One of the highlights of the holiday season in the DMV is when the Gaylord National Resort finally opens its doors, revealing the incredible art sculptures made totally of ice. And while the pandemic put the kibosh on the festivities the last two years, the freezing-cold displays of ICE! are set to return this year.
This DMV tradition will bring guests into the world of A Christmas Story from November 25 to December 31. Tickets range from $27.99 to $36.99 for children ages 4 to 11 and $36.99 to $44.99 for guests 12 and older. Prior to the pandemic, the Maryland resort hosted the holiday event for 10 consecutive years – but international travel restrictions kept many of the ICE! sculptors from traveling to the region over the last two years, causing its cancellation.
“We can’t wait for our guests to experience the magic and wonder of ICE! once again during this year’s Christmas at Gaylord National celebration,” said Dan McKeon, area general manager at Gaylord National Resort, in a recent press release. “Since debuting here in 2009, ICE! has always been a one-of-a-kind attraction for our guests, and we’re excited to welcome this Gaylord Hotels tradition back this year with A Christmas Story.”
While we may only watch A Christmas Story one day out of the year (shoutout to TBS for the annual marathon), we can easily picture the iconic scenes and repeat those famous catch phrases without hesitation. And the sculptors of ICE! are set to bring all of those classic images to life with clear and colored ice and LED lights.
The nearly 17,000-square-foot attraction will feature 10 different scenes from the movie, including the leg lamp, Ralphie in the pink bunny suit, and the ultimate triple dog dare at the school’s flagpole. Altogether, the display will take carvers six weeks — over 12,000 hours — to shape the 6,000 massive ice blocks into the scenes that we know and love.
The venue — which stays at 9 degrees to keep the ice from melting — also features some other fun ice attractions. The notable two-story-tall ice slides, which takes riders through ice tunnels and under arches, will also be making its return. At the end of the ICE! experience guests will marvel at the Nativity scene, which is intricately carved out of crystal-clear ice.
In addition to the icy attractions, the resort is also bringing back many of its other beloved holiday festivities. While at the resort, visitors will also be able to take a ride in the ice bumper cars, see the original production of Cirque: Spirit of Christmas, explore the Snow Factory, catch the new Shine Light Show, and share their holiday wishes with Santa Claus.
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