I recently had the opportunity to experience Cavalia Odysseo while it is in town here in Vancouver. Of course, I immediately jumped at this because I had heard such incredible things about the show. The only thing though was figuring out who to bring with me. The decision was made easier when my husband realised he worked that night. With Evie’s love of animals, I decided to surprise her and bring our preschooler to see Cavalia Odysseo.
THE SHOW
The horse has marked human history and progress more than any other animal. Horses have taken us to the ends of the earth, enabled us to build bridges between cultures and expand civilization. It is the beauty and harmony of this ancient relationship, this meeting of two worlds – those of horse and man – that inspired the creators of Odysseo.
As friends, partners and inseparable performers on stage, 65 horses and 45 artists lead the viewer on a great journey in yet another world – a world of dreams – where, together, they discover some of the planet’s most unforgettable landscapes.
Odysseo marries the equestrian arts, stage arts and high-tech theatrical effects at never-before-seen levels. A veritable revolution in live performance, Odysseo comprises a list of superlatives:
The world’s largest touring production and travelling big top, the biggest stage, the most beautiful visual effects, and the greatest number of horses at liberty.
Would I bring a preschooler to Cavalia Odysseo again? Definitely! Without any hesitation I would bring my preschooler again. She loved every minute of it. It was a long night with the show starting after her bedtime and being out in Vancouver, but she did great. Together, we experienced what it was like to have Rendez-vous VIP Gold tickets.
Tickets for the show range from $39.50 to $229.50 depending on seat selection and if you go for a VIP option or not. There is something to fit all price ranges. You can use the promo code: SOCIAL at cavalia.com/live to receive 15% off tickets, it is valid for all evening shows for Blue, Gold, and VIP ticket categories.
If you are considering Rendez-vous VIP, here is what’s included:
RENDEZ-VOUS VIP PACKAGES
With your Rendez-Vous VIP Tickets, you will be invited to relax in the private RENDEZ-VOUS VIP Lounge and Patio 90 minutes before the show, during the intermission as well as after the show. You will also be enjoying the following:
- VIP Pass.
- Center-row seats.
- Full meal buffet dining served before the show.
- Great selection of various refreshments available at will.
- Dessert buffet, coffee and tea served during the intermission.
- Exclusive stable visit after the show.
- An Odysseo souvenir.
RENDEZ-VOUS VIP PREMIUM
As a RENDEZ-VOUS VIP PREMIUM ticket holder, not only will you be enjoying all of the previously enumerated exclusive benefits, you will also discover Odysseo with guaranteed front-rows seats.
Watching the Cavalia Odysseo from centre seats under the white big top was an experience in itself. Being able to see the performers, riders, and horses so close is what helped captivate my daughter. Seeing the whole thing through her eyes is what made it special for me. The whole time she was exclaiming how amazing it was, that she wants to learn how to ride a horse and do stunts like that. She was definitely inspired by the show.
As a parent, I loved that the VIP experience included dinner and dessert. I didn’t have to worry about getting some sort of meal into my preschooler before rushing out to Vancouver. I was able to relax and arrive in time for the VIP entry under the white big top at 6 pm. We were some of the first ones in and went right to the buffet. There were lots to choose from. Evie loved that there was even a kids buffet with child-friendly options.
Evie managed to convince me to allow her to get a horse stuffy, actually, two… one for her and one for her little sister, since I was not going to let her get an actual horse. She picked out two different horses from the merchandise that was available. After eating dinner we found our seats, but not until we got a bag of popcorn for each of us and some apple juice to drink too.
Unfortunately, there are no booster seats available for children to sit on. We were thankful that there was no one sitting in the seats immediately in front of us or it would have been a bit difficult for Evie to see. We still rolled up our jackets and placed them on the seat for Evie to sit on so she was a bit higher up.
During intermission we got out of our seats pretty quickly because there was only a 30 minute break til the second half of the show. Dessert is also included in the VIP experience. The dessert options are incredible, so don’t fill up on dinner! I was amazed at how much my daughter ate both for dinner and dessert. She loved everything that was offered. We also made sure to make a pit stop at the washroom before going back in for the rest of the show.
CAVALIA ODYSSEO
Odysseo features 65 horses of 11 different breeds from all around the world. There are 48 artists – riders, acrobats, aerialists, dancers and musicians. The costumes worn by the artists are adapted to fit their needs for their performance. The costumes have to work with the needs of the artists, and all of the pieces still look beautiful.
The white big top itself stands 38 meters tall and cannot be missed from the skyline of each city Odysseo performs in. When visitors enter, they are immediately transported into a lavish and intimate environment reminiscent of any permanent theatre. This is part of what I love about the big tip village of Odyseeo, it all feels so intimate.
My favourite part of the performance was Carosello. A beautiful carousel descends from the top of big top. It has 6 beautiful white carousel horses on it and several artists perform on this piece. It’s incredible what they are capable of. At the end of the piece, it disappears back to the top where the artists have to wait for intermission to come down.
Evie’s favourite parts of the performance were Nomades, and La Grande Aventure. She loved seeing what the riders were capable of doing. She couldn’t believe that the riders could jump on and off the horses, ride hanging off the saddle, or travel all the way around the horse without falling off. La Grande Adventure is when the stage is flooded with water. It fills within 4 minutes! Several of the horses run free through the water, it’s breathtaking.
UNDER THE WHITE BIG TOP – AFTER THE SHOW
After Cavalia Odysseo ended we got to go backstage and into the stable area. The horses live in a climate- controlled stable tent complete with showers, tack shop and a blacksmith department. Between the stables and White Big Top, the Warm-Up tent is where the riders rehearse with the horses before and after the show. This area also includes wardrobe, makeup and dressing areas for the human artists.
This was probably the highlight for Evie besides the show itself. She loved getting to see the horses up close and find out their names. She quickly decided that her favourites were the ones with braids. One of the artists was also in the stable with her horse, she very kindly talked to Evie and explained all sorts of stuff to her. Answering all her questions. It’s things like that which make moments like these memorable.
Cavalia Odysseo is magnificent. It is a show you do not want to miss out on seeing if you are able to go to it! If you have been debating taking your kids to it, do it, especially if they are animal lovers or really love horses. They will never forget this show!
Disclosure: We were provided with tickets to Cavalia Odysseo in exchange for this blog post feature, we are sharing with you because we truly loved our experiences and wanted to share all about it with you.
Wow! This looks like an amazing show! I’ve never heard of it, but it looks like something my kids would enjoy.
What a fun experience. I’m sure your daughter will always remember that special time. Sometimes it’s fun to treat our little ones with something different. Even if it’s past their bedtime.
This show looked AMAZING! I’m definitely going to try and go next year. I love that you made this a Mommy- daughter date. <3
This looks like such an amazing time! I bet your daughter had a ball:)
This looks awesome!
Love this special time with your daughter. Sounds like it was a great show.
Looks like so much fun!
What a fun show for little ones to see
Looks like so much fun!
This looks like such an awesome show! My dude would love it!
I have heard amazing reviews of this show. I feel like it would make me want to ride horses again.
Wow, looks like a magical show! Would love to see it someday.
Looked like a wonderful show. I think my daughter would enjoy it as well.