As we begin to look forward to the holidays here in Orlando, a highlight for visitors and locals alike is the much loved ICE! which is returning to Gaylord Palms Resort from November 18, 2022 to January 1, 2023.
Gaylord Palms Orlando is a one-of-a-kind, enchanting resort located in Kissimmee, only minutes away from the theme parks, and every holiday season the resort hosts ICE!
ICE! is an iconic experience featuring ice sculptures from your favorite mean one, The Grinch carved from over two million pounds of ice.
In addition to ice sculptures, enjoy the Snow Factory, a Grinch character breakfast, Christmas shop, holiday escape room, live stage shows and a breathtaking light show in the resort’s beautiful atrium.
This year, the holiday event is making its grand return after a two-year absence due to the pandemic.
The talented carvers that create this arctic artwork wonderland traveled more than 7,000 miles from their homes in Harbin, China.
Harbin, also known as “Ice City,” as it’s home to the world’s largest annual ice and snow sculpting festival.
The team of artisans number 30, and who are all hard at work creating the 20,000-square-foot, 9-degree attraction that's set to open on November 18.
Right now, ice sculpture artists are carving huge blocks of ice into the Dr. Seuss story, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Guests will see more than 10 scenes from Grinch story including statues of The Grinch, his canine sidekick Max and Cindy-Lou Who.
Each artisan uses a series of tools including picks and chainsaws to carefully craft each Grinch-inspired scene within ICE!
Carvers sculpt brightly colored ice, solid white ice and crystal-clear ice to create the attractions wonderfully intricate ice sculptures.
Giant blocks of ice of almost every hue can be found inside Gaylord Palms Orlando ICE! attraction.
ICE! opens November 18 and invites guests to experience larger-than-life scenes and sculptures carved from more than 6,700 massive blocks of ice in an environment as large as four pro basketball courts put together.
With temperatures in the exhibit dipping to a chilly nine degrees Fahrenheit, guests will receive blue parkas to enjoy the experience.
This year the resorts longtime holiday tradition, ICE! features your favorite scenes from the beloved story How The Grinch Stole Christmas!, brought to life in magnificent sculptures hand-carved from more than two million pounds of ice.
Using more than 1,000 tons of ice, the classic Dr. Seuss story and animated special, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! will be brought to life by a team of 40 talented ice artisans who work approximately six weeks to create the nearly 20,000-square-foot, frozen attraction.
Starting with more than 6,700 massive ice blocks, carvers will tally more than 12,000 man-hours, using skills passed down from generation to generation, to create the winter spectacle.
This year, ICE! will feature more than 10 scenes from “How The Grinch Stole Christmas!” starring classic characters including The Grinch, his canine sidekick Max and Cindy-Lou Who. Ice carvings range in size from details as tiny as a coin, to soaring scenes measuring nearly 30 feet tall.
The environment will be kept frozen in the tropical, Florida climate by a state-of-the-art chilling system that maintains the temperature at a frosty 9 degrees Fahrenheit. And while the 9-degree temperatures turn ICE! into one of the coldest spots in Florida, guests will be provided Gaylord Palms’ signature blue parkas to keep them warm and toasty while in the attraction.
Colored ice (created by a chemist who mixes special food colorings to ensure sculptures maintain their bright colors the entire season), clear ice and LED lights are all used to create the display, as the frozen fun follows The Grinch’s journey from his mountaintop cave to Who-ville.
This is the first time “How The Grinch Stole Christmas!” has been featured at ICE! during the resort’s holiday celebration.
“We can’t wait for our guests to once again experience the magic and wonder of ICE! during this year’s Christmas at Gaylord Palms celebration,” said Johann Krieger, general manager of Gaylord Palms Resort. “Since debuting here in 2003, ICE! has always been a one-of-a-kind attraction for our guests, and we’re excited to welcome this Gaylord Hotels tradition back this year with ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas!’ and all the beloved characters in the classic Dr. Seuss story.”
In addition to the giant ice sculptures, guests can also take rides down two-story-tall ice slides, traverse through ice tunnels and arches, and visit Carver’s Showcase to see live sculpting demonstrations!
The ICE! experience concludes in a separate area dedicated to a Nativity scene, meticulously carved and shaped in a dramatic display of crystal-clear ice.
The talented carvers that are creating this arctic artwork have travelled here more than 7,000 miles from their homes in Harbin, China which is the world’s largest annual ice and snow sculpting festival in the world.
The artisans from Harbin have created ICE! for Gaylord Hotels for many years, but haven’t been able to travel to the United States the past two holiday seasons because of international travel restrictions in place due to COVID-19.
There’s Snow Much More!
While ICE! is the signature attraction for the 2022 Christmas at Gaylord Palms celebration, there are plenty more festive events, attractions and dazzling decorations throughout the 64-acre resort.
The entire resort transforms into a holiday wonderland with more than 3 million lights, elaborately themed Christmas trees all throughout the garden atrium and convention center, more than 20,000 ornaments and miles of garland.
Christmas shows and activities are presented in the atrium, while parts of the convention center transform into Alpine Village – a bustling, holiday hamlet with Bavarian-style village storefronts, live shows, characters, Snowy’s Snack Shack and a giant Christmas shop.
Here’s a rundown of the events, live entertainment, hands-on activities, holiday meals, exciting attractions and notable news taking place this holiday season at Gaylord Palms:
Shows and Live Entertainment Highlight the Holidays
Yule Be Amazed
A Gaylord Hotels original production, “Cirque: Spirit of Christmas” features high-flying stunts, acrobatic feats, elaborate staging and a dramatic musical score. Returning after its successful debut in 2021, this Cirque-style show centers on Noel, a child dismayed by the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Throughout the 30-minute atrium show, Noel is visited in dreamlike chapters by trapeze artists, acrobats, aerial silk performers and others who help rekindle the Christmas spirit.
A Musical, Storytelling Celebration
The birth and life of Jesus Christ has been called “the greatest story ever told.” Guests can experience it through the eyes of six international storytellers in “The Greatest Story,” a musical stage show and multicultural celebration of everlasting faith, hope and love.
Ready, Set, Glow!
The skies above the Gaylord Palms atrium burst in a spectrum of animation in Shine. Vivid LED curtains suspended from the ceiling come to life in a light show that features an original musical score, dancing spotlights and a Christmas tree bathed in an ever-changing array of colors.
Winter Fun with the Adventure Kids
Adventure Kid Sophie joins her best pals Ava the Alligator and Seth the Sea Turtle for yuletide fun in Advventure Kids: Wonders of Winter.
The trio stars in this interactive stage show that teaches young adventurers about the environment, wildlife and the world around them.
Journey of the Three Kings
Guests experience The Journey of Los Tres Magos, a live stage production that honors the date Jesus was visited by the Three Wise Men. Told through story and song, the show commemorates the Christian tradition celebrated in Latin America, Spain and around the world. This show will be presented at Gaylord Palms from Dec. 26, 2022 - Jan. 1, 2023.
Tons of Fun at Interactive Attractions
A Holiday Escape
Guests test their winter weather wits inside the Naughty or Nice Escape Room. Yuletide trickster Jack Frost is back with his icy antics and has added new names to Santa’s infamous Naughty List
But Jack has a deal to make – if guests can sneak into Santa’s office and solve a series of puzzles, their names will disappear from the Naughty List. Guests need to put on their holiday thinking caps on, solve the mystery, and then dash away, dash away, dash away all!
Best in Snow
A snowy play space awaits guests in the Snow Factory, along with ice tubing and snowball throwing.
After climbing Snow Flow Mountain, guests hop in inner-tubes and speed down atop real ice.
After the need for speed is satisfied, guests can head over to Snowball Build & Blast. Conveyor belts deliver tubs of real snow to guests who race to make snowballs and toss them at targets. Also inside the Snow Factory is Snow Bar, a themed pop-up bar serving cocktails and mocktails.
Hands-On Fun This Holiday Season
Believe in Your Elf Guests can learn the secrets of being a part of “Team Santa” in Elf Training Academy. One of Santa’s top toymakers teaches the secrets of becoming one of St. Nick’s helpers and leads new “students” as they create a special keepsake gift or craft to take home for someone special.
Make a Date to Decorate In the Gingerbread Decorating Corner, guests let their Christmas creativity run wild while they adorn gingerbread treats. After they’ve reached confection perfection with their edible art, they can enjoy a sweet meet-and-greet and photograph with Nutmeg the Gingerbread Man.
A Very Beary Christmas!
Also in Alpine Village, guests can experience Build-A-Bear Workshop®. Guests make their own furry friend, take part in the iconic Heart Ceremony, and personalize them with seasonal outfits, accessories, sounds and scents.
More Decor Than Ever Before!
A Tree-mendous Holiday
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! In all, there will be more than 3 million holiday lights sparkling at Gaylord Palms. More than 100 Christmas trees – with more than 20,000 ornaments – will be on display, including a centerpiece, 60-foot-tall tree in the main atrium. Beautiful trees will also be suspended from the ceiling in the Everglades atrium and placed on floating islands in the Key West Lagoon. Another guest favorite, the Christmas Tree Trail, will once again wind through the atrium and feature elaborately themed trees for picture-perfect, family photo moments.
Overnight Stays Sweeten the Holidays
Rooms with a Yuletide View
There’s never a better time for guests to book a room with an upgraded atrium view. With balconies that overlook acres of Christmas décor, guests can immerse themselves in the festive surroundings. Select rooms even provide prime balcony viewing for atrium shows such as “Cirque: Spirit of Christmas,” “Shine,” “The Greatest Story” and “The Journey of Los Tres Magos.”
Exclusive Access for Overnight Guests
This year, Gaylord Palms is offering perks and special access to overnight resort guests so they can wait in line less and enjoy more.
There’s More in Store with The Grinch!
In addition to taking center stage in ICE!, The Grinch will be featured in two more holiday events at Gaylord Palms: a character dining experience and a family scavenger hunt.
The Feast with the Grinch character breakfast is a buffet with lots of Christmas flavor to savor, with special appearances by The Grinch and his canine pal, Max. *Note: this dining experience is only open to overnight resort guests, and reservations must be made in advance.
The Grinch has also hidden clues about his latest mischief. He challenges guests to find these clues in The Grinch’s Wonderful Awful Idea Scavenger Hunt. Guests try to solve riddles and thwart his plans, with those completing the quest receiving a special stocking stuffer.
A Round of Applause for Santa & Mrs. Claus
St. Nick Takes ‘Santa’ Stage
Guests can chat with the jolly old elf himself, Santa Claus, to make sure they’ve secured a spot on his prestigious Nice List. Santa will meet guests inside Alpine Village from Nov. 18 through Dec. 24, before he heads back to the North Pole for his gift-giving journey. Presented by DEI.
Hostess with the Mostess
The jolliest hostess of all celebrates the season in Mrs. Claus’ Christmas Traditions. Mrs. Claus entertains guests in Alpine Village with a sing-along and story time with the Christmas tale, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” She also shares Santa’s favorite snack – milk and cookies.
Special Holiday Package
Gaylord Palms Resort is offering special holiday packages that include special room rates and admission to select events.
Guests are encouraged to book their experiences early, as advance online reservations are required for all ticketed events.
ICE! and all the holiday experience begin on Nov. 18 at Gaylord Palms Resort.
Click here to learn more about tickets, information and making a reservation.
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