Filed in
Best of Florida Christmas, Cool Stuff, Event Update, Gaylord Palms, ICE! at Gaylord Palms, Orlando News, Thanksgiving |
29 November, 2008
They came… they saw… they froze their, um, body parts!
The very first gathering of the Orlando Polar Bear Club was a success! A large crowd gathered Friday morning at Gaylord Palms Resort to run through the 9-degree ICE! attraction… in swimwear!
Why? I'm not sure one can fully explain.
For one, it was a fundraiser for Special Olympics Florida. And it was one of those things to do… just to say you did it!
For highlights there is a video posted on YouTube:
If you want to see more photos, they are available on the club's Facebook group page. There are also several in the Orlando Sentinel ICE! photo gallery.
Filed in
Christmas, Event Update, General Stuff, Orlando News, Thanksgiving |
10 November, 2008
In the 1974 classic Christmas special "The Year Without a Santa Claus," Saint Nick decides to take a year off. For the characters (and those watching), it was a blue Christmas, indeed.
For many in Central Florida, the blues have returned.
According to today's Orlando Sentinel, the historic Cypress Gardens theme park will temporarily close on Nov. 17 and reopen in March as a smaller, more focused park.
This, of course, means that the park's popular "Old-Fashioned Christmas" celebration, which once boasted the world's largest Christmas tree (a whopping 116-feet tall!), will remain dark this season.
Here's hoping that Florida's oldest theme park can use the hiatus to get their finances in order, and emerge in the spring as a more profitable endeavor.
We'll be first in line next Christmas!
Filed in
Cool Stuff, Disney news, Event Update, Gaylord Palms, ICE! at Gaylord Palms, Media, Orlando News, Thanksgiving |
6 November, 2008
Details were officially announced today for the wackiest event in Orlando this holiday season, the debut of Orlando Polar Bear Club! On Black Friday — the unofficial name for Nov. 28, the day after Thanksgiving — thrillseekers will be invited to visit Orlando's 9-degree ICE! attraction… in their bathing suits!
Why? Well, it's a fundraiser for Special Olympics Florida.
The press release further explains: "The short answer is simple… 'just because'," said [Gaylord Palms] resort General Manager Kemp Gallineau. "Because it's fun and memorable — something to laugh about, brag about and blog about. And not everybody can go to Pamplona to run with the bulls."
For those who have not heard of the ICE! attraction, it is a 9-degree walk-through winter wonderland hand carved from two million pounds of ice. It's one of those you've-got-to-see-it-to-believe-it attractions. This year, you can experience ICE! AND bring home wacky photos. How can you pass that up?
The Orlando Polar Bear Club debut, which should make for good television news coverage, will be held at 8:30am on Nov. 28 at the Gaylord Palms ICE! attraction. Tickets are available online.
For further updates about Orlando Christmas events, including ICE! at Gaylord Palms, visit www.christmasinorlando.com
Filed in
Christmas, Event Update, Orlando News, Universal Studios |
6 November, 2008
The Orlando Sentinel reported today that Universal Orlando will be kicking off their holiday season with two performances by the Grammy-winning group Mannheim Steamroller on Dec. 6.
Mannheim Steamroller is known for their unique instrumental tracks that founder Chip Davis calls "18th Century classical rock."
The group, which enjoys enormous popularity during the Christmas season, collaborated on the music for last year's original stage show "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" which will once again be performed at Seuss Landing inside Islands of Adventure theme park.
The 
Universal Studios concerts, held at 6pm and 8pm on Dec. 6, will include music from the IOA "Grinch" show, old favorites, and selections from the new Steamroller CD Christmasville
. It is the only scheduled holiday-season appearances by Steamroller founder Chip Davis.
According to the Sentinel report, the concerts will be included in regular theme-park admission.
For further updates about Orlando Christmas events, including ICE! at Gaylord Palms, visit www.christmasinorlando.com
