By: Lani

This has been my son's FAVORITE live event/show we've been to and that is saying a lot.  Usually, no matter how great the show, he is ready to leave after the first 30-40 minutes if not sooner.  Instead, even since leaving, he keeps asking when we can go back and talking about the next time we will see the dragon show. 

My little man is almost five, but not a fan of the dark.  For the first 10 minutes or so he sat covering his eyes, a little scared of the Verizon Center being so dark and the initial viking scenes.  But, once we got him to look and the dragons appeared, he couldn't take his eyes off the stage.  He was completely mesmerized and thought the dragons were just so super cool and life-like.  The story followed the same basic premise as the Dreamworks movie though they did alter a few things and I cannot recall any brake-dancing in the movie. ;)

 

All of the cast did a fantastic job of making you feel like you were part of the performance.  The background is almost like being at a super-sized IMAX, but with a live and animatronic show going on in front of and on the screen.


 

I found the show to be a refreshing change from most of the live shows I have seen.  The technology used to make the dragons and for all their special effects truly was something to behold.  The dragons really did seem be be alive with their fluid movements and personalities that showed through.

 

All of the puppetry was very cool!  My family got to attend the special Dragons 101 tech talk after the event where we learned there were five types of puppetry used, and only 21 cast members.  We also learned more about how they built the dragons, more about the special effects, and more about the amazing videos playing in the background which made you feel like you were riding right along side Hiccup as he flew through the air.

 

If you are available this weekend and have a chance to check it out, I would definitely go!  There are also some very cool VIP packages still available that might be worth checking out.  We attended the Hero's Welcome and it included getting an awesome VIP gift bag, a 3D poster, a picture of my family dressed up as vikings, getting to attend a brief program with Hiccup and Astrid where each child received a special Dragon Trainer certificate, a VIP parking permit for the Verizon Center and more.  There are three VIP options available so if your family loves How to Train Your Dragon, it is worth looking into.


Have you had a chance to see the show?  If so, I'd love to hear what you and your families thought as well!

*Photos in article taken by Andrew Jones of NonToxicReviews.com a great local blog!