Have you ever wanted to live the life of a princess? At least just for one day? "Disney On Ice: Dare to Dream" gives every little girl, whether small in age or young at heart, that chance to experience her happily-ever-after fantasies in a magical ice show. Every year, this Disney spectacular comes to the First Mariner Arena in Baltimore, showcasing brilliant technical staging and skillful ice skaters.
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| The children at RMH decorate crafts while waiting for Princess Tiana to arrive. |
Although the show premiered on Wednesday, October 26, our preliminary planning, of course, began far in advance. On Tuesday, October 25, we had the privilege of extending a warm Disney welcome to the children at the Ronald McDonald House in downtown Baltimore. At a princess-themed tea party, little girls from the RMH arrived clad in their own princess gowns, tiaras and all. They were greeted by songs from the "Dare to Dream" show and a room decked out Disney-princess style.
After a myriad of arts and crafts, decorating foam tiaras, and covering everything, from table to floor, in paint and stickers, Princess Tiana, from the Disney hit "Princess and the Frog," surprised everyone with a guest appearance for a photo opportunity. In awe of her sparkling beauty, and with gaping eyes and mouths, the little ladies could not line up fast enough to meet this be-dazzled movie character.
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| An excited little girl poses for a photo with Princess Tiana. |
Princess Tiana returned to "her restaurant," as they say from the film, to finish cooking and left the children to enjoy their cupcakes. Each seat at the tables was set with a real ceramic tea cup and saucer and a paper plate for the sweet treat. Although apple juice was served instead of hot tea, we think the girls still enjoyed every bit of their princess tea party, as evidenced by the fluorescent pink and purple icing smeared all over their cherubic faces.
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| Delicious pink- and purple-frosted cupcakes |
Tuesday's party at the RMH prepped us in the Disney mood for Wednesday night's activities at the First Mariner Arena. At an exclusive media party held on the arena's lower eschelon, members from the media and their families joined us for a pre-show celebration of the premier of "Dare to Dream." The families enjoyed pizza, veggies and dip, fruit, and of course, cookies, while listening to "Dare to Dream" theme songs. Another surprise appearance by Princess Tiana and, this time also Cinderella, excited the children even more, as they took turns posing for pictures with the princesses. Immediately following the party, the families made their way to their seats for the 7:30 p.m. showing of "Dare to Dream."
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| Media party at the First Mariner Arena |
The next morning was a public relations haven. Starting at 5:45 a.m., we had our first broadcasting hit with characters from the show. Coffee and donuts energized us through the wee hours of the chilly autumn morning, from 5:45 until about the 9:30 hour. All sorts of characters came by for a quick tease or a 2-minute interview with local television hosts from FOX, CBS, and NBC.
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| How lucky is this young lady to finally meet her favorite princess, Cinderella. |
After a 5-day run, the "Disney On Ice: Dare to Dream" show was a huge success, with an 18% increase over last year's program.
