Gaylord Rockies officially opened ICE! featuring The Polar Express™ today, Nov. 22, marking the start of the holiday season for the resort. ICE!, the popular, 24-year-old tradition, in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment, brings the beloved holiday classic to life in a stunning 17,000-square-foot display made from more than 2 million pounds of ice. This immersive experience, created by a team of 30 world-class artisans from Harbin, China, will be on display through Jan. 1, 2025. Overnight packages and day-guest tickets for ICE! featuring The Polar Express™ are on sale at ChristmasatGaylordRockies.com.

In celebration of The Polar Express™’ 20th anniversary, ICE! features nine iconic scenes from the film including the arrival at Hero Boy’s house, hot chocolate aboard the train, the exhilarating descent through Glacier Gulch, and magical arrival at the North Pole. A state-of-the-art chilling system keeps the exhibit at 9 degrees Fahrenheit, and guests will be provided with signature blue parkas while they explore the immersive displays, featuring two-story tall interactive ice slides, tunnels, and arches. The exhibit also features vibrant colored ice and LED lights.

This stunning display was made possible by a team of ice artisans who traveled more than 5,700 miles from Harbin, China, where they’re known for their world-renowned ice and snow sculpting festival. Many of the same artisans who create that festival transformed 300-pound blocks of ice into towering scenes at Gaylord Rockies. Led by Mr. Gao, a veteran of ICE! since 2005, the artisans used chisels, tongs, and chainsaws to craft intricate details as small as a coin to soaring scenes as tall as 30 feet. Beyond the sculptures, the exhibit offers live carving demonstrations and culminates with a Nativity scene, meticulously carved, and shaped in a dramatic display of crystal-clear ice.

ICE! is just one highlight among the extensive holiday offerings at Gaylord Rockies; transforming into a true winter wonderland with millions of twinkling lights, more than 200 Christmas trees, and a variety of festive events:

• Cirque: Frost – Embark on a magical journey with the all-new Cirque: Frost, where young Jack discovers his destiny as the legendary winter spirit, Jack Frost. Through a 50-minute show of high-flying stunts and breathtaking feats, witness the heartwarming tale of a dreamer who brings enchantment and wonder to the world.
• Festival of Trees – Lantern, a longstanding Colorado nonprofit formerly known as Bright by Text, will host the 2024 Festival of Trees at Gaylord Rockies Resort from Nov. 22 to Dec. 7. This fundraiser will feature beautifully decorated trees available for auction, interactive activities for all ages, and support for Lantern’s mission to help every child thrive.
• Mistletoe Mile Scavenger Hunt –The big man in red has misplaced pieces of the blueprints for some of his favorite toys. Search for the Christmas-themed clues hidden throughout the resort and complete your interactive guidebook to rebuild Santa’s blueprints and receive a souvenir.
• Gingerbread Decorating Corner – Let your Christmas creativity run wild when you adorn tasty gingerbread. After you’ve reached confection perfection with your edible art, head over for a sweet meet and greet with Nutmeg, our very own gingerbread man.
• Build-A-Bear Workshop® has been adding a little more heart to life for more than 25 years! Visit Build-A-Bear® to experience the fun of personalizing furry friends and taking part in our one-of-a-kind Heart Ceremony. Add adorable outfits, sweet scents and fun sounds to make any furry friend the perfect gift or a cuddly Christmas keepsake!
• Photos with Santa – Mailing a letter to the North Pole is great, but nothing can beat a personal visit with Santa Claus to let him know what you want for Christmas and make sure you’re on his nice list. Capture the moment with a keepsake photo.
• Elf Training Academy – We all envy Santa’s elves: they have a great boss, eat tasty treats and sweets whenever they want, and can make their own Christmas gifts! Your opportunity to join Santa’s staff awaits at the Elf Workshop. You will learn the secrets of becoming one of Santa’s helpers from his top toymaker and create a keepsake gift or craft for someone special.
• Mrs. Claus’ Christmas Traditions – Join the jolliest hostess of all for a fun-filled celebration of Christmas traditions. Delight in the retelling of the Christmas classic, “‘Twas The Night Before Christmas,” sing along to favorite holiday songs, and share a batch of Santa’s favorite snack – warm, freshly baked Christmas cookies and ice-cold milk.
• Yuletide Street Market in Mistletoe Village features wall-to-wall holiday gifts, collectibles, toys, plush, home décor, apparel, ornaments, branded merchandise, and more.
• Cozy Comfort at Relâche Spa – Embrace cozy spa treatments featuring self-warming enzyme masks, soothing flannel scents, and rich body butters, leaving you rejuvenated and ready to relax in the Alpenglow Fireside Lounge.

Overnight guests will enjoy perks including:

• Chill Pass: Offering front-of-line access to ICE!, available for eligible guests at no additional cost.
• Extra Cool Hour: Provides early access to ICE! and Mistletoe Village one hour before general opening, offered to eligible guests at no extra charge.
• Arapahoe Springs Waterpark: Exclusive access to the indoor and outdoor waterpark, featuring hot tubs, heated pools, and a 720-foot lazy river.

Christmas at Gaylord Rockies is offering exclusive packages that include special room rates and admission to select holiday events. Guests are encouraged to book early, as advance online reservations are required for all ticketed experiences, with many events having limited availability. For tickets, more details, or to book an overnight stay, guests can visit ChristmasatGaylordRockies.com.

About ICE!   

The annual ICE! events bring to life beloved Christmas stories hand-carved by master artisans from Harbin, China at resorts around the United States. Created and designed by Gaylord Hotels, ICE! debuted at Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee in 2001. ICE! has been visited by tens of millions of visitors who travel to each resort to see more than 2 million pounds carved into beloved scenes and characters, two-story ice slides, photo-worthy tunnels and archways, and more. ICE! takes place at each Gaylord Hotels resort across the United States, including Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Md., Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tenn., Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Fla., Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora, Colo. and Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas, in 2024, ICE! makes its debut at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country in San Antonio, Texas. More information can be found at ICE.marriott.com.

About Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment 

Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences (WBDGE) 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. WBDGE 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. WBDGE is part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s Revenue & Strategy division.

Warner Bros.’ The Polar Express™: THE POLAR EXPRESS and all related characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

About Build-A-Bear

Build-A-Bear is a multi-generational global brand focused on its mission to “add a little more heart to life” appealing to a wide array of consumer groups who enjoy the personal expression in making their own “furry friends” to celebrate and commemorate life moments. More than 500 interactive brick-and-mortar experience locations operated through a variety of formats provide Guests of all ages a hands-on entertaining experience, which often fosters a lasting and emotional brand connection. The brand’s newest communications campaign, “The Stuff You Love,” commemorates more than a quarter-century of creating cherished memories worldwide. The Company also offers engaging e-commerce/digital purchasing experiences on www.buildabear.com including its online “Bear-Builder” as well as “HeartBox” and its age-gated adult-focused “Bear Cave.” In addition, extending its brand power beyond retail, Build-A-Bear Entertainment, a subsidiary of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc., is dedicated to creating engaging content for kids and adults that fulfills the Company’s mission, while the Company also offers products at wholesale and in non-plush consumer categories via licensing agreements with leading manufacturers. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE: BBW) posted total revenues of $486.1 million for fiscal 2023. For more information, visit the Investor Relations section of buildabear.com.