[b1wife]

We saw this advertised when we stayed at the Gaylord in August, and it looked like a lot of fun!

ICE! at Gaylord Palms
An exciting highlight of our Best of Florida Christmas celebration!

November 17, 2008 – January 4, 2009
Open daily including holidays, hours vary.

Who says the holidays in Florida are all about sunshine and palm trees? Prepare for the coolest winter on record as Gaylord Palms presents ICE!, a walk-through attraction hand-carved from nearly TWO MILLION pounds of ice.

Explore a whimsical winter wonderland of larger-than-life, three-dimensional hand-carved ice monuments and sculptures, including fantastic frozen creations, slippery ice slides, and memorable holiday scenes. As for the chill, visitors are given oversized parkas to stay comfortable inside the attraction, which is kept at a blustery 9 degrees. In its sixth season, ICE! will reflect the theme "Santa's Arctic Blast," featuring several scenes that star "Jolly Cold Saint Nicholas" himself. One such scene is an oversized "Santa's knee" photo opportunity that's likely to be the most photographed element inside the attraction. Another guest favorite, the ICE! castle and slides, have been re-designed to celebrate Santa's Christmas Eve flight... reindeer and all.

The attraction's signature scene, a life-size Nativity carved completely of crystal-clear ice, has been described as one of the most breathtaking depictions of the birth of Christ. Dramatic lighting and a stirring narrative track give guests an opportunity to pause and reflect on the story behind the season.

The attraction is carved by a team of 40 artisans from Harbin, China. The talented artisans spend more than a month in Kissimmee creating this one-of-a-kind attraction. Harbin is best known for its annual International Ice and Snow Festival, where more than 2,000 sculptors annually carve a 100-acre walk-through Ice Park from ice taken from the Songhua River.

ICE! is open daily from November 17 through January 4, including holidays. Tickets for ICE! are on sale now. For the lowest ticket prices, purchase your tickets in advance, online! For more information or to purchase your tickets by phone, call 407-586-4-ICE (423). (It looked like most tickets were around $20.)

NOTE: ICE! is kept at a frigid 9 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure to dress appropriately: closed-toe shoes and long pants are required. Hooded winter coats will be provided for your warmth and comfort inside the attraction. Hats and gloves are suggested, and can be purchased on-site at the ICE! gift shop.

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[Dopey]

Rebecca, where, in proximity to WDW, is the Gaylord Palms? We would go and do it by cab, if it's not too far. It looks amazing.

[Dopey]

Oh, I see, it's over before we get there

[CaraMia]

We just booked the "chillin" package offered. Two adult tickets to ICE and a standard room at the Gaylord Palms for $149 plus taxes. I think it came to $168. We are going November 22nd. Honestly, if our friends had not asked us to go with them we probably would not be going. It looks amazing but once you go through the exhibit, which probably is an hour, that is it. It just seems like alot of money to visit an exhibit that is an hour or so of entertainment. But we figure we will do it once, have fun, and be able to say we went to ICE.

[Erin]

I can't wait!! We're going this year. We say we're going to go every year but we never do!

It's supposedly LOTS OF FUN!!!

[alilmagical32]

Originally Posted by Dopey

Rebecca, where, in proximity to WDW, is the Gaylord Palms? We would go and do it by cab, if it's not too far. It looks amazing.

Gaylord is on the side of Disney near Pop Century. Really close to Wide World of Sports. Not too far of a cab ride from anywhere but If I were going to take a cab, I would ride a free bus to Pop or WWOS and get the cab from there. Its on Osceola Prkwy.

I went last year and had a great time! Go on a weekday as its much more enjoyable when not super crowded. I dont know that I would take time out of a Disney vacation to do it, but if you have a long time or visit Disney frequently its worth a side trip! Also, make sure you take time to walk through the lobby of Gaylord. Its beautiful and very unique!

[dixie]

Oh that sounds fantastic- and talking of ice we had a snow shower this afternoon brrrrr- too soon, too soon!!