If you’re a regular of my blog, you’ll know I speak highly rave about Gaylord Palms and their ICE! attraction. Last year, my family experienced ICE! for the first time and we left in awe! I knew it was something we had to see again in 2010…
This year, ICE! is set to the classic, “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Clement C. Moore.
Everything you see is ice, over 2 million pounds of it! The colors are especially vibrant this year.
For each line in the book, a scene is re-created out of ice.
It’s as if you are walking through the story.
The ice is kept at a chilly 9 degrees… Parkas are provided, but gloves, mittens and hats are also recommended.
We were happy to see the ice slides again!
The finale, a gorgeous nativity scene hand-carved out of crystal clear ice.
It’s really amazing how this is all created, over the course of a month, by 40 artisans from China.
—
Also, new for 2010 is SNOW! – a winter wonderland of real snow in Florida! Since my daughter has never seen snow, this was very exciting for her.
SNOW! is set up like a mini carnival with (free) games and treats for sale. There’s even a snow tube run! This experience lasts 45 minutes.
The biggest difference I noticed this year was the crowds- Gaylord Palms was PACKED last Sunday. It could very well be that we were there on a prime weekend, so if you can make a weekday, I would suggest doing so.
I would highly recommend buying your tickets online in advance to save money (and stress) at the box office. SNOW! is especially limited.
We thoroughly enjoyed ICE! and it’s great to see they change the theme from year to year. My daughter really loved SNOW! since it’s something Florida-kids don’t get to see. That being said, if you’re visiting from a state that has the white stuff, SNOW! probably won’t be as exciting. ICE! is definitely worth the visit as is the rest of Gaylord Palms, which is beautifully decorated for Christmas. In addition to ICE! and SNOW!, the hotel has a ton of other holiday events going on, including live shows, dining experiences and ICE! Inspired Spa Treatments.
Tips for ICE! and SNOW!
1. General parking is $13 & $11 with ICE! & SNOW! combo ticket purchase.
2. ICE! is 9 degrees and snow is around 55 degrees-bring hats and mittens for the kids and gloves for adults. If you plan on playing in SNOW!, wear appropriate footwear. ex. boots. The snow is hard and slippery in many places.
3. Set aside a few hours to check out Gaylord Palms and the rest of the holiday events. On a busy Sunday, we were there for 4 1/2 hours just to see ICE! and SNOW! The tickets are timed, and there can be a few hours gap in between attractions.
ICE! and SNOW! is open daily from now until January 2, 2011.
