Ice! by Gaylord Adds Nightmare Before Christmas, Home Alone & Harry Potter; Polar Express Returns to Orlando
One of the largest off-site hotels that’s less than a mile from Walt Disney World is a conspicuous omission in our coverage here. Despite being absolutely massive and housing 1,718 guest rooms, we’ve never really covered Gaylord Palms Resort.
This is also despite visiting Gaylord Palms often. Well, more like “visiting” (with air quotes) since it’s really just an extra stop on Mears Connect en route to Walt Disney World. But every time we “visit” the Gaylord Palms, I’m reminded of how huge and lovely it looks, and think that we should finally book a stay there and review it.
Accordingly, this post serves the dual purpose of sharing announcement details about the expanded Ice! program at the Gaylord Hotels, and gauging reader interest in the huge resort a stone’s throw from Walt Disney World to see if it’s worth a Christmas-time visit (no air quotes). Anyway, on with the press release-style details along with photos and concept art all via Gaylord Hotels before turning to our commentary…
Ice!, the signature frozen Christmas attraction created by Gaylord Hotels, is expanding to eight destination resorts across the United States, debuting at Gaylord Pacific Resort in Chula Vista, California and JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort in Phoenix, Arizona.
Ice! is also returning to JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort in San Antonio, Texas and Gaylord Hotels nationwide. The signature Ice! experience will also introduce three brand-new themes; Harry Potter, Home Alone and Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.
“We are excited to bring our signature Christmas attraction, Ice!, to Arizona and California,” said Johann Krieger, regional vice president of Marriott International. “Having welcomed tens of millions of guests over the years, this beloved holiday tradition continues to capture the spirit of the season, and we are proud to introduce our largest footprint to date, giving even more families the opportunity to experience how our resorts create extraordinary holiday memories.”
The story-driven Christmas experience features more than two million pounds of hand-carved ice sculptures brought to life as vivid, floor-to-ceiling scenes starring fan-favorite characters from cherished holiday classics. Inspired by the world-renowned Harbin Ice Festival in China, Ice! is created by more than 300 expert artisans from Harbin, who spend approximately 40 days using techniques passed down through generations to hand carve 60,000 ice blocks.
Each exclusive theme unfolds across more than 10 immersive scenes, featuring two-story ice slides, awe-inspiring passageways and photo-worthy moments the entire family can enjoy. Kept at a brisk 9 degrees Fahrenheit to preserve the intricate detail, the attraction ensures guests stay warm in its signature blue parkas.
Starting in November 2026, eight beloved holiday stories will be offered at resorts nationwide:
Debut Locations
- Ice! featuring “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at Gaylord Pacific Resort in Chula Vista, California from November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027
- Ice! featuring Elf at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort in Phoenix, Ariz. from November 18, 2026 to January 3, 2027
New Themes
- Ice! featuring Home Alone at Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tenn. from November 6, 2026 to January 2, 2027
- Ice! featuring Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas at Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora, Colorado from November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027
- Ice! featuring Harry Potter at Gaylord Texan Resort on Lake Grapevine, Texas from November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027
Returning Locations and Themes
- Ice! featuring Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! at Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Md. from November 14, 2026 to January 3, 2027
- Ice! featuring The Polar Express at Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Florida from November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027
- Ice! featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort in San Antonio, Texas from November 23, 2026 to January 3, 2027
Beyond the marquee attraction, Ice!, guests can also enjoy So Much Christmas with an over-the-top lineup of classic and original experiences designed to create the ultimate holiday getaway.
Each resort transforms into a true winter wonderland with millions of twinkling lights, towering Christmas trees and elaborate festive décor. Highlights include themed character dining, ice tubing adventures, interactive scavenger hunts, live stage performances, pop-up Christmas villages and cherished photo opportunities with Santa.
To explore the full lineup of holiday experiences, book overnight packages and purchase tickets, visit SoMuchChristmas.com. Offerings vary by resort. Terms, conditions and blackout dates apply.
Polar Express Ice! at Gaylord Palms Near Disney
Guests will be shouting “All Aboard!” as The Polar Express comes chugging into the spotlight this year at “Ice!,” the 20,000-square-foot, Christmas experience at Gaylord Palms Resort.
Ice! features 2 million pounds of ice, carved into colorful sculptures, and a huge two-story ice slide. The arctic attraction serves as the centerpiece of the much-loved Central Florida annual “Christmas at Gaylord Palms” celebration, which takes place across the 65-acre resort from November 13, 2026 through January 3, 2027.
The Ice! attraction, which made its Gaylord Palms debut in 2003, will feature approximately one dozen larger-than-life scenes from the classic animated feature film. The Polar Express was last featured in Ice! at Gaylord Palms in 2019, and its popularity among guests is a key reason for its return during Christmas 2026.
As holiday guests enter Ice! featuring The Polar Express, they follow the magical adventure of a doubting child who takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. Along the way, he learns about friendship, bravery and the true spirit of Christmas.
The attraction features scenes from the heartwarming tale in hand-carved sculptures made of solid ice, including The Polar Express train arriving at the boy’s house, the famous hot chocolate scene aboard the Polar Express, the massive train rushing down the side of an icy mountain and the grand arrival at the North Pole. Colored ice, clear ice, stage lighting and LED lights are all used to create the breathtaking display.
A favorite feature each year is the Ice! slide room, featuring five two-story-tall slides made of solid ice. This year, the slides will send guests zipping across the film’s Glacier Gulch. Another popular area inside Ice! is Carver’s Showcase, a wintry workshop where master ice artisans work throughout the day to showcase the unique craft to guests.
“We’ve heard from many guests who want to revisit the magic of The Polar Express and introduce new friends and family members to its enchanting and inspiring story,” said Ross Barker, Gaylord Palms general manager.
“From a full-size train locomotive engine carved completely from solid ice to the many interactive moments and beloved scenes, it’s a one-of-a-kind attraction that provides a showcase of memory-making experiences for our guests in a 9-degree environment. We can’t wait for our team and the talented ice carvers to bring this magical story to life in a truly memorable way.”
Once they enter, guests can stay inside the Ice! attraction for as long as they would like. Since the entire attraction is made of solid ice and the freezing temperature is a steady 9 degrees (the optimum temperature to maintain the ice sculptures for the whole holiday season), guests are provided a Gaylord Palms blue winter parka to help keep them warm. Guests susceptible to cold temperatures are encouraged to bring additional winter clothing, such as hats, gloves, scarves and winter socks.
In addition to Ice! featuring The Polar Express, a sleigh-full of events and activities is planned across Gaylord Palms Resort. Christmas shows and activities are presented in the atrium, while another area of the resort transforms into Alpine Village, a bustling holiday hamlet with Bavarian-style storefronts, immersive activities and one of Florida’s largest Christmas shops. Snow Factory, adjacent to Alpine Village, features chilly thrills with snowball throwing, ice tubing, the Snow Bar, a Christmas Carousel and more.
Other highlights of Christmas 2026 at Gaylord Palms Resort include the award-winning “POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance,” blending Broadway style performances with cirque artistry. Guests can also experience the LIT multimedia atrium light show, visit Santa Claus, join in “Mrs. Claus’ Christmas Traditions” for singalongs and storytelling, watch “The Greatest Story” musical stage show, and get up-close with Florida wildlife during Wintertime Animal Encounters. Families can also play in Snow Factory featuring real snow, test their wits in the Naughty or Nice Escape Room, Snowman Scramble Scavenger Hunt, Elf Training Academy, and much more.
Christmas decorations light up the Gaylord Palms Resort with 3 million holiday lights, including more than 250,000 in the atrium alone. In total, more than 100 decorated Christmas trees will be on display, including the 60-foot-tall tree in the main atrium and a host of themed trees along the atrium’s Christmas Tree Trail.
There are a lot of other details in the press release I’m glossing over. Tickets and special room and ticket packages for this holiday highlight are now on sale at ChristmasAtGaylordPalms.com. You’ll also find full details there about the 2026 holiday season slate.
Our Commentary
A few fairly quick thoughts. First and foremost, we’re really curious as to how much interest there is in Ice!
Beyond that, it’s interesting that Gaylord Palms in Orlando gets “stuck” with Polar Express while the intellectual properties that are owned, controlled or otherwise featured by Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando are in Colorado, Nashville, Maryland, and Texas.
Maybe I’m just underestimating the popularity of Polar Express (the movie, not the timeless story itself), but I’d think literally any of the other themes would be better. And obviously, the ones with crossover appeal for Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando guests would be the most popular.
Perhaps that’s part of the licensing deals–that Gaylord can use those properties, but not within X miles of Disney or Universal theme parks. It’s possible that this is a smaller-scale, seasonal version of the Marvel contract that handcuffs which characters Walt Disney World can use, and how Disneyland markets its Avengers Campus.
It might also be the case that Ice! at Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando is simply such a runaway success that it doesn’t need the best IP to succeed. Or maybe guests really do love the Polar Express, and its return for the first time since 2019 is a post COVID success story that’ll be trumpeted in Gaylord fan communities similar to how we were hyped about Airport Luggage Transfer returning.
Suffice to say, Ice! at Gaylord Palms Resort, and really the hotel as a whole, is a blind spot for us. I honestly couldn’t really tell you whether it’s hugely popular or not. We don’t know any regular people who have ever done it, and although it looks really cool and ambitious, a lot of things look great in marketing.
Regardless, we’re intrigued by Ice! at Gaylord Palms Resort. There are several points in the press release that caught my eye as things that our daughter would really enjoy. Ice! looks incredibly ambitious, with enough to do that the hotel’s Christmas offerings alone could fill a day or weekend getaway.
Given the personal angle, the apparent ambition of the offerings, and the fact that Walt Disney World continues to do less for Christmas each year (or price more people out of its parties), we’re wondering if it might make sense to cover Ice! at Gaylord Palms in Orlando this year.
There’s also the fact that Walt Disney World occupancy rates continue to rise, especially in November and December. We receive a lot of reader questions about this, most recently when the last round of deals was released. Fans are concerned that there’s limited (or no) availability for many dates, including those we’ve identified as having lower crowd levels and being more desirable times to visit.
Point being, even aside from pricing pushing more guests off-site, the lack of availability will have the same effect. That makes coverage of the major third party hotels that are on-site or nearby more valuable from a planning perspective. (See also Why Walt Disney World Resort Hotels Still Sell Out Despite Lower Crowds.)
Alternatively, if there’s not reader interest in Ice! at Gaylord Palms in Orlando, we might just dip our toe in the water by doing Ice! featuring “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at Gaylord Pacific Resort in Chula Vista, California. That’s very close to home, and could make for a fun Christmas-time staycation.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you interested in reading more about the Gaylord or Ice near Walt Disney World? Have you ever stayed at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando? Done Ice! and Christmas-time there or at any of the Gaylord Hotels? Thoughts on the resort itself or the Ice! experience? Any other thoughts or feedback? Questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Thanks for this – I’m always looking for something to do with the family over the Christmas break. We did Disney one year, but the crowds were not for us. I’m closest to the DC location, and that one has the Grinch, so maybe a short stay there is in order this year. They have a 30% off early booking for Christmas now.
How can I travel from the Disney World hotels to the Gaylord?
Living in central Florida I’ve been to this annually for years now.. usually get reasonably priced tickets through Groupon for the November dates. I do layer up though!! – gloves are essential lol – if you wear glasses be prepared for the instant fogging up when leaving!
Parking actually costs more than the admission tickets though which is a big down side
Have been to see ice a few times..generally takes about 2-3 hours to see the sculptures and walk the atrium.. Am put off by the $35.00 parking fee for such a short time.
I think it’s worth a stay, and I’d be interested to hear what you think if you go.
We’ve stayed at Gaylord Palms a couple of times (though not during the holidays yet) and did ICE! three times at Gaylord Rockies when we lived in Colorado.
The Palms is a fun resort. The atrium is impressive, the pool/water park is great, and the holiday decorations look incredible from everything we’ve seen. Parking is definitely expensive, but we’re Bonvoy members and usually only book when there’s a package deal.
As for ICE!, the sculptures and movie scenes are genuinely impressive. I’d say the marketing photos are pretty accurate, aside from making everything look a little bigger with wide-angle shots. It’s especially good for younger kids, and they provide parkas, so you don’t need to pack bulky winter gear.
Regarding the “nickel-and-diming” comments, most of those are separate attractions rather than part of ICE! itself. The ice slides have always been included with our ICE! tickets, while tubing and some of the other activities cost extra.
We’ve always booked one of the hotel packages that includes the room, parking, ICE!, and the other holiday activities. If you book early and go during an off-peak period, we’ve found it to be excellent value—more like paying for an all-access pass at somewhere like Great Wolf Lodge.
I grew up in Nashville (although don’t live there any longer) and have done “Ice!” a number of times over the years when we travel back to see family. I have also stayed at Gaylord Opryland in Nashville during the “non-Christmas season” and visited many times during the Christmas seasons. I’m not sure if Gaylord Palms in Orlando is the same but assuming that it is similar, I will say that staying at the hotel during Christmas will be nothing short of magical. They do a phenomenal job at making the interior and exterior of the hotel sparkle with Christmas spirit (again,at least in Nashville).
But going back to “Ice!”. I have seen the Polar Express, Charlie Brown Christmas, Dr. Seuss’s Christmas and the Nutcracker and each were great in their own way! They were well done but timing DOES matter and I’ve found that if you can go on an “off time” or at least when it’s a bit less busy, it’s much more enjoyable. Also, bring gloves/hat/warm socks! It will allow you to stay longer and enjoy what you paid for!
We stayed at the Nashville Gaylord last year for our anniversary in October and was super impressed with the hotel and service around it. I’d love to see the Tom Bricker treatment for Gaylord Orlando- how does it service families? What are the onsite amenities and how do they compare to WDW resorts / Disney Springs resorts / off site / Universal? What’s the theme park service schedule / rating? Especially with Gaylord resorts being in the Marriott family of hotels, I think your readers who’ve been banking points for a Marriott stay in Orlando would love to know how this stacks up compared to Swolphin + Marriott World.
I would love to read more about Ice! whether it is the Orlando resort or one elsewhere. Sounds right up my street.
I would say that ICE and the whole little winter thing they do is totally worth it with young kids. When we have gone they had indoor sledding, ice skating, snowball tossing, snowman building, etc. but if you can absolutely go on a weekday that is not over Christmas break. The last time we went the hotel itself was so packed we couldn’t even get dinner at a restaurant without waiting 2 hours. I would not deal with that level of crowds again.
While I have never been to the Gaylord in Orlando, we have been to a couple different iterations of the holiday ice display at the nearby Gaylord Texan here in the Dallas area. Obviously this kind of thing is very subjective, but I would recommend anyone who has any emotional connection to the intellectual properties making up the theme this year to give it a try. We have always enjoyed it and began planning to attend this year the second HP was mentioned as the theme. It can be a bit pricey, but we’ve found it to be worth the money each time we’ve gone.
Thanks for sharing! It’d be a no-brainer if the one near us outside of San Diego were doing Elf or Home Alone. Charlie Brown Christmas is still pretty good, and even though I have no nostalgia for the Polar Express movie (not even sure I ever made it all the way through or was turned off by the CGI), but I read the book a ton as a kid.
We have stayed at the Gaylord Palms many times over the years and will be splitting our stay this year between there and the cabins at Ft Wilderness. The Christmas decorations at the Gaylord are really stunning not to mention the Christmas shows! Highly recommend an atrium view room with a balcony to watch the lights late at night after the parks.
We’ve been to ICE too but not recently. Would love to get your take on it!
I went to the Polar Express in 2019 with friends whilst visiting from the UK and really enjoyed the experience. It helps if you’re familiar with the book or the film before your visit. It was amazing to see the incredible ice sculptures and they followed the story’s theme very well. In the UK the Polar Express is very popular, especially with children up the age of about 8 or 9 and some heritage railways operate “Polar Express special rail excursions” which are a pre-Christmas highlight for many children.
I’ve read the book hundreds, if not thousands, of times. Oddly, not sure whether I made it all the way through the film.
On top of that, our daughter loves trains. Perhaps that is the right one for us. Hmmm.
my grandma and her daughter would go every year to a Gaylord resort and do ice. she was always impressed. I’d love to go at least once but I’ll go somewhere closer to me or not in Disney (packing winter clothes for a.florida trip feels strange too) I’m already limited on space in my car (gotta have room for all the souvenirs I manage to walk out with every trip). would be interesting to see what your experience is like. it’s been something I’ve wanted to do with the kids but I think it will be one of the type of things I do when I want to stay at the resort there instead of driving to.
That’s a great point about the extra packing! Might be easier as its own trip as opposed to part of a WDW vacation. Unless you manage to book a trip when the actual weather is also cold–nothing beats winter weather in Florida, but kind of hard to plan for that!
Count me as interested in Gaylord Palms coverage. We used a free night to stay at the Waldorf Astoria and had a good view of Gaylord Palms across I-4 from our hotel. It looked huge and we decided it would be fun to check it out some day.
Gaylord lol
I’ve done Ice! A few times, both in Orlando and more recently (last year) in Nashville. The ice displays are amazing, but the crowds have always been very heavy, and I agree with others – it was expensive with a lot of “nickel and diming” going on. Overall, I felt rushed and crowded, and disappointed at the expense, especially last year when I had to pay for kids tickets for my three year old twins. I really wanted to like it, but I just can’t justify the price. I would be curious for your perspective.
The Polar Express at National Harbor was worth it last winter, especially on what was probably a slow day (New Years Eve) as they let you stay as long as you want once you’re in. The Gaylord resorts can be a good value use of Bonvoy points and credit card free night certificates.
@JS-We did the same last year. Crowds were really low and great. Love these displays. Imo, Orlando and CA can keep Nightmare before Christmas though-that’s not Christmasy…
I was shocked, too – I thought that was a given! They may have updated their policy, of course, but their parking is extremely tight so they may feel it’s necessary.
Admittedly I’ve never heard of this resort, but I would say that we are mildly interested. We will be at DW for the week of Thanksgiving without park tickets (we already have tix for MVMCP and JN) and might be willing to add this as an additional diversion, especially as the tickets seem pretty inexpensive, at least by Disney standards.
We visited Ice! at the Gaylord Palms two or three years ago when it was Charlie Brown. The ice itself was great – the artistry is so impressive! The crowd control was good, so you could see things pretty easily. Overall the experience was not great. It felt very nickel-and-dime with extra pricing for so many things, including $45 for parking, extra fees for using the slide, and pricey food and drink. We did explore the hotel afterward and there were restaurants I’d like to visit but, given the price for parking on top of very pricey options, we won’t go back unless it’s something really compelling.
Wow. I’m honestly shocked that they don’t validate parking. That and the additional nickel & diming complaints are definitely not great!
I was shocked, too. I would have thought that was a given. They may have updated their policy since then, of course.