ICE! is a Gaylord Hotels tradition - inspired by the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in China. At ICE!, you will find life-sized ice carvings, typically themed to a classic holiday movie.
Every year since 2001 (minus a two-year hiatus in 2020 and 2021) all 5 Gaylord Hotels host ICE! and other festive activities during the Christmas season.
The Gaylord Hotels are a perfect place to bring your whole family to enjoy some holiday fun and get in the Christmas spirit! This year's theme at the Gaylord Texan Hotel's Lone Star Christmas is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Fun Facts about ICE!
- The exhibit is made out of real ice
- Expert artisans from Harbin, China, are flown in to create these astonishing displays. There are approximately 40 master ice carvers that come in, and the hand-carving takes about six weeks.)
- 2 million pounds of ice are used to make the displays at each Gaylord Hotel
- Each ice sculpture begins from huge blocks of ice that the expert ice artisans spend hours to form into beloved characters. There are about 6,700 blocks of ice used, and it takes about 12,000 carving hours.
- It is 9 degrees Fahrenheit in the ICE! area - you will get a blue parka, as seen above, to wear as you explore ICE!
- There are two-story-tall ice slides you can go down within the exhibit
- No matter the theme, every Gaylord Hotel's ICE! ends with a crystal-clear nativity scene
Our Experience
As you enter the ICE! exhibit, you quickly learn how cold 9 degrees Fahrenheit is. We wore medium-weight winter coats under our blue parkas, so our torsos were warm. However, the rest of our bodies were ill-prepared.
Our fingers, toes, and faces quickly froze, and by the end of it all, I could not feel my feet or face. At one point, I do not know if I was even smiling for the pictures anymore since I barely felt my face.😅
As you peruse through the exhibit, it feels like you jumped onto the screen and are a character in your favorite scenes! Because the life-size sculptures are immaculate and incredibly detailed.
As you flow through the rooms, the story fleshes out right in front of you, and you can see up close how bright Rudolph's nose shines and how tall Bumble is.
Moreover, as you go through the different immersive scenes of the movie, you will eventually find an Ice Bar where you can purchase a festive cocktail.
After the Ice Bar is the room with the ice slides, as seen above! We went down each slide, and on my last go, I slipped and fell as I tried to position myself to go down. It was hilarious and only hurt for about 5 minutes. With that in mind, be careful when going down the ice slides!
The ice slides are typically positioned in the center of the exhibit, meaning there are still a couple more rooms full of whimsical scenes from the movie.
As mentioned before, the very last room before the end of the ICE! exhibit is an awe-inspiring nativity scene made out of crystal-clear ice, as seen below. This room is always so breathtaking!
Every year at each Gaylord, the ice artisans do an exceptional job creating these ice sculptures, making them look realistic and allowing you to feel a part of the beloved holiday classic.
They are incredible at their craft and truly make the experience one-of-a-kind! The displays are so good that you forget how cold it is and want to go again next year to see the subsequent theme.
Christmas at the Gaylord Texan
As you arrive at the Gaylord Texan at night, you will encounter a whimsical, dazzling forest of trees filled with holiday lights. As you enter the lobby, you are welcomed by subtle Christmas decorations in the entryway, check-in, and bar.
However, as you approach the atrium, you enter a Texan Winter Wonderland with a 54-foot-tall Christmas tree with various LED lights in the middle with "light blankets" on the sides dangling from the ceiling, as seen above. These are used in unison to create the Luminosity Light Show nightly at 8 pm and 9 pm.
Towards the left of Texan Eats, you will find another giant Christmas tree in front of where you can take pictures with Santa Claus, as seen above. Behind that area, near the fitness center and indoor pool, there is a small riverwalk that mimics the one found in San Antonio, TX.
On the other end, near Zeppole, the Italian Restaurant, there is a Christmas tree made out of white, shimmering lights. In short, throughout the atrium (and the entire resort), there is a lot of Christmas décor sprinkled around - perfect for pictures!
Christmas Activities at the Christmas Village
- ICE! - Adult tickets start at $29.99
- Snow Flow Mountain (Snow Tubing) - $24.99 per person
- Ice Skating - $22.99 per person
- Christmas Carousel, partially seen below - $6.99 per ride or $14.99 for unlimited rides
- Snowball Build and Blast - $12.99 per bucket of snow
In Christmas Village, there is an Emporium, partially seen above, where you can buy holiday gifts and souvenirs. They also have a Hot Chocolate station, an Auntie Anne's, a Cinnabon, and a food and drinks bar at the Christmas Village (as seen above).
These all come in handy when spending a day at the Gaylord Texan! We surely appreciated the hot chocolate station after going through the ICE! exhibit.
Christmas Fun outside of the Christmas Village
- Luminosity Light Show in the atrium (as mentioned before) - Complimentary
- Photos with Santa to the left of Texan Eats (as mentioned before) - Various Packages
- Gingerbread Decorating Corner under the Main Tree - the Gingerbread Family Kit is $29.99, the Gingerbread House Kit is $49.99, and the Glitz Snowman Kit is $34.99
- Mrs. Claus' Christmas Traditions - $16.99 per person
- Reindeer Gamesâ„¢ Scavenger Hunt featuring Rudolph and the Misfit Toys throughout the atrium of the hotel - $14.99 per booklet
- Cirque: Spirit of Christmas at the Glass Cactus - Select dates only - Adult tickets start at $41.99
- Elf Training Academy behind the Main Tree, as pictured above - 1 Project costs $19.99
- 3 Escape Rooms - Starting at $156 for a group of 4
If you are considering multiple favorite holiday activities and experiences, check out the Gaylord Texan website for any packages or deals they may have going on to save you some money!Â
As seen above, you can save up to 20% with the Festive Favorites Pack. With the Holiday Deluxe Pack, you can save up to 30%, and for the most savings, get the Ultimate Holiday Pass to save up to 50%.
During the holiday season at the Gaylord Texan, you can also enjoy Winter / Christmas-themed Spa Treatments, Live Events, and Holiday Eats and Drinks.
Keep in mind that prices, packages, and deals change. The above amounts are for the Gaylord Texan and from the Gaylord Texan website as of late November and do not include taxes or processing fees. For additional information on the various holiday offerings and to purchase your tickets, visit the Gaylord Texan's website.
Do I have to stay at the Gaylord Hotel to partake?
You do not need an overnight stay at the Gaylord to partake in ICE! or any other Christmas spectacles they have going on. Each Gaylord Hotel contains parking lots and garages for you to park.
At the Gaylord Texan Resort, you can self-park for $40 at the Convention Center Parking Garage or $25 for off-site parking on select dates for day guests.
ICE! at the other Gaylord Hotels
The different themes at the other Gaylords during the 2024 Holiday Season include:
- Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Florida, has Buddy the Elf
- Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee, has Frosty the Snowman
- Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora, Colorado, has The Polar Express
- Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Maryland, has A Charlie Brown Christmas
- BRAND NEW in 2024 - JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa in San Antonio, Texas will debut ICE! featuring Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Enjoy the Holiday Magic at the Gaylord! Have an "ICE" time!
We hope you have an "ICE" time and get the opportunity to enjoy the splendor of the holiday season at the Gaylord Texan!
Keep in mind that there are 5 Gaylord Hotels around the country, so you do not only have to visit the Gaylord Texan.
Figure out where your closest Gaylord is and make a trip out of it - each ICE! experience will be astonishing and filled with breathtaking detail and photo-worthy moments.
Remember: it is 9 degrees Fahrenheit in there, so make sure to bundle up: bring gloves, a beanie, a scarf, thick socks, and boots!
Have you been to ICE! at a Gaylord Hotel? Let me know in the comments below!
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