KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Nine reindeer, a luminous nose, and a brisk 9-degree chill await at Gaylord Palms Resort.
For the first time, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer takes center stage in the resort’s popular ICE! attraction, running from Nov. 14 through Jan. 7.
“It’s the coldest place here in Florida. It’s two million pounds of ice that we have carved from this classical Christmas movie," said Meghan Hash, director of Special Events and Entertainment at Gaylord Palms Resort.
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A team of 40 expert ice carvers from Harbin, China — famously known as “Ice City” for its renowned ice carving festival — spent over a month crafting 2 million pounds of ice sculptures that bring the classic 1964 stop-motion special to life across a 20,000-square-foot exhibit featuring nearly a dozen larger-than-life scenes, like the North Pole and the Island of Misfit Toys.
Guests can crawl through a snow-covered tunnel, play music alongside giant ice sculptures of Santa and Rudolph, step inside a crystal-clear ice gift box, and even climb into the arms of Bumble, the giant Abominable Snow Monster.
As the story goes, the nose does glow. Guests will notice multiple Rudolph ice sculptures where its red nose has a glowing feature.
The attraction also features the popular slide room, where visitors can enjoy two-story-tall slides made entirely of solid ice. Sharp-eyed guests are challenged to find a “secret slide” hidden inside the room that instantly transports them to the next scene.
“It is such a nostalgic way to come and enjoy five ice slides,” said Hash. “You can go down as many times as you’d like with your family and friends."
More holiday highlights
Gaylord Palms Resort is lighting up the holidays with the “Here We Glow A-Caroling Light Show,” Santa visits in Alpine Village, Mrs. Claus’ sing-along stories, Wintertime Animal Encounters, plus snowy fun like tubing and a Naughty or Nice Escape Room.
Get hands-on with gingerbread decorating, chocolate snowflake crafting at the Jack Frost Chocolate Factory, Elf Training Academy crafts, and Build-A-Bear Workshop magic.
Decked out with 3 million twinkling lights and over 100 Christmas trees — including a towering 60-foot centerpiece — the resort’s Alpine Village also boasts one of Florida’s biggest Christmas shops, open through Jan. 7.