Gaylord Palms Resort Announces “A Christmas Story” as ICE! Theme During Christmas at Gaylord Palms (Photos, Video)
Hi everyone!
We were at Gaylord Palms yesterday as the 2018 theme for the popular ICE! attraction was announced – “A Christmas Story”! This is completely new for Gaylord Hotels, and I can’t wait to see the iconic leg lamp in ice. Christmas at Gaylord Palms runs from November 16th, 2018 to January 6th, 2019 and also will include an Elf on the Shelf character breakfast and so much more. Keep reading for the press release with some of our photos and video from yesterday. I have been attending ICE! at Gaylord Palms since the 2nd year in 2004 and we have been working with Gaylord Palms yearly since 2011. The event is always one of the highlights of the holiday season for me, there is SO much offered now as opposed to when it first began.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – (July 17, 2018) – For the first time ever, beloved holiday film “A Christmas Story” will be recreated as a frozen, immersive attraction inside ICE!–the signature experience during Christmas at Gaylord Palms. During the holiday season, the Orlando-area resort welcomes guests to make memories amongst festive décor and a charming mix of Christmassy activities and shows, becoming “Everything Christmas in One Extraordinary Place” for the 52-day event, Christmas at Gaylord Palms presented by Pepsi.
CINEMATIC HOLIDAY CLASSIC IN ICE!
“A Christmas Story” has been a staple of holiday movie lists for years, but now guests can experience this holiday favorite in a whole new way inside ICE! presented by DEI. 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.
NEW EXPERIENCES
Award-winning buffet restaurant Villa de Flora will welcome special Christmastime friends during The Elf on the Shelf® Character Breakfast, where guests can join Santa’s Official Scout Elves for a fun and festive character breakfast. 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.
Gaylord Palms’ St. Augustine atrium will be home to a brand-new, dazzling light show when Dreams of Christmas makes its debut. This multisensory experience will feature a new musical score accompanied with millions of dancing, choreographed lights all around the resort’s six-story Christmas tree during nightly shows.
HOLIDAY FAVORITES RETURN
“Holiday thrills” take on a whole new meaning during 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.
Guests exploring the meandering paths inside the resort’s Everglades atrium will find the Christmas Tree Trail, a display of nine magnificent trees provided by Balsam HillTM. 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!
The immersive, interactive Reindeer Express Post Office returns this year, where 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.
Festive Alpine Village will again be 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 returns, 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 brings the First Lady of the North Pole back to 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 puts real snow in the hands of guests as they 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 sends guests zooming 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.
The best way to experience all of Christmas at Gaylord Palms is with an overnight stay. One-night 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. Make the holidays merrier and extend the package to stay for multiple nights! For additional information and to book packages or tickets, visit ChristmasAtGaylordPalms.com.
Gaylord Palms Resort offers Christmastime field trips for schools, youth organizations and religious groups, customizable with educational or performance opportunities. Special ICE! ticket rates also are available to groups of ten adults or more.
Learn more about the resort at GaylordPalms.com and stay connected with all the resort happenings by following @GaylordPalms on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
#About Gaylord Hotels
Gaylord Hotels®, part of the Marriott portfolio of brands, offers extraordinary environments with “everything in one place”— diverse dining options, a full-service spa, pools, top-notch entertainment, shopping and more. Locations include Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee; Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Florida; Gaylord Texan on Lake Grapevine, Texas; Gaylord National on the Potomac in National Harbor, Maryland; Gaylord Rockies in Aurora, CO, opening late 2018; and The Inn at Opryland in Nashville. For more information, visit www.GaylordHotels.com.
About Cirque Dreams & Neil Goldberg
Over 50 million people have experienced a Cirque Dreams show in theatres, casinos, theme parks, cruise lines, and on Broadway. For 25 years, Cirque Dreams shows have garnered the praise of critics around the country from USA Today, Associated Press and the New York Times to CNN, Today Show and Fox & Friends. Producer and Director Neil Goldberg has been declared “One of today’s leading theatrical impresarios” by The LA Times and “Uniquely ingenious” by the New York Daily News. The Cirque Dreams franchise is a globally recognized entertainment brand including, Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy, Cirque Dreams Rocks, multiple Cirque Dreams Holidaze tours along with a return engagement to The Grand Ole Opry House, Cirque Dreams Unwrapped at Gaylord Palms Orlando Resort and Cirque Dreams & Dinner onboard Norwegian Cruise Line. Cirque Dreams recently joined VStar Entertainment Group of quality family entertainment worldwide. For more information, visit www.CirqueProductions.com.
About Warner Bros. Consumer Products
Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.
A CHRISTMAS STORY and all related characters and elements © & TM Turner Entertainment Co. (s18)
© Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
PEPSI is a registered trademark of PepsiCo, Inc.
The Elf on the Shelf® and ©2018 CCA and B, LLC. All Rights Reserved.