Disney on Ice is something I’ve wanted to go to for years. I remember growing up the leaflets sitting on the pin board in the kitchen, but it was always nearly impossible to get tickets unless you were on the phone waiting for hours on end. Not too different to sitting in a virtual queue I suppose, but with a wired phone it’s not exactly as easy to carry on going about your day. Anyway, I digress, having had it on my bucket list for as long as I can remember, the excitement when we were surprised with tickets was something else. The months of waiting, there’s always the risk that it won’t live up to all that build up. But it was honestly one of the best things I’ve ever done. There is however, a few things that it’s worth baring in mind if you’ve got tickets or are planning on booking at any point.
Merchandise
The merch really is as expensive as you are probably expecting. There is plenty on offer, the usual flashing wands, as well as cuddly toys and clothing. I can’t vouch for all venues, but outside Birmingham’s Utilita arena there were plenty of sellers with similar items a lot cheaper. I’ve also seen plenty of people having bought similar items off Amazon, or items they’ve had from previous trips to Disney. Price point, for anything that flashes, you’ll be looking at around the £30 mark. So just bare that in mind. We said going in that this was essentially a once in a lifetime thing, so we were willing to buy merch in the venue itself. Obviously we’re not made of money so we weren’t going to go overboard, but we budgeted for each to have one thing. That being said we did also buy ourselves a snow cone, but I’ll talk about those under food and drink. The key is to really think about your budget and what you’re willing to spend money on.
Food and Drink
As with any event, there are kiosks selling burgers, chips, soft drinks and such. We didn’t buy anything when we were there, we’d eaten on the way into Birmingham, and then grabbed something quick once home. I’ll be honest though, I’m glad we did as there was a family in front of us who’d bought food, and it didn’t look great that’s for sure. Drinks policy may vary by venue, Utilita Arena did allow for drinks to be taken in, but they had to be in sealed bottles. Anything open, including kids cups had to be left. You were also able to take in your own snacks, now I had read somewhere that you couldn’t take your own snacks in, but I had plenty of extra snacks in the bag (it was a long day after all and Charlotte is forever hungry), and there were plenty of other families who had taken their own sweets and snacks in with them.
We did, however, purchase a couple of snow cones. I’ll be completely honest, these weren’t great. They definitely could have added more syrup to them. As it was they pretty much just tasted like plain ice that had food colouring added. The cups themselves varied in price, there were some smaller princess ones at £13, or our personal favourites; Simba and Olaf, for £14. I will say, these cups were absolutely enormous, when I first saw them I really did expect for them to look amazing, but for the actual space inside to be small. But it seemed like the ice was never ending. Be warned though, the straws are extra. You can have either a Mickey or Olaf straw which will set you back a further £4. If you don’t want a straw, you are given a plastic spoon so it’s not essential to buy one, but if you’re going to be having a snow cone it seems silly not to buy the straw as well.
We did also treat ourselves to some popcorn and candy floss. This is where the prices really were ridiculous. A bag of candy floss was £15. You do get to choose a hat or crown with it, and the bag is easily enough for 4 people. But let’s face it, candy floss is candy floss, it’s never going to be outstanding and the hats are just flimsy plastic. The popcorn was available in 2 sizes, there were smaller, individual size portions in themed boxes, or a large bag (and when I say large it was absolutely huge) which came with either a small Disney tote bag, or a Mickey Mouse bucket. Of course, we went for the bucket. The bucket itself is a decent size, so when I say the bag the actual popcorn was in was at least double the quantity it could hold, you get the idea. Was the popcorn worth it though? It was ok, it wasn’t great, but it by far wasn’t the worst popcorn we’ve ever had. No it wasn’t like having fresh popcorn from the cinema as it was already prepacked. But it was still decent. Maybe a little on the steep side regarding price, but it is one thing I’d probably say, if buying anything, make it the popcorn.
The Show
2024 saw Disney on Ice head out on a road trip, the theming was done brilliantly, although something has to be said for Goofy’s driving, he should definitely not have been behind the wheel. Before the show officially starts there is chance for the audience to get involved and they will do their absolute best to get everyone up and dancing. If you’re lucky enough to have VIP tickets you really will be right in on the action, literally sat rink side, I don’t mean rink side seats. But on the very edge of the rink. The only way you’d be closer is to be a performer on the ice.
There were several points in the show that were definitely unexpected. I definitely wasn’t expecting dancing round lamp posts during Mary Poppins. Saying that, I think we are all used to Disney having little extras in films that as adults we understand but go straight over kids heads. It does add a little sense of comedy for us parents though. It seems as if Elsa was particularly popular amongst male members of the audience as well.
All in all, I couldn’t fault the show, it really was amazing. The performers are literally brilliant, and each of the characters has just the right amount of time for you to appreciate each one, sing along with your favourite songs, and just generally soak up the atmosphere and immerse yourself in the magic that is Disney. Would I recommend it? Absolutely, even if you only get to go once, it’s an absolute must.
Life as a SEN mum 
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