D.O.I. - Year Two

Oh, the craziness that is Disney on Ice...

Last year I scored cheapo tickets c/o Travelzoo and whisked Maizey off to the Palace for her first true sensory assault. 

Amazingly, it held her attention. The whole two hours. Rapt.

So, when I heard DOI was returning, I purchased full-priced seats with Will's credit card and began saving my allowance to buy battery-powered light spinners.

 As a child, Bob and Betty would surprise Peter and I with Milwaukee adventures that included these celebrations of excess. Ringling Brothers, Sesame Street Live (once) and Disney on Ice. Not ones to be duped by Disney commercialism, though, we always had sensible seats and shared a popcorn. No light spinners.

Of course, Maizey got third row seats and cotton candy (with mouse-ear hat).
But because I am a Breclaw, we shared a popcorn, and no light spinners.

Maizey, was, however, really great at getting vendors of all sorts to stop by our seats, though: "SPINNERS, SPINNERS, WHO WANTS A SPINNER" was unfailingly answered with "I DO! I DO!"  A Palace-uniformed employee would then bound over only to endure the mother-daughter dialogue: 

Me: "Did you bring your money?"

Maizey: "No."

Me: "Then how are you going to buy a spinner?"

Maizey: silence

Exit Palace employee...

So how was it? Fun. And pretty wackadoodle.

While Maizey's head ping-ponged around, following the 50+ Disney characters enthusiastically shushhing by on skates, I marveled at the performers. I mean, WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? I want a reality show. Or PBS mini-series circa Big Apple Circus. And what about those Disney-perpetuated stereotypes? I mean, yeesh?! The show was unabashedly, unapologetically mainstream. Minnie visits Japan and meets up with a bunch of fan-wielding Geisha skaters, complete with Geta (flip-flop) simulated skates. In China, Mickey flies kites on the Great Wall. The finale - a Christmas celebration with Santa - I mean "It's everybody's favorite time of year!" (says Mickey.)

But admittedly, when I stopped eye-oogling and mind-boggling all of that stuff, and just watched Maizey's face, I had a great time. 

Girlfriend LOVED it!

And, we had great seats. 

"MICKEY MOUSE! HIIIII! HERE I AM!!!!"

Not to mention the intermission. 

And the cutest little Zamboni, ever.

As you can see,  last year...

ended similarly to this year. 

Next year - dual shot of carseat sleepers.

(Lu hung out with our friends at Tutor Time.)