KISSIMMEE, Fla. — “The Polar Express” is returning to ICE! at Gaylord Palms Resort for the 2026 holiday season.
The 20,000-square-foot attraction will run from Nov. 13 through Jan. 3 as the centerpiece of the resort’s annual Christmas celebration.
Visitors will walk through approximately a dozen scenes from the animated Christmas movie, all carved from about 2 million pounds of ice.
Featured moments will include the train arriving at Hero Boy’s house, the hot chocolate scene, the journey through Glacier Gulch and the train’s arrival at the North Pole.
The attraction will also include five two-story ice slides inspired by Glacier Gulch.
“The Polar Express” was last featured at Gaylord Palms in 2019. Resort leaders said guest demand helped bring the theme back for 2026.
A team of nearly 40 ice carvers from Harbin, China, will spend about 35 days building the attraction using chainsaws, chisels, grinders and other tools.
ICE! is maintained at 9 degrees. Guests receive a winter parka, but organizers recommend bringing additional cold-weather clothing, including hats and gloves.
Other holiday offerings will include:
- “POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance”
- A new Christmas carousel
- Ice tubing and snowball activities
- Santa Claus visits
- Gingerbread decorating
- An escape room and scavenger hunt
- A Build-A-Bear Workshop
- Holiday dining experiences
- More than 3 million Christmas lights
Tickets and resort packages are now available at ChristmasAtGaylordPalms.com.
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