After a Two Year Hiatus, Opryland to Bring Back ICE Attraction This Holiday Season – Williamson Source

Gaylord Opryland Resort invites guests to freeze the day this Christmas as the longtime holiday tradition, ICE!, returns to the annual A Country Christmas celebration Nov. 11, 2022 Jan. 1, 2023, after a two-year hiatus.

Using more than 2 million pounds or 1,000 tons of ice, the classic 1964 Christmas animated television special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, will be brought to life by a team of 40 ice artisans who carve for thirty days to create the nearly 20,000-square-foot, frozen attraction.

Starting with more than 6,200 massive ice blocks created by three different ice manufacturers because of the sheer amount needed carvers will tally more than 12,000 manhours on the project. The artisans, using skills passed down from generation to generation, follow a 300-page design book to create the spectacle.

This year, ICE! will include 12 scenes from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, featuring classic characters including Clarice, Bumble. Sam the Snowman, Hermey the Elf, and of course Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer himself. Ice carvings range in size from details as tiny as a coin to soaring scenes more than 20 feet tall.

The environment will be kept frozen by a state-of-the-art chilling system which maintains the temperature at a frosty 9 degrees Fahrenheit. And while the 9-degree temperatures turn ICE! into one of the coldest spots in Nashville, guests experiencing the attraction will be provided Gaylord Oprylands signature blue parkas to keep them warm and toasty.

Colored ice (created by a chemist who mixes special food colorings to ensure sculptures maintain their bright colors the entire season), clear ice, and LED lights are all used to create the display, as the frozen fun follows Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer as he guides Santas sleigh on Christmas Eve.

In addition to seeing characters from the classic television special, guests can also take rides down four two-story-tall ice slides and traverse through ice tunnels and arches. The ICE! experience concludes in a separate area dedicated to a beautiful Nativity scene, meticulously carved and shaped in a dramatic display of crystal-clear ice.

The talented carvers who create this arctic artwork will travel more than 6,413 miles from their homes in Harbin, China to Nashville, Tennessee. Known as Ice City, Harbin is no stranger to elaborate ice carvings its home to the worlds largest annual ice and snow sculpting festival. The artisans from Harbin have created ICE! for Gaylord Hotels for many years but havent been able to travel to the United States the past two holiday seasons because of international travel restrictions.

Theres Snow Much More!

While ICE! is the signature attraction for the 39th annual A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland, there are plenty more festive activities, events, attractions, and dazzling decorations throughout the 2,888-room property. The entire resort transforms into a holiday wonderland with more than 4 million lights, elaborately themed Christmas trees displayed throughout the property including a fully adorned 48- foot tree, 15,000 poinsettias,15 miles of green garland and 10 miles of hand-tied ribbon. Christmas shows and activities are presented in the atriums, while guests can also enjoy a variety of exciting experiences at Pinetop, an outdoor Appalachian-esque village.

Heres a rundown of the events, live entertainment, hands-on activities, holiday meals and exciting attractions taking place this holiday season at Gaylord Opryland:

Unique Holiday Dining Experiences

Outdoor NativityStep outside of the resort to experience special lighting effects and an audio rendition of the beloved biblical story.

Indoor Adventures

Christmas Hiring Events

Gaylord Opryland will hold several A Country Christmas hiring events beginning August 18 to fill nearly two hundred seasonal part-time and seasonal full-time positions including Special Event Manager, Special Event Coordinator and Special Event Attendants for Retail, Box Office, Delta Riverboat Co. driver, and Attraction locations. For more information on hiring events and to apply online, visit GaylordOprylandHiring.com.

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After a Two Year Hiatus, Opryland to Bring Back ICE Attraction This Holiday Season - Williamson Source