13 Ways to Celebrate a Festive Christmas at Gaylord Palms Resort
Looking for fun and festive things to do in Orlando? Check out Christmas at Gaylord Palms Resort for a festive time with friends and family!
Each Christmas season, Gaylord Palms transforms into a winter wonderland of holiday splendor.
Holiday nights sparkle with 3 million lights and more than 100 decorated Christmas trees on display – including the centerpiece, a 60-foot-tall tree in the main atrium, and 12 elaborately themed trees along the atrium's Christmas Tree Trail.
Character dining experiences delight, while performers amaze guests in “Cirque: Spirit of Christmas,” a live show featuring high-flying stunts, acrobatic feats, and an original musical score.
The fun-filled Snow Factory features ice (affiliate link) tubing, snowball throwing, and a themed pop-up bar, Snow Bar.
Santa greets guests, and Mrs. Claus gets into the holiday fun with storytelling and sing-alongs. A Christmas escape room and seasonal scavenger hunt test guests' riddle-solving skills, while hands-on fun takes center stage in the Gingerbread Decorating Corner and Elf Training Academy.
“ICE (affiliate link)!” is the signature attraction each holiday season, with scenes from classic holiday films coming to life in dramatic ice displays. International carvers from Harbin, China (also known as “Ice City” because it hosts the world's largest snow and ice sculpting festival in the world) spend five to six weeks creating the attraction, which is presented in an arctic environment where the temperature stays at 9 degrees Fahrenheit.
Christmas at Gaylord Palms runs from November 17, 2023 – January 3, 2024!
Christmas at Gaylord Palms
1. A Charlie Brown Christmas
Gaylord Palms Resort's longtime holiday tradition, ICE! featuring A Charlie Brown Christmas returns to provide guests with Christmas cheer in a one-of-a-kind, 9-degree attraction with over 20,000-square-foot and 10 immersive scenes!
Embark on a spellbinding journey through enchanting scenes inspired by the iconic ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas,' brought to life with over two million pounds of intricately carved ice. Dive into the extraordinary holiday adventure of ICE!, where you can glide down towering two-story ice slides, wander through immersive ice tunnels and arches, and immerse yourself in vibrant, multi-sensory scenes featuring cherished Peanuts characters like Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Sally, Linus, and Peppermint Patty!
The entire resort has transformed into a holiday wonderland with more than 3 million lights, elaborately themed Christmas trees, more than 20,000 ornaments, and miles of garland.
2. Merry Snoopy Christmas Scavenger Hunt
Snoopy needs your help to find the most festive decorations for his doghouse! Throughout this scavenger hunt, you'll need to search high and low in the 4.5-acre garden atrium and follow clues to locate some dazzling decor for his famous red house. Find all the decorations and complete the quest to receive a seasonal souvenir! The cost is $14.99 per book (plus tax).
3. Snow Flow Mountain
Take a thrilling ride down Snow Flow Mountain! Hop on a tube and slide down real ice lanes. Race family and friends to reach the finish! Your ticket lets you enjoy unlimited tubing thrills on your ticket date.
4. Snowball Build and Blast
Snowball Build and Blast allows guests to build and toss real snowballs to boost the power of snowmaking machines.
Real snowballs in Florida? With a little Christmas magic, you'll receive a tub of snow so you can build and toss real snowballs to boost the power of the snowmaking machines. Take your best aim at the targets and let the snowballs fly!
The full lineup of Christmas activities includes so much Christmas fun.
5. Special Holiday Dining
Enjoy special holiday dining experiences at the newly renovated Villa de Flora on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve!
6. Cirque: Spirit of Christmas
This Broadway-style spectacle centers around Noel, a child dismayed and distressed by the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Trying to recapture her lost love of the season, she is visited by spirits who bring back the true meaning of the season in energetic, dreamlike chapters.
7. The Greatest Story
The Greatest Story is a multicultural, musical journey celebrating the story of Christ.
The birth of Jesus Christ has been called “the greatest story ever told.” Experience it through the eyes of six international storytellers in a musical stage show and multicultural celebration of everlasting faith, hope, and love.
Complimentary seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Guaranteed seating is available for purchase.
8. Elf Training Academy at Gaylord Palms Resort
We all envy Santa's elves: they have a great boss, eat tasty treats and sweets whenever they want, and can make their own Christmas gifts!
You have an opportunity to join Santa's staff at the Elf Workshop!
You will learn the secrets of becoming one of Santa's helpers from his top toy maker and create a keepsake gift or craft for someone special.
9. Watch the #LIT Light Show
Watch a one-of-a-kind light show in the St. Augustine atrium sky that will bring the fun of decorating the Christmas tree to life in the #LIT Light Show.
10. Cookie and Gingerbread House Decorating
A fun, sticky, and interactive decorating tradition that allows guests to choose from different design options to create either delectable holiday-themed gingerbread cookies or a complete gingerbread house in the Gingerbread Decorating Corner.
Plus, after decorating, guests can meet Nutmeg the Gingerbread Man for a heartwarming, socially distanced, photo meet and greet.
11. Meet Santa at Gaylord Palms Resort
Mailing a letter to the North Pole is great, but nothing can beat a personal visit with Santa Claus to let him know what you want for Christmas and make sure you're on his nice list.
Meet and greet with the big guy himself in Photos with Santa. Guests can tell Santa what’s on their Christmas lists this year.
Capture the moment with a keepsake photo.
12. Naughty or Nice Escape Room!
Yuletide trickster Jack Frost is back with icy antics and has added your name to Santa's Naughty List, but he has a deal for you: Sneak into Santa's office and solve the riddles and you'll be able to erase your names from the Naughty List.
You'll need to solve all the puzzles and dash away before St. Nick returns, or you might end up with a lump of coal in your stocking.
13. Storytime with Mrs. Claus
Join the jolliest hostess of all for a fun-filled celebration of Christmas traditions. Delight in the retelling of the Christmas classic, ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas, sing along to favorite holiday songs and share a batch of Santa's favorite snack – warm, freshly baked Christmas cookies and ice cold milk.
Christmas at Gaylord Palms Tickets and Packages
For almost two decades, Gaylord Palms has become legendary for providing magical holiday events and activities for winter visitors to experience, and this year will be no different.
Whether staying overnight or visiting for the day, Christmas at Gaylord Palms promises an abundance of exciting, interactive, and immersive experiences and activities suitable for all ages.
Discover SO. MUCH. CHRISTMAS. with savings up to 30% at Gaylord Palms when you bundle your favorite holiday activities – including ICE! featuring A Charlie Brown Christmas!
Tickets will sell out and guests are encouraged to purchase tickets well in advance.
STOP spending hours searching for Christmas Ornaments to make with your children on Pinterest!
Here are 30 Red Ted Art readers' FAVORITE Christmas Ornaments brought together in one book.
These ideas are tried and tested and can be enjoyed by the whole family!
