ICE! at Gaylord Palms: Ice carvers begin preparing for annual holiday event

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - It's beginning to look a lot like the holidays at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee.

Dozens of ice carvers from Harbin, China arrived in Central Florida this week to begin building the annual ICE! exhibit. This year's theme is based on the Dr. Seuss classic "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" which is the first time it has been featured at the holiday event. 

Creating the event is no easy feat: the artisans have to hand-carve 2 million pounds of ice that make up the elaborate, 20,000-square-foot frozen exhibit. Guests will walk through 10 different scenes from the Grinch story, encountering ice statues of The Grinch, his dog Max and the residents of Who-ville. 

The sculptures start off as a big block of ice – some clear and some colorful – before being transformed into a Grinch-inspired work of art. The artists use different tools including chainsaws and picks to get the job done. 

To keep the ice sculptures from melting, the exhibit is kept at a very chilly 9-degrees! Visitors will be handed a blue parka to wear throughout the experience, but gloves and scarves are recommended. 

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In addition to seeing characters from the classic Dr. Seuss tale, guests can also take rides down two-story-tall ice slides, explore ice tunnels and arches, and visit Carver’s Showcase to see live sculpting demonstrations. The ICE! experience concludes in a separate area dedicated to a Nativity scene, carved and shaped in a dramatic display of crystal-clear ice. 

This year's ICE! event is the first after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

ICE! runs from Nov. 18, 2022 - Jan. 1, 2023. Tickets start at $39.00 per person. You can find more information HERE.