Family affair
For many, Disney On Ice is a state fair tradition
Prettily posed between statues of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, cousins Tatum Richey and Hunter Mathena happily compared gloves.
After all, it isn’t every day that a couple of 3-year-olds get to wear the chic elbow-length accessories.
“They check out each other a lot, anyway, even without costumes,” said Nichole Mathena, of Yukon, smiling as she watched as her daughter, Hunter, dressed as Minnie House, admired the yellow skirt of her niece’s Belle costume Thursday night at Jim Norick State Fair Arena.
“She’s just excited to come and experience it because ... she loves Disney. We do a lot with the two of them together.”
For three decades, the Oklahoma State Fair has hosted Disney On Ice for just that purpose: bringing families together at the fair. The icy extravaganza
has been a state fair staple since 1987.
“That’s really what the fair’s all about, making memories. It’s generational, so you came as a child with your parents, now you’ve grown up, you’ve had your own kids, you bring your kids to the fair. And if there’s a way to anchor your trip to the fair with a trip to Disney, what better way?" said Oklahoma State Fair spokesman Scott Munz.
Family tradition
Jennifer Payne has been with Disney On Ice for 10 years, but this is the first time that a company she's performed with has traveled to her home state. She said nine Disney On Ice companies tour the globe at any given time.
Since the Oklahoma State Fair has become a traditional launching
point for the Disney On Ice autumn tour, the Ada native said she has relished spending the last couple of weeks back in her home state.
“To be here, this is the arena that I auditioned with Disney On Ice in all those years ago, so that has been such a special, life-coming-full-circle moment for me.”
Between her OKC and Tulsa fair stops, the skater said she is expecting almost 225 family members, former coaches, classmates and teachers, friends and grown-ups whom she used to babysit to come and see her perform in the “Dare to Dream” ensemble.
“I knew it was a lot of people, but when I sat down and counted it up, I could not believe it. I just feel so supported and so loved, and it’s really fun for me to be able to show these people that I’ve know my whole life what I’ve been doing the last decade — because they haven’t seen it,” she said. “For some of them, it is their first time at Disney On Ice ... and I hope that it starts a tradition for their family.”
Making memories
Tacie and Jeff Dreessen, of Mustang, were among the first-timers at Thursday’s opening night performance. Like many other parents, they brought their daughter, Kayden, 5, and son, Daniel, 3, to the show in full costume: Their son was decked out in the spiffy suit of Mickey Mouse, while their daughter was dressed as the perennially popular Princess Ariel.
“She’s a mermaid. I like mermaids. I like swimming — and I don’t need floaties,” Kayden said, adding that she picked out a colorful, light-up snowflake scepter as a souvenir since she’s also a fan of the ice Queen Elsa.
Tacie Dreessen said the costumes and tickets were surprise early birthday presents from her in-laws, Gari and Daniel Dreessen, to the children.
“The kids love Disney. All Disney pretty much,” she said. “We’re excited to watch them. They only found this afternoon that they were coming.”
While cousins Hunter and Tatum happily posed for photos together, their grandmother, Donna Richey, admired the Minnie and Belle costumes she got for them. Along with her granddaughters, she attended the show with her husband, daughter, son and daughter-inlaw, making it a big family occasion that was about to get even bigger.
“OK, let’s go shop, girls,” the grandma said. “We did that the other day for the dresses and we had so much fun. It’s all a lot of fun.”