Gaylord 'ice!' reveals new themes and locations: Experience 'Harry Potter,' 'Home Alone' and more
My family kicks off every holiday season with a visit to Gaylord's signature holiday event, "ice!" Each year in early November, all six Gaylord Hotels properties across the U.S., along with a handful of JW Marriott locations, transform into magical winter wonderlands.
We decorate gingerbread houses, go ice skating, write letters to Santa and don cozy blue jackets to stay warm in the nine-degree Fahrenheit temperatures as we explore larger-than-life ice carvings themed to holiday favorites like "Elf," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "The Polar Express," and more.
Gaylord recently revealed three new holiday themes and two new locations for this year's "ice!" event. This year, guests can experience walkthroughs themed to "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas," "Harry Potter," and "Home Alone," all completely carved from ice. For the first time ever, "ice!" is coming to Gaylord Pacific Resort in Chula Vista, California, and to JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge in Phoenix, Arizona.
"We are excited to bring our signature Christmas attraction, ice!, to Arizona and California," Johann Krieger, regional vice president of Marriott International, said in a press release. "Having welcomed tens of millions of guests over the years, this beloved holiday tradition continues to capture the spirit of the season, and we are proud to introduce our largest footprint to date, allowing even more families the opportunity to experience how our resorts create extraordinary holiday memories," he continued.
Here is a full breakdown of dates, locations and themes:
| Hotel | Location | Theme | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
Chula Vista, California | "A Charlie Brown Christmas" | Nov. 20, 2026 - Jan. 3, 2027 | |
Phoenix, Arizona | "Elf" | Nov. 18, 2026 - Jan. 3, 2027 | |
Nashville, Tennessee | "Home Alone" | Nov. 6, 2026 - Jan. 2, 2-27 | |
Aurora, Colorado | "Tim Burton's A Nightmare Before Christmas" | Nov. 20, 2026 - Jan. 3, 2027 | |
Lake Grapevine, Texas | "Harry Potter" | Nov. 13, 2026 - Jan. 3, 2027 | |
National Harbor, Maryland | "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" | Nov. 14, 2026 - Jan. 3, 2027 | |
Kissimmee, Florida | "The Polar Express" | Nov. 13, 2026 - Jan. 3, 2027 | |
San Antonio, Texas | "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" | Nov. 23, 2026 - Jan. 3, 2027 |
These ice carvings are unlike anything you've ever seen, unless, that is, you've visited the Harbin Ice Festival in China. More than 300 expert artisans travel to the U.S. every year to create the floor-to-ceiling holiday-themed walkthroughs. They hand-carve about two million pounds of ice at each location to create multi-room walkthroughs with immersive storytelling, fun photo ops and two-story ice slides.
In addition to the walkthroughs, guests can participate in other activities (which vary by location) such as scavenger hunts, ice skating, tubing, carriage rides, photos with Santa, character breakfasts and more. We prefer to stay at the resort and make a weekend of it so we can squeeze in as many activities as possible.
Most activities require tickets, and you can save by purchasing early. This is especially important if you plan to visit on or around a holiday or on weekends, when events are even busier than normal and certain dates or times can sell out.
It's possible to save up to 30% on ticket bundles that include access to "ice!" and other holiday activities. You can visit the individual property pages or follow the property you'd like to visit on social media to be notified of new discounts.
Marriott Bonvoy members can save even more. Participating properties offer exclusive offers, including up to 25% off "ice!" tickets and up to 15% off hotel and ticket packages. In addition, Bonvoy members can redeem points or free night awards toward overnight stays. All overnight guests receive additional benefits, such as skip-the-line access and shorter wait times.
Related reading: Elevated Marriott Bonvoy offers ending soon: Get up to $1,500 in value
If you've ever wanted to fend off the Wet Bandits like Kevin McAllister, visit Halloween Town with Jack Skellington or matriculate to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, now you can when you visit an "ice!" event this holiday season.