Gaylord Palms Celebrates the Holidays with The Return of ICE!

Christmas in Orlando is as cool as ICE!

One of our favorite holiday events in Florida is back, 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  Elf™ to life through… ice… on November 15, 2024, through January 4, 2025.

What to expect at ICE! in 2024

This year's event retells the story of Buddy the Elf's journey from the North Pole to New York City. Among the epic scenes and characters captured in ice are the Narwhal from the beginning of the film, the school room in the North Pole, and, of course, the revolving door scene in New York City!

ICE! is so much more than an ice display. 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 $29.99 for adults and $17.99 for children. Overnight guests get extra perks like early entry and front-of-line access. 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 Buddy the Elf through magical, larger-than-life ice displays that were hand-carved on-site.

ICE! by the numbers

To create about 12 immersive scenes that make up the 20,000-square-foot frozen attraction, it took 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?

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 you cab book at ICE! in Orlando for 2024:

• Snow Build and Blast: (Tickets are $14.99. One ticket is equivalent to one bucket of snow. Multiple people may share a bucket.)
• Test your snowball tossing skills using real snowballs in Florida!
• Snowflow Mountain: (Tickets start at $24.99)
• Race your family and friends on a tube and slide down real frozen ice lanes. Your ticket includes unlimited tubing.
• Photos with Santa
• Naughty or Nice Escape Room
• Mrs. Claus’ Christmas Traditions
• Elf Training Academy
• Gingerbread Decorating Corner
• Cirque: Spirit of Christmas

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: A Charlie Brown Christmas
• Dallas: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
• Nashville: Frosty the Snowman
• Denver: The Polar Express
• San Antonio: Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas