Beloved ICE! Attraction Returns with Exciting Expansions for the 2024 Christmas Season

The country’s most extraordinary frozen holiday attraction, ICE!, announces its 2024 Christmas season lineup and its debut in San Antonio, Texas. Kicking off this November, the 24-year-old holiday tradition created by and featured across all five Gaylord Hotels will also be held at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. Each location will feature 2 million pounds of expertly hand-carved, larger-than-life ice scenes and fan-favorite characters from memorable Christmas classics. Two iconic holiday favorites will join this year’s roster including Elf™ and the long-awaited return of Frosty the Snowman™. Tickets to all ICE! locations are on sale today, including a limited time offer exclusively at ICE.marriott.com.   

Overnight and local day guests at each destination will step into a winter wonderland that includes more than 10 immersive walk-through scenes, thrilling two-story ice slides, awe-inspiring passageways, and photo-worthy moments the entire family can enjoy.   

The dazzling ICE! holiday attraction is masterfully carved by a team of 240 expert artisans from Harbin, China, home of the world-famous Harbin Ice Festival. These skilled craftsmen spend about 40 days across six locations creating a vibrant, icy spectacle that fills a grand total of nearly 120,000 square feet. Visitors across the country will journey through vivid floor-to-ceiling scenes hand-crafted from 12 million pounds of ice. The attraction is kept at a chilly 9 degrees Fahrenheit to preserve the intricate, frozen detail. To stay warm, guests will don the attraction’s signature blue parkas.   

This year, six cherished classics will be reimagined at ICE! destinations nationwide:   

• ICE! featuring Frosty the Snowman at Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tenn. – Experience the magic of the snowman who came to life in this frozen, holiday wonderland. 
• ICE! featuring “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at Gaylord National on the Potomac in National Harbor, Md. – Guests will follow along with the lovable Charlie Brown as he rediscovers the meaning of Christmas. 
• ICE! featuring New Line Cinema’s Elf™ at Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Fla. – For the first time, experience New Line Cinema’s hilarious story which tells the tale of a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts on Christmas Eve and is transported back to the North Pole and raised as an elf. Years later Buddy learns he is not really an elf and goes on a journey to New York City to find his true identity.
• ICE! featuring Warner Bros.’ The Polar Express™ at Gaylord Rockies in Aurora, Colo. – Based on the beloved Warner Bros. film, families are invited to take an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, embarking on a journey of self-discovery that shows the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.
• ICE! featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer™ at Gaylord Texan on Lake Grapevine, Texas – Visitors will enjoy their favorite scenes from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the story of a young reindeer who used his luminous red nose to save Christmas. 
• ICE! featuring Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort in San Antonio, Texas – Showcasing the 1957 Dr. Seuss classic, families will experience the memorable evolution of the Grinch as he fails to destroy the Whos’ holiday spirit. 

ICE! serves as the centerpiece attraction to each destination’s over-the-top lineup of Christmas activities, live shows, and dining experiences. Among the family-friendly activities featured at each resort is a festive-themed Snow Factory, where visitors can take a breathtaking plummet through a thrilling ice tube adventure and boost the power of the snow machines by crafting and hurling snowballs at designated targets. New resort-specific highlights for the 2024 season include an original production of Cirque: Frost, a live show at Gaylord Rockies, and a Christmas dinner show at Gaylord Opryland. To explore the wintertime festivities and book exclusive packages at each destination visit ICE.marriott.com.  

Guests who stay overnight will be able to access resort-only benefits including the Extra Cool Hour and Chill Pass, which allow overnight visitors early admission into ICE! and the Christmas Village, as well as front-of-the-line access to the attraction. Benefits may vary among resorts. Beginning today, guests can book special early bird packages or tickets by visiting ICE.marriott.com to receive their limited-time discount. Terms, conditions, and blackout dates apply.   

ICE! will be presented during the following dates:  

• Gaylord Opryland: Nov. 8, 2024 – Jan. 4, 2025 featuring Frosty the Snowman™  
• Gaylord National: Nov. 15, 2024 – Dec. 28, 2024 featuring “A Charlie Brown Christmas”
• Gaylord Palms: Nov. 15, 2024 – Jan. 4, 2025 featuring New Line Cinema’s Elf™
• Gaylord Rockies: Nov. 22, 2024 – Jan. 1, 2025 featuring Warner Bros.’ The Polar Express™
• Gaylord Texan: Nov. 15, 2024 – Jan. 5, 2025 featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer™
• JW Marriott San Antonio: Nov. 23, 2024 – Jan. 5, 2025 featuring Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

ABOUT ICE!

The annual ICE! events bring to life beloved Christmas stories hand-carved by master artisans from Harbin, China at resorts around the United States. Created and designed by Gaylord Hotels, ICE! debuted at Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tenn. in 2001. ICE! has been visited by tens of millions of visitors who travel to each resort to see more than 2 million pounds carved into beloved scenes and characters, two-story ice slides, photo-worthy tunnels and archways, and more. ICE! takes place at each Gaylord Hotels resort across the United States, including Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Md., Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tenn., Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Fla., Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora, Colo. and Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas, in 2024, ICE! makes its debut at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country in San Antonio, Texas. More information can be found at ICE.marriott.com.   

ABOUT GAYLORD HOTELS

Gaylord Hotels, part of the Marriott portfolio of brands, welcomes guests to more, with extraordinary environments, diverse dining options, full-service spas, pools, top-notch entertainment, shopping and more. Locations include Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee; Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Florida; Gaylord Texan on Lake Grapevine, Texas; Gaylord National on the Potomac in National Harbor, Maryland; Gaylord Rockies in Aurora, CO; and making its debut in 2025 Gaylord Pacific in Chula Vista, California. 

ABOUT JW MARRIOTT SAN ANTONIO HILL COUNTRY RESORT & SPA 

Welcome to a San Antonio resort truly worthy of the Lone Star State. JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa has firmly established itself as the city’s premier luxury destination and the most renowned resort in the magnificent Texas Hill Country. Rated 4-Diamonds by AAA and just 12 miles north of San Antonio International Airport, the resort features two 18-hole championship golf courses at TPC San Antonio, Lantana Spa, the 9-acre River Bluff Water Experience, seven distinctive restaurants, 265,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting and event space, and more than 1,000 custom-designed guest rooms. Whether you’re seeking a peaceful respite, productive meeting or exciting and fun-filled family vacation, JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is designed not just to exceed expectations but redefine them. For information, call 1-210-276-2500 or visit the resort online, and on Instagram and Facebook.

ABOUT WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY GLOBAL THEMED ENTERTAINMENT 

Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment (WBDGTE), part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s Revenue & Strategy division, is a worldwide leader in the creation, development, and licensing of location-based entertainment, live events, exhibits, and theme park experiences based on the biggest franchises, stories and characters from Warner Bros.’ film, television, animation, and games studios, HBO, Discovery, DC, Cartoon Network and more. WBDGTE is home to the groundbreaking locations of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal theme parks around the world, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, The WB Abu Dhabi, The FRIENDS Experience, The Game of Thrones Studio Tour and countless other experiences inspired by Harry Potter, DC, Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Game of Thrones, FRIENDS and more. With best-in-class partners, WBDGTE allows fans around the world to physically immerse themselves inside their favorite brands and franchises.

ABOUT DR. SEUSS ENTERPRISES

Founded in 1993, Dr. Seuss Enterprises is a leading global children’s entertainment and licensing company focused on promoting literacy, education, self-confidence, and the wonderful possibilities of a child’s imagination through the beloved works of Dr. Seuss. All Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ profits benefit charitable organizations that focus on causes such as education, health, animal conservation, and the arts. For more information visit DrSeussEnterprises.com or follow us on Instagram.

ABOUT UNIVERSAL LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

Universal Live Entertainment partners with best-in-class entertainment companies to bring today’s most popular stories, characters, and adventures to life in a city near you. From larger-than-life touring shows to immersive, walk-through exhibitions and family entertainment centers, Universal’s world-class entertainment brands are delivered across the globe for families, friends, and people of all ages to enjoy. Productions include Jurassic World Live Tour, Jurassic World: The Exhibition, A Minion’s Perspective, The Office Experience, American Ninja Warrior Adventure Parks, Film with Live Orchestra concerts and more.  

Universal Live Entertainment is a division of Universal Destinations & Experiences, a unit of Comcast NBCUniversal. With incredible theme park destinations across the globe, Universal Destinations & Experiences offers guests of all ages the most exciting and popular entertainment experiences. Universal theme parks are known for immersive experiences that feature some of the world’s most thrilling and technologically advanced film-and-television-based attractions.

ABOUT PEANUTS

The characters of Peanuts and related intellectual property are owned by Peanuts Worldwide, which is 41% owned by WildBrain Ltd., 39% owned by Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and 20% owned by the family of Charles M. Schulz, who first introduced the world to Peanuts in 1950, when the comic strip debuted in seven newspapers. Since then, Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang have made an indelible mark on popular culture. In addition to enjoying beloved Peanuts shows and specials on Apple TV+, fans of all ages celebrate the Peanuts brand worldwide through thousands of consumer products, as well as amusement park attractions, cultural events, social media, and comic strips available in all formats, from traditional to digital. In 2018, Peanuts partnered with NASA on a multi-year Space Act Agreement designed to inspire a passion for space exploration and STEM among the next generation of students.   

• Warner Bros.’ Elf™: ELF and all related characters and elements © & ™ New Line Productions, Inc.  
• Warner Bros.’ The Polar Express™: THE POLAR EXPRESS and all related characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.  
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer™: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and all related elements © & ™ under license to Character Arts, LLC. All rights reserved.   
• “A Charlie Brown Christmas”: © 2024 Peanuts Worldwide LLC.   
• Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!: TM & © 2024 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. All Rights Reserved.  
• Frosty the Snowman: TM & © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. & Classic Media, LLC. Based on the musical composition FROSTY THE SNOWMAN © Warner/Chappell.  

MEDIA CONTACT

Ali McFarland

Brand Public Relations Manager   Marriott InternationalAli.McFarland@gaylordhotels.com