Credit: Disney on IceAlthough it may seem ironic being from the sunshine state, I have been a figure skater for 24 years. The majority of my time on ice has been spent competing, but I recently switched to professional show skating and began working for Feld’s Disney on Ice. Every week on tour, we travel to a new city, which means that every week we get to experience another opening night.
The schedule for my most recent tour, skating as Belle in “Into the Magic,” followed the cadence of opening on Thursday and doing one to three shows every day until our final “pack-out show,” as we call it, on Sunday. Sunday night, or sometimes Monday morning, we travel by bus or plane to our next destination. There are multiple Disney Ice tours running simultaneously, and on average, a tour lasts for around nine months.
It sounds pretty hectic, and I’ll let you in on a little secret: At times, it is.
Life on the road poses many challenges, but it also opens unique opportunities to travel, perform in front of thousands, and make friends along the way—which is my favorite part.
Here’s my schedule for a typical day and opening night.
How a Disney on Ice Skater Spends Her Day
8 a.m.
I like to start my day with some breakfast and hot coffee. It can be hard to eat healthy on the road, so I lean on the same breakfast go-tos that I grab in every city.
My breakfast favorites include: Greek yogurt, which is high in protein and low in fat, instant oatmeal with apples or granola for carbs to keep me energized, bananas for potassium to avoid muscle cramps, and pre-made smoothies (I’m a sucker for Naked’s Blue Machine and Koia’s Straw-nana dream).
I share my hotel room on tour with Jessica, a fellow skater, who has become a good friend. We usually have breakfast together before we head into work.
If I feel like treating myself, I walk to a local coffee shop and get a latte, but in an effort to pinch pennies, I’ve been trying to get by on the hotel coffee or what’s provided for the cast and crew backstage.
10 a.m.
Facetime catch up with mom back home in Parrish, Florida! It’s tough being away from family on the road, so we try to keep in contact as much as possible. She usually fills me in on what new cookie recipes she has been testing out.
11 a.m.
I catch an Uber from the hotel to the arena with a few other principal skaters (principals are your named face characters – think princes and princesses). We arrive to the rink earlier than the rest of the cast on opening day for our designated practice ice time.
Upon arriving at the arena, I start packing out my locker, makeup, and skates that have traveled to meet me. I like to get my makeup room spot set up right away so I can feel comfortable and homey in my new space.
The cast has two separate rooms to use during show days: Makeup rooms and costume rooms. The makeup room is where skaters hang out before, during, and after shows. It’s the designated area to put on skates, makeup, and prepare. Phones, laptops, and headphones are OK. So are snacks and drinks. But the costume room is only used to get in and out of costumes. The two shall never mix, and are both packed up and re-set in each city we are in.
12 p.m.
After I’m all set up, I start my warm-up to avoid any injuries and get my body ready to skate. I start with a light jog before beginning my glute activation with resistance bands. I follow that up with a squat series, off-ice jumping, and stretching. Then I warm up any lifts I will perform with a partner that day.
1 p.m.
Time for principal ice! This on-ice practice is used for named face characters to practice their segment and familiarize themselves with the dimensions of the ice surface. Every arena we skate in is different and adjusting your routine and tricks to fit can get complicated.
This time is precious for me as some arenas have tiny rinks while others feel huge by comparison. On the ice, I usually like to get my legs under me first before running through my solo where I practice any jumps and spins that I will perform that day. Then I move on to practicing my pair segment that I will skate with a partner.
2 p.m.
It’s a must for me to refuel with a snack while the rest of the principals take their turn to practice, or else I will be dragging by showtime. My favorite snacks for shows days are fruit, crackers, protein bars, veggies, pita, and hummus, sandwiches, and chocolate.
During this time, I take my skates off and let my feet rest while listening to a podcast. Lately, my favorite is “Girls Gotta Eat.” If the weather is nice, I try to do this outside to get some fresh air and sun.
3 p.m.
The rest of the cast, including the ensemble skaters, arrive at the arena and we complete a group edge and stroking class led by our performance director. This gives the whole company a chance to warm up while improving our skating skills.
3:30 p.m.
I take part in group rehearsals, blocking and cleaning, for an hour and a half. This is where our performance director breaks down the numbers and makes sure everyone is in the correct spot, so the show looks perfect. They will also clean up mistakes and make any adjustments to the show that may be needed.
After cleaning, there is an opening night meeting to discuss important notes about the city, arena, and hotel, including any safety notices that the cast may need to be aware of. One time, we were warned not to pet or feed the stray cats that tend to wander outside of the arena we were at—a policy that some skaters found tough to follow.
5 p.m.
By evening, my toes are begging for a break, so I take my skates off while I scarf down a mini dinner, usually pasta or soup. I have to multi-task because this is also my time to start my makeup routine.
The company gives the face characters a pallet containing colors designated for their character, so I always know which products to use. For this show, I am portraying Belle, so I use a lot of soft natural browns with rosy cheeks and lips. My show makeup routine is much more intense than my everyday makeup, to help the audience see my features under the lights. Get out the glue, because fake eyelashes are a must!
6 p.m.
I start my show warm up, revisiting the same warm-up routine I did for principal ice to make sure I am prepared. My normal segment is the first to go on after opening, so I need to be ready early.
7 p.m.
While the opening of the show goes on, I’m waiting just behind the curtain to take the ice. I tend to jump around so my legs don’t get cold. Once I perform my segment, I take a break during our 15-minute intermission.
8 p.m.
For the second half of the show, I get to skate in a few ensemble numbers and the big finale. When I’m not in a number, I relax in the makeup room and talk with friends.
As soon as the show is finished, it’s a mad dash in the girl’s makeup room to get our skates and makeup off so we can all change quickly and get on the bus.
9:30 p.m.
We all board onto the cast bus and head back to the hotel. I like to listen to Frank Ocean on bus rides to help them fly by.
10 p.m.
I grab a quick shower and sneak in another round of leftover “mini dinner.” If I don’t have food waiting for me, I will DoorDash a meal to arrive at the hotel before I get there or prepare a bite to eat in my skillet at the hotel.
11 p.m.
I’m ready to finally crawl into bed and start my wind-down routine, which currently consists of putting a heating pad on my back, eating something sweet, and tuning into an episode of HBO’s Succession.
12 a.m.
Time to get some sleep so I can be well-rested for tomorrow’s Disney on Ice shows!