When production designer John Arnone was researching and gathering ideas for "Disney on Ice: Disneyland Adventure," he rode all the rides at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. And not just once, but three or four times.
"I went by myself," Arnone said by phone from his Manhattan studio, "and the drill was to research all of the sites in the Magic Kingdom. It was my first visit to Disneyland since I was a kid, and I was visiting Walt Disney World for the first time."
Arnone (pronounced "arn-own") took his digital camera along, "but the lighting inside some of the rides is so controlled, it's hard to take photographs. I ended up doing sketches instead."
Unlike most of the previous "Disney on Ice" shows, produced by Feld Entertainment, the "Disneyland Adventure" production utilizes an original story. It's not based on specific Disney movies.
This one follows the new adventures of the Disney-Pixar "Incredibles" — Bob, Helen, Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack — as they take a fun-filled vacation to Disneyland, then get involved with rescuing Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
After compiling "a good eight hours of documentation and research on the key sites we were going to try to depict in the ice show, we (his creative team) went through the usual process of adding and eliminating and changing things. Having previously designed 'Finding Nemo,' I had my own shorthand figured out."
Arnone said that what made things go smoothly was working with the same team that Feld Entertainment had in place for "Finding Nemo" — director Patty Vincent, creative director Jerry Bilik, lighting designer Peter Morse, choreographer Cindy Stuart and costume designer Scott Lane.
"We did not do the rear-projection techniques like we did with 'Nemo,' but it's still as animated and colorful," he said. "It's more fast-paced because we're covering more territory — on foot, as opposed to swimming."
The all-new story has the Incredibles attempting to take a "normal" vacation at all five areas in the Magic Kingdom. Helen and Jack-Jack go for a spin on the Mad Tea Party Teacups, Dash blasts off at Space Mountain (where Buzz Lightyear appears), Violet uses her force field to stop the runaway Big Thunder Mountain mine train in Frontierland, and Bob flexes his super muscles while monkeying around with Baloo on the Jungle Cruise in Adventureland.
Then they all converge on Main Street USA for Disneyland's famous light parade. Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion are other stops during the show.
Arnone said one of the most challenging pieces of scenery was the evil Syndrome. "Disney-Pixar has final approval on the script, and the Syndrome is a huge, spherical, free-standing device with five or six extension arms and claws that go after people. I redesigned it with skaters at the end of each arm. Everyone was delighted with the new design."
If you go
What: "Disney on Ice: Disneyland Adventure"
Where: EnergySolutions Arena, 301 W. South Temple
When: Wednesday through March 18
How much: $13-$52 (Ticketmaster outlets)
Phone: 325-7328
Web: www.disneyonice.com
E-mail: ivan@desnews.com