Okay, I get it, I know, Disney on Ice: Disneyland Adventure isn’t something you’d ususally find on WLDC, nor would it be something that I would typically write about as an author, but when you’re offered comp tickets, I mean – hey? Who would turn down some good old quality time reliving your childhood? Plus, it’s an excellent escape from all the “grown up” thinking I’ve been doing recently, what with a new job, taxes, and a stinky economy. So one night in the “happiest place on earth”? Well, fine, I’ll give it a shot. Also, truth be told, I’m totally the kid who wrote papers for school on the Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan drama. I followed Michelle Kwan‘s life story. I know who Scott Hamilton is, and envied his 80’s sequined flared get-ups for the Olympics. Kristi Yamaguchi? Yes, please.

So off we went for a night of saccharine plotline and figure skating… The storyline follows the Incredibles on a family vacation to… well… where else? Disneyland. I mean, hello, cross-marketing, way to go Disney. The Incredibles attempt to have a normal, quiet family vacation where they don’t show their superpowers. An actual car drives onto ice, and they’re off to Disneyland, where they’re recruited as a the perfect family to grand marshall the daily Disney Parade.

The skating sequences largely revolve around the family’s visits to typical Disneyland attractions, like the Haunted Mansion, It’s a Small World, and the Jungle Cruise where the audience was treated to a Baloo on skates. (I applaud the person in that costume, can you imagine balancing on skates while dealing with that belly?) Eventually, the Incredible’s arch nemesis shows up to capture Mickey and Minnie (THE HORROR!) and well, I bet you can figure out what happens from there. This is Disney after all. There is always a happily ever after.

There were more children than I’d ever seen in one place in DC – I guess my isolated twenty-something experience doesn’t lend itself to a ton of interaction with lil ones often. And everyone seemed to have a generally good time! I mean, if you’re willing to suspend judgement and cynicism, the skating is great, and it’s a nice few hours of vacation.

I especially enjoyed the skating sequences done by the scary monkeys in the Jungle Cruise, the ghosts in the Haunted Mansion and the army scene. And after my years of figure skating fantasticness, I can recognize a solid double salchow when I see one. There were also a few upright, camel and sit spins thrown in there. Aside from one of the extras with Minnie ears on who was having one splat of a night, there were some good jumpers in there.

All in all, a cheesy good time.

Disney on Ice is showing at the Verizon Center til Feb. 16. Tickets range from $15 to $75. You can get pretty good seats for $30.

Picture courtesy Feld Entertainment/Qorvis Communications.

Katie

Katie moved to DC in 2007, and has since embarked upon a love affair with the city. She’s an education reform advocate and communications professional during the day; at night and on the weekends, she’s an owner here at We Love DC. Katie has high goals to eat herself through the entire city, with only her running shoes to save her from herself. For up-to-the-minute news and reviews (among other musings), follow her on Twitter!