ICE! - OPRYLAND HOTEL REVIEW

WHAT IS “ICE!”?

The ICE! exhibit at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel is an annual event that transforms giant blocks of ice into a magical winter wonderland. This immersive experience runs from mid-November through the first weekend in January, drawing visitors from near and far to witness the artistry and craftsmanship of over 2 million pounds of ice sculpted into breathtaking scenes.

** NOTE 1 - this exhibit is not located inside the Opryland hotel. To enjoy the ICE! experience, you must walk out of the Delta area rear exit, across a street and down a walkway to get to the ICE! building and other related activities.

I haven’t been to this experience since 2002, so over 20 years! It was neat going back to see it with my little girl. She loved it!

2024 ICe! THEME

This years ICE! theme was based on Frosty the Snowman. It featured familiar characters and exhibits throughout the building.

INSIDE CONDITIONS

Upon entering the exhibit, you’ll be greeted by a frosty environment maintained at a brisk 9 degrees Fahrenheit. This chilling atmosphere is essential for preserving the intricate ice sculptures, which are crafted by a team of over 30 skilled artisans from Harbin, China. Known as "Ice City," Harbin is famed for its elaborate ice carvings and hosts the world's largest annual ice and snow festival. The artisans spend nearly a month in Nashville, meticulously carving giant ice blocks into stunning displays that range from delicate details to towering structures over 20 feet tall.

** NOTE 2 - you will want to dress appropriately to enjoy the maximum amount of time. We did NOT dress appropriately and didn’t bring gloves, a head covering, and wear an extra layer of clothes. Due to the last minute nature of our visit, we still enjoyed it, but would have been able to stay inside much longer if we had better layers and gloves.

** NOTE 3 - they do give you a parka to wear over your clothes, but it has no pockets!

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ICE SLIDES!

About 3/4 of way through your tour, you’ll encounter the ice slide room. This is a favorite for everyone. The left side has multiple slides for big kids and adults. The right side of the room has the toddler slide. Amelia went down it 7 or 8 times!

WHEN YOU GET TO THE END

The final room has an awesome nativity scene and giant angel carved out of ice! It’s a spectacular display for sure and a great way to conclude your experience.

We got Amelia the little stuffed snowman and she wanted a photo of it with the angel.

WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO DO BESIDES ICE!?

There are many activities for an additional fee outside the ICE! Building. These include: Bumper Cars, Ice Skating, and Snow Tubing. There’s also a scavenger hunt, carriage rides, gingerbread decorating, and snowball throwing. All in all, doing all of these activities for a family of 3 or 4 will easily add a couple hundred dollars to your final bill at retail prices.

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ICe! COST ($106.95)

Compared to many of the other Christmas related experiences we’ve had in the past 4 weeks, ICE! is on par at the regular ticket prices. Normal ticket prices are $39.99/adult and $34.99/kids age 4-11. However, after Christmas, I received a Facebook offer from the event and tickets were $25/adult and kids under 3 were free. So that’s why we decided to visit the event. After fees and taxes our total came to $63.36 ($31.68/ticket) to do the tour. The souvenir photos were $43.59 after taxes and fees, making the total ICE! Experience cost = $106.95

This cost did not include any of the other activities such as tube sledding, ice skating, or snowball throwing.

HOTEL/FOOD COST ($533.49)

ROOM

1-night, Standard 2 queen - $447.41

FOOD

Pizza combo (Delta Island) - $16.39
Stax Burger combo - $19.67
Auntie Anne’s Ice Cream - $9.60

PARKING

Self Parking - $40.42

So all in for this excursion, it cost $640.44.

IS ICE! WORTH IT?

There’s no doubt a lot of work and creativity that goes into making the ice sculptures. I believe as a one-time event for your family it’s probably worth it if you can do it at the discounted rates. I’m not 100% convinced it’s worth the full price of admission unless you’re dressed to enjoy a lot of time inside. We “hurried” through and it took us a good 20-25 minutes from start to finish. But if you could stay and enjoy everything for say 40 minutes or more, then it becomes a better experience. It was fun for sure for us, but I doubt we’ll be doing it again any time soon.