Gaylord Hotels have officially begun their holiday celebrations with over-the-top decor and immersive winter-themed experiences. The resorts – Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, MD, Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, TN., Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, FL., Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora, CO and Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, TX – truly go all out for the holiday season. Between the five resorts, they have put up hundreds of Christmas trees, millions of twinkling lights and over 100,000 ornaments. The resorts will also feature ICE!, a one-of-a-kind attraction full of larger-than-life ice sculptures featuring characters and scenes from holiday classic movies.
ICE! began in 2001 at Gaylord Opryland Resort and has since spread its cheer to all five Gaylord resorts. It is a 20,000 square foot walk-through attraction that transforms 10 million pounds of ice into breathtaking hand-carved ice sculptures created by a team of 200 international ice artisans. Carvers carefully follow design books outlining each film’s characters to bring them to life. Chainsaws, chisels, grinders and homemade hand tools all bring the magic to life. The ice is colored with a proprietary formula created to maintain its vivid hues all season. Lighting designers put the final touches on the displays using spotlights, accent lighting and colorful projections.
This year, guests can see:
- ICE! featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer at Gaylord National, Nov. 19-Dec. 31, 2023
- ICE! featuring Warner Bros.’ The Polar Express™ at Gaylord Opryland, Nov. 10, 2023-Jan. 1-2024
- ICE! featuring A Charlie Brown Christmas at Gaylord Palms, Nov. 17, 2023-Jan. 3, 2024
- ICE! featuring Warner Bros.’ A Christmas Story™ at Gaylord Rockies, Nov. 17, 2023-Jan. 1-2024
- ICE! featuring Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!™ at Gaylord Texan, Nov. 10-Dec. 31, 2023
In addition to ICE!, guests can explore a variety of holiday events. Each resort has immersive activities including:
- Ice skating on a 9,000 square foot outdoor rink
- The “Merry and Bright Skating Spectacular”, featuring champion ice skaters
- Ice tubing
- Snowball throwing
- Special dining experiences, such as “Breakfast with Charlie Brown and Friends or “Feast with The Grinch” breakfast
- Gingerbread decorating
- The Naughty or Nice Escape Room
- Craft-making inside the Elf Training Academy
- Story time and cookies with Mrs. Claus
- Craft cocktails at holiday-themed pop-up bars
Guests who are staying overnight have special perks and access to select holiday attractions, including early entry and front-of-line access. Upgraded, atrium-view rooms showcase the gorgeous, fully decorated atriums. At Gaylord National Resort, guests can even book the “Christmas Dream Suite”, which features its own holiday decorations and an amazing view of the resort’s 19-story atrium. Packages are available bundling holiday activities and special rates on rooms. Tickets must be purchased in advance online. To purchase tickets, make reservations or seek additional information on Gaylord Hotels, visit ChristmasAtGaylordHotels.com.