Gaylord Palms at Christmas

[islandtimect]

We plan to visit Ice and see the other holiday exhibits at Gaylord Palms for the first time. Does the hotel have nice scenery to take a family picture for our Christmas card? And do they have photographers like at the theme parks?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We are doing the same thing on our Christmas vacation. Just bought our tickets to ICE! on the weekend!

While I have never been to Gaylord Palms yet, people rave about their indoor atrium (a great place for some family photos). You can check out some of the pictures of the atrium here:

http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-palms/media-room/photo-gallery/

This link says a souvenir family photo is taken as you enter the ICE! exhibit, with an option to purchase. See the section marked "Tips for ICE" part way down the page:

http://attractions.uptake.com/blog/gaylord-palms-orlando-ice-14676.html

We also have reservations for the Shrek Feast for the same day as our ICE! admission. We plan to do the character breakfast, then ICE, then tour the decorations at the resort (and take in any other shows/character meets/etc. that might be running thereafter, if our timing is right).

 

[LisaHossler]

We are doing ICE! For the first time too!! Can't wait!! Thanks for the info!!

 

[4kids4karen]

I am disappointed this year with ICE! While I like they switched the theme from shrek to Madagascar, they are not offering SNOW! or the ice slides. My kids loved the snow and ice slides last year.

The hotel is decorated very elegant and you can take your own pictures.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I am disappointed this year with ICE! While I like they switched the theme from shrek to Madagascar, they are not offering SNOW! or the ice slides.

While the "SNOW" portion of the exhibit isn't running, this link indicates that the ice slides will make their return:

http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-palms/christmas-in-orlando/ice-experience/index.html

"And this year it's really all that it's cracked up to be, featuring two-story tall ice slides carved entirely from TWO MILLION pounds of ice and an all-new, awe inspiring tribute to the unforgettable DreamWorks' Animation TV classic Merry Madagascar".

Big kids that we are, I know both my boys and myself are totally looking forward to slipping down the ice slides for the first time!

 

[4kids4karen]

That is the first video I have seen referencing the ice slides this year. I have been looking for it as well, but didn't see that particular one. It's not in their written description that I can find. I was looking at work for a co-worker and videos are really slow to load there. I think the snow was probably too expensive to maintain for the duration of the event.

 

[4kids4karen]

OH, I see it in the description now. I wonder if a few weeks ago it wasn't there when I was trying to show a co-worker.

 

[4kids4karen]

Here are a few pictures from our trip last year. It was pretty crowded the night we were there. As we found out Groupon had a special for the day we were there. LOL.We had two rooms. A King room (corner room) and a room with two queen beds (kids room).

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2751589382712.2132512.1046956203&type=3

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Here are a few pictures from our trip last year. It was pretty crowded the night we were there. As we found out Groupon had a special for the day we were there. LOL.We had two rooms. A King room (corner room) and a room with two queen beds (kids room).

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2751589382712.2132512.1046956203&type=3

I would have loved to have looked through your photos...but the link won't work for me. (its coming up "content is unavailable) Drat!!!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

For those who might be interested, Gaylord Palms now has tickets available for purchase online for Gingy's Gingerbread Decorating:

http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylor...rience/gingerbread-decorating-with-gingy.html

Might be a nice add-on for families who are planning on touring the ICE! exhibit.

We purchased our ticket for the Gingy's Gingerbread Decorating earlier today to go with our Shrek Feast reservation and ICE! admission for Christmas week, which will complete the trifecta of Dreamworks fun for this family . I figure if we are going to make the trek from I-Drive to Kissimmee, we might as well take in as much as we can while at Gaylord Palms.

All in all, I thought the cost of the gingerbread decorating was pretty reasonable.....one kit that has three Christmas stocking cookies, which is enough for each of us to decorate one cookie each, totalled $16 with tax....plus, we then get a meet and greet/photo op with Gingy afterward and I am all for another chance to grab a cheesy holiday photo! . Larger kits were available for bigger families at various prices. Hats off to Gaylord Palms for having an option for a family of 3. That's pretty novel when most stuff comes pre-packaged for the "average" family of 4!

 

[Senator Tressel]

Do you have to pay for parking?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Do you have to pay for parking?

Parking is $15 unless you spend $50 at the restaurant. Shrek Feast is $29.99 per adult, so we will easily exceed the $50 dining minimum to have the parking fee waived (apparently your server at the restaurant will validate the parking pass for you, to show the agent as you exit the lot).

Without the $50 spent on dining, though, the parking fee applies.

 

[4kids4karen]

There are also shows and live entertainment (free) in the atrium area of the resort. We enjoyed this last year. They even had an acrobatic show.

 

[4kids4karen]

A sample of the shows in the atrium.

Luminescence at Gaylord Palms FL 2011
http://www.disboards.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=46572404


Gaylord Palms Christmas music & acrobatic show..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8zTt3qidO0

 

[islandtimect]

Thanks for all the info, everyone. Can you spen $50 on dining anywhere to waive the parking fee, or just the shrek feast?

Parking is $15 unless you spend $50 at the restaurant. Shrek Feast is $29.99 per adult, so we will easily exceed the $50 dining minimum to have the parking fee waived (apparently your server at the restaurant will validate the parking pass for you, to show the agent as you exit the lot).

Without the $50 spent on dining, though, the parking fee applies.

 

[islandtimect]

Do you remember when was the groupon for last year? I sure hope it isn't the Tuesday before Thanksgivning.

Here are a few pictures from our trip last year. It was pretty crowded the night we were there. As we found out Groupon had a special for the day we were there. LOL.We had two rooms. A King room (corner room) and a room with two queen beds (kids room).

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2751589382712.2132512.1046956203&type=3

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Thanks for all the info, everyone. Can you spen $50 on dining anywhere to waive the parking fee, or just the shrek feast?

As long as its one of their full service restaurants, you're good to go. Here is the exact information provided by Gaylord Hotels via email in response to an inquiry I sent to them last week:

All guests are charged a parking fee of either $15 plus tax for self parking or $22 plus tax for valet parking. Overnight guest have it added to their room folio each day. Guests not staying overnight will pay at the exit of the parking lot. If one of these guests dine in one of our full service Restaurants and spends at least $50, the server can validate the parking ticket for complimentary self parking.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Do you remember when was the groupon for last year? I sure hope it isn't the Tuesday before Thanksgivning.

The dates were all for select times only and occured during the period of December 19th to January 2nd. Here is the link to the expired Groupon so you can see the various details:

http://www.groupon.com/deals/ice-gaylord-palms-resort

 

[Senator Tressel]

Parking is $15 unless you spend $50 at the restaurant. Shrek Feast is $29.99 per adult, so we will easily exceed the $50 dining minimum to have the parking fee waived (apparently your server at the restaurant will validate the parking pass for you, to show the agent as you exit the lot).

Without the $50 spent on dining, though, the parking fee applies.

Deal breaker. Will not consider it.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Deal breaker. Will not consider it.

Definitely a consideration for families only planning to visit the ICE exhibit.

But its nice to know there's a way to avoid the parking fee if you wanted to enhance your visit and add in a meal while at Gaylord Palms. Villa de Flora gets very good reviews.......and the Shrek Feast looks like a ton of fun, even for us old folks .