Gaylord Palms Resort Announces “Elf” to be 2024 ICE! Theme
Hi everyone!
Gaylord Palm Resort in Kissimmee, Florida announced today that the 2024 ICE! theme will be “Elf” – this is all-new for any Gaylord Hotel. The dates for the attraction this season will be November 15th, 2024 – January 4th, 2025.
ICE! is a seasonal favorite of ours. Guests don parkas and walk through rooms with 2 million pounds of beautifully carved ice sculptures in a 9 degree environment (check out our ‘ICE! Featuring A Charlie Brown Christmas’ article from 2023). And there is so much more than just ICE! – Christmas at Gaylord Palms offers an abundance of activity choices.
Read below for all the details from Gaylord Palms Resort!
KISSIMMEE, Fla., July 25, 2024 — A longtime central Florida holiday tradition will showcase a brand-new theme this holiday season when ICE! – Gaylord Palms Resort’s frozen yuletide attraction – debuts giant sculptures and scenes, hand-carved from 2 million pounds of ice, featuring New Line Cinema’s popular holiday film, “Elf.”
The 20,000-square-foot arctic attraction is the centerpiece of the annual Christmas at Gaylord Palms celebration taking place at the 65-acre resort Nov. 15, 2024-Jan. 4, 2025.
Each year, ICE! features meticulously carved frozen sculptures and scenes from popular holiday classics. The attraction made its Gaylord Palms debut in 2003 (coincidentally, the same year “Elf” premiered in movie theaters) and is featured, with different themes, across six locations nationwide. This is the first time “Elf” will be featured in any ICE! attraction.
Tickets and special room and ticket packages are now on sale and available at ChristmasAtGaylordPalms.com. Tickets to ICE! start at $29.99 for adults and $17.99 for children. Guests staying at Gaylord Palms during the holidays receive special perks including front-of-line access, early entry, and the ability to book special dining experiences.
Inside ICE! guests will experience approximately a dozen different scenes, some soaring as high as 30 feet, as they follow Buddy the Elf’s journey from the North Pole to New York City. Along the way, they’ll encounter favorite characters from the film including Papa Elf, Mr. Narwhal, Jovie, Walter Hobbs, and of course, Santa Claus. Several frozen scenes feature seating areas where guests can insert themselves into the story to create one-of-a-kind photo moments. For example, guests can join Buddy the Elf in his North Pole school classroom or sit next to him as he gets a shoeshine in New York City.
While experiencing the attraction, guests can see live carving demonstrations in the Carver’s Showcase, where a master artisan carves throughout the day to showcase the craft. ICE! concludes in a separate area dedicated to a Nativity scene, carved in a dramatic display of crystal-clear ice.
Creating ICE! each year is a team of nearly 40 world-renowned carvers that travel more than 7,000 miles from Harbin, China, to Kissimmee, Fla. Known as “Ice City,” Harbin is no stranger to elaborate ice carvings – it’s home to the world’s largest annual snow and ice carving festival.
At Gaylord Palms, artisans will carve approximately 6,700 blocks of ice, each weighing 300 pounds, into the larger-than-life scenes. Carvers will use tools of all shapes and sizes, including chainsaws, chisels, tongs, handsaws, hand tools and grinders, to bring “Elf” to life. The colored ice is created by a chemist who mixes special food colorings to ensure the ice maintains its vivid hue the entire season. It will take the team of artisans four to five weeks to completely carve the attraction.
Each year, ICE! instantly becomes the coldest spot in the Sunshine State, as a state-of-the-art chilling system keeps the attraction at a frosty 9 degrees Fahrenheit. Guests are provided winter parkas to keep them warm inside the attraction, but additional clothing like hats and gloves are suggested.
“ICE! is a favorite tradition of many of our guests here at Gaylord Palms and we are excited to introduce them to the beloved world of ‘Elf’ this Christmas,” said Ross Barker, the resort’s general manager. “The 9-degree attraction provides a one-of-a-kind experience for friends and family to enjoy together, and complements the many other family friendly activities, events, live shows and dining experiences we have planned this holiday season.”
Snow Much More!
In addition to the ICE! attraction, a sleigh-full of events and activities will be featured across the 65-acre resort. Christmas shows and activities are presented in the 4.5-acre garden atrium, while areas of the convention center transform into Alpine Village, a bustling, holiday hamlet with Bavarian-style storefronts, immersive activities and one of Florida’s largest annual Christmas shops.
Here’s a rundown of the sleigh-full of events and activities planned for the celebration:
Live Shows & Entertainment Highlight the Holidays
•Yule Be Amazed
“Cirque: Spirit of Christmas” features high-flying stunts, acrobatic feats, and an original musical score. The show features Noel, a child trying to rediscover holiday cheer. Noel is visited in dreamlike chapters by acrobats, aerial performers and others who help rekindle the Christmas spirit.
•Storytelling Celebration, Set to Song
Guests can experience a retelling of the birth of Jesus Christ through the eyes of six storytellers in “The Greatest Story,” a musical stage show and celebration of faith and everlasting love.
•Dreaming of a Bright Christmas
The skies above Gaylord Palms’ atrium come alive in the “Here We Glow A-Caroling Light Show.” Suspended light curtains and the 60-foot-tall atrium Christmas tree come to life in this animated show, accompanied by a soundtrack of favorite Christmas carols.
•St. Nick Takes ‘Santa’ Stage
Guests can chat with the jolly old elf himself, Santa Claus, to make sure they’ve secured a spot on his prestigious Nice List. Santa will meet guests inside Alpine Village from Nov. 15 through Dec. 24, before he heads back to the North Pole for his annual, gift-giving journey.
•A Round of Applause for Mrs. Claus
The jolliest hostess of all stars in Mrs. Claus’ Christmas Traditions. Mrs. Claus entertains guests in Alpine Village with a sing-along and storytelling of the Christmas tale, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” She also shares Santa’s favorite snack – milk and cookies – with guests.
•Mistletoe Melody Makers
Guests can enjoy the sounds of the season with the Dickens Carolers, who will be strolling and singing Christmas classics at various times and locations throughout the celebration.
•Wintertime Animal Wonders
Guests can get up-close to some of Florida’s famous animals in Wintertime Animal Encounters and learn how wildlife in the Sunshine State adapts to the colder temperatures and contributes to the ecosystem during the winter months.
Tons of Fun at Interactive Attractions
•Snow Much Fun
A snowy play space awaits guests in the Snow Factory. After climbing Snow Flow Mountain, guests hop in inner-tubes and speed down atop real ice. (Admission allows unlimited ice tubing rides on the date on the ticket.) Guests can also head over to Snowball Build & Blast, where conveyor belts deliver tubs of real snow for guests to make snowballs and toss them at targets.
•A Holiday Escape
Guests test their wintry wits in the Naughty or Nice Escape Room. Trickster Jack Frost has added new names to Santa’s Naughty List. However, if guests can sneak into Santa’s office and solve a series of puzzles, Jack will remove their names from the Naughty List, allowing them to escape.
Hands-On Holiday Fun
•Dough-licious Decorating
In the Gingerbread Decorating Corner, guests let their Christmas creativity run wild while they adorn gingerbread treats. After they’ve reached confection perfection, they can enjoy a meet-and-greet and photograph a sweet character, Nutmeg the Gingerbread Cookie.
•Have Your Elf a Merry Little Christmas
Guests can get crafty in Elf Training Academy. One of Santa’s toymakers leads the fun as guests put their creativity to work and make a special keepsake gift to take home.
•A Very Beary Christmas!
Build-A-Bear Workshop has been adding a little more heart to life for more than 25 years! Visit Build-A-Bear to experience the fun of personalizing furry friends and taking part in our one-of-a-kind Heart Ceremony. Add adorable outfits, sweet scents and fun sounds to make any furry friend the perfect gift or a cuddly Christmas keepsake.
•Seasonal Scavenger Hunt Fun
Families can work together to find all the clues hidden in the Gaylord Palms atrium in the TwElf Days of Christmas Scavenger Hunt. With a little elf magic, guests can find all the hidden surprises and solve the puzzles in their booklet.
Overnight Stays Sweeten the Holidays
•Rooms with a Yuletide View
There’s never a better time of year for guests to book a room with an upgraded atrium view. With balconies that overlook acres of Christmas décor, guests can immerse themselves in the festive surroundings. Select rooms even provide prime balcony viewing for atrium shows.
•Ready, Set, Glow!
The night will light up at Gaylord Palms with more than 3 million sparkling, holiday lights. In total, more than 100 decorated Christmas trees will be on display, including the 60-foot-tall tree in the main atrium, and elaborately themed trees along the atrium’s Christmas Tree Trail.
•Early ICE! and Alpine Village Access for Overnight Guests
Gaylord Palms offers perks and special access to overnight resort guests, so they can wait in line less and enjoy more. These perks include:
“Chill Pass” privileges to the ICE! attraction, offering front-of-line access and shorter wait times. “Chill Pass” is free for eligible overnight guests. Attraction tickets are required and sold separately, in advance.
An invitation to “Extra Cool Hour,” which provides early entry into ICE!, the Snow Factory and select Alpine Village shows and activities one hour before they open to day guests. “Extra Cool Hour” is free for eligible guests. Attraction tickets are required and sold separately, in advance.
Holiday Dining for Resort Guests: Eat, Drink and Be Cranberry
Overnight guests at Gaylord Palms also have exclusive opportunities to enjoy holiday dining experiences:
Breakfast with Charlie Brown and Friends is a holiday-themed character dining experience, exclusive to overnight guests, featuring pals from the Peanuts gang including Charlie Brown, Lucy and Snoopy.
Thanksgiving Dinner, scheduled for Thanksgiving Day, is a plentiful buffet at Villa de Flora, located in the heart of the garden atrium. Traditional Thanksgiving favorites will be featured for overnight resort guests, along with dishes inspired by cuisine from Spain, France, and Italy.
Resort guests can enjoy Christmas Dinner on Dec. 25 with a dazzling holiday feast at Villa de Flora restaurant featuring chef stations, holiday traditions and modern Mediterranean cuisine.
Overnight resort guests can ring in the New Year in style on Dec. 31 at Villa de Flora with the New Year’s Eve Buffet, with a bountiful buffet featuring fresh and seasonal dishes.
One-Stop Christmas Shop
In Alpine Village, one of the largest holiday shops in the Sunshine State opens each year just for the “Christmas at Gaylord Palms” celebration. Market Square features wall-to-wall holiday gifts, collectibles, toys, plush, home décor, apparel, ornaments, ICE!-branded souvenirs, and more.
Year-Round Fun
In addition to the fun of the Christmas celebration, guests can enjoy many year-round amenities. In addition to the 4.5-acre indoor atrium, the resort features Relâche Spa and also Cypress Springs Water Park – a 3-acre water wonderland open exclusively to overnight resort guests
Resort Amenities & Resort Packages Are Sure to Please
Also being unwrapped for 2024: “Christmas at Gaylord Palms” packages that include special room rates and admission to select events. Guests are encouraged to book their experiences early, as advance online reservations are required for all ticketed events. Admission is limited to many of the holiday experiences and showtimes. For tickets, more information, or to book an overnight stay, guests may visit ChristmasatGaylordPalms.com.