

Today Marina and I had tickets for the Disney On Ice Show Dare to Dream. Rapunzel was prominently featured in the advertising, so Marina decided to wear her Rapunzel costume. She didn't want to wear the hairpiece, so she wore a crown instead. Before the show started, we enjoyed looking at all the other princess costumes.

We had the best seats we've ever had for an ice show. It was pretty exciting. The show started with the story of The Princess and the Frog. It was a high energy, jazzy show. It was followed by Cinderella. After the intermission, was Tangled. Our favorite part was when Rapunzel and Flynn flew through the air on her "hair."

The finale featured all the Disney princesses. Marina gasped in delight as each was introduced. This was the best Disney On Ice show we've seen yet!

Magic on Ice

After a day of getting prettied up, we had someplace to go tonight. We saw the Disney On Ice show 100 Years of Magic. Marina has been looking forward to the show for a long time. She decided to dress as Jasmine. And since Julie had been with us all day, she wanted to bring her to the show as well. She put the Belle dress on her (Julie's collection of costumes is not as wide as Marina's.)

We arrived a bit early an Marina was thrilled to see a little girl dressed as Cinderella in our row. The two of them chatted quite a bit before the show. Once the show started, Marina squealed with delight.

She really loved the first act. Her favorite parts were the princess montage and a tribute to It's A Small World. She sang loudly along to the songs she knew and cheered for every performance.

The second act featured the stories of Mulan and The Lion King, both which Marina loves. As the finale started she was disappointed. I think she could have watched a performance from every Disney movie! It took us a while to get home but she didn't seem to mind. She was happy to play with the Disney app on my phone.

An Avalanche of Fun

The school district sponsored a night at the Colorado Avalanche game this evening. We had the opportunity to get tickets for the game at a reduced price - our seats were located on the lower level, which I was very excited about.

As part of the special school package, we got the chance to arrive early and spend some time on the ice of the arena. I thought it would be fun, so we arrived at Pepsi Center early. I was surprised at how few people showed up for this. It was amazing to be out on the ice in the empty arena. We got to see the Avalanche bench, the visitor's penalty box and center ice. They had balls and sticks out for the kids to play broom ball. Marina met a new friend and they happily played together.

Once our time on the ice was done, we ate dinner before going back for the game. We arrived very early, so we were in our seats before anyone else. When the teams came out to warm up, we went down by the glass to watch. Marina was amazed by the speed the puck hit the boards and glass. While we watched, some of the St. Louis players tossed pucks over the glass to the kids who were watching. One bounced in the area next to us and fell into a camera well. One of the TV crew members fished it out and gave it to Marina. She was thrilled. After that she showed the puck to everyone she talked to.

I had been concerned that she'd be bored during the game itself, but she seemed to have a great time. She actually followed the action for most of the game. I'm sure it helped that we had some snacks and met the mascot, Bernie, while we were there. She only lost interest in the last five minutes of the third period. but she still managed to cheer loudly with the crowd. And our wonderful evening was topped off with an Avalanche win 3-2.

We came out of the arena to 2-3 inches of snow, so it took us a while to get home. Marina fell asleep in the car. Not surprising at all considering all we'd done today!

Ice Princess

We've been seeing commercials for Disney Princess Classics on Ice for a while now. When Marina saw them, she told me, "I think I would like that." I was sure she would. So we went to a matinee during spring break.

Marina dressed in her Snow White costume for the show we both enjoyed looking at all the other little girls in their costumes. Marina got most excited when she saw another little Snow White.

Neither of us had ever been to an ice show like this before. It was fun. The first half had scenes from Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Mulan, Snow White and Beauty and the Beast. After intermission, we saw a retelling of Cinderella. It was fun to watch. We may just have to do this again sometime!