Oct 20, 2023
KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Seasonal special events provide year-round fun for guests of all ages at Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center. Whether it's a springtime soirée, summertime celebration, fall festivity or holiday happening, guests are treated to themed activities all across the 64-acre resort.
Live stage shows, escape rooms, interactive scavenger hunts, live animal encounters, atrium light shows, dance parties and more highlight seasonal events in spring, summer and autumn. In November, the resort comes alive with its annual Christmas at Gaylord Palms celebration - a resort-wide holiday party that features a sleigh-full of shows and activities, including an energetic and acrobatic live show, gingerbread decorating, character dining experiences, Christmas crafts, ice tubing, snowball throwing, visits with Santa, and storytelling and sing-alongs.
Each year, the centerpiece of the holiday celebration is "ICE!" - a 20,000-square-foot, walkthrough experience that features more than 2 million pounds of hand-carved scenes from classic holiday tales. A team of international master ice artisans works approximately six weeks to create the arctic attraction, which is set inside a one-of-a-kind environment that remains at a steady 9-degrees Fahrenheit (guests are provided winter parkas at the entrance to help them keep warm).
Here's a rundown of the year-round, seasonal events guests can experience at Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center:
ONCE UPON A SPRING: Springtime comes alive during "Once Upon a Spring" at Gaylord Palms. In 2023, guests were treated to plenty of oversized, pastel eggs, craft activities in the Adventure Kids' Clubhouse, an Easter Day Buffet, a themed escape room, family scavenger hunt and visits from everyone's favorite holiday hares, Mr. and Mrs. Easter Bunny. Relâche Spa also unveiled a variety of treatments and therapies to celebrate the season.
SUMMER OF MORE: Summer fun abounds throughout the resort with immersive activities and special events for the whole family, with new adventures introduced each year. In 2023, guests celebrated in the "Summer of More" featuring a treasure trove of activities, a water wonderland at Cypress Springs Water Park, and plenty of pirate- and princess-themed décor. Families created treasures in a craft clubhouse, looked for jewels in a puzzle-filled escape room, strolled through glittering remnants of a pirate galleon, embarked on a plundering scavenger hunt and saw a summer series of family films at the resort's water park.
GOBLINS & GIGGLES WEEKENDS: Bewitching thrills, chills and laughter fill autumn weekends as guests are treated to Halloween fun during the annual "Goblins & Giggles Weekends" celebration. Among the featured activities: the Monster Mash Bash Dance Party and Costume Contest featuring a host of funloving frights, a haunted escape room, lots of sweet treats in the Trick-or-Treat Expedition, family-favorite "Dive-In Movies" at Cypress Springs Water Park, the Phantom of the Atrium light show, Spooky Animal Encounters, and plenty of artful pumpkins along the Jack-O'-Lantern Walk.
CHRISTMAS AT GAYLORD PALMS: Each Christmas season, Gaylord Palms transforms into a winter wonderland of holiday splendor. Holiday nights sparkle with 3 million lights and more than 100 decorated Christmas trees on display - including the centerpiece, 60-foot-tall tree in the main atrium, and 12 elaborately themed trees along the atrium's Christmas Tree Trail. Character dining experiences delight, while performers amaze guests in "Cirque: Spirit of Christmas," a live show featuring high-flying stunts, acrobatic feats and an original musical score. The fun-filled Snow Factory features ice tubing, snowball throwing and a themed pop-up bar, Snow Bar. Santa greets guests, and Mrs. Claus gets into the holiday fun with storytelling and sing-alongs. A Christmas escape room and seasonal scavenger hunt test guests' riddle-solving skills, while hands-on fun takes center stage in the Gingerbread Decorating Corner and Elf Training Academy. "ICE!" is the signature attraction each holiday season, with scenes from classic holiday films coming to life in dramatic ice displays. International carvers from Harbin, China (also known as "Ice City" because it hosts the world's largest snow and ice sculpting festival in the world) spend five to six weeks creating the attraction, which is presented in an arctic environment where the temperature stays at 9-degrees Fahrenheit.
Gaylord Palms Resort guests also enjoy year-round amenities, including a 4.5-acre garden atrium with more than 500,000 plants, elaborate gardens, winding paths, a full-size indoor sailboat, a 161,000- gallon lagoon, and Florida wildlife including fish, alligators, snakes and turtles.
Guests looking for fun-in-the-sun adventures can head to Cypress Springs Water Park. Also open year-round, the 3-acre water park features two swimming pools, seven water slides (including four slides designed just for smaller swimmers), a multi-level water playhouse, an "action river" attraction, surf simulator and giant movie screen. Cypress Springs Water Park is an exclusive amenity for overnight guests.
Other year-round resort highlights include soothing treatments at the 25,000-square-foot Relâche Spa, a world of dining options at nine on-site restaurants, shopping and more. To find out more information, book a room, package or purchase tickets for special events, guests can go to GaylordPalmsGetaway.com, or call 407/586-0000.
ABOUT GAYLORD PALMS RESORT AND CONVENTION CENTER
Gaylord Palms Resort features 1,718 guest rooms and suites and more than 500,000 square feet of flexible, indoor and outdoor meeting space. Guests can explore the resort's 4.5-acre garden atrium with its winding waterways, waterfalls, plants and Florida wildlife. Other resort features include gourmet dining, a full-service spa, 3-acre Cypress Springs Water Park and a host of special events throughout the year. The resort is located within minutes of the area's world-famous theme parks and attractions.
