Arts Review
100 Years Of Wonder
Disney on Ice- 100 Years of Wonder presented by Feld Entertainment
Brisbane Entertainment Centre
6th - 9th July 2023
Gemma Regan
A Musical Maelstrom of Disney Magic and Acrobatic Feats On Ice!
If you have children or are just a child at heart, the Disney On Ice series celebrating 100 Years of Wonder is an absolute must!
The action packed ice show is presented by Feld Entertainment, a family-owned American company and worldwide leader in live entertainment experiences, including a new live production of The Greatest Show On Earth.
The massive international cast of world-class skaters recreate iconic Disney moments from the movies to celebrate their centenary year. They visit seven worlds full of favourite characters who dance, sing and do acrobatic stunts, all on ice combined with the iconic songs of Disney and sprinkled with Disney Magic. There is also amazing high-flying acrobatics and unexpected skating stunts.
Characters from many of the Disney movies were represented in the audience, with Disney dress-ups encouraged, although sadly, not for teens and beyond. The foyer was a blaze of colour with every type of Disney princess, with Elsa and Cinderella the firm favourites amongst the wee ones.
Themed food and Disney merchandise galore is available from the numerous stalls at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. I recommend an early arrival if arriving by car to get a prime parking spot, otherwise travelling by train to Boondall station.
The two presenters tour the World of Disney to collect the Disney magic in a series of scenes from the Disney pantheon. The goal is to collect enough magic from the Disney characters to release Tinkerbell from her cage where the evil Captain Hook holds her captive.
The fantastical adventure was interspersed with the iconic characters of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Pluto and Donald Duck, who lead the audience to the different Disney Worlds in search of Disney magic.
Belle and the Beast dance with Lumiere and the cutlery as they prepare for a romantic dinner as the brightly coloured napkins spin above in a whirl. Moana sails the rough seas of Maui to return the stolen heart of Te Fiti amidst the raging pyrotechnics of Pele, the volcanic goddess.
The toy soldiers, Rex the dinosaur and Hamm the Pig, skate around in their massive costumes to help Woody and Buzz retrieve a ball from a shelf before Andy returns to his room, using a combination of multimedia and ice acrobatics.
Copious bubbles and deep blue lighting thrust the audience under the sea to swim with Sebastian the crab and the Little Mermaid to sing Under the Sea.
The naughty blue genie uses his magic and songs to help transform Aladdin from street rat to Prince Ali, who woos Princess Jasmine on a magical carpet ride.
One of the most spectacular scenes were in the World of Coco. Under a UV light the giant skeletal puppets celebrated the Day of the Dead in a glowing frenetic fiesta of colour and amazing acrobatic feats.
The finale of Frozen was the most popular, with thousands of little girls from the audience crooning Let it go with Elsa and Olaf the cheeky snowman. The rugged guards were fantastic, jumping and flipping over large iced ramps amidst a flurry of snow to cries of awe.
It was a captivating magical adventure through the World of Disney, full of adventure and awesome glacial acrobatics. I highly recommend you see this International World Tour to recapture and celebrate 100 magical years of iconic Disney movies on ice.
Tickets are available for only four days, with multiple shows at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre now.