ICE! Expands to California and Arizona with Harry Potter, Home Alone, and Nightmare Before Christmas Themes
The popular ICE Christmas attraction is expanding to eight destinations with new themes, including Harry Potter and Nightmare Before Christmas.
The holiday season is getting a whole lot cooler! Gaylord Hotels and JW Marriott have announced a massive expansion for their signature frozen Christmas attraction, ICE!. For the 2026 holiday season, the immersive, frozen experience will expand to eight destination resorts across the U.S., making its debut at the all-new Gaylord Pacific Resort in Chula Vista, California, and the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort in Arizona. In addition to expanding into new regions, the resorts are introducing three brand-new themes based on iconic blockbusters and classic holiday films: Harry Potter, Home Alone, and Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.
What is ICE!?
Created by expert artisans from Harbin, China, home to the world-renowned Harbin Ice Festival, ICE! features more than two million pounds of vibrant, hand-carved ice sculptures per location. A team of more than 300 artisans spends roughly 40 days hand-carving 60,000 blocks of ice using traditional carving techniques passed down through generations.
The attraction brings floor-to-ceiling scenes and favorite characters to life across more than 10 immersive scenes. Guests can zoom down two-story ice slides, walk through giant ice caverns, and snap unforgettable photos. Kept at a chilly 9 degrees Fahrenheit to preserve the intricate details, the attraction provides every guest with its signature blue parkas to keep cozy.
“We are excited to bring our signature Christmas attraction, ice!, to Arizona and California,” said Johann Krieger, regional vice president of Marriott International. “Having welcomed tens of millions of guests over the years, this beloved holiday tradition continues to capture the spirit of the season, and we are proud to introduce our largest footprint to date, giving even more families the opportunity to experience how our resorts create extraordinary holiday memories.”
Full 2026 ICE! Resort Lineup & Themes
Here is where you can experience ICE! across the country this holiday season:
Debut Locations
- Gaylord Pacific Resort (Chula Vista, CA): ICE! featuring “A Charlie Brown Christmas” | Nov. 20, 2026 – Jan. 3, 2027
- JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort (Phoenix, AZ): ICE! featuring New Line Cinema’s Elf™ | Nov. 18, 2026 – Jan. 3, 2027
New Themes for ICE Christmas Attraction
- Gaylord Opryland Resort (Nashville, TN): ICE! featuring Home Alone™ | Nov. 6, 2026 – Jan. 2, 2027
- Gaylord Rockies Resort (Aurora, CO): ICE! featuring Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas™ | Nov. 20, 2026 – Jan. 3, 2027
- Gaylord Texan Resort (Grapevine, TX): ICE! featuring Harry Potter™ | Nov. 13, 2026 – Jan. 3, 2027
Returning ICE Christmas Attraction Locations & Themes
- Gaylord National Resort (National Harbor, MD): ICE! featuring Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! | Nov. 14, 2026 – Jan. 3, 2027
- Gaylord Palms Resort (Kissimmee, FL): ICE! featuring The Polar Express™ | Nov. 13, 2026 – Jan. 3, 2027
- JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort (San Antonio, TX): ICE! featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer™ | Nov. 23, 2026 – Jan. 3, 2027
ICE Christmas Attraction: More Holiday Magic: “So Much Christmas”
Beyond the marquee attraction, each participating resort transforms into a festive winter wonderland with millions of twinkling lights, towering decorated trees, themed character dining, ice tubing, scavenger hunts, live shows, pop-up holiday villages, and photo ops with Santa. To explore the full lineup of experiences, book hotel packages, or purchase individual tickets, head over to SoMuchChristmas.com.
For more theme park-related news and information, visit MSM News.
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