SNEAK PEEK: ICE! at the Gaylord Palms featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Christmas in Orlando is as cool as ICE!

One of our favorite holiday events in Florida is returning in 2025, and it's literally one of the coolest things you'll experience this year in the Sunshine State as ICE! at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando turns down the thermostat and brings the favorite holiday film  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer ™ to life through… ice… from November 14, 2025, through January 7, 2026.

What to expect at ICE! in 2025

This year's event retells the story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and his misfit friends as “they set off for an adventure filled with friendship, courage, acceptance, and belonging.”

Rudolph and Hermey the Elf will also be joined by favorite characters, including Yukon Cornelius, Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster, Clarice, and of course, Santa Claus.

This is the first time this classic holiday movie has been showcased at the Gaylord Palms, and it's a completely redesigned show.  It will be different if you've seen it already at other Gaylord locations.

Keep an eye out for what's new!

There are some new hidden elements this year, including an ice tunnel and even an ice slide with Bumble that will transport you from one scene to another, so be on the lookout! There will also be interactive elements on the floor.

While you come for the ICE!, you'll stay for all of the other COOL things to do at the Gaylord Palms! There are also several additional activities in the Alpine Village area, like a snowball toss, live shows, a chance to meet Santa, and so much more. There's a reason why they've dubbed it…So. Much. Christmas.!

• Tickets for ICE! start at $33. Children ages three and younger get in for free. Overnight guests get extra perks like early entry and front-of-line access. Bundle discounts are available for the additional activities. Visit ChristmasAtGaylordPalms.com for more.

Let's break the ice…

Only in Florida can you be sliding down a waterslide in one moment (the Gaylord Palms has an epic water park, btw) and then donning a heavy-duty parka in the next as you walk through a 9-degree display of ice!

It’s pretty incredible when you sit back and think about it, which got us wondering…how do they do it?

We’re “breaking the ice” to learn how the Gaylord Palms creates its stunning annual ICE! event and how they bring to life the whimsical world of the holiday classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer through magical, larger-than-life ice displays that are being hand-carved on-site right now, and we got a sneak peek!

ICE! by the numbers

To create the immersive scenes that make up the 20,000-square-foot frozen attraction, it will take 40 world-renowned artisans 12,000+ hours to hand-carve 6,700 blocks of ice that weigh in at about 2 million pounds total!

All About the Artisans

A team of 40 ice artisans from Harbin, China, spent a whopping six weeks hand-carving the 6,700 blocks of ice this year, using a 300-page guide of notes, handmade tools, and a chainsaw when needed.

Harbin, China, is known as the “Ice City” and hosts the world's largest annual ice and snow sculpting festival, so it’s safe to say the local artisans know what they’re doing. They are pretty used to the cold, too, as the city stays below freezing for nearly half the year.

You might even spot them carving in the Carver’s Showcase during your visit.

The Big Chill

While many places here in Florida claim to be a “winter wonderland” this time of year, ICE! is probably the closest you’ll get to an actual winter wonderland. A state-of-the-art chilling system keeps the 20,000 square-foot space at only 9 degrees! Incredible, right?

In fact, regardless of where the Gaylord Resort is located, each resort has seven air handlers to keep the temperature at the precise 9 degrees because there's a science to it.

“There is a science to it! It keeps the ice in pristine condition. It helps keep it from condensating and forming drip lines, so the ice stays beautiful throughout the season,” Meghan Hash, Director of Special Events and Entertainment at the Gaylord Palms, told us.

The color of the ice is also part science! Hash tells us they work with chemists throughout the country to come up with the perfect mix to keep the ice bold and bright all season long.

And here's something pretty cool. While you were sweating it here in Florida in July, Gaylord Hotels began coloring and freezing ice to get ready for the holidays!

What You Need to Know Before You Go:

• While you can purchase tickets at the door, you will want to purchase tickets in advance to secure your spot. You can change your timeslot (based on availability) if something comes up.
• Calf-length, hooded blue parkas are provided in a wide range of sizes, including sizes for infants.
• Close-toed shoes are required.
• We recommend bringing your own mittens and warm hats, just in case.
• Stollers and wheelchairs are permitted.
• There is no time limit, but the average time spent in the exhibit space is about 20-40 minutes.
• While you’re there, you can slide down a two-story ice slide and snap the coolest family photos!
• Some extra activities in the Alpine Village require separately purchased tickets. You can buy ticket bundles and save up to 50%.

The Coolest Activities in Alpine Village:

There are so many awesome things to do after you explore the ICE! exhibit whether you want to toss some real snowballs, meet Santa, or decorate a gingerbread house. We do recommend that you book these extras ahead of time too since spots fill up quickly, especially as we get closer the holidays.

If you are planning on doing more than one activity, there are discounted bundles available.

Here are some of the extra activities at ICE! in Orlando for 2025:

(Words provided by the team at Gaylord Palms Resort & Water Park)

Spotlight Shines on Holiday Fun at ICE! at the Gaylord Palms 2025:

• New this year: A new cirque spectacle comes to life in the Gaylord Palms atrium with the debut of
  “POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance.” This immersive, cirque holiday show and experience,
  created by Broadway director and “Cirque Dreams” founder Neil Goldberg, will be presented
  inside the Gaylord Palms atrium Nov. 14, 2025-Jan. 4, 2026. The show is based on the POMP,
  SNOW & CIRQUEumstance book series and TV special. Audiences will be transported to a
  whimsical world where three best friends study music, magic, and circus arts at a secret
  university. To spread their lessons throughout the world, the trio embarks on an adventure that
  brings the book's illustrations to life with animation and amazing performances. “POMP, SNOW &
  CIRQUEumstance” features a cast of 19 performers including acrobats, magicians, high-flying acts and enchanting characters. More than 50 elaborate costumes are showcased in gravity-
  defying circus feats, spellbinding magic and Broadway theatrics set to an original musical score.
• Atrium Lights, Caroling Nights: The skies above Gaylord Palms’ atrium come alive in the “Here We Glow A-Caroling Light Show” Giant LED light curtains above the atrium 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. 14 through Dec. 24 – before he heads back to the North Pole for his annual, gift-giving journey.
• Songs and Sweet Treats Delight: 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.
• 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.
• Meet Winter Wildlife 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

• Winter Wonders Await: A snowy play space awaits guests in the Snow Factory, open this year from Nov. 14, 2025-Jan. 1, 2025. 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 Heist! Friends and family 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. Guests
  need to put on their holiday thinking caps, solve the mystery, and then dash away, dash away,
  dash away all!

Hands-On Holiday Fun at ICE!

• 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 with Nutmeg the Gingerbread Cookie.
• Chill Out with Chocolate: Also new this year – the Jack Frost Chocolate Factory, a taste-tempting, interactive experience where guests can make a pair of chocolate snowflakes – one to keep and one to gift.
• Have Your Elf a Merry Little Christmas: Guests can get crafty in Elf Training Academy. One of Santa’s top toymakers joins the fun as guests put their creativity to work and make a special keepsake gift to take home.
• A Very Beary Christmas! Guests can experience Build-A-Bear Workshop®. Guests make their own furry friend, take part in the iconic Heart Ceremony, and personalize them with seasonal outfits, accessories, sounds and scents.
• Seasonal Scavenger Hunt Fun: Families can work together to find all the clues hidden in Gaylord Palms in the Reindeer GamesTM Scavenger Hunt. The Misfit Toys are lost, and guests follow clues to help find them by
  solving puzzles in their booklet. Guests receive a special holiday prize for completing the quest.

Overnight Stays at the Gaylord Palms Sweeten the Holidays

• Rooms with a Yuletide View: Guests who book upgraded atrium views receive some of the best holiday rooms – and seats! – in the house. 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 such as “POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance,” the “Here We Glow A-Caroling” light
  show spectacle and “The Greatest Story.”
• 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 centerpiece, 60-foot-tall
  tree in the main atrium, and elaborately themed trees along the atrium’s Christmas Tree Trail.
• More Perks for Overnight Guests Gaylord Palms offers another perk to overnight guests, so they can wait less and enjoy more. Overnight guests receive “Chill Pass” privileges to the ICE! attraction, offering front-of-line access and shorter wait times. “Chill Pass” is free for eligible overnight guests.

Did you know that ICE! is presented in six cities nationwide, including Orlando?

If your travels take you to one of these cities, be sure to check out the other ICE! themes this year:

• Washington, DC: The Polar Express
• Dallas: Elf
• Nashville: A Charlie Brown Christmas
• Denver: Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
• San Antonio: Frosty the Snowman