For the third year in a row, my kids, husband and I will be attending Disney on Ice at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. When ranking the excitement each family member going to the show, it’s a three-way tie with me and my two girls, with my husband sitting at a distant fourth.
We first went to Disney on Ice three years ago when the girls were 2 and 1. My oldest sat through the entire show and loved watching the skater glide across the ice and getting to see Mickey Mouse up close and in person.
The show typically consists of four condensed versions of different Disney movies from the past. My memory won’t let me remember all four from our first year, but I do remember seeing “The Little Mermaid,” “Peter Pan” and “Lilo and Stitch.”
The girls didn’t know any of the characters besides Ariel from “The Little Mermaid,” but they seemed to enjoy all of the activity nonetheless. My youngest didn’t quite make it through the whole program and spent a good portion of the show testing out her new walking skills with her dad.
Last year, the girls were excited Ariel made a second appearance along with the vehicles from “Cars” and Tinker Bell and her friends. The main event, and the biggest reason we went, was the gang from “Toy Story” was set to perform.
“Toy Story” was my oldest girl’s favorite movie. Woody and Buzz Lightyear even greeted her at our new house when we moved in. Since my girls were a year older, they both watched the entire show and were giggling with delight seeing their favorite characters in real life, some even flying over us in the crowd.
This year it is my youngest daughter’s turn to have her favorite out on the ice. Almost every night we get a request to watch “Tangled,” starring Rapunzel herself. This year at Disney on Ice, Rapunzel will make an appearance along with Cinderella, Snow White and Princess Tiana from the “Princess and the Frog.” I have to say I am always more excited to see the girls’ reactions than anything that goes on during the show.
On the flip side of the show is the merchandise that greets us at every turn. Our first year, we came home with a pretty cool toy — a lighted, spinning Flounder. Last year, both girls wanted a toy and after reviewing their choices, my oldest selected a Mickey Mouse cup that broke within the first 15 minutes of owning it and my youngest selected a Buzz Lightyear spoon/straw that she still uses. I can only imagine what we will be coming home with this year.
I hope to continue to make this a yearly tradition for our family. I know eventually the girls might outgrow seeing their favorite characters skating around, but I am going to cherish every minute of it now.
Contact Jamee A. Pierson at
641-792-3121 ext. 6534
or jpierson@newtondailynews.com