Walt Disney World is known for its monumental buildings- EPCOT, the Tree of Life, Cinderella's Castle - AND the Cirque du Soleil tent! Every time I go to Disney Springs, I always admire the big white tent with flag pennants waving on top. I've never seen a Cirque du Soleil performance so on my last trip I bought tickets for their show, Drawn to Life. Did I enjoy it? Keep reading to find out.
Cirque Du Soleil Tent
Although Cirque du Soleil has been at Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney) since 1998, Drawn to Life is one of their first Disney-dedicated productions. The 90-minute show focuses on the daughter of an animator who died when she was a little girl. With the help of animated objects and a few Disney characters, the young girl learns the basic principles of animation and is inspired to complete her Dad's final project.
My husband and I were very excited to watch the show and were careful to avoid spoilers prior to the trip so we could be surprised about everything, even the inside of the theater. Michel Crête, Michel Aubé, Walt Disney Imagineering, and architects from the Rockwell Group of New York designed the theater which allows for comfortable seating and great views in almost every section. When we arrived at the theater we chatted with a cast member before we were allowed inside to our seats. Not only was he nice and shared great tips about Gideon's Bakehouse, but he also escorted us to our seats. About 5 minutes after we sat down, he reappeared and asked if we wanted a free seat upgrade. We happily agreed and made our way to the new seats, located in the first section closest to the stage. It definitely pays to be nice!
Opening Act & Drawn to Life Experience
Before the show began, a group of performers appeared on stage and single handly chose children from the audience to join them. The kids then drew a drawing of their choice which was later displayed via projection for the entire audience to see. This was such a cute way to incorporate kids into the show and pass the time before the performance started.
One of the things that I really enjoyed about the show was the variety of acrobatic acts. From jugglers to aerial flying, to unicycle-riding fairies, there was so much to be amazed by. The performers made such complicated routines look simple and fun! It's hard to pick a favorite act but I was drawn to the unicycle-riding performers which consisted of a group of about 7 ladies. Each was dressed beautifully in blue with fairy wings on their bags and quickly drove around the stage on their unicycles. Their performance resembled that of a figure skater, graceful yet powerful as they magically jumped, danced, and glided across the stage.
Overall, Cirque du Soleil did a great job with storytelling, musical composition, and incorporating Disney into the show. Although there aren't any intermissions for the performance, it is evident when the show switches between acts, performers, and the variety of supporting equipment. It provided a deeper appreciation for the work the performers do and the supporting crews to help with their transitions and setup. I highly recommend Drawn to Life for any audience new to Cirque du Soleil, Disney, or a veteran of both!
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