The Shows Built for Every Age
Family shows are touring productions designed for mixed-age audiences, from preschoolers to grandparents. Four anchor the category: Monster Jam, the monster truck tour that plays arenas and stadiums; Disney on Ice, the skating productions built on Disney stories; Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the holiday rock show that tours arenas each winter; and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes in New York. Long-running Broadway musicals such as The Lion King and Wicked also draw many families.
The short answer on seats holds across almost all of them: with children, a raised seat near the center beats a front-row seat off to the side. Kids sitting low behind adults see the backs of heads, and the spectacle in these shows (formations, lights, truck jumps) reads best from a little height.
Variety shows of this kind are part of the growth end of live entertainment. On the National Endowment for the Arts' 2022 survey, attendance at performance types outside the survey's traditional categories, a group that includes circus and magic as well as pop, rock and comedy, rose to 21 percent of adults from 15 percent in 2017, the only attendance category that grew.
Monster Jam: Stadium Tours, Arena Tours and the Pit Party
Monster Jam is a live motorsport tour operated by Feld Entertainment that began in 1992. It runs two formats. Stadium shows, typically held in winter and early spring, fill football and baseball stadiums with a dirt track and ramps. Arena shows run a smaller, points-based series indoors. Competitions include racing, freestyle (two-minute runs over ramps and obstacles) and two-wheel skills, added in late 2017. The season builds to the Monster Jam World Finals, which moved from Las Vegas to a rotating host after 2018 and is scheduled for Salt Lake City in 2025 and 2026. Grave Digger, created by Dennis Anderson, is the best-known truck.
What to know before you buy:
- Length. The official FAQ lists about two hours, including a 15 to 20 minute intermission.
- Noise. Engines are loud. Venues sell novelty earplugs, and the FAQ suggests bringing your own ear protection.
- Pit Party. A pre-show event where fans see the trucks up close, meet drivers and get autographs. Everyone age 2 and up needs both a pit pass and a main event ticket for the same show, and the FAQ advises arriving 30 minutes before the pit pass start time because lines are cut off.
- Kids' tickets. Children 2 and up need a ticket; under 2 may sit on a lap free at many venues, but policies vary.
Seat choice is different from a football game. In a stadium, the first rows sit behind the safety barriers and look up at the action, while seats a dozen or more rows up, near midfield, show the whole track and the freestyle ramps at once. In arenas, the lower bowl along the sides is the sweet spot. Rules and dates are on the Monster Jam FAQ.
Disney on Ice: Stories on an Arena Rink
Disney on Ice is produced by Feld Entertainment under an agreement with The Walt Disney Company. It began in 1981 as Walt Disney's World on Ice and took its current name in late 1997. Several productions tour at the same time, each built around a set of Disney stories; recent and current titles include Magic in the Stars, Road Trip Adventures, Frozen and Encanto, and a Lion King production that began in 2026. Check which production is coming to your city, since the characters differ by show.
The show plays on a rink laid over an arena floor, so arena seating logic applies with a twist. Skaters use the full ice, and the big group numbers are staged to be seen from the sides. Lower-bowl seats along the long sides of the rink, a few rows up, give children a clear view over the boards. Rinkside seats are close to the characters but sit at ice level, where a small child sees less of the formations. End sections look down the length of the rink and are usually the value pick.
Weekend matinees are the most popular time for young families and tend to sell first. Weekday evening performances usually have more choice.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Holiday Rock at Full Volume
Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) was founded in 1996 by producer Paul O'Neill with Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli of the band Savatage and keyboardist Robert Kinkel. Its piece Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 became its signature. TSO has toured since 1999, and it splits into two companies, East and West, to play as many cities as possible during its November and December season. The shows combine a rock band and a string section with pyrotechnics, synchronized lasers, moving trusses and video screens. O'Neill died in 2017, and the organization has continued the winter tours. TSO says it donates one dollar or more from each ticket sold to a local charity in every tour city.
TSO is a family tradition for many households, but it is a loud arena rock concert with flame effects. It suits school-age children and older; bring ear protection for younger kids. For seats, the lights and lasers fill the arena, so a center upper-level seat facing the stage often shows more of the production than a floor seat. Lower-bowl seats on the sides near the stage give a good mix of closeness and overview.
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular
The Christmas Spectacular has played Radio City Music Hall in New York since 1933 and has drawn more than 73 million people. The 2026 run is scheduled from November 4, 2026, through January 4, 2027, with 230 performances, the most in the show's history. The Rockettes' kick line and formations are designed to be seen whole, so the front of the first and second mezzanines, center, shows the patterns and the full stage best. The show's own seat guide recommends the orchestra for an up-close look and the upper mezzanines for the choreography and overhead projections. Seats deep in the rear orchestra sit under the mezzanine overhang and can lose the top of the stage. Details are on the Rockettes seat map.
Demand climbs steadily through the season. Weekday shows in early November usually have the widest choice, while weekends in December and the days just before Christmas sell first.
Planning a Family Outing
A family show is easier when the logistics are settled before you leave home.
- Lap tickets. Rules for children under 2 differ by show and venue. Monster Jam allows lap seating under 2 at many venues; Radio City allows it for most events but requires a ticket for children over 1 at some family shows. Confirm before you buy.
- Aisle seats. With small children, an aisle seat makes restroom trips and quick exits easier for everyone in the row.
- Matinees. Afternoon shows fit nap schedules and avoid late nights, which is why they sell first.
- Bags. Arenas and stadiums enforce bag size limits, and some require clear bags. Check the venue's current policy before you go, especially if you carry a diaper bag.
- Arrival. Security lines at family shows move slowly with strollers and children. Plan to arrive 45 minutes early, and earlier for a Pit Party.
Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee, and tickets for families usually need to be seated together, so filter listings by the number of seats in a row.
When Family Shows Are in Town
The family-show calendar is seasonal. Monster Jam stadium shows cluster in winter and early spring, with arena dates spread through the year. Several Disney on Ice productions tour at once, so check which one is coming and when. Trans-Siberian Orchestra and the Christmas Spectacular are November and December events, and their weekend dates in December are the hardest to buy. Across all of them, school breaks and holiday weekends draw the most demand, and weekday evenings offer the most choice.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a Monster Jam show?
The Monster Jam FAQ lists about two hours, including a 15 to 20 minute intermission. The Pit Party, if you buy a pit pass, takes place before the show.
Do kids need ear protection at Monster Jam?
It is a good idea. Monster trucks are loud, venues sell novelty earplugs, and the Monster Jam FAQ suggests bringing your own ear protection.
Do babies need a ticket for family shows?
It depends on the show and venue. Many allow children under 2 to sit on a lap free, but some family shows at Radio City require a ticket for children over 1, so check before you buy.
Is Trans-Siberian Orchestra appropriate for children?
It is a family holiday tradition for many, but the show is a loud arena rock concert with pyrotechnics and lasers. It suits school-age children best, with ear protection for younger kids.
Where should a family sit at Disney on Ice?
Lower-bowl seats along the long sides of the rink, a few rows up, let children see over the boards and take in the full formations. End sections are usually the value pick.