World-Renowned Artisans Begin Carving the Immersive Christmas Experience, ice!™, at Resorts Across the Country

BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The countdown to the holiday season begins as more than 300 master ice artisans from Harbin, China, arrive at Gaylord Hotels and select JW Marriott resorts across the United States. Over the coming weeks, they will sculpt millions of pounds of ice into the immersive Christmas experience, ice!™.

Beginning this November, the attraction will open across eight resorts nationwide, including its debut at Gaylord Pacific Resort and JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort, along with brand-new themes featuring Harry Potter™, Home Alone™ and Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas™.

"Welcoming the artisans back to our resorts is one of the most anticipated milestones of the holiday season," said Johann Krieger, regional vice president of Marriott International. "Their exceptional talent, technical skill and unwavering dedication transform ordinary blocks of ice into immersive works of art, creating the magic that has defined ice! for more than 20 years."

Inspired by the internationally acclaimed Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, ice! brings the tradition of hand-carved ice displays to the United States with a one-of-a-kind blend of storytelling, master craftsmanship and holiday cheer. Over the course of nearly 40 days, expert artisans use specialized carving tools, 300-page design books and generations-old techniques to sculpt thousands of ice blocks into larger-than-life scenes spanning more than 20,000 square feet. Featuring fan-favorite characters from beloved seasonal stories, the frozen attraction is enhanced through a proprietary coloring process and illuminated with accent spotlights, creating a vibrant winter wonderland.

Behind every scene, a team of master artisans uses chippers, tongs, handsaws, grinders and chainsaws to transform 300-pound blocks of ice into dazzling displays, ranging from intricate details no larger than a coin to towering scenes exceeding 30 feet tall. Once ice! opens, several artisans remain onsite to maintain the frozen creations while offering guests a behind-the-scenes look at the ice-sculpting process through daily live carving demonstrations.

Founded by Gaylord Hotels in 2001, each icy showcase features immersive walk-through scenes, awe-inspiring passageways, thrilling two-story ice slides and countless photo-worthy moments. Kept at a frosty 9 degrees Fahrenheit to preserve the artistry, ice! invites guests to bundle up in the attraction's signature blue parkas and step inside the handcrafted frozen world.

This Christmas season, eight treasured holiday stories will be offered at resorts nationwide: 

Debut Locations

• ice! featuring "A Charlie Brown Christmas" at Gaylord Pacific Resort in Chula Vista, Calif. from Nov. 20, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027
• ice! featuring New Line Cinema's Elf™ at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort in Phoenix, Ariz. from Nov. 18, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027

New Themes

• ice! featuring Home Alone™ at Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tenn. from Nov. 6, 2026 to Jan. 2, 2027
• ice! featuring Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas™ at Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora, Colo. from Nov. 20, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027
• ice! featuring Harry Potter™ at Gaylord Texan Resort on Lake Grapevine, Texas from Nov. 13, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027

Returning Locations and Themes

• ice! featuring Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas! at Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Md. from Nov. 14, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027
• ice! featuring The Polar Express™ at Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Fla. from Nov. 13, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027
• ice! featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer™ at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort in San Antonio, Texas from Nov. 23, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027

Beyond ice!, guests can experience So Much Christmas as each resort transforms into a festive holiday destination filled with seasonal décor and an over-the-top collection of holiday attractions. To explore the full lineup of holiday experiences, book overnight packages and purchase tickets, visit SoMuchChristmas.com. Offerings vary by resort. Terms, conditions and blackout dates apply.

Press Kit 

ELF and all related characters and elements © & ™ New Line Productions, Inc.
THE POLAR EXPRESS and all related characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
HARRY POTTER and all related characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © J.K. Rowling.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and all related elements © & ™ under license to Character Arts, LLC. All rights reserved.
HOME ALONE™️ and all related characters and elements © 20th Century Studios.
DISNEY TIM BURTON'S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS and all related characters and elements © Disney.
TM & © 2026 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. All Rights Reserved.
© 2026 Peanuts Worldwide LLC.

ABOUT ICE!™ AN IMMERSIVE CHRISTMAS EXPERIENCE
The signature Christmas experience, ice!™, immerses guests in beloved holiday stories hand-carved by master artisans from Harbin, China at resorts across the United States. Created in 2001 by Gaylord Hotels, the holiday attraction debuted at Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee. Since then, tens of millions of visitors have traveled to experience this frozen tradition, where more than 2 million pounds of ice are transformed into memorable scenes and characters, two-story ice slides, photo-worthy tunnels and more. The Christmas showcase takes place at select resorts, including Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Md., Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tenn., Gaylord Pacific Resort in Chula Vista, Calif., Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Fla., Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora, Colo., Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas, JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge in Phoenix, Ariz. and at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country in San Antonio, Texas. More information can be found at SoMuchChristmas.com.

ABOUT WARNER BROS. GLOBAL EXPERIENCES 
Warner Bros. Global Experiences (WBGE) is a worldwide leader in the creation, development, licensing and operating of location-based entertainment based on the biggest franchises, stories, and characters from Warner Bros.' world-renowned film, television, animation, and games studios, HBO, Discovery, Cartoon Network and more. WBGE is home to the groundbreaking locations of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal theme parks around the world, award-winning Warner Bros. Studio Tour locations in London, Hollywood, and Tokyo, the iconic Harry Potter New York flagship store, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, The WB Abu Dhabi, The FRIENDS Experience, The Game of Thrones Studio Tour and countless other experiences inspired by Harry Potter, DC, Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Game of Thrones, FRIENDS and more. WBGE is part of Warner Bros. Revenue & Strategy division.

ABOUT DISNEY THEATRICAL GROUP
Disney Theatrical Group (DTG), a division of The Walt Disney Studios led by Andrew Flatt and Anne Quart, brings the stories you love to life through stage productions, arena shows, and immersive experiences. Each year, DTG reaches nearly 40 million guests across 300 cities on five continents, with hundreds of millions entertained around the globe since the company's inception in 1994.

DTG oversees a growing global portfolio including arena spectaculars such as Disney On Ice; family touring productions including Disney Junior Live On Tour: Let's Play!; immersive and experiential attractions such as Mundo Pixar Experience; The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail; Avatar: Guardians of Eywa; The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Sphere and Secret Cinema's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Immersive Adventure.

Alongside this work, Disney Theatrical Group has become one of the most successful theatre producers in the world. Its New York productions include The Lion King, Aladdin, Frozen, Newsies, Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida, TARZAN®, Mary Poppins (co-produced with Cameron Mackintosh), The Little Mermaid and Peter and the Starcatcher. Additional stage ventures include the current North American tour of Beauty and the Beast, the Olivier Award-nominated Shakespeare in Love, Hercules, stage productions of Disney's High School Musical, Der Glöckner von Notre Dame in Berlin and King David in concert on Broadway.

ABOUT RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER
The story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer® and his misfit friends is told through the longest-running and highest-rated holiday television special of all time. Rudolph shines bright at the core of holiday traditions for millions of families around the world through stage shows, immersive theme park and resort experiences, officially licensed consumer products, and special appearances.

ABOUT PEANUTS
The characters of Peanuts and related intellectual property are owned by Peanuts Worldwide, which is 80% owned by the Sony Group, and 20% owned by the family of Charles M. Schulz. First introduced to the world in 1950 in the Peanuts comic strip, Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the gang have made an indelible mark on popular culture. In addition to enjoying beloved Peanuts shows and specials on Apple TV, fans of all ages celebrate the brand around the world through thousands of consumer products, as well as amusement park attractions, cultural events, social media, and comic strips available in all formats, from traditional to digital. Peanuts recently celebrated its 75th Anniversary with unprecedented worldwide exhibitions and activities, collaborations, digital marketing campaigns, and more. 

ABOUT DR. SEUSS ENTERPRISES 
Founded in 1993, Dr. Seuss Enterprises is a global entertainment company. Our mission is to educate and entertain generations around the world by promoting and protecting the literary and artistic works of Dr. Seuss. We provide world-class content that drives joyful learning and creates hopeful futures.

All Dr. Seuss Enterprises' profits benefit charitable organizations that focus on causes such as education, science, health, animal conservation, and the arts.  For more information, subscribe to our YouTube channel, visit DrSeussEnterprises.com, or follow us on Instagram.

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.