The arena lights dim. 

The chorus rising from the auditorium speakers sounds all too familiar, like a melody pulled straight from a childhood memory. 

Then the ice explodes into motion as skaters sweep across the rink in elaborate choreography and dazzling costumes once only seen on screen.

For two hours, the frozen stage becomes a moving Disney adventure with acrobatics, theatrical sets and everyone’s favorite characters gliding from one story to the next.

That spectacle arrives in Colorado Springs this week as Disney On Ice presents “Road Trip Adventures” in The Broadmoor World Arena from Thursday until Sunday.

Among the cast is performer Trey Ehre, who plays Jack in the show’s “Mary Poppins Returns” segment and has spent nearly three decades performing on ice around the world.

Before the show slides into town, here are four things you might not know about Disney On Ice.

1. How is “Road Trip Adventures” unique?

Right now, Disney On Ice has multiple shows touring the United States, including “Jump In,” “Road Trip Adventures,” “Mickey’s Search Party,” “Frozen & Encanto” and “Let’s Dance!”

“Road Trip Adventures,” now in the Colorado leg of its tour, is an interactive ice show where Mickey Mouse and friends guide audiences through different Disney worlds aboard a whimsical Magic Mobile that transports characters from one story to the next.

The production features characters and storylines from “Toy Story 4,” “Moana,” “Aladdin,” “Mary Poppins Returns,” “The Lion King” and more. 

“There’s a lot of audience interaction with different aspects of the show where they have special moments and really get close and personal with the storylines that we’re showcasing,” Ehre said. 

Ehre has played Jack, the lamplighter who helps Mary Poppins guide the children through the night, for the past two years.

“It’s quite wonderful to portray that role and a really excellent, fun Broadway-style feel to start the show,” he said. “This number is very unique. It’s not represented in any other Disney On Ice show, so it’s a special one to see.”

For Ehre, the real magic happens when the audience feels like they’re a part of the show, he said.

“My particular goal every time I step on the ice is to perform for the audience and make sure that they feel they’re getting the experience of storytelling and Disney magic that they’re looking for,” Ehre said. “I want to provide that value and be that escape from their everyday lives while entertaining them.”

2. What makes Disney on Ice so popular?

For more than four decades, Disney On Ice has become one of the most expansive touring ice shows, bringing Disney magic to more than 320 million guests across 545 cities and performing in more than 40 languages along the way.

The show’s global reach speaks to its massive popularity. 

With over 50 Olympians and other celebrity guests having performed in both lead and ensemble roles, the show often sets local records for audience size and engagement. 

Ehre has witnessed some of those audience reactions firsthand. He joined the company in 2007 and toured internationally on productions like “High School Musical: The Ice Tour” before taking on his current role as Jack.

“One really specific memory that I have was when I was playing Troy Bolton in ‘High School Musical’ in Manchester, England,” Ehre said. “The crowd was so loud during my ‘Bet On It’ solo that I could not hear the music at all. From what I understood at the time, we broke the audience sound record for the venue.”

He said performing “Road Trip Adventures” in the United Kingdom brought similarly strong reactions.

“Mary Poppins is British,” he said. “So when we were playing in the U.K. last year, we would often get really excellent reactions from the British audience who felt a connection to Mary Poppins in particular.”

3. What does it take to skate with Disney On Ice?

The “Road Trip Adventures” cast includes performers from 10 different nationalities, bringing together a wide range of skating and performance backgrounds.

“Everybody comes in here with a different history and background, which always makes for a very well-rounded show,” Ehre said.

For the 47-year-old professional figure skater, his early passion for skating began with hockey.

“Even when I was 4 years old and in hockey, they would incorporate some hockey skaters into a local ice show,” he said. “I started taking skating lessons when I was about 8 years old to improve my skating skills for hockey, but look where I am now. Every cast member has a completely different background and journey to how they got here.” 

For aspiring performers, Ehre advises developing both skating and performance skills.

“Learning to skate at a younger age and getting those basic skating skills down will help you hone your craft and become the best you can be,” he said. “Getting involved in theater programs, taking dance lessons and other art forms broadens your ability to be a performer, not just a skater. At that point, you can ask to audition for the show and see where your energy fits and what category you fall into.”

4. How much sacrifice goes into the magic of Disney on Ice?

Disney On Ice performers spend nine to 10 months of the year on tour, traveling an average of 13,860 miles, according to its website. 

Before each season begins, the cast spends two to three weeks training once the show is choreographed and finalized.

“We are away from our family and friends for long periods of time,” Ehre said. “That is one of the sacrifices that we make. Yet traveling so much is also one of the other lucky things for me because I have friends all over the world. When I am in these places, I get to see people that are local to the area that I’ve known at different points in my life.” 

Ehre has been to over 68 countries while touring with Disney on Ice.

“It’s kind of one of those things where the sacrifice also leads to new adventures and getting to see parts of the world and experience things that you never would have otherwise,” he said.

Aside from a four-day stretch of Colorado Springs performances, the cast of “Road Trip Adventures” will continue touring in Denver from March 27-29 and in Loveland from April 2-5.

“That’s one of the great things about doing this leg of the tour,” Ehre said. “We play those three cities in Colorado all together, so we really get to spend a nice chunk of time in Colorado and have a wonderful opportunity to see different places, like Garden of the Gods and things of that nature. Colorado is just so beautiful and has so much to offer that it’s a really special moment of the tour for us.”

If you go

What: Disney On Ice “Road Trip Adventures”

When: 7 p.m. March 19 and March 20; 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. March 21 and March 22; 6:30 p.m March 21

Where: The Broadmoor World Arena, 3185 Venetucci Blvd.

Price: $26-$107, axs.com