Ice! at the Gaylord Resorts is truly a unique experience.  It is incredible what these artisans can carve out of huge blocks of ice and it is amazing the details they can create.  I remember many many years ago my husband and I going to see Ice! before we had kids and loving every minute. This year it was even better to see it through my kids eyes.  We decided to take a trip to Aurora, Colorado to check out this event at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center.  The reason we picked this location is because the theme for their Ice! event is A Charlie Brown Christmas and my kids really like Charlie Brown.  Each Gaylord Resort has a their own theme so they are all different depending on which city you go to.  

Right when we walked up to the Ice! entrance we were each given a large blue parka to wear.  It is 9 degrees Fahrenheit inside so you will need it!  I even recommend bringing your own hats and gloves because anything you can use to keep warm is worth it and makes the experience more enjoyable.  We were lucky when we went because there was not a line to get in, however if you are planning to go on a weekend or closer to Christmas be prepared for a wait.  They do have activities in the queue for kids to check out which adds to the experience. 

After getting our parkas we went inside and all we could say was wow!  Or at least all of the grownups and my 9 year old said wow, but my 3 year old was a little freaked out!  I think he was intimidated by the large statues because they look so real, but luckily he got more into it by the end.  It was like a winter wonderland with everything carved out of ice.  They were playing music from Charlie Brown and right away there were so many awesome picture spots.  We are really big fans of Peanuts and their shows so it was fun for us to hear the Charlie Brown Christmas Story as we walked through.  They really did a nice job of making it feel like your were part of the story.

When we turned the next corner we saw the slides made of ice! These were a big hit with the kids (and many adults too!). This is the one area inside of Ice! where you may experience a small wait.  Since the rest of the exhibit you can go at your own pace you can take your time and there is no wait, however for the slides depending on how busy it is you may have to wait a few minutes before going down.  I thought the slides were a nice treat, however my 9 year old felt they were a little too slow!  I think he expected to fly down super fast, but given that everything is made of ice I did not mind the slower pace!  We did learn that if you tuck the bottom part of your parka under you and pick your feet up a little bit you are able to go a little faster.  Be prepared to spend some extra time at this spot because the kids will really enjoy and it is fun to take pictures and videos.

I was happy to see that even after the slides the exhibit was not complete.  We went through the last few rooms, heard the end of the story and got to see many more Peanuts characters.  The last room was really spectacular because they had a huge nativity scene. It was carved out of clear ice so it really stood out and was something special to end our walk through. The entire walk took us around 30 minutes. We tried to take our time and really stop and admire the art work.  Since it is a “go at your own pace” walk you can take as little or as long as you would like to enjoy the experience.

I am really glad that Ice! is back at the Gaylord Resorts.  We enjoy visiting these resorts over the holidays and this is just icing on the cake. Who knows maybe we will make our way to the Gaylord Texan to see The Polar Express Ice! before the season is over.

A few items to note if you are considering a visit to Ice! at one of the Gaylord Resorts:

-There is a fee for parking and the price depends on how long you stay to enjoy the resort.

-Ice! is an activity for the entire family, however I would say it is best for anyone over the age of 5.  However, as always it depends on your family and what your children of any age enjoy!

-I highly recommend bringing warm hats and gloves to go along with the parkas they give you.  I also recommend if you do have kids under 5 to bring their own jacket instead of using the parkas provided because it was a little hard to find the right size for our 3 year old and we want to make sure they are warm!

-Book your tickets online prior to your visit so you can select your preferred day and time and make sure you get a ticket because sometimes they sell out. They also have been having some deals lately so check that out before purchasing your tickets. You can find all of the details and where to purchase tickets for the Gaylord Texan Christmas event here: https://christmasatgaylordtexan.marriott.com/

-If you are looking for smaller crowds I recommend going during the week because the weekends are busy.  The resort will also be pretty busy during Christmas break when kids are out of school.

-After you are done with Ice! I highly recommend a walk around the resort.  They have so many beautiful decorations and a lot of great photo spots!