We know there are certain Orlando theme parks that always get the most attention throughout the year. Whether you’re thinking of checking out the Disney theme parks or the Universal Orlando Resort you can still have an extra day to explore some of the great activities happening in the Central Florida area that revolve around the holidays. There are plenty of beautiful decorations in the Orlando malls, indoor skating rinks, opportunities to meet Santa, the Nutcracker Ballet and much more. But one of the most popular events has always been a holiday hotspot in Orlando thanks to the Gaylord Palms.

For seven years, ICE at the Gaylord Palms has welcomed guests to a sculptural ice village depicting adorable igloos, cute Eskimos, a Nativity scene, Santa, elves and every other holiday imagery you could think of. ICE is a huge undertaking for the staff of the Gaylord Palms to create the huge exhibit that draws in about 150,000 visitors a year! The ICE exhibit is called “The Florida Fridge” because it’s kept at 9 degrees to keep from melting and constantly sprayed by a “mister” that leaves the exhibits with a fresh coat of water that instantly freezes to keep the sculpture in place.

It takes 2 million lbs of ice from an ice factory in Georgia for ICE to be created each year. 40 Chinese artists come together to begin the sculptures ahead of the holiday seasons and every year the people of the Gaylord Palms make it better. There used to be ropes and bars that would keep visitors from getting too close of a look but those have since been removed and now you can check out the incredible detail of every sculpture in the Gaylord Palms’ ICE exhibit.
If you want to check out this great event make sure you bring some warm clothes and your camera, because you will want to take plenty of pictures. ICE first opened back in November and will run all the way until January 3rd, a perfect exhibit to check out for all the holidays and a great way to start off the New Year!