Review: Disney On Ice: Road Trip at AO Arena ‘proves again why it remains a global phenomenon – 40 years later’

Disney On Ice is back in Manchester at the AO Arena with a new theme –  and a road trip tour guide.

This time they’re showcasing a road trip extravaganza featuring films like Moana, Frozen, Lion King, The Incredibles, Toy Story, Aladdin and more.

Disney on Ice has been happening for over 40 years, with the first production, “Walt Disney’s World on Ice” featuring a combination of ice-skating performances with Disney characters.

Since then, Disney on Ice has grown into a global phenomenon, with their tours each year featuring different Disney films and characters. Although the narrative for each isn’t as long, it is well condensed and feature the key moments of the films.

Over time, it has become a great source of family entertainment, bringing Disney magic to life for the fans around the world in a fun way.

Disney on Ice: Road Trip at the AO Arena

Disney on Ice is known for its high energy performances, combining the magic of Disney with impressive ice-skating choreography which you’ll certainly find in this show.

The show typically features ice skaters performing acrobatics, aerial silk performers and dancing animals to music from beloved Disney films.

The ice skaters’ athleticism and ability to portray characters through their movements are especially captivating and their voice overs are in time with the miming.

They truly bring the characters to life through intricate costumes and puppetry, capturing the essence of these iconic stories we all have grown to love.

One of the standout features of Disney on Ice is the visual production of the stage which transports viewers into the Disney world.

Most of the show is in the dark with impressive lighting effects, and projections for escapism. Special effects, such as snowfall in Frozen, and the massive backdrop for Lion King make the show even more spectacular.

Let It Go!

You’ll find music from featured Disney’s films with iconic songs like “Let It Go” from Frozen, “You’re Welcome”from Moana and “Hakuna Matata” from The Lion King.

The music often sparks nostalgia for adults and excitement for kids, making it an integral part of the show’s appeal. Many of the songs are ones we already know so you’ll hear a lot of sing-a-long from the crowd.

The show does a great job of engaging the audience, especially children, with the Road Trip Tour Guides who narrate the show.

They’ll be seen walking around the crowd with smiling faces to ask questions and take pictures of the audience which show up on the large screens in the arena.

Some special guests are even invited into the Road Trip mobile to drive around the ice rink with Mickey Mouse and his friends.

We all know that Disney has one of the largest and most diverse fan bases in the world is it is no surprise to see the AO Arena packed with children of all ages dressed in different costumes and nostalgic adults wearing Minnie Mouse ears.

With myself being childless, I decided on taking my 50-year-old mum, who had a blast at the event even though it is more targeted towards children, older adults can have fun too.

Tickets for Disney On Ice: Road Trip at the AO Arena

I would highly recommend the memorable Disney On Ice: Road Trip, which is running at the AO Arena from 11th -15th December.

The performance usually runs for about 1.5 to 2 hours, including an interval of 15 minutes.

You can get tickets for Disney On Ice: Road Trip by clicking here