Don’t Lick the ICE!

ICE! ICE! Baby! Sorry, couldn’t resist…

Gaylord Palms (6000 W. Osceola Parkway) in Kissimmee, Fla., has a pretty COOL exhibit running since Nov. 14 through Jan. 3, 2010, called ICE! It’s two million pounds of frozen water carved into amazing sculptures in which visitors can admire but not touch nor lick. (There was a sign warning about this bad behavior.) Although in its seventh season, this is the first year I’ve been able to enjoy the balmy 9 degrees Fahrenheit temps in the resort’s convention center.  It’s what my friend Annette and I did during her fourth day in the Sunshine State.

Entrance of the ICE! Exhibit, Gaylord Palms, Kissimmee, Fla., Nov. 2009
Entrance of the ICE! Exhibit, Gaylord Palms, Kissimmee, Fla., Nov. 2009

Wasn’t really sure what to expect because how pretty could ice look? Wow, I was blown away with the detail, color and whimsy of the various displays! Colors were incredibly vibrant and where appropriate, ice was crystal clear. And just about everything is made from ice including a life-size carousel, slide, and even the steps.

Colorful Display at ICE! Exhibit Gaylord Palms, Kissimmee, Florida, Nov. 2009
Colorful Display at ICE! Exhibit Gaylord Palms, Kissimmee, Florida, Nov. 2009

Ooooh! The slide is pretty awesome (debating whether to post the video I took). It’s a quick, slick, fun ride but over in about 7 seconds. At the top of the slide is a creepy looking Santa and his nine tiny reindeer are racing down the run. I really flew down the slide and kept on going once hitting the red carpet. I’m sure I looked incredibly graceful.

Since most folks visiting don’t have oversized parkas, don’t worry, it’s included in the admission but what’s not included are gloves and hats so bring those. I forgot to bring mine and brrrrr, it was coooolllddd! Which is probably why many of my photos turned out blurry, I was shivering too much. Be sure to wear socks with close toed shoes. Afterward, we warmed up with a creamy, complimentary cup of hot cocoa. Yum!

Ice Slide at ICE! Exhibit, Gaylord Palms, Kissimmee, Florida, Nov. 2009
Very Cool Slide at ICE! Exhibit, Gaylord Palms, Kissimmee, Florida, Nov. 2009

Admission for ICE! is $25.99 for adults visiting on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday and $21.99 for Monday through Thursday visits. Book tickets in advance through the Gaylord Web site to save a couple of bucks. And, follow @GaylordPalms on Twitter where the resort has been offering Twitter followers discounts and announcing specials. The day we visited was Wear Your Snuggie Day and receive half off! Not sure if anyone wore their Snuggie, it was hard to tell what was underneath the parkas. And for the curious, I don’t have a Snuggie…yet.

Catch up on Day 2 and Day 3 of our Florida adventures and check out my video of zipping down the ice slide.

Kissimmee Things To Do

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Jenn

Jennifer A. Huber is an award-winning travel and outdoor blogger and writer in Southwest Florida. Originally from Buffalo, N.Y., a hiking trail led her to a career path in the tourism industry for more than 30 years. She spent a decade with a park management company in Yellowstone, Death Valley, and Everglades National Parks. She founded the travel blog, SoloTravelGirl.com with the goal of inspiring others to travel alone, not lonely. The unexpected death of her former husband in 2008 reminded her how short life is. His passing was a catalyst for sharing her experiences with the goal of inspiring and empowering others to travel solo. Jennifer holds a Travel Marketing Professional certification from the Southeast Tourism Society, is a certified food judge, member of the NASA Social community, and alum of the FBI Citizens Academy. When not traveling, she is either in the kitchen, practicing her photography skills, or road tripping with her dog, Radcliff.

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