Finishing Touches Underway as Two Million Pounds of Ice are Sculpted into Colorado’s Largest Indoor Frozen Attraction

AURORA, Colo. — A team of 30 world-class artisans from Harbin, China, is placing the final touches on 2 million pounds of ice at Gaylord Rockies Resort, bringing The Polar Express™ to life in stunning ice sculpture form. In partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment, this iconic Gaylord Hotels tradition, now in its 24th year, will be celebrated at six resorts nationwide, with Gaylord Rockies welcoming visitors to ICE! featuring The Polar Express from Nov. 22, 2024, through Jan. 1, 2025.

After four weeks of meticulous sculpting, the final steps include smoothing and refining edges, detailed ice etching to enhance texture, and polishing to bring out clarity and depth. Over 6,000 ice blocks have been transformed into the enchanting 17,000-square-foot display, where artisans, guided by a 300-page design book and generationally honed skills, have crafted scenes from The Polar Express™, including the arrival at Hero Boy's house, hot chocolate aboard the train, the descent through Glacier Gulch, and the North Pole.

The carvers traveled over 5,700 miles from Harbin, China, to Aurora, Colo. Known as "Ice City," Harbin hosts the world's largest annual ice and snow sculpting festival. Many of the same artisans who create the Harbin festival transformed 300-pound blocks of ice into larger-than-life scenes at Gaylord Rockies. Head ice artisan Mr. Gao, a veteran of ICE! at Gaylord Hotels since 2005, leads the team as they use chisels, tongs, handsaws, grinders, and chainsaws to sculpt intricate details as small as a coin and towering structures up to 30 feet high.

A state-of-the-art chilling system keeps the exhibit at 9 degrees Fahrenheit, and guests will be provided with signature blue parkas while they explore the immersive displays, featuring five two-story tall interactive ice slides, tunnels, and arches. The exhibit also features vibrant colored ice and LED lights. Beyond the sculptures, the exhibit offers live carving demonstrations and culminates with a Nativity scene, meticulously carved, and shaped in a dramatic display of crystal-clear ice.

ICE! is just one highlight among the extensive holiday offerings at Gaylord Rockies; transforming into a true winter wonderland with millions of twinkling lights, more than 200 Christmas trees, and a variety of festive events. Guests can enjoy the new Cirque: Frost acrobatic show, visit the Festival of Trees, and take part in activities such as Gingerbread Decorating, Photos with Santa, Elf Training Academy, and Build-A-Bear Workshop®. Winter-themed spa treatments at Relâche Spa and dining in the resort's new Grand Lodge—debuting Copper Table and Garden + Grain in November—round out the season's offerings, providing a full range of immersive experiences for the whole family.

Overnight guests will enjoy perks including:

• Chill Pass: Offering front-of-line access to ICE!, available for eligible guests at no extra charge.
• Extra Cool Hour: Provides early access to ICE! and Mistletoe Village one hour before general opening, offered to eligible guests at no extra charge.
• Arapahoe Springs Waterpark: Exclusive access to the indoor and outdoor waterpark, featuring hot tubs, heated pools, and a 720-foot lazy river.

Christmas at Gaylord Rockies is offering exclusive packages that include special room rates and admission to select holiday events. Guests are encouraged to book early, as advance online reservations are required for all ticketed experiences, with many events having limited availability. For tickets, more details, or to book an overnight stay, guests can visit ChristmasatGaylordRockies.com.

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About ICE!  

The annual ICE! events bring to life beloved Christmas stories hand-carved by master artisans from Harbin, China at resorts around the United States. Created and designed by Gaylord Hotels, ICE! debuted at Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee in 2001. ICE! has been visited by tens of millions of visitors who travel to each resort to see more than 2 million pounds carved into beloved scenes and characters, two-story ice slides, photo-worthy tunnels and archways, and more. ICE! takes place at each Gaylord Hotels resort across the United States, including Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Md., Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tenn., Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Fla., Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora, Colo. and Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas, in 2024, ICE! makes its debut at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country in San Antonio, Texas. More information can be found at ICE.marriott.com.  

About Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment  
Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences (WBDGE) is a worldwide leader in the creation, development, licensing and operating of location-based entertainment based on the biggest franchises, stories, and characters from Warner Bros.' world-renowned film, television, animation, and games studios, HBO, Discovery, Cartoon Network and more. WBDGE is home to the groundbreaking locations of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal theme parks around the world, award-winning Warner Bros. Studio Tour locations in London, Hollywood, and Tokyo, the iconic Harry Potter New York flagship store, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, The WB Abu Dhabi, The FRIENDS Experience, The Game of Thrones Studio Tour and countless other experiences inspired by Harry Potter, DC, Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Game of Thrones, FRIENDS and more. WBDGE is part of Warner Bros. Discovery's Revenue & Strategy division.

Warner Bros.' The Polar Express™: THE POLAR EXPRESS and all related characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

About Build-A-Bear

Build-A-Bear is a multi-generational global brand focused on its mission to "add a little more heart to life" appealing to a wide array of consumer groups who enjoy the personal expression in making their own "furry friends" to celebrate and commemorate life moments. More than 500 interactive brick-and-mortar experience locations operated through a variety of formats provide Guests of all ages a hands-on entertaining experience, which often fosters a lasting and emotional brand connection. The brand's newest communications campaign, "The Stuff You Love," commemorates more than a quarter-century of creating cherished memories worldwide. The Company also offers engaging e-commerce/digital purchasing experiences on www.buildabear.com including its online "Bear-Builder" as well as "HeartBox" and its age-gated adult-focused "Bear Cave." In addition, extending its brand power beyond retail, Build-A-Bear Entertainment, a subsidiary of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc., is dedicated to creating engaging content for kids and adults that fulfills the Company's mission, while the Company also offers products at wholesale and in non-plush consumer categories via licensing agreements with leading manufacturers. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE: BBW) posted total revenues of $486.1 million for fiscal 2023. For more information, visit the Investor Relations section of buildabear.com.

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