If you are a Disney fan and a Disney On Ice is coming to a city near you, I’d seriously consider attending. The pricing for seats can be a little steep but Disney On Ice puts on a really great performance.
Most recently we saw Disney On Ice presents Frozen. I was a little concerned to go to a performance and only see one story but Disney On Ice presents Frozen ended up being my favorite Disney On Ice. The characters were spot on. The costumes were amazing. And the scenes were magical and spectacular. There was snow falling from the ceiling, lights reflecting snowflakes onto the audience, and it was all just incredible. If you like “Frozen” and are only ever going to see one Disney On Ice, this is the one to see.
Seeing so many performances, however, has helped me get a good grasp on what is going to happen once we arrive and how we’re going to handle it all. The first time we went, I didn’t even sleep the night before because I was stressed out. So hopefully if you’re reading this to find some tips about Disney On Ice, these will help. If not, leave a comment and I will make sure you get your worries put to rest. (Or maybe I’m the only one who gets stressed out when going to brand new things with lots of people.)
Tips for Disney On Ice
Tip #1: Set expectations before leaving for Disney On Ice.
We have attended at least 5 performances of Disney On Ice and my kids know beforehand that I will have a couple of snacks for them but we will not be buying food or toys while there, even though they ask each time. The salesman are good at yelling right in front of my kids, asking who wants to buy a snow cone (for $20) and my kids are always sold on the idea.
Walking around the outside of the show area is also tempting. There is food, toys, and photo booths and they’re all so tempting to the kids. For me, it’s not worth it. We go out to dinner right before and usually buy ice cream on the way home so that’s their extra reward for going with us but I know as a parent, it’s also really fun to buy the kids things. So if you’re planning to buy things, make sure they understand the limit. You might not buy everything but a stuffed animal, toy, and a bag of popcorn might be just fine.
Tip #2: Find where you’re going to park beforehand.
More than likely, parking lots will be open for you to pay to park in their lots, especially the ones right next to the show place. The ones I’ve seen in Utah are between $5-6 and that’s for the whole evening so even if you get there an hour early, you don’t have to pay any extra which is a great alternative to where I usually park which is at the mall parking garage that is right across from the arena where Disney On Ice plays. At the mall parking garage, it’s based on hours so sometimes we’ve paid $2 and sometimes we’ve paid $6. It all just depends how early we get there and how quickly we leave.
Since there will be a lot of people in the area all looking for parking, make sure you scout out a couple of the best locations for parking and know beforehand where they are. About 15-30 minutes before the show starts, people are all over the streets and it’s really hard to maneuver around them and look for parking.
Tip #3: Be prepared to go through security.
Carrying/watching kids and bags while going through security can be stressful but it doesn’t have to. Phones and keys will go into a little tray, bags, backpacks, and purses will all need to be searched by security, however, usually they just have you open up the top, they’ll look around in it, and sometimes squeeze the bottom and you’re good to go.
Tip #4: The toys and food are expensive.
After watching many parents pay $20-30+ for light up wands, toys, etc. at the Disney On Ice show, we then walked outside afterwards and saw a man selling the exact same toys for half the price. If you’re looking for an even cheaper solution, you can buy toys beforehand and take them into the show with you. The only exception, however, is that usually no outside food is allowed. (However, I won’t say that we haven’t taken in some food into our bags before and left them at the bottom of the bag. Keep in mind though, bags will be checked.)
Tip #5: If you’re taking young children, make sure they have their things.
I’m not sure what your children like but my children like their blankets. The shows start at 7 pm and go for at least 2 hours so considering my youngest children are pretty young still and go to bed around 7:30 pm, they’re pretty tired for the show so in our backpack, I always take their blankets. I also keep sets of earplugs in my backpack as well in case things get too loud. Other essentials for my kids are snacks (that you really aren’t supposed to take) and a small stuffed animal (because their stuffed animal would feel so sad if they didn’t get to see it, too!).
Tip #6: Lots of children are dressed up.
I have seen so many little girls in princess dresses and even boys with some prince gear on or when “Cars” came to Disney On Ice, there were a lot of “Cars” shirts, shoes, and hats. My daughter has only been to one Disney On Ice where she wasn’t dressed up. It’s a great time to break out the princess gowns and crowns and get all dolled up for the evening.
Tip #7: Find discounts for tickets.
Often UtahValleyMoms.com has special codes for tickets but I’ve also seen some good prices on Groupon. You will also want to book early if you know you want to attend Disney On Ice because the best seats go first, especially for some of the more popular ones like “Frozen.”
Tip #8: Pack your bag.
This has already been touched on in the tips previous but make sure you take a bag, especially for those of you with young children. I always take a backpack so my purse or bag isn’t falling off of my arms constantly but here are some things I take depending on who is with me and how old they are:
- empty water bottles (you can fill them up at the drinking fountains)
- snacks (leave at the bottom)
- blankets
- light jackets
- noise-canceling headphones or ear plugs
- diaper wipes (my friend’s daughter got soda splashed onto her the last time we went from a family behind her. She was able to use the wipes to clean up her daughter.)
- diapers
- lotion
- chapstick
- Disney toys
