This post about ICE! at Gaylord Palms featuring A Charlie Brown Christmas has absolutely nothing to do with Disney Cruise Line or even Disney. However, Gaylord Palms is located just down Osceola Parkway from ESPN Wide World of Sports and therefore based on Orlando media standard can be associated with Disney by proximity. Oh, there is another Disney connection, ABC plays the special multiple times during the holiday season. Anyway, that enough supporting evidence ICE! is far less than six degrees of separation from Disney Cruise Line, lets get to ICE!.
Gaylord Palms was well ahead of the Frozen hoopla as they have been presenting ICE! for years. The annual holiday walk through exhibit featuring two-million pounds of hand-carved ice sculptures is kept at 9ºF which for me is -71ºF from my happy place. Those shiny blue coats are provided, but I still layered up to stay warm, 9ºF is not a joke. Gaylord Palms does required you to wear pants and closed toed shoes and hats and gloves are recommended.
Each year there is a theme to the ice carvings. This year’s theme was one that hit home for our family, we love Snoopy and the entire Peanuts gang. So when we learned ICE! was going to be inspired by A Charlie Brown Christmas we knew we had to go check it out. It has been over 5 years since we last bundled up and Charlie Brown was definitely the main reason.
The ice carvings follow the story of the 1965 animated television special.
If you look past Charlie Brown and the mail box you will see an in exhibit ice bar. On the Blocks ICE! bar is an exclusive bar inside ICE! for adults only. For an extra charge of $15.95 adults can upgrade their ICE! experience to enjoy three select beverage samplings: The Jolly Mint specialty drink featuring Jackson Morgan Southern Cream and Hangar One Vodka; a Goose Island Beer; plus a Merry Margarita featuring Milagro Tequila. We did not have the opportunity to check out the bar since it was adults only.
Lucy’s Psychiatric Help booth was the family’s favorite part of the experience.
Midway through ICE!, there are four ice slides. The line varies and at this point is where it helps to layer up as the 9ºF begins to set in. Maybe this would be a better location for the ice bar.
Another great photo opportunity is Snoopy’s dog house.
The grand finale features a smiling Charlie Brown and the gang signing Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.
As a bonus, the Frostbite Zone, an appropriately named (by this stage) ice carving demonstration area.
The final room features an incredible crystal clear ice Nativity display.
A word about the 9º and your electronics. Emily was using her iPhone to take pictures and it powered down less than ten minutes into the cold. I left my phone in my pocket and it was fine. Most importantly my DSLR held up, but the amount of condensation literally dripping off of the camera body and lens as we exited the climate controlled area was a bit concerning. I turned the camera off and let it sit to reacclimate. Gaylord Palms provides the following warning about taking photos:
Guests are welcome to bring cameras and take photos inside the ICE! attraction. You can expect to experience a “fogging” of the lens when exiting from ICE! into warmer temperatures. This, however, usually goes away once the camera warms up. Please check the manufacturer information regarding the cold tolerance of your camera equipment. Gaylord Palms Resort is not responsible for damage to any camera equipment caused by the extreme cold temperature.
As you exit ICE! you can warm up while exploring the gift shop with themed merchandise and some refreshments.
Depending on the time you may get the opportunity for a character meet and greet. Snoopy is around, but only for the character breakfast experience which sounded fun, but did not fit in our schedule.
ICE! runs from November 18, 2016 to January 1, 2017 with hours varying by day. Prices also vary. Adult tickets are $29.99, Children $16.99 and Seniors $28.99. Children ages 0-3 are free. You can save a bit by ordering online, but this is offset by a $3 processing fee. I’d recommend the advanced purchase to get a designated time (think old school fastpass, you can enter anytime after the time on your ticket) otherwise you could end up waiting to enter. For example we had 1:30PM ticket on a Sunday. When were arrived walk up customers were being issued 3:30 PM tickets. I am sure this varies by day, but just something to keep in mind.
If you are driving to Gaylord Palms be prepared for the additional fees for parking which is not included with admission. Valet parking is available for $29 and self parking is $22 plus tax. Parking can be validated by visiting the restaurants within Gaylord Palms just first verify with your server or bartender for clarification.
You can find more about tickets and operating hours on the Gaylord Palms website.