After a two year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fan-favorite holiday event ICE! will return to the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center. Featuring massive ice sculptures, walkthrough storytelling, and arctic fun; Orlando audiences are ecstatic to welcome this Christmastime celebration back to the area. While the festivities don’t officially start until next month, the preparations are already well underway. In fact, Gaylord Palms welcomed a team of skilled artisans earlier this week.
To commemorate the arrival of these talented ice sculptors from Harbin, China; the resort organized a special reception – complete with a traditional good luck lion dance and an oversized thank you card. Orlando Decoded was honored to take part in this memorable celebration, followed by an exciting sneak peek of the artists’ initial carvings. Thank you, Gaylord Palms, for including us in this awesome day!
About the Artists
Traveling over 7,000 miles from Harbin, China (the home of the world’s largest ice and snow sculpting festival), a team of 40 artists will work for a total of 12,000 man hours to bring this attraction to life. Referencing a 300-page design book and practicing age-old carving techniques, creators will use 6,700 blocks of both clear and precisely hued ice to forge each fanciful figure and scene.
ICE! at the Gaylord Palms
An almost 20 year Kissimmee tradition, Gaylord Palms’ ICE! is a walkthrough exhibit featuring frozen scenes and colorful characters – completely made of ice sculptures and carvings. With a snowman-friendly temperature of only 9 degrees Fahrenheit (and Resort-provided parkas to keep guests warm and comfortable), this event is an incredibly unique addition to your holiday itinerary.
*While Gaylord Palms will provide parkas for use inside the ICE! attraction, it is recommended that guests bring gloves, scarves, or other clothing items to stay warm when enjoying the ice sculptures. Closed-toed shoes are HIGHLY recommended.*
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
This holiday season, ICE! will explore the popular Dr. Seuss tale How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Appearing at the Resort for the very first time, the immersive, 20,000 square foot attraction will feature more than 10 scenes from the favorite children’s book – including characters such as Max the Dog, Cindy-Lou Who, and, of course, The Grinch himself. Scenic carvings will range from details and small touches the size of a coin to figures up to 30 feet tall.
After an exciting journey from Mount Crumpit all the way to Whoville, guests will enjoy a wintery wonderland of two-story ice slides, colorful arches, and frosty tunnels. Want a preview of what to expect in this frozen playground? Check out the fly-through video rendering below:
How To Visit ICE!
Open for the Christmas season, ICE! will operate daily from November 18, 2022 – January 1, 2023. You can secure your timed entry ticket online using the Gaylord Palms website.
But ICE! is just one of many holiday-themed activities and events coming to the Gaylord Palms Resort. Visit christmasatgaylordpalms.com for more information about specialty dining, live entertainment and more festive seasonal offerings.
