Renna (left), Vanneste (second left), al-Bader (second right) and Haidary with Mickey Mouse after the press briefing at the QNCC yesterday.
By Joey Aguilar/Staff Reporter
Mickey Mouse and more than 60 other Disney characters will be coming to Doha for the first “Disney On Ice” international family entertainment show in the Middle East this summer.
Celebrating “100 Years of Magic”, Disney’s wholesome and world-renowned performance will be held at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) from June 13 to 16.
“I want every single child in the Middle East to have the same experience that I had when I was 10 years old,” said Horacio Renna, vice-president for Africa and Middle East at Feld Entertainment.
In a press briefing yesterday, he announced that they have signed an agreement with Dubai-based Sport and Entertainment Solutions to bring “Disney On Ice” to this region.
Besides Mickey and Minnie Mouse, young children and adults will have the chance to watch the stars of The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast perform on ice to stunning choreography.
Other characters include the famous Cinderella and Snow White. Joining them are Woody and Buzz from Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story, Nemo and Dori from Finding Nemo and Stitch from Lilo and Stitch.
“When you get to finally see them in person and they are only two to three metres away from you, it is something magical,” said Renna, recounting the moment when he went to Disney Land with his father and met his favourite characters. “Decades later I still remember the experience.”
The shows in Doha will feature Olympic-level skaters performing on ice with a stunning combination of lights, music, fireworks, and other entertainment elements included in the Disney show.
“The tricks they do, the jumps and the music, the orchestra, the songs, so it is really for all ages. It is spell-binding, it is something which children love and they never forget it,” he said.
For the preparations, Renna disclosed that 48,000 litres of water will be used to build the ice stage, using two 64-tonne refrigeration units.
Tickets will be on sale starting next week at all Virgin Megastores.
Show tickets can also be purchased online at www.virginmegastore.me and www.disneyonice.qa.
Prices start at QR150, QR500, and QR1,000 for VIPs.
There are discounts for early purchases, said Renna.
Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) director of tourism Abdullah Mallala al-Bader expressed confidence that “Disney On Ice” in Doha will achieve the same success it had in other parts of the world.
He said that hosting such an international family entertainment brand falls in line with the QTA’s objective to make Doha a popular family entertainment destination.
Lauding the support of the Qatar Tourism Authority and Qatar Foundation, Renna sees Doha as the central starting location for quality and wholesome international shows. He noted that it is the fastest growing market in the region.
He also wants to bring “Disney On Ice” to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain, Kuwait, and other cities in the Middle East.
“We have agreed to bring this show now in Doha as a first step and the next years we have a plan to extend across the whole region,” said Renna, who also described Qatar National Convention Centre as the perfect venue to host the event.
Aside from the 2,300-seat theatre, it has a conference hall of 4,000-seats.
The QNCC also features a three-tiered auditorium and 52 flexible meeting rooms for various activities.
The Qatar National Convention Centre has hosted numerous local and international conventions, exhibitions, and events.
“Disney On Ice” will be using a portion of the 40,000sq m of exhibition space.
Meanwhile, Sport and Entertainment Solutions founder and chief executive Ali Haidary has vowed to work hard to bring authentic and quality entertainment shows to the region.
Walt Disney Company Middle East and Northern Africa country manager Didier Vanneste was also at the press briefing.