Disney’s done it again with its newest Disney on Ice presentation Dare to Dream.  A unique amalgamation of a Disneyland parade, a rock concert, and a sporting event, Dare to Dream is a singular experience your kids will never forget.

 Bringing together classic and contemporary princesses, the latest Disney on Ice portrays the stories of Tiana of Princess and the Frog, Cinderella, and Rapunzel of Tangled.  You can expect the familiar tried-and-true stories from the movies along with skaters lip-syncing to prerecorded audio while performing gravity-defying stunts.

 It definitely helps to know the story beforehand, because with screaming children all around and the dialog cut short to get to the point - the songs and the skating - the spectacle can easily distract from the plot.  However, the kids in attendance don’t seem to mind; they either already know the stories like the back of their hands or they’re just too entranced by the beautiful, sparkly princesses adorned in a quarter million Swarovski Crystal Rhinestones (literally).

Semi-interactive segments between the three main stories feature classic favorites Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Donald Duck, reminiscent of clowns at the circus.  A little girl behind me yells “Hi Mickey!!” at the top of her lungs and can hardly seem to contain herself while the beloved characters hold up a glass slipper asking, “Does anyone know whose shoe this is?”

 A few lucky audience members get a special treat when some front-row youngsters get to try on the glass slipper, and one girl is even chosen to help Rapunzel and Flynn release the first glowing lantern into the air.  

The crowd gets especially excited during the grand finale, when all the Disney princesses and their princes arrive as “distinguished guests” at the ball, accompanied by some pyrotechnics and lots of waving.  

The impressive 25 foot aerial flight of Rapunzel and Flynn really shows an innovative use of Rapunzel’s “hair” and kept me wondering what they were going to do next, which added to the top knotch choreography, done by Cindy Stuart.

Award-winning scenic designer Stan Meyer delivers a minimalist set to leave room for skating while still preserving that special “Disney magic” through the cunning use of puffs of smoke and a giant set of doors, behind which a Disney castle replica subtly changes to suit the scene like Rapunzel’s chameleon friend, Pascal.

 Lighting designer to the stars Peter Morse uses the ice like an artist’s palate, changing the mood of different scenes with varying colors and patterns.  Before Dare to Dream, Morse has done lighting for such big names as Usher, Christina Aguilera, and Jennifer Lopez - maybe that’s why it felt kind of like a rock concert.  Well, that and the constant dazzle of camera flashes.

All in all, your kids will love you forever (or at least until the show is over) if you take them to Disney on Ice’s Dare to Dream.  Catch it at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont through January 29th, then at Chicago’s United Center February 1st-12th.  

Tickets are $15, $20, and $25 and are available online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000, any Ticketmaster location, or at either of the venues’ box office.

 VIP tickets are $45 for weekday performances at the United Center and $60 for weekends; $60 for all Allstate Arena shows.

 Front Row tickets are $60 for weekday performances at the United Center and $75 for weekends; $75 for all Allstate Arena shows.  For additional information, log on to www.disneyonice.com, or visit Disney on Ice on Facebook or YouTube.