Disney on Ice

I surprised L today with a "special thing" - tickets for her and I to go see Disney on Ice at the convention center.  I knew she would like it because one of the three featured stories was of Tiana, her favorite princess (Princess and the Frog). 

Good thing we went early - 30 minutes prior to the show and we were stuck in traffic downtown as everyone A) tried to get around streetcar construction, and B) tried to get into the convention center.  We finally got into a lot ($8 for parking?!?), parked, and walked into the convention center.  I'd only been there once before, quite a few years ago, and it was a different portion of the building, so I was overwhelmed today as to how big it is on the inside.  There were Disney vendors EVERYWHERE - it was like Disneyland had puked all over the outside and inside of the area.  L, of course, had to get something, but I told her she couldn't get anything unless she ended up getting something for E as well.  So, she ended up getting herself a Tiana figure and E a Rapunzel figure.  Our seats were waaaaay on the far side of the arena - literally, L's seat was next to the aisle, and then the next section over was empty.  We were nearly at the back of our section too, so we were in the very definition of "nosebleed seats." 

As for the show, I was fascinated by the figure skating, logistics of putting on the show, and wondering what life was like for these performers as they constantly traveled.  L was fascinated by the princesses (of course), the stories (Princess and Frog, Cinderella, & Tangled), and narrating her feelings for me during the first half.  During the second half, she was standing and watching everything - I think she was half excited and half couldn't see around the big head in front of her.  I offered to let her sit in my seat or on my lap, but she refused.  Strange child.  Anyway, I think the best part of it all was Tangled's aerial acrobatics along with the ice skating, the fireworks at the very end (indoors!), and watching L's face light up when she recognized all the princesses at the end (they all were there, even ones not in the show). 

I never did anything like this as a child.  Well, I take that back - in elementary school (4th grade?  5th grade?), we had an optional school trip to the circus in Dayton that reminds me very much of the things I saw today (minus ice skating, lol).  I was always super jealous of the kids that got to do things like see Disney on Ice, because my parents were just flat broke and didn't know about any of this kind of stuff.  I promised myself that, if I had kids someday, I'd make sure they got to go to events like that and not be jealous.  It's so much fun to watch all the excited kids during the show!  L was so happy, which made me extremely happy.  We'll have to do something like this again, because she did super excellent throughout the show.  :)