Artisans Sculpt 8 Million Pounds of Colorful Ice at Gaylord Hotels

More than 160 artisans from Harbin, China—home of the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival—have begun a blizzard of building to create Gaylord Hotels’ signature ICE! attraction—a frigid winter wonderland of brilliantly colored ice panoramas.  Download images.

Open to the public from mid-November through early January, ICE!, presented by Pepsi, is the anchor attraction for over-the-top holiday celebrations at Gaylord Hotels’ four massive resorts.

“Each of our four locations offers more than 2 million pounds of ice sculptures and 20-foot-tall ice slides,” said Warren Lyng, director of special events for Gaylord Hotels. “We’re excited to introduce new ICE! themes for 2014 and to offer a brand new interactive area called The Frostbite Factory where visitors can watch artisans carve ice sculptures right before their eyes.”

ICE! features a frozen retelling of the holiday favorite, Frosty the Snowman™, at both at Gaylord Texan’s Lone Star Christmas near Dallas in Grapevine, Texas, and  Gaylord National’s Christmas on the Potomac in National Harbor, Maryland, near Washington, D.C.

Visitors at Gaylord Opryland’s A Country Christmas in the lively Music City of Nashville, Tennessee, will see Ma in her kerchief, Pa in his cap and Saint Nick with his eight reindeer in scenes from the classic holiday poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.

ICE! at Christmas at Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Florida will bring scenes from The Nutcracker to life, accompanied by the original Tchaikovsky score, in a magical adventure with Clara and her Nutcracker Prince.

ICE! is kept at 9 degrees Fahrenheit with 10-inch-thick walls. A series of inter-connected rooms features breathtaking, 3-D sculpted ice pieces, including two-story-tall ice slides and memorable holiday scenes. Each ICE! display concludes with a Nativity carved from crystal clear ice and an audio telling of the story.

A wide variety of ICE! upgraded experiences are available, ranging from VIP behind-the-scenes tours to wedding proposal packages and more. Visitors ages 21 and up can “chill out” at On The Blocks, the exclusive bar at ICE! at select properties. This new upgrade option includes signature drink samples poured through an ice luge into a souvenir glass.

Tickets and holiday vacation packages are on sale now at www.ChristmasAtGaylordHotels.com.

Gaylord Hotels, part of the Marriott portfolio of brands, offers extraordinary environments with “everything in one place”— diverse dining options, a full-service spa, top-notch entertainment, on-site shopping and more. Gaylord Hotels include Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee; Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Florida near Orlando; Gaylord Texan on Lake Grapevine, Texas; Gaylord National on the Potomac in National Harbor, Maryland; and The Inn at Opryland® in Nashville, Tennessee. For more information, visit www.GaylordHotels.com.

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, with more than 4,100 properties in 79 countries and territories.  Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $13 billion in fiscal year 2013. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 18 brands. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.

Frosty the Snowman™ & © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. & Classic Media, LLC.  Based upon the musical composition FROSTY THE SNOWMAN © Warner/Chappell.