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Leeds Live
National
Megan Shaw

Review: Disney On Ice presents Discover The Magic at Leeds First Direct Arena

Disney On Ice has been entertaining families for over 40 years, for children it's a chance to see their favourite films come to life, whilst for adults it's a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

The touring show, brought to us by Feld Entertainment, presents Discover The Magic at Leeds First Direct Arena, amongst several other venues up and down the country. If you haven't got your tickets yet - what are you waiting for?!

Disney on Ice promises, "adventures filled with world-class skating, high-flying acrobatics, and unexpected stunts" and it certainly didn't disappoint.

READ MORE: JLS tickets Leeds: Prices, seating plan and everything you need to know

The show features Disney's favorite characters both old and new including Mickey, Minnie, Miguel from Coco, Moana, Woody and Buzz, Elsa from Frozen, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and Genie from Aladdin to name a few.

I attended the show at Leeds First Direct Arena along with my two children, aged 9 and 3, my eldest was slightly reluctant at first given he is "too old for Disney", but oh how wrong he was.

And my youngest has never been to a live performance of anything before and so I was unsure how he would react and whether he would sit still through it.

However, as soon as Mickey Mouse and his friends appeared on the ice in the first opening minutes both of them, plus myself and grandma were completely transfixed.

The arena was filled with children, and adults alike, dressed to impress in their favorite Disney costumes and it's impossible not to smile. All guests are encouraged to dress in Disney themed attire should they wish to.

The show was incredibly interactive, the character's encouraged the audience to get involved in finding clues to set Tinkerbell, who had been captured by Captain Hook and his pirates, free. Each performance earnt points on the 'magic-o-meter, until the iconic fairy from Peter Pan was set free.

The characters engaged the audience through the storytelling, dramatic music and special effects including strobe lights and pyrotechnics. Each minute was as exciting and different from the next and the skilled performers undeniably made the show.

Some of the most popular films including Aladdin, Moana, the Little Mermaid and Frozen had slightly longer sections than others and featured multiple songs.

The elaborate boat float in the Moana storyline was a particular favourite with my children, as were the stunt performers in the Frozen part of the show and the stilt walkers during Coco. Ariel's performance saw her leap into the sky and quite frankly put any Dancing On Ice contestant to shame!

For the grand finale, all of the characters return for one final spin on the ice, accompanied by dramatic lighting effects and snow falling down from the ceiling as the audience clapped along to the final song.

The skating skills shown throughout are phenomenal, showcasing daring and dramatic jumps and spins to thrill the audience. The sections are short enough to keep the attention of young children and the interactive nature of the show also assists with this.

From the familiar soundtracks you cannot help but sing along to, no matter how old you are, to the costume's, the sets, the unexpected and seriously impressive stunts to the world-class figure-skating, there really is something for everyone and it's not difficult to see why it's the nations favourite family show.

If your children love Disney, I would absolutley recommend taking them to see Disney On Ice Discover The Magic, the show was fantastic, my children haven't stopped talking about it since (or singing!) and the look on my little one's face when his favourite character's came out will stay with me forever. It's certainly a live experience all members of the family will never forget!

Tickets for the show can be purchased directly on the Disney on Ice website, here. Search using your postcode to find out which is your nearest venue. Children two and under do not need a ticket but are required to sit on the lap of an adult.

To find out the latest food and drink news in our city you can visit our Best in Leeds homepage. There you will also find a guide to great things to do in Leeds.

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