Thank you to the Gaylord Opryland for providing accommodations and tickets to ICE!. All thoughts and words are my own.
Our family has always talked about going to see the lights at the Gaylord Opryland just outside of Nashville, Tennessee. We enjoy driving around and seeing our local light displays; we even once visited a display set to music. And the Gaylord Opryland also has other fun holiday events, like a Shrek Holiday Feast, ICE! Featuring Frosty the Snowman, shops, a nativity, and more.
So when the lovely folks at the hotel offered for us to come down and check out the ICE! Featuring Frosty the Snowman display, we of course accepted. I thought Bubbles would get a kick out of the brightly-colored ice figurines and spending a night on such a beautiful property sounded great, too. And as the Gaylord Opryland is within convenient driving distance from us, it was a good fit to go.
Gaylord Opryland
After checking in, we wound our way up through a beautiful indoor atrium in what is called the Cascades area. It’s aptly named as there’s actually a cascading waterfall on one side of the atrium. On the other is one the hotel’s main restaurants, the Cascades American Cafe. The dress is casual – the seating is open to the atrium – and upon check in it was the eatery recommended to us as one of the most family-friendly spots in the hotel.
We took the elevator up to our room. Our room was just off the Cascades atrium – we even had a cute little open-air balcony where we could look out at the greenery, Christmas lights, and diners below us. I was a little worried that the room might be a bit noisy with all the hustle and bustle of the hotel just outside our balcony doors, but we never heard a peep.
After regrouping for a short time, we set out to explore the hotel and head over to ICE! Featuring Frosty the Snowman. Hotel check in starts at 3 p.m. and ICE! closes at 7 p.m. so we didn’t really want to dawdle too much in between. We did stop into Stax, a design-your-own burger spot – and had a quite late lunch/early dinner.
ICE! Featuring Frosty the Snowman
ICE! is in the convention center across from the resort. It was a short walk and there are crossing guards to help keep things moving and keep folks safe. ICE! Featuring Frosty the Snowman is hand-carved by 40 artists from Harbin, China. They use 2 million pounds of ice kept at a chilly 9 degrees. Be sure to wear hats, mittens, comfortable close-toed shoes, and warm clothes. The resort provides all guests a full-length blue parka available in all sizes, including infants and toddlers.
You’ll be amazed at the snow sculptures. They look exactly like the characters from the movie and are brightly colored. The entire Frosty the Snowman special is played out through carved scenes, from the creation of Frosty, to his melting, to his reformation.
In the middle of the town from the special there is a really unique feature. The sculptors have created slides made from ice that you can actually go and slide down. Bubbles could have gone down the slide with one of us, but I felt she was still a tiny bit young for something like that, so we passed. But it looked like a lot of fun!
There are also two bonus areas, one featuring New York City, and the other a nativity done all in clear ice. I had never seen anything like it in my entire life and am so glad we all experienced it together. It’s pretty amazing.
By the time we left ICE! it was dark and all the lights were lit. We took a tour around the resort before heading back to our room. Between the drive, the excitement, and the cold, everyone was sleepy. Of course we did have to stop off at one of the coffee spots to get a hot chocolate for the walk back to the room.
I highly recommend if you get the chance that you visit the Gaylord Opryland during the holidays. The lights and ICE! were both awesome, and I think the gingerbread house-building event with Gingy (from Shrek) would be a ton of fun for kiddos, too. I’d love to go back and see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Starring The Rockettes, too!
With whom will you visit the Gaylord Opryland?
About Liza
Liza is a mom (5-year-old daughter, 20-year-old stepson, and 24-year-old stepdaughter) and wife living in Louisville. She loves spending time with her family, visiting the local zoo and parks, as well as planning travel adventures. Cooking and baking, DIY projects and crafts, and coffee - lots and lots of coffee - round out some of her other hobbies.
I’m so jealous! I want to be a part of that right and now. It’s just the sort of thing I love to do with my family and everything is so beautiful; then the show looks so much fun! I wish we could do something like over Christmas – that would be great.
Wow! That looks like an amazing place to stay. Plus, it looks like your family had a blast!
Wow! Thank you for sharing your amazing photos! We stayed at the Gaylord a few years ago and absolutely loved it. I really wish we lived closer so we could check out the Ice exhibit. The sculptures are absolutely amazing.
This looks like such an amazing event for the holiday season. So glad your baby girl had a wonderful time 😉
This is AWESOME! We saw the Grinch ice exhibition at the Gaylord in DC! So fun!!!
That place is AMAZING!!! My sister in law used to work there for a while! I am sure you had a wonderful time!
I’d love to take my husband and my son and daughter. It looks like so much fun, and it’s great that Frosty is the real Frosty!
Wow, that looks amazing! I would love to come see this sometime, especially if it means I get to go to Opryland!
OMG that looks AMAZING!!! I would love to take my boys to see all of that! They are a sucker for a fun hotel!
Aww, my girls would LOVE this!!!
I am totally in awe of all of the awesome photos. When I grew up I looked forward every year to Frosty the Snowman. The memories all of your pictures showed brought me right back. The accomodations-awesome, the huge poinsettia tree-amazing. I am just in love with this whole post. Thank you so very much for posting such a heart warming experience. I smiled too when I saw your daughter in those footy pjs as my granddaughter got the same ones for her birthday.
Frosty is my kids favorite holiday movie! We can’t wait to watch it every year. We’d love to check this out.
Those ice sculptures are amazing! I have never seen colored ones before. And the hotel, everything you posted about was beautiful. What a wonderful trip!
We go to the one here in Orlando and it’s wonderful. I haven’t been to the one in Tennessee in many years, but I remember it being gorgeous as well.
Oh my goodness, what fun and so beautiful… Thank you so much for sharing
That looks like so much fun. I would love to visit some day.
Wow! That looks so amazing and just like the movie. How beautiful and festive and what a great thing to do with your family before the holidays. I love the yellows of the hotel room!
Beautiful place, especially at Christmas time. We were there a few years ago and it was such a relaxing environment. Love the photos!
Looks like a beautiful place, and I love love the Poinsetta tree that is stunning!! Wish I lived closer to go visit myself!!
That is just pure magic! One of these days I will make it to Opryland in December.
I would have loved to seen this. I was at this hotel earlier this year and it is AMAZING!
I have a 3 year old that would absolutely love going on a trip to see this!
This looks like so much fun. Opryland isn’t too far away from me, so it might be worth a visit.
If it’s close it’s so worth it, Pam! It’s even more amazing in person
How fun and absolutely beautiful. Every picture is gorgeous!
OMG it is beautiful. I Love the Gaylord hotels.
What fun! My kids would totally love to visit ICE! I live in Arkansas and this would actually be a really fun trip to take.
Wow! Such a lovely place. I really want to go there! So magical! Thanks for sharing. I have got to get my husband to take me there.
Oh my goodness, Gaylord Opryland looks amazing! Especially this time of year!
i’ve never HEARD of this frosty fabulousness! i would go tomorrow if i could!
I would love to take my daughter. She would enjoy it so much. It looks so great for kids. Looks like a beautiful place to visit.
wow this looks like so much fun! I would love to bring my family here.
So so pretty. I love the holidays and love when places go all out. And I’ve kind of become obsessed with the Gaylord lately hah..
Thanks for sharing =) and definitely pinned this.
that poinsetta tree was amazing. Looks like a great place to visit with lots to do and see… thanks for the review!
Thanks Sherri! It really is a beautiful place to visit, we’re hoping to go back next year.
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