DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS FOUR FANTASY WORLDS

Can you imagine one great show that has the ability to take you under the seas, around a race track with lightning speed, into the forest with a bevy of beautiful fairies and into a bedroom where toys explode out of a chest?  Think Disney.  Think fabulous.  For more than seven decades, the Ice Capades have provided championship skaters in dazzling costumes and incredible productions.  This time around is no exception when "Disney on Ice:  Worlds of Fantasy" skates onto the floor of the Webster Bank Arena from Wednesday, January 2 to Sunday, January 6, followed by the XL Center in Hartford from Wednesday, January 9 to Sunday, January 13.

The tour guides for this magical visit to a quartet of fantasy worlds are none other than Mickey and Minnie Mouse who tool onto the ice in a spiffy red roadster.  When their vehicle unexpectedly breaks down, and Donald Duck and Goofy admit the task is too mechanically hard, Minnie and Mickey call upon their good friends from "Cars" to come to their rescue.  Lightning McQueen and his trusty pal Mater soon have the pair on the road to adventure.

Children and their parents will marvel at these life-sized autos that each took 20,000 man hours to build and have animatronic features that allow them to have blinking headlights, moving mouths and hydraulic lifts so they can literally dance to the musical beat.

Mickey and Minnie are soon zooming off across the ice, prepared to encounter the undersea world of our favorite mermaid, Ariel, the sweetest sugar-coated little mermaid to ever float in the sea.  With her underwater pals Flounder the fish and Scuttle the seagull, you'll see Ariel yearning to be human and willing to sacrifice everything she knows and loves to win the hand of Prince Eric in the world above the waves.

Next we exchange the world of colorful coral and fascinating fish for the magical land of fairies in the miniature domain of Pixie Hollow where Tinker Bell lives, near her good friend Peter Pan.  Tinker Bell is born from the first laugh of a baby and her entire realm is miniature in size.  Giant inflatable trees, humungous butterflies and large flowers in bloom help create the illusion of spring emerging right before your amazed eyes.

Each fairy, from Iridessa to Silvermist to Rosetta, will have a unique style of dancing on ice and a winged costume especially her own, from velvet roses to shimmering leaves of satin.

The final fantasy world that Mickey and Minnie visit begins in Andy's bedroom as he gets ready to leave for college.  He leaves behind all his favorite toys, including Buzz Lightyear the astronaut, Woody the cowboy, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head and Hamm the piggy bank.  With Andy leaving, all his playthings fear he will forget them, especially when they find themselves relocated to the Sunnyside Daycare Center.  Their toy tumbles and hijinks will delight as they showcase their talents and versatility for all to admire as they plan their escape from the daycare crew's clutches.

According to Disney producer Kenneth Feld, " 'Worlds of Fantasy' offers the perfect combination  of elements for fans of 'Disney on Ice.' From the contemporary feel of 'Cars' and 'Toy Story3' to the timeless quality of 'The Little Mermaid' and 'Tinker Bell,' audiences will see four completely different Disney worlds brought to life.  All of this provides a value that is truly unparalled in the world of live family entertainment.  More than ever before, there's something for everyone."

For tickets ($12 kids 2-12 Thursday, Friday, Saturday 7 p.m. Bridgeport and Thursday 7 p.m. show in Hartford; Bridgeport $25,$30, VIP $55 and Rinkside $75; Hartford $22, $28, VIP $56 and Front Row $78), call 1-800-745-3000 or online at disneyonice.com or ticketmaster.com.  Performances are Wednesday, January 2-Friday, January 4 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, January 5 at 11 a.m, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday, January 6 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. in Bridgeport. In Hartford, the performances are Wednesday, January 9-Friday, January 11 at 7 p.m., Saturday, January 12 at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday, January 13 at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Let your imagination soar as four of your favorite Disney stories show their stunning stuff on skates in spectacular style.