KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The holiday season is beginning to take shape at Gaylord Palms Resort, where chainsaws, chisels and 1,000 tons of ice are setting the stage for Christmas.
On Tuesday morning, hundreds of Gaylord Palms employees lined an indoor walkway with welcome signs and noisemakers as they celebrated the arrival of dozens of ice carvers from Harbin, China. The artists traveled more than 7,000 miles to begin creating this year’s ice! attraction.
Over the next month, the team will carve approximately 2 million pounds of ice into about a dozen larger-than-life scenes inspired by “The Polar Express.” The immersive walk-through experience will be maintained at 9 degrees inside a 20,000-square-foot space.
“These artisans are family members. They’re either related in some capacity, but this is a true artistry within their culture — artistry that is passed on from generation to generation,” said Meghan Hash, director of special events and entertainment.
Harbin, often called “Ice City,” hosts the world’s largest annual snow and ice carving festival. “The Polar Express” was last featured at Gaylord Palms’ ice! in 2019, and its return follows repeated requests from guests.
“We brought it back — it is one of our most popular themes and our guests told us they wanted it to come back,” Hash said.
The holiday journey follows Hero Boy, a child who doubts the existence of Santa Claus before being swept onto a mysterious Christmas Eve train headed for the North Pole. Guests will encounter scenes including the Polar Express arriving at Hero Boy’s home, the film’s memorable hot chocolate sequence and the train’s dramatic arrival at the North Pole. A popular two-story ice slide also returns, sending visitors racing through Glacier Gulch.
The 65-acre resort will offer much more than ice! this holiday season. Its lineup includes “POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance,” a cirque-style Broadway production that earned a Telly Award for Best Immersive Family Holiday Show, as well as Alpine Village, a Christmas Carousel, ice tubing, a Naughty or Nice Escape Room and seasonal dining experiences.
The attraction is scheduled to open Nov. 13 and continue through Jan. 3. For additional ticket information, click here.
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