Review- Disney’s Frozen: Storybook Deluxe for iPad

Hey There!

Disney’s Frozen: Storybook Deluxe is now available on iPad and iPhone!  Miss V (who is just under 2) is obsessed with the Disney Storybook Deluxe apps on our iPad.  I was really excited for her when I found the Frozen app was available.  It’s spendy at $6.99.

As with most of the Storybook Deluxe apps, it has two modes, read and play.  In the reading mode the story comes to life, where a narrator reads the words while they are highlighted in text.  Short animation scenes are scattered throughout.

There’s no denying some of the scenes are gorgeous.

In this app, which is different than the others, you can rotate the iPad for a different perspective.  This means you’ll read about Elsa’s journey, and flip the iPad for Anna’s version of events.

In the Play mode, there is a free draw where you can play with painting crystals.  There’s also a snow globe where you can create snowflakes and see them in action.

 

Finally, as with all of the Storybook Deluxe apps there are puzzles to recreate an image.  In this app, you have to match ice pieces to reveal the image below.

 

Evaluation

The app has a lot going for it, first it’s gorgeous, and brings to life the story of not just one princess, but two.  There are tons of entertainment options to keep kiddos coming back, from the animation scenes, to the puzzles, to drawing with crystals.

However, my biggest complaint about this app is that there is no music other than in the background. Most of the other Storybook Deluxe apps have music videos with the lyrics highlighted to the side.  In fact when I first gave the app to Miss V, she immediately looked for music videos, and when she found none, she moved on to another app.  But, she has since come back to Frozen over and over again.  Maybe too many times..  She has one of the animation scenes on permanent repeat!

Miss V hasn’t completely figured out how to rotate the iPad for the different Anna/Elsa version of events.  This makes the story a little disjointed.  For her, it’s ok, as she repeats certain scenes over and over again.

From a parent perspective, I really like the fact the words are highlighted as narrator speaks them.  The matching game to uncover an image is also unique.  This app will be making it on our cross-country flight, because like the other Storybook Deluxe apps, it keeps her entertained.  Of course on a regular basis we try to limit her iPad time.

If music videos were added in a future update, this app would have 5 stars.

Disney’s Frozen comes out in theaters November 27th.

 

If you’re new to Disney’s Storybook Deluxe apps, the Toy Story app is free and a great entry to see if your little one likes this type of thing.  Just be forewarned, these apps are huge, and will take up quite a bit of disk space on your iPad.

Miss V’s favorite app by a mile is Princess and the Frog.  Tiana has definitely become her favorite princess.  This app also includes many of the songs from the movie.

 

These apps are expensive, however we buy heavily discounted iTunes gift cards, which makes the cost much more palatable.  This is the time of year to buy them, too.  Watch Black Friday promotions at Best Buy, Safeway or other grocery chains.  Last year we were also able to snag a discount from JC Penney as well.

 

Did you download the Disney Frozen Storybook Deluxe app?  What did you think?  Let me know in the comments!