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All five Gaylord Hotels’ locations and the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country have launched ICE! (a holiday attraction that will run from later this month through early January). More than two million pounds of ice have been carved into scenes from Christmas classics.
Guests can bundle up and then head into these winter wonderlands that are kept at a constant nine degrees Fahrenheit. Scenes from Frosty the Snowman™ (Gaylord Opryland), A Charlie Brown Christmas (Gaylord National), Elf™ (Gaylord Palms), The Polar Express™ (Gaylord Rockies), Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer™ (Gaylord Texan), and Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country) are on full display after being masterfully carved by a team of expert artisans from Harbin, China, which is home of the world-famous Harbin Ice Festival. Carving these scenes took around 40 days to complete.
In addition to the ice carvings, everything from photos with Santa to gingerbread house decorating will be offered. Offerings vary by hotel with these being among the coolest (from the press release):
- Original Broadway-style Cirque shows that last up to 50 minutes and feature original music, dazzling acrobatics, feats of flexibility, and high-flying stunts to tell heart-warming Christmas stories. Cirque: Frost, featured at Gaylord Rockies, tells the story of young Jack Frost discovering his destiny as the legendary winter spirit. Cirque: The Spirit of Christmas, featured at Gaylord Palms and Gaylord Texan, shows a child dismayed and distressed by the hustle and bustle of the holidays as she tries to recapture her lost love of the season.
- Gaylord Opryland’s “A Country Christmas Dinner Show” will begin November 23 and run through Christmas Day. It will feature two different shows including Terri Clark’s “It’s Christmas…Cheers!” (Nov. 23-24, and 27-30; & Dec. 1, 4-6, and 17-22) and The Frontmen’s “Holidays & Hits” (Nov. 25-26 & Dec. 2-3, 15-16, and 23-25). The unforgettable experience highlights classic and original holiday music plus favorite country hits, paired with a festive meal crafted by the resort’s award-winning chefs.
- The skies above Gaylord Palms’ and Gaylord National’s atrium come alive in the “Here We Glow A-Caroling Light Show” through thousands of glowing lights accompanied by a soundtrack of memorable Christmas carols.
- A snowy play space called Snow Factory, where visitors can take a breathtaking plummet through a thrilling ice tube adventure at Snow Flow Mountain and boost the power of the snow machines by crafting and hurling snowballs at Snowball Build & Blast. Experience the frosty indoor activities at Gaylord Opryland, Gaylord National, Gaylord Palms, Gaylord Texan, and JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country.
- Guests can enjoy a yuletide glide on the Ice Skating rink available at the Gaylord Texan and Gaylord Opryland.
Guests staying overnight at any of these properties will receive access to resort-only benefits including the Extra Cool Hour and Chill Pass, which allows overnight visitors early admission into ICE! as well as front-of-the-line access to the attractions.
Anthony’s Take: I’ve been to ice bars in Las Vegas, but never an icy Christmas spectacular like this. I might have to take a roadtrip to check this out.
(Image Credits: Marriott.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
