Quick answer
ice! featuring The Polar Express is open at Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee from Friday, November 13, 2026 to Sunday, January 3, 2027. For a group, buy timed tickets for everyone in one order, pick a weekday session if you can, and dress for 9 degrees inside, even though it is Florida outside.
The details below come from the resort's official ticket site, checked on November 11, 2026. Prices were not shown on the pages we checked, so check the current price on their site before you budget.
Key takeaways
- ice! featuring The Polar Express runs from Friday, November 13, 2026 to Sunday, January 3, 2027 at Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee.
- Tickets are timed by morning, afternoon or evening entry, early or late admission is not permitted, and tickets are non-refundable.
- The attraction is kept at 9 degrees; parkas are provided, but bring hats, gloves and closed shoes.
- Children 3 and under are free, and anyone under 18 needs a paid adult admission.
- Parking and taxes are not included, so add them to the group budget, and look at the bundle passes if the group wants more than one activity.
In this guide
What ice! is and who it suits
ice! is a walk-through holiday attraction of carved, colored ice sculptures inside Gaylord Palms Resort, and it works for almost every age in a mixed group.
This year's theme is The Polar Express, so the scenes follow the story of the train ride to the North Pole. The attraction is kept at 9 degrees to keep the ice solid, and visitors are given parkas at the entrance. For a Florida trip in December, that cold is part of the appeal: it is the one place on the trip where the kids will see their breath.
It suits:
- Grandparents and young children together, because it is indoors, self-paced and easy to walk.
- Teenagers, who will spend most of the visit taking photos.
- A rainy or hot afternoon, since it does not depend on the weather.
It is less suited to babies who dislike the cold or to anyone who struggles in low temperatures. Plan a short visit for them, or have one adult stay in the warm atrium with them while the rest go in.
Tickets, sessions and passes
ice! uses timed tickets with morning, afternoon or evening entry, and the rules are strict enough that a group should plan around them.
| Rule | What the ticket site says | What it means for a group |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027 | Check your trip dates fall inside the run |
| Entry | Morning, afternoon or evening sessions | Choose one session for the whole group |
| Arrival | Arrive at your scheduled time; no early or late admission | Leave buffer for parking and walking in |
| Refunds | Tickets are non-refundable | Confirm headcount before you buy |
| Children | 3 and under free; under 18 with a paid adult | Count adults so every teen group is covered |
| Extras | Parking and taxes not included | Add parking per car to the budget |
| Cold | Kept at 9 degrees; parkas provided | Bring hats, gloves and closed shoes |
The ticket site also sells passes that combine ice! with other activities at the resort:
| Pass | What it includes | Advertised saving |
|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Holi-Day Pass | 8 activities | Up to 40% |
| Gold Pass | 5 activities | Up to 30% |
| Silver Pass | 3 activities | Up to 20% |
| Weekday Pass | Weekday visits | Up to 50% |
The activities listed for the passes include ice!, ice tubing, a scavenger hunt, Snowball Build and Blast, gingerbread decorating, the Cirque show, Mrs. Claus' Christmas Traditions, Elf Training Academy, the carousel and prepaid parking. The listing does not show which activities come in which pass, so open the comparison on the ticket site before you choose.
Weekday or weekend
Go on a weekday if your trip allows it, ideally outside the week between Christmas and New Year.
The ticket site sells a dedicated Weekday Pass at the deepest advertised saving, which suggests weekdays are the quieter days. Weekends and school holidays are when local families and resort guests both visit. If your group is in Kissimmee for a week, put ice! on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday and keep the weekend for free events in town.
Morning or evening? A morning session works best for small children, who are freshest early and may need a nap later. An evening session fits a park-day week, when the group wants something calm after a full day. Either way, arrive in time to park, walk in and collect parkas before your entry time.
What to wear in the ice hall
Dress in layers, cover hands and heads, and wear closed shoes with grip.
The parka handles your body, but 9 degrees is cold on bare hands, ears and feet. Most Florida packing lists do not include winter gear, so plan for it before you fly or pick up cheap gloves and hats once you arrive.
- Hats and gloves for everyone, including children.
- Long trousers and socks, not shorts.
- Closed shoes with grip, not sandals or flip-flops.
- A light layer under the parka, which you can take off once you are back in the warm resort.
- Phone battery: cold drains batteries fast, so carry a charged phone in an inside pocket.
Combining ice! with other Kissimmee holiday events
Build a holiday evening around ice! and pair it with the free events in Kissimmee and Celebration on other nights.
The Kissimmee area has a full holiday calendar outside the theme parks: tree lightings, a lights parade downtown, nightly snowfall in Celebration and holiday light cruises on East Lake Toho. Our guide to Kissimmee Christmas events beyond the parks covers each one, and what's on in Kissimmee lists this season's dates as we confirm them.
A simple pattern for a week with theme park days:
| Day | Daytime | Evening |
|---|---|---|
| Park day | Theme park | Back at the house, pool and dinner |
| Rest day | Pool at the house | Free holiday event in town |
| Park day | Theme park | Early night |
| ice! day | Late breakfast, groceries | ice! session and the resort's holiday displays |
| Free day | Day trip or golf | Holiday lights or a cruise |
For more on dividing park days and rest days, see Orlando theme park days with a big group.
Staying in a house instead of the resort
You can stay overnight at Gaylord Palms, but a group of 12 to 16 usually gets more space and a kitchen for less by renting a house and visiting ice! as day guests.
Day guests pay for parking, so add that to the comparison, but the bigger question is how the group wants to live for the week. A house gives you bedrooms for every family, one table for dinner and a pool between park days. Our comparison of a Kissimmee vacation home and a Disney hotel for groups sets out the trade-offs, and Christmas and New Year in a vacation rental covers holiday stays.
Our Kissimmee homes include the six-bedroom Kissimmee House, which sleeps up to 16 with a private screened pool, a spa and a game room. Pets can come too: up to 3 per stay, with a $100 pet fee per stay, and service animals are always free. If you book directly, our Stay Promise applies: "If the home isn't as described, or something important stops working, such as the air conditioning or heat, hot water, Wi-Fi or the pool, tell us. If we can't fix it within 24 hours, we refund the nights affected or move your group to a similar home."
The bottom line
ice! featuring The Polar Express runs at Gaylord Palms from November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027. Buy timed tickets for the whole group in one order, choose a weekday session, arrive early because late entry is refused, and pack hats and gloves for 9 degrees. Add parking to the budget, compare the bundle passes, and pair your ice! evening with the free holiday events in Kissimmee on the other nights of the trip.
Frequently asked questions
When is ice! at Gaylord Palms in 2026?
The official ticket site lists ice! featuring The Polar Express from Friday, November 13, 2026 to Sunday, January 3, 2027.
What is the theme of ice! at Gaylord Palms this year?
The 2026 theme is The Polar Express. The attraction's full name on the ticket site is ice! featuring The Polar Express.
How cold is ice! at Gaylord Palms?
The ticket site says the attraction is kept at 9 degrees. Parkas are provided and warm clothing is recommended, so bring hats, gloves and closed shoes for everyone.
Do kids need a ticket for ice! at Gaylord Palms?
Children 3 and under are free. Guests under 18 must be accompanied by a paid adult admission, according to the ticket site.
Can you get a refund on ice! tickets?
The ticket site says tickets are non-refundable, and guests must arrive at their scheduled entry time; early or late admission is not permitted. Pick a session the whole group can make.
Is parking included with ice! tickets?
No. The ticket site says parking and taxes are not included in admission and charges apply. Prepaid parking is one of the add-ons listed with the bundle passes.
What is the cheapest way for a group to see ice!?
Compare the passes on the ticket site. It lists a Weekday Pass advertised at up to 50% savings, plus Ultimate, Gold and Silver passes that bundle ice! with other activities. Check the current prices on their site, since they are not listed on the pages we checked.
