THE KID SMILED ear to ear in excitement, his heart jumping for joy as the well-dressed SMART Araneta Coliseum registered in his eyes. The coliseum had transformed into a magical Disney ice kingdom.

“What a beauty!” the kid told himself, then looked at his nephew, his niece, and the other excited little kids inside the coliseum.

“It’s nice to be a kid again, right?” he consoled himself.

Yes, friends. The kid I’m talking about was me. There are only a few times I get as excited as when we were about to watch ‘Disney on Ice’ in Manila on December 26.

Thanks to SUN Cellular for bringing this year’s ‘Disney on Ice: The Magical Festival‘ to Manila. This year’s theme is FROZEN. From September to November 2015, SUN gave out tickets to lucky subscribers, and SUN subscribers also get 5% off ticket purchases. How sweet.

The idea of skating still frightens me, as it has always been a challenge and I have a bad personal experience with it, but watching ‘Disney on Ice’ got me excited. Just in case you don’t know, I suffered an ankle fracture for two weeks after falling at the ice skating rink the last time I tried. That makes this story worth sharing, I guess.

I got frozen. Literally and figuratively.

For Kids and Kids at Heart

It’s for kids as much as for kids at heart. Seeing Mickey, Minnie, and Donald Duck hosting a show as the curtain opens may not be realistic, but in our world it’s an awesome Christmas gift. Imagine the kids thanking you for such an experience. I thanked myself and SUN Cellular for this.

The moment Little Mermaid’s Sebastian came up, the crowd went wild, and even wilder when Ariel and Prince Eric started singing and dancing on ice. There I was, checking on my emotions, babysitting myself. The first act set the mood and the expectation that we were in for a fantastic show throughout. I loved all the song numbers, the dance acts, the drama, and the colors of it all. I’d like to think that being a mermaid is still every little girl’s dream, while for the boys, seeing one would be awesome.

The second act features Tangled’s Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, her Eugene. She’s an awesome ice-skating princess, and her prince is just as handsome and equally good. I also loved the musical number of her wicked mother, Gothel. The movie version got me with the beautiful lanterns, and this act reminded me of it perfectly. It was such a beautiful feeling.

I have to admit the third act, which comes after a short break, isn’t that familiar to me. Of all the Disney stories, ‘Beauty and the Beast‘ didn’t interest me at all as a kid. Or maybe my parents and teachers just suck at storytelling. Had I known that the Beast (a cursed prince) gave Belle all his books as a sign of his love and admiration, I would have loved the story with all my heart. It was a fantastic act, with a touch of magic.

Frozen, Live

Of course, the most popular act is the final one, which is also the theme of this year’s ‘Disney on Ice’: Frozen. It’s Disney’s latest offering, whose movie version became a worldwide hit and even won Oscars. In the Philippines alone, almost every kid’s party theme in the past years has been Frozen.

Who wouldn’t love the sisters Ana and Elsa, anyway? And Olaf is simply lovable. I felt my heart melting the moment they started performing. People laughed and giggled as Olaf performed, and we got frozen with the girls and the two princes in every performance. When Elsa performed her skating version of “Let It Go” with such grace, matched with lighting and magical effects, I knew for sure my Christmas holidays were complete.

It’s different seeing your favorite animated characters on screen, big or small, than seeing them live. Forgive me for being such a lover of live performances and theater acts, but I say this without exaggeration. In Disney on Ice, no less than world-class ice skaters bring our favorite Disney stories to life, matched with grand costumes, dazzling lights, and enchanting music. It was one hell of a ride.

Looking the kids in the eye after the show, you could see souls in their happiest moment. How blessed these kids are to have awesome parents and adults in their lives who know how important moments like this are. Without a doubt, ‘Disney on Ice: The Magical Festival‘ is an experience to remember.

Note: Disney on Ice runs till January 3, 2016. Click this link for the schedule and how to score free or discounted tickets courtesy of Sun Cellular.

*Thanks to Dale Bacar and PinoyTuner for the photos.