Disclaimer :: Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center provided FWMB contributor Laura F with a complimentary stay cation in exchange for writing this review. The opinions presented though, are 100 percent Laura’s.
As a parent, think back to the first time you remember experiencing snow. That time is now being experienced by our very own! Maybe we, as parents, now get annoyed by the cold and slippery ice, but as a child, what do you remember? It is the majestic beauty in snowflakes, breaking off icicles, and basking in the glory of snow angels, icy sidewalks, and running as fast as you can diving into a snow pile. In Texas, this is rare. But the Gaylord Texan brings back that experience every year — and now, it is your kid’s turn!
Driving into the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center with my family in Grapevine, Texas for our 24-hour staycation was a wonderful way to welcome in the holidays!
Upon first walking into the massive atrium the hotel is built around, I couldn’t help but be breathless as the millions of twinkling lights hung down from the nine story ceiling. There are two million lights to be exact!! They didn’t miss a beat with all the decorations. Speaking of beats, there is a real drummer boy, a toy soldier on stilts, a 54-foot Christmas tree, and 15,000 ornaments as far as you can see. There are trains, villages, an over-sized gingerbread house (seriously, it’s huge!), and a constant reminder that Christmas is here.
ICE! – Christmas Around the World
Strolling down to the ice exhibit, there is plenty to see but there is only one word to describe this ice display: Wow. Okay, maybe there are two: wow and cold! With your tickets in hand, you are welcomed into a large room and shown a short film on the making of the ice exhibit.
ICE! is created from two million pounds of ice made in a warehouse in Haltom City. Chinese ice sculptors are flown in to present their mind-blowing craft to North Texas. They make all their own crystal clear ice and use food coloring to color the blocks. The carvers begin their work months ahead of time. Each year a theme is decided on and announced in July. This years theme is Christmas Around the World.
With your Gaylord-provided parka, you enter the nine-degree exhibit and are immediately hit with how cultures around the world experience Christmas. Larger than life sculptures depict each culture through its people, clothing, styles, and customs. You walk away from each part of the exhibit finding that while we all celebrate the same holiday, we all experience it in such amazing and different ways.
The culture is particularly fun for the parents — and for the kids; they cannot get enough of the colors, the tunnels, and the ice slide! There are ice benches to sit for pictures and a sled for a great family photo. You can even watch the sculptors as they carve ice as you walk through. But, in my opinion, nothing beats the beautiful crystal clear nativity scene.
But you need to be careful. It is ice. Touching with bare skin and licking the ice is not only frowned upon, but you could also be stuck there awhile!
Side note: Leggings are not warm enough. Bring gloves and hats for the kiddos.
Wild Snow Tubing
After such an outstanding experience in the ICE! exhibit, we warmed up by going over to Santa’s Wild Workshop Snow Tubing (no, it is not nine degrees for this part). Who doesn’t love snow and who doesn’t like snow tubing?!
Each morning, new snow is placed on the two-story, 12-lane snow tubing exhibit. You can either go as a single or as a double depending on your height. It’s so much fun! And it is quite fast. This will take you back to the times when you never got cold and just had fun. You quite literally become a kid again, and everyone is smiling, laughing, and appreciating every second of the snowy experience.
But, it doesn’t end there. Other holiday themed entertainment includes Milk & Cookies with Mrs. Claus, Gingerbread House Making Station with Peeps, Elf on a Shelf scavenger hunt, and other exclusive events. You have to see it to believe it!
After enjoying all the events we completed our stay with a visit to Santa. Santa is there in his jolly big chair. You can have your picture taken with him. Pictures are printed on site and there are option for different picture packages. Of course, this joyous Christmas tradition would not be complete without a terrified 2-year-old.
We have such a fun experience in our 24 hours staycation that when leaving the Gaylord Texas we were ready for the holidays. We went home and decorated our house. Although much to my sons dismay, we do NOT have 2 million lights or an ice slide in our living room!
