Disney’s Frozen Live in Concert 2026 in Abu Dhabi

Disney’s Frozen Live in Concert comes to Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday 19 December 2026, a weekend afternoon screening of the 2013 film in which the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra plays every song and every bar of Christophe Beck’s score live, in time with Anna, Elsa and Olaf on the big screen. It is a 2pm show, which makes it the easiest of the arena’s December film concerts to fit around nap times and early bedtimes.

The story of Arendelle

Frozen was directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee for Walt Disney Animation Studios and loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen’s 1844 fairy tale The Snow Queen. In the kingdom of Arendelle, Queen Elsa hides magical powers over ice and snow, until a coronation-day argument with her sister Anna leaves the whole kingdom trapped in eternal winter. Anna sets off up the mountain to bring her back, helped by the iceman Kristoff, his reindeer Sven and Olaf, a snowman who dreams of summer. At its heart, it is a story about two sisters rather than a prince and a princess, which is a large part of why it still lands with children more than a decade on.

The voice cast is led by Kristen Bell as Anna, Idina Menzel as Elsa, Jonathan Groff as Kristoff and Josh Gad as Olaf. On release it was the highest-grossing film of 2013, and for several years it was the highest-grossing animated film ever made.

The music: Let It Go and more

The songs were written by the husband and wife team Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Let It Go won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and the film also took the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, along with a Golden Globe, a BAFTA and two Grammys. In concert you will hear the full song list as it unfolds on screen, from the ice harvesters’ Frozen Heart and the bittersweet Do You Want to Build a Snowman? to For the First Time in Forever, Love Is an Open Door, Olaf’s In Summer and the trolls’ Fixer Upper.

Listen for the score

Christophe Beck’s score is worth paying attention to with a live orchestra in the room. It draws on Norwegian and Sámi musical traditions, and the film opens with Vuelie, a choral piece by the Sámi musician Frode Fjellheim that uses elements of joik, the traditional Sámi singing style. Those textures, along with the big brass and string swells as Elsa builds her ice palace, sound very different played live than they do through a television.

The Armenian State Symphony Orchestra

The orchestra began life in 2006 as the State Youth Orchestra of Armenia, founded by conductor Sergey Smbatyan, who is still its artistic director. It now plays more than 50 concerts a year in Armenia and on tour, has released albums with Sony and Deutsche Grammophon, and has built a reputation for bringing younger audiences to orchestral music. It also plays Disney’s Encanto at the arena the night before, so this is a busy weekend of film scores for the musicians.

Practical notes for a Saturday matinee

Doors open at 1pm and the film starts at 2pm, with seats open from 30 minutes before the start. The afternoon is scheduled to wrap up at around 4pm. Frozen is shown in English with Arabic subtitles, and the arena asks guests to behave in keeping with UAE traditions and culture.

• Little ones: there is no age limit. Under-2s do not need a ticket if they sit on a parent’s or guardian’s lap, and anyone under 16 needs to be with an adult aged 21 or over.
• Strollers: leave them in the stroller parks provided, as they are not allowed inside.
• Bags: the limit is 30 x 30 x 15 cm and there is no cloakroom, so a small bag of snacks and wipes is the most you can bring.
• Timing: latecomers wait for a suitable break, there is an auditorium lockout of up to 10 minutes at the start of each act, and there is no re-admission once you leave.
• At the venue: payment is contactless only, flags of any kind are not allowed and professional cameras are not permitted.

Accessible seating is available for guests with disabilities and other access needs, booked as accessible tickets. Tickets are valid only for the date and film you choose, and they are scanned at the turnstiles from your phone.

Getting to Etihad Arena

The arena is on Yas Island. By car, take Sheikh Zayed Road from central Abu Dhabi and follow the signs. The closest bus stop is Al Matar Al Qadeem, about 800 metres away, and taxi drivers generally know the venue.

Who it suits

Frozen in Concert suits families with children who already know the songs by heart, grandparents looking for a festive outing that works for all ages, and adults who grew up with the film in their teens. Hearing a full orchestra take on Let It Go in an arena full of children singing along is the main draw. If you are staying on Yas Island for the day, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York plays at the same arena that evening, and Disney’s The Lion King follows on Sunday afternoon.

Find more ideas in our kids events guide, our concerts listings, things to do in Abu Dhabi and things to do in December.