Lights shine to the center of the rink as Tinkerbell comes into view, spinning gracefully as a booming voice welcomes the audience to Disney on Ice, a touring musical ice show featuring the cast of Disney characters. “When You Wish Upon A Star” plays as Tinkerbell glides across the ice, swirling around like she is flying through the air — the moment is captivating, and one that sets the tone for the rest of the show.

Audience members Austin Sirovina and Cecelia Hake, a recently engaged couple who moved from Minnesota to Huntington Beach, told The Panther they decided Disney on Ice would be a festive way to welcome the holiday season. 

“My fiancé and I just wanted a little date night, and we were looking up some of the things to do in the area, and we saw this,” Sirovina said. “We were pretty excited about this; we’re pretty big Disney fans.” 

Feld Entertainment presented “Disney on Ice: Dream Big!” Dec. 9-12 at the Honda Center in Anaheim to a packed crowd. Some of the venue’s safety protocols have remained the same as pre-pandemic, like security, but much of it has changed following the event center’s reopening  April 16. 

At the Honda Center, vaccinated guests may remain maskless indoors, while unvaccinated guests are required to wear their masks unless eating or drinking. However, all individuals must present either a negative COVID-19 test or proof of vaccination upon entry into the arena. For guest convenience, there was a rapid COVID-19 testing center outside. 

Despite some protocols differing from previous years, the enthusiasm of the show’s fans and the joyful spirit of Disney remain the same. Sirovina said COVID-19 did not deter people from enjoying themselves on a night out. 

“There’s a lot of excitement you can see from the people in the stands, especially the kids,” Sirovina said. “Even the performers are really great. They’re bringing the energy too.” 

“Dream Big!” tells the story of Disney princes’ and princesses' dreams coming true. The show started by introducing the hosts: Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Tinkerbell and Goofy. Throughout the show, they entertain the audience with puns and hints about the next performance. 

Much of “Dream Big!” was filled with intricate set design, special visual effects, and of course, captivating figure skating. 

Princesses Belle, Rapunzel, Tiana and Aurora also took to the stage alongside Disney villains like Ursula and Maleficent. While the crowd went wild for all of the character appearances, fans were especially appreciative of when the ensemble performed songs from the 2013 blockbuster “Frozen.”

Event-goer Enrique Covarrubias, a freelance video editor, told The Panther his mother is especially a fan of Disney films like “Frozen” and “Coco,” so he decided to surprise her with tickets to the ice show for the holidays.

At his mother’s insistence, Covarrubias finally caved and watched “Coco,” only for it to quickly become his favorite Disney movie — even surpassing "The Lion King.” Though the tickets were purchased with his mother in mind, Covarrubias admitted he was looking forward to his favorite animated film being depicted in a live form on the ice.

“I fell in love with ‘Coco,’ because I like how it touches on the subject of never forgetting your past ancestors and keeping their memories alive," Covarrubias said. "The movie celebrates Mexican culture, and I think they did a good job at putting the culture out there and representing Dia de los Muertos correctly.” 

“Seeing Miguel skating on the ice and the ensemble performing ‘Poco Loco’ was a magical experience," Covarrubias said. "They were wearing traditional ballet folklorico attire, and it was really awesome to see Mexican culture represented in that way.” 

Hake said the fact that Disney on Ice and other similar events are able to take place is exciting in itself, since just a year ago, people were highly encouraged to stay inside. Thanks to Disney on Ice, a community of people at the Honda Center were able to appreciate the artistry and a sense of normal, even just for one night. 

“It was a really awesome experience to see all the actors and the skaters and their performances jumping and spinning, and it was really cool to see,” Hake said. “It definitely brought back all those childhood memories of all those movies that we watched growing up, and yeah, it was phenomenal.” 

Disney on Ice will continue its tour at The Staples Center in Los Angeles from Dec. 16-19 and in Long Beach from Dec. 30-Jan. 2. For more information on purchasing tickets, visit the show’s website.