The Absolute Coolness of Disney on Ice Princesses and Heroes

Disney on Ice is a holiday tradition.  It's way up there with fruitcake.  Every child should be able to have a taste of it at least once in their lifetime.  Well, we started our boys on it today.  Disney on Ice, I mean.  Not the fruitcake. :P

And they had a blast!

This year's theme:  Princesses and Heroes.  A fine Disney production that features romantic classics and newer mushy love stories. So it's cold and warm at the same time.  Perfect!

Since a brilliant ice skating doubles competition between Snow White, Cinderella, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, and the Frog Prince is already expected, let me go through the other 'almost unexpected' spectacular highlights of the show.

 

Fantastic storytelling!  True to Disney form, this show's scriptwriting flows like silk.

Nostalgia and comedy.  It's Snow White's 7 Dwarves!  You could almost hear the parents in the audience sighing their flashbacks.

Breathtaking action.  The foot race and fight scene at Aladdin's marketplace was just fabulous!  The spotlights ruining my shot, not so much.

Spot-on Choreography.  What you saw at the Beauty and the Beast movie is mirrored onstage.  Incredible!

Glam.  Cinderella's battery-operated carriage got into every little girl's wish list tonight.  I'm sure of it.

Stunts!  Backflipping, rope swinging, catapulting ... in ice skates!  Who woulda thunk it?!

Free boat ride.  This is neat!  The Little Mermaid's mer-nymphs got kids from the audience and pushed them along for a sweet ice ride.

Coolest costumes.  Uh, is this really a surprise?

Dramatic entrances.  I love Sleeping Beauty's Maleficent!  My favorite villain ever!  Judging from the visual fanfare, I think Disney secretly digs her, too.

DRAGON!  Props to the props! This huge-ass dragon just breathed fire on the ice!  Graaaahhh!!!!

Fireworks galore!  Leave it to Disney to end the show on a high, festive note.

Acting par excellance.  I demand a whoop-whoop for Tinkerbell.  Seriously!  This girl IS a fairy.  Perkiness, fun aura, and the fact that she almost flies on ice... yep, fairy!!!

Ridiculously expensive merchandising!  Ok, I kinda expected that one.  It's the horrific red eye in this photo that's making me scratch my head.  Tsk.

Disney on Ice Princesses and Heroes is running until January 3, 2012 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.  Do not miss it.  It isn't a holiday until your kids say in a rather disturbing Mickey Mouse voice, "OH BOY!"