It’s never too early to start planning your holiday season! This year, you can celebrate with Christmas at Gaylord Palms in Orlando, which will feature the addition of the classic holiday film “A Christmas Story” to their popular ICE! attraction.
“A Christmas Story” will be recreated as a frozen, immersive attraction inside ICE! allowing guests to revisit some of their favorite moments from the iconic film.
The hilarious family tale will come to life through hand-carved ice sculptures and displays, inviting guests to relive the film’s iconic scenes such as The Old Man’s Major Award, Aunt Clara’s pink nightmare and the ultimate triple dog dare at the school’s flagpole, and many more!
“We’re thrilled to see this Christmas classic brought to life inside ICE! for the first time ever,” said Johann Krieger, General Manager for Gaylord Palms Resort. “We know that ‘A Christmas Story’ has been a holiday tradition for so many people over the years, and we hope that guests can join us to make ICE! a part of their tradition as well.”
The ICE! attraction is crafted by artisans from Harbin, China, home of the world’s largest ice and snow sculpture festival, who travel more than 6,000 miles to hand-carve more than two million pounds of colorful ice, creating larger-than-life sculptures. This year, as guests explore the nine-degree attraction, they will discover more than a dozen fan-favorite scenes from “A Christmas Story,” along with the event’s two-story ice slides and the popular Frostbite Factory live ice carving showcase. The ICE! experience concludes with a separate area dedicated to a traditional Nativity created with crystal clear ice.
Other new experiences coming to Christmas at Gaylord Palms this year will include:
- The Elf on the Shelf Character Breakfast – Award-winning buffet restaurant Villa de Flora will welcome special Christmastime friends during this character breakfast experience where guests can join Santa’s Official Scout Elves for a fun and festive meal. Kids and adults will enjoy a delicious buffet spread complete with classic breakfast favorites and live cooking stations, enjoying special visits from Santa’s Official Scout Elves as they dine.
- Dreams of Christmas – Gaylord Palms’ St. Augustine atrium will be home to a brand-new, dazzling light show with this multisensory experience, featuring a new musical score accompanied with millions of dancing, choreographed lights all around the resort’s six-story Christmas tree during nightly shows.
Of course, there will also be plenty of returning favorites at this year’s event, including:
- Cirque Dreams Unwrapped – A 25-minute, action-packed experience, featuring soaring acrobatics, theatricality and imagination that will have guests on the edge of their seats. Cirque Dreams Unwrapped features new acts and performers each year to bring to life a magical and timeless Christmas wonderland, all imagined by Broadway director and renowned Cirque Dreams founder Neil Goldberg.
- Christmas Tree Trail – a display of nine magnificent trees provided by Balsam Hill. Sparkle the Elf, Santa’s chief Christmas Tree Decorator, has personally prepared these for display at Gaylord Palms. From snowmen and candy canes to reindeer and nutcrackers, each tree represents one of Sparkle’s favorite things about Christmas, with one even honoring the Florida-themed resort!
- Reindeer Express Post Office – Everyone is invited to jot down their top Christmas wishes on a postcard before entering this special facility to launch their wishes off on a journey to Santa.
- Alpine Village – The central hub for holiday happenings. In addition to ICE!, the village is home to various attractions and shows, Photos with Santa, seasonal food and beverage options plus holiday retail locations, including a Build-A-Bear Workshop, where imaginations soar. Guests choose from all kinds of furry friends to make and bring home, including the Gaylord Hotels-exclusive light-up Snowburst polar bear.
- Gingerbread Decorating Corner – Now located inside the brand-new Alpine Village Sweet Shop! Guests may select a gingerbread house or a themed cookie kit to enjoy a sticky and fun interactive experience, creating sweet souvenirs to take home. The Alpine Village Sweet Shop will offer additional candies and treats for purchase to decorate sugary masterpieces or to delight someone’s sweet tooth. The deliciously fun gingerbread pair, Cinnamon and Nutmeg, will also be available for toasty hugs and holiday photos.
- Mrs. Claus’ Christmas Traditions – The First Lady of the North Pole is back at Gaylord Palms as she leads a half-hour interactive show. Guests enjoy classic holiday stories and a sing-a-long, plus a delicious finale as the holiday hostess presents everyone with warm cookies and a glass of cold milk.
- Santa’s Snow Throw – Guests can show off their pitching prowess by tossing snowballs at a variety of interactive targets created by Santa’s Elves. Bragging rights go to those with the best aim!
- Snow Tubing – Guests can zoom down an eight-lane tubing hill covered in real snow. This all-ages attraction offers both single and double tubes to accommodate children and parents.
There are many different ways to experience Christmas at Gaylord Palms. One-night stay packages start at $250 plus tax, resort fee and parking. Packages include ICE! tickets for two (with option to add additional adults or children) plus a souvenir family photo. Overnight guests may also schedule a visit to ICE! during the daily hotel guest-exclusive Extra Cool Hour from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
For more ticket options and details on what you can expect to see at Christmas at Gaylord Palms, visit their official website.