Tuesday, November 10, 2026
The lead-up to Thanksgiving means its time, yet again, to feast on some Disney magic. The latest Disney On Ice tour has arrived UBS Arena, now through Nov. 15.
Disney On Ice presents Spotlight Magic! invites fans to step into the spotlight and join a glamorous red-carpet celebration packed with never-before-seen performances and more than 30 Disney characters. As always Mickey, Minnie and the crew get audiences ready for what’s in store from the moment everyone settles in their seats.
As the spotlight travels through vibrant worlds everyone knows so well, heroes, sidekicks, and even villains, take center stage for magical moments.
The production turns up the star power with a lineup of exciting firsts.
From “Zootopia 2,” pop sensation Gazelle and that sly Gary De’Snake, join Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde for a new adventure. Angel, the pink-furred sweetheart from “Lilo & Stitch,” makes her highly anticipated debut, soaring high above the arena on a sparkling chandelier before reuniting with Stitch in a heartwarming onice moment. Adding to the excitement, Disco Ball Mike Wazowski arrives straight from “Monsters, Inc.” with his signature sparkle, delighting audiences with a dazzling appearance.
It’s a spectacular mashup of Disney favorites, unforgettable characters and high-energy fun. Beloved stories from “Beauty and the Beast,” “Tangled,” “Toy Story,” “Moana,” and “Monsters, Inc., “ keep everyone transfixed.
Adding a deliciously wicked twist is a dazzling showcase of iconic Disney villains, including the Evil Queen, Gaston, Maleficent, and Ursula, making their spectacular debut. The excitement builds with an soundtrack that mixes Disney Channel favorites such as “Pumpin’ Up the Party” from “Hannah Montana,” “A Night to Remember” from “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” and “Good to Be Bad” from “Descendants 3,” with timeless classics such as “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” (“Toy Story”), “Be Our Guest” (“Beauty and the Beast”), “I’ve Got a Dream” (“Tangled”), and “I Am Moana” (“Moana”).
Those beloved characters and their adventures spring to life, whisking audiences into a world where imagination knows no bounds and, in true Disney fashion, anything can happen if you just believe.
For 25-year-old Jessie Santee, that magic is more than a performance — it’s a way of life. The Rochester, Minn.-based skater, who joined Disney On Ice in 2019, is living a dream she has cherished since childhood.
In fact, you could say Disney On Ice runs in her family. Her parents performed with the company for 13 years — and met while skating in the show. Her older brother, Ryan, 32, and sister, Sarah, 28, have also followed in their footsteps, both becoming performers themselves.
“It’s all quite crazy,” Santee says with a laugh.
Growing up, she was naturally immersed in the magical world of Disney, and it wasn’t long before she was hooked.
“Our parents were really good about putting us into every sport they could. They didn’t want to force us into skating or loving to skate. They wanted us to do what made us the most happy. That’s the craziest part. We all share the same love for performing and the company.”
For the Santee family, as with every skater on the tour, all roads lead to Disney.
“Every time the show came near us we were always wanting to go. Disney On Ice is such a big thing, in the skating world and for everyone. We always took the opportunity to go.”
As a child, Santee adored “Cinderella” and “Toy Story.” Today, she gets to step into that world, portraying Jessie, the fearless, spirited cowgirl from the “Toy Story” franchise.
Her path, however, took a turn away from competitive skating.
“Once I became a teenager, the competitive side [of skating] wasn’t as fun to me. I loved our local ice show. I always wanted to perform,” she recalls.
Now, she gets to do what she loves most — bringing Jessie’s adventurous spirit to life on the ice and sharing that excitement with audiences.
As always, the skating brings a new dimension to the stories we all know so well. You’ll see thrilling stunts, mesmerizing choreography and exciting visuals that fully immerse audiences. The solos, pairs and fast-paced ensemble sequences, along with acrobatic routines, keep everyone transfixed to the action on the ice.
Those acrobatic thrills add another dimension to production, as high-flying performers take the action skyward with aerial feats and gravity-defying stunts.
“The production is really amazing,” Santee says, enthusiastically. “There are a lot of new features. In the Toy Story segment we have the Green Army men who are on a bungee apparatus. We have moments such as that not on the ice. You have to look up. It’s exciting and unexpected.”
Excitement is certainly descriptive of the entire spectacle.
“Getting to share the joy and the passion for what I do, and feeling the energy of the audience and making those connections one on one with families is very special. Knowing that just for a couple of hours I can make someone smile or laugh is the most rewarding part,” Santee continues. “It’s also much fun to see the audience dressed as their favorite characters.”
A final word: “There’s not just one spotlight. There’s a spotlight on all of us and we can all shine in our own ways.”
