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
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Behind-The-Scenes, Carving, Cool Stuff, Gaylord Palms, ICE! at Gaylord Palms, Media, Orlando News |
28 October, 2008
Breaking Orlando News:
COLD WEATHER IN ORLANDO IS BLAMED ON GAYLORD PALMS RESORT
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Oct. 28) — Central Florida residents woke up this morning to a burst of cold air that is being blamed on, of all things, an Osceola county resort. According to news wire reports, the cause of this morning's cool weather has been traced to Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, where a new holiday attraction is currently under construction.
The attraction, which is called ICE!, is currently being carved from 2 million pounds of ice by a group of 40 artisans from China. The temperature began falling when the elaborate refrigeration system used to cool the 18,000-square-foot attraction to 9 degrees began to malfunction.
"Essentially, they've created a 9-degree winter-like environment in the middle of sunny Florida," said an Osceola county official who asked not to be identified. "What they didn't count on was the accidental cooling of the entire region to 40-some degrees."
The attraction, which is nearly complete, will debut Nov. 17. The attraction will be open to the public through Jan. 4.
In its sixth season, ICE! will reflect the theme "Santa's Arctic Blast," featuring several scenes that star "Jolly Cold Saint Nicholas" himself. One such scene is a colossal Santa Claus photo opportunity, carved in an oversized scale. Visitors who sit on his knee will be dwarfed in the photo. Other scenese include Candy Land, a magical destination reminiscent of America’s favorite children’s board game. The ICE! castle and slides have been re-designed to celebrate Santa's Christmas Eve flight… reindeer and all.
According to Gaylord Palms spokesman Keith Salwoski, the situation is under control.
"Our attraction is still 9 degrees, and by afternoon, Orlando temperatures will be back near 70 degrees," he said. "So, in the mean time, we welcome local residents to, um, chill out!"
# # #
For further updates on Orlando Christmas, ICE! at Gaylord Palms, or Christmas at Orlando theme parks, visit ChristmasInOrlando.com
Filed in
Event Update, Orlando News |
23 October, 2008
You'll find Polar Bear Clubs in cities all over the frozen North. Members of these organizations gather every year to "take the plunge" into frozen waters… just for the thrill (and chill!) of it. I guess it's one of those experiences that can't be explained. If you're meant to participate… you just kinda know!
Some of the clubs — like the Coney Island Polar Bear Club — have been hosting cold-water swims for more than one hundred years!
We've just learned that Orlando will be the newest city to have its own branch of the famed Polar Bear Club. Yes, as in Sunny Orlando.
The details are still a secret, but organizers have released a date for their official debut – Friday, Nov. 28. Watch this blog for further updates.
If you are not familar with Polar Bear Clubs, check out this video:
While we don't know where Orlando's polar plunge will be held, we can assume it won't be at the following Orlando landmarks:
5. Kissimmee's Lake Tohopekaliga
4. Disney's Blizzard Beach
3. SeaWorld's Shamu Stadium
2. South Beach Pool at Gaylord Palms Resort
1. Gatorland
Stay tuned…
Filed in
Behind-The-Scenes, Best of Florida Christmas, Carving, Christmas, Cool Stuff, Design Chatter, Event Update, Gaylord Palms, ICE! at Gaylord Palms, Orlando News |
20 October, 2008
Although Orlando's ICE! attraction won't open for several weeks, Gaylord Palms is giving a "sneak peek" of this cool holiday spectacle, thanks to two cool web cams that are already feeding live images to fans.
Web Cam One: Winter Wonderland ICE Bridge
Winter Wonderland is currently under construction inside the ICE! attraction at Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando. This romantic scene will feature a romantic winterscape, including a large bridge made completely from ice. When complete, ICE! visitors will be able to walk across the bridge, and take advantage of several photo opportunities, before moving on to the Hall of Ornaments, a colorful new ICE! scene.
Artisans from China are currently at work inside the 9-degree attraction. When the attraction opens, this scene will be home to the ICE! Proposals program, a unique place to propose marriage in Orlando.
To see the progress, click on the web cam link at ChristmasinOrlando.com, found on the right-hand column of the page.
Web Cam Two: Santa's Magic Flight
Santa's Magic Flight is also under construction inside the ICE! attraction. This newly-engineered scene is created from nearly 1 million pounds of ice, and features ice slides for children and adults.
When it opens on Nov. 17, the web cam will catch visitors to the attraction as they slide down the scene's four slides.
To see the progress, click on the web cam link at ChristmasinOrlando.com, found on the right-hand column of the page.
Filed in
Gaylord Palms, ICE! at Gaylord Palms, Orlando News |
20 October, 2008
The folks at Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee are sponsoring a hilarious contest for YouTube junkies called "The Boss Said Get Us on YouTube" Competition.
In short, they are offering a $99 "prize" to finance a fun YouTube video filmed inside the resort's 9-degree holiday ICE! attraction. [Our tip: You'll need mittens. However, you may want to cut off the fingertips to give you better control of the camera's buttons!]
Pull out the video camera, and check out the details here.
Filed in
Best of Florida Christmas, Christmas, Disney news, Event Update, Gaylord Palms, ICE! at Gaylord Palms, Orlando News, Thanksgiving, Universal Studios |
20 October, 2008
THEME PARK PASSHOLDERS ARE OFFERED
FREE CHILD ADMISSION TO
ICE! AT GAYLORD PALMS
Orlando Attraction Combats Christmas Blackout Periods
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Oct. 20, 2008) – This year, season passholders for select Florida theme parks can receive a free child’s admission to ICE! for every adult admission purchased.
This offer is available by showing a current season pass at the ICE! Box Office, for use on the following dates:
Nov. 17 through Dec. 5
Dec. 8 through Dec. 12
Dec. 29 through Jan. 4
This promotion is valid for season passholders of the following theme parks: all Walt Disney World theme parks and water parks (including Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom), all Universal Orlando theme parks (including Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure), SeaWorld Adventure Park, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Aquatica, Wet ‘n Wild, and Cypress Gardens.
This special offer will come as welcome news to season passholders, many which have holiday “blackout” periods when the passes are not valid.
The fine print: This offer is valid only on specified dates in 2008. Only one complimentary child ticket will be issued per adult season passholder with purchase of a regularly priced adult ICE! ticket. Season passholder must be present, and will be required to show valid theme park season pass. Child tickets valid for children ages 4 through 12 only.
For more information, please visit www.gaylordpalms.com/passholder.
For further updates about Orlando Christmas events, visit www.christmasinorlando.com
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Behind-The-Scenes, Best of Florida Christmas, Carving, Christmas, Design Chatter, Disney news, Event Update, Gaylord Palms, ICE! at Gaylord Palms, Orlando News |
1 October, 2008
If you'd like to be a "fly on the wall" during the construction of ICE!, Gaylord Palms is using Twitter to provide periodic updates.
Twitter is a popular online service that allows users to share bite-sized messages (or “tweets”) of up to 140 characters long.
To follow Gaylord Palms on Twitter, visit www.twitter.com/gaylordpalms
Filed in
Christmas, ChristmasInOrlando.com, Disney news, Event Update, Orlando News, Thanksgiving |
17 September, 2008
One of the most popular Orlando Christmas events is the Candlelight Processional, which is part of Epcot's Holidays Around the World. Every year, fans rush to book reserved seats for the shows featuring the most popular celebrity narrators.
The 2008 line up looks to be pretty stellar:
Nov. 28-30 John O'Hurley (Seinfeld's J. Peterman, and "Dancing With the Stars")
Dec. 1-3 To Be Announced
Dec. 4-6 Brian Stokes Mitchell (Broadway)
Dec. 7-9 Virginia Madsen ("Dune" and "Fire with Fire")
Dec. 10-12 Marlee Matlin (TV's "The West Wing", and "Dancing With the Stars")
Dec. 13-15 Monique Coleman ("High School Musical 2")
Dec. 16-18 Chita Rivera (Broadway)
Dec. 19-21 Abigail Breslin ("Little Miss Sunshine")
Dec. 22-24 Stephen Curtis Chapman (Christian music's most-decorated artist)
Dec. 25-27 Edward James Olmos (TV's "Miami Vice and "Stand And Deliver" )
Dec. 28-30 Angela Bassett ("How Stella Got Her Groove Back" and "What's Love Got to Do With It") and Courtney Vance (TV's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent")
This year's newest calendar addition is husband and wife duo Angela Bassett and Courtney Vance. We believe this might be the first time in the event's history that a team of celebrity narrators took on the official role.
Speaking of history, we've posted our exclusive historical list of celebrity narrators through the years, since the first Walt Disney World Candlelight Processional performance in 1971.
For more information about Christmas at Walt Disney World, or Orlando Christmas events, visit www.ChristmasInOrlando.com.
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