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Saturday, March 3, 2012

Disney's Snow White on Ice

In 1981, the Disney Company began producing their own touring ice shows under the leadership of producer Kenneth Feld. Walt Disney's World on Ice hit the road that year and has never looked back.

The performances to this day are geared toward the child audience. As a result, the stars of the show are no longer the Olympic champion ice skaters (as in the Ice Capades) but the characters they portray. The productions are immensely popular, requiring at any one time up to eight different touring troupes around the world.

  • The first Walt Disney's World on Ice program book, premiere edition from 1981...



A wealth of shows have been produced over the years, the Snow White characters making appearances in a great number of them. The Evil Queen and the Magic Mirror played a significant part in 1982's The Great Ice Odyssey.

 1982 Program Cover.


Yet, two productions in particular told the Snow White story in its entirety. The first was the 1986-1987-ish Snow White on Ice show, then the 1994-1997 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs presentation. This latter production returned again in 2000-2001.

  • 1986 banners from Snow White on Ice (16.5" x 12")...


Banner images via Disney Showcase


See the play-by-play for both Snow White productions via the program booklets from the 1987 and 1997 shows. Also see the press kit from the latter. Plus read a review of the 1997 performance by Kenneth Sundberg, administrator of the KenNetti Snow White Database.

In 1998, the World on Ice name was changed to Disney on Ice (see poster), and the number of shows continued to grow.

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Here's a sampling from some of the more recent Disney on Ice productions:

  • Princess Classics (2002-2011)...









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  • 100 Years of Magic (1999-present)...



The grand finale in 100 Years of Magic...

Image copyright pirate johnny. Creative Commons License.

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  • Princess Wishes (2006-present)...



A pre-show setting where young guests could see the gowns and meet a princess...

Image copyright Rei2Rei.


A before-the-show photo of a Wishes audience, many of whom appear to be under 3 foot tall ...

Image copyright Rojer. Creative Commons License.


Tickets for a show in Malaysia...

Image via ashwoo.

Promotional Still via Feld Entertainment.


A video promo for the Wishes show...


Some nicely shot home videos of the "Snow White's Wish" segment can be seen here:
part 1, part 2, part 3.

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  • Treasure Trove (2011-present)...



A video promo for the Treasure Trove show...


Also see this nicely shot home video of the Snow White segment.

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Of course, it wouldn't be a Disney function if there weren't a few souvenirs for you to take home after the show...

  • 1986 Snow White on Ice pennant, 11" x 28".

Image via Disney Showcase.

  • Donald Duck squeaker hat with a Snow White on Ice ribbon. The beak squeaks when squeezed. Probably dates from the 1986 show.




  • Child's plastic Mickey Mouse digital watch. Wristband features logos from both Snow White on Ice (1986) and Magic Kingdom on Ice (1983).



  • A pair of plastic Dopey mugs from a World on Ice performance. Measure approximately 3.5 " tall.



4 comments:

  1. There's also Dare to Dream, which is currently showing in Minnesota. Snow White's not a big star, she just comes out in the end for the finale with all the princesses.

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  2. I hope to take in a show myself in the near future.

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  3. That's Linda Fratianne depicted on the cover of the 1981 show program. I believe she was also in the 1983 show, "Magic Kingdom On Ice."

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  4. Thanks for the additional info Tokyo!

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