BETHESDA, Md., July 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Gaylord Hotels – part of Marriott Bonvoy’s extraordinary portfolio of 31 hotel brands – is delighted to announce the return of its iconic ICE! event for the 2023 holiday season. More than 2 million pounds of ice at each of the brand’s five resorts transform into colorful, larger-than-life, story-driven holiday showplaces featuring characters and scenes from beloved Christmas classics. It is all part of the brand’s So. Much. Christmas. extravaganza, featuring dozens of holiday activities, entertainment, unique dining experiences, and more. The Christmas events return this November to Gaylord Opryland in Tennessee, Gaylord Texan in Texas, Gaylord Palms in Florida, Gaylord Rockies in Colorado, and Gaylord National in Maryland. ICE! will anchor each resort’s over-the-top festive showcases of traditional ice sculptures and light and fountain shows, alongside returning marquee programming, including the original production of Cirque: Spirit of Christmas live show and a brand-new Christmas in Tennessee dinner show at Gaylord Opryland.
To celebrate the start of the season, Gaylord Hotels is offering a special early bird offer, where guests and visitors can save up to 20% off Christmas packages and room nights and up to 30% off ICE! tickets.
ICE! at Gaylord Hotels
A holiday tradition at Gaylord Hotels for more than 20 years, the dazzling ICE! experiences begin to take shape in October, as expert artisans from Harbin, China (home to the renowned Harbin Ice Festival) hand carve characters, scenes, stories, and epic slides out of colorful, vibrant ice. Each resort will feature a theme different than last year, allowing visitors to experience a fresh new showcase. The unique sculptures will be created from more than 33,500 massive blocks of ice weighing more than 10 million pounds – or 5,000 tons – across the five resorts. The holiday-themed spectacle crafted with meticulous detail will be kept at a chilly nine degrees to ensure every feature remains frozen. The carving takes place over six weeks, using skills passed down from generation to generation and a mix of modern and hand-built, custom tools. Each theme’s vivid colors come to life with the help of an expert chemist who prepares a proprietary formula to ensure the ice sculptures maintain their bright and festive colors all season long.
This year, visitors will be able to experience five quintessential holiday classics:
- ICE! featuring The Polar Express™ at Gaylord Opryland – Based on the beloved Warner Bros. film, families are invited to take a journey of imagination through this heartwarming story as a young child embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole while learning about friendship, bravery, and the true spirit of Christmas.
- ICE! featuring A Charlie Brown Christmas at Gaylord Palms – Guests will follow along with the lovable Charlie Brown as he rediscovers the meaning of Christmas.
- ICE! featuring Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! at Gaylord Texan – Showcasing the 1957 Dr. Seuss classic, families are invited to experience iconic scenes such as the Grinch lurking through the chimneys of the Who-ville homes, the Grinch’s heart growing three sizes after realizing Christmas means a little bit more, and sitting down at the Whos’ feast where the Grinch carves the roast beast.
- ICE! featuring A Christmas Story™ at Gaylord Rockies – Fans of this humorous Warner Bros. perennial holiday classic will rejoice in experiencing their favorite characters and scenes in this magical ice showcase.
- ICE! featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer™ at Gaylord National – Guests will enjoy favorite scenes from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, brought to life in this colorful winter wonderland.
Christmas Shows at Gaylord Hotels
Returning for the season, Gaylord Hotels presents an original production of CIRQUE: Spirit of Christmas at Gaylord Rockies, Gaylord Palms, Gaylord Texan, and Gaylord National. This unique, Cirque-styled live show will feature dazzling acrobatics, feats of flexibility, and high-flying stunts. This Broadway-style spectacle centers around Noel, a child dismayed and distressed by the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Trying to recapture her lost love of the season, she is visited by spirits who bring back the true meaning of the season in energetic, dreamlike chapters.
Wintertime Activities for All Ages Alongside ICE!, families and guests can enjoy a lineup of winter festivities and holiday-themed events, with something for guests of all ages. Throughout the festive season, each property’s signature atrium will transform into a winter wonderland full of dazzling decorations, including millions of lights, elaborately themed Christmas trees, and miles of garland, as well as festive menus at restaurants, pop-up dining concepts, and retail opportunities to bring home gifts and stocking stuffers.
Visitors can look forward to a number of amazing, Christmas-themed activities available within the resorts’ winter wonderlands this upcoming holiday season, including snow tubing, ice skating, caroling, gingerbread decorating and adventurous scavenger hunts. Highlights include Snow Flow Mountain, a magnificently sculpted tubing course for friends and families to race each other down; ice skating, various atrium light & fountain shows; gingerbread decorating experiences; winter wellness treatments at the brand’s Relâche Spa, and so much more. Additional programming as part of Gaylord Hotels’ So. Much. Christmas. offerings will be announced in the coming months.
Tickets and Packages Tickets for ICE! and Christmas at Gaylord Hotels are on sale now and can be purchased at ChristmasatGaylordHotels.com. Advance online reservations are required for all ticketed events.
To celebrate the start of the 2023 season, Gaylord Hotels is offering a special early bird offer, where guests and visitors can save up to 25% off Christmas packages and room nights and up to 30% off ICE! tickets.
Christmas at Gaylord Hotels will be presented over the following dates:
- Gaylord Opryland: November 10, 2023 – January 1, 2024
- Gaylord Texan: November 10 – December 31, 2023
- Gaylord Palms: November 17, 2023 – January 3, 2024
- Gaylord Rockies: November 17, 2023 – January 1, 2024
- Gaylord National: November 19 – December 31, 2023
Note for Media: For a preview of what to expect this upcoming holiday season, a selection of imagery and video b-roll depicting ICE! showcases and Christmas at Gaylord Hotels programming can be viewed HERE.
ABOUT GAYLORD HOTELS
Gaylord Hotels, part of the Marriott Bonvoy extraordinary portfolio of 31 hotel brands, welcomes guests to more, with extraordinary environments, diverse dining options, full-service spas, pools, top-notch entertainment, shopping and more. Locations include Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee; Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Florida; Gaylord Texan on Lake Grapevine, Texas; Gaylord National on the Potomac in National Harbor, Maryland; and Gaylord Rockies in Aurora, CO.
A CHRISTMAS STORY and all related characters and elements © & ™ Turner Entertainment Co. (s23)
THE POLAR EXPRESS and all related characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s23)
TM & © 2023 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. All Rights Reserved.
© 2023 Peanuts Worldwide LLC
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and all related elements © & ™ under license to Character Arts, LLC. All rights reserved.
SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.
