Immersive Disney Animation makes its Southeast Asian debut in Singapore

Think animation and Disney is one of the first names that come to mind.

Many of us grew up on Disney and may have seen favourites like Lion King and Frozen several times (whether you'd like to admit it or not). Fans will be delighted that the Immersive Disney Animation experience has finally reached our shores.

Presented by Base Entertainment Asia in partnership with Walt Disney Animation Studios, Immersive Disney Animation makes its Southeast Asian debut at the Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands on Nov 18.

Fun fact: Nov 18 is also Mickey Mouse's birthday.

It is a chance to see some of Disney's best-loved movie moments like never before as you are taken through a journey of animated filmmaking from paper to screen.

When you enter the Sands Theatre's foyer, you will see a humongous inflatable Mickey Mouse and life-sized models of Elsa and Anna from the popular movie Frozen.

Those who enjoy peeking behind the curtain will enjoy perusing physical 3D sculptures animators use as part of their design process.

After that, you enter the theatre and head down an illuminated tunnel featuring Sorceror Mickey at the end, pointing you onwards to the pre-exhibit area.

This area offers insight into the art of animation and how an animator's mind works.

It may be a bit dry for the younger ones but there are tables set up with paper and pencils and step-by-step instructions on how to sketch some of Disney's most popular characters. Both adults and children were seen enthusiastically participating in this activity.

However, the main event is when you are ushered into the main show space to experience the true magic of the Immersive Disney Animation.

If you have visited Sands Theatre before, you will be struck by how different it looks. It was deconstructed and rebuilt into a 360-degree space filled with wall-to-wall projections.

The theatre's seats are gone and intentionally so. Apart from a few benches, the area is open and meant to be explored by visitors.

If you have children, this is a great opportunity for them to expel some of that boundless energy.

However, towards the end of the show, many visitors ended up sitting on the floor. They looked pretty comfortable enjoying the show too.

You may wonder how different the Immersive Disney Animation is compared to watching your favourite movies at home or the cinema. It is as immersive as it promises to be. You can be in any area of the space and still have an amazing view and experience.

You will be treated to Disney's greatest hits as over 40 of their animated films are represented in the montages and sequences.

Look out for scenes and songs from Frozen, The Little Mermaid, Moana, Encanto and the iconic opening Circle of Life scene from Lion King.

The interactive floor comes to life as you move about, illuminating your every move and constantly changing to match the wall projections.

Even though the clips are not feature-length, they will still provoke emotions and nostalgia.

Shimmering bubbles add a little bit more magic to the immersive environment.

The experience is 90 minutes and the main show lasts for about an hour which is adequate considering it is catered to fans of all ages.

Ultimately, it's a worthwhile activity to consider during the school holidays.

Immersive Disney Animation

Where: Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue

When: From Nov 18. Open Mondays to Sundays, time-slots from 10am to 10pm.

Admission: $33 to $78 from Marina Bay Sands and Sistic and Trip.com. DBS Bank cardmembers and PayLah! users enjoy special discounts throughout the exhibition season.