ICE! at Gaylord Palms 2026: Tickets, Parking and Whether The Polar Express in Ice Is Worth It

November 15, 2026 Simone Parker

ICE! featuring The Polar Express runs Nov. 13–Jan. 3 at Gaylord Palms: 9 degrees, timed tickets sold online only, and the parking math for day guests.

3 minute read

The facts first. ICE! featuring The Polar Express runs November 13, 2026 through January 3, 2027 at Gaylord Palms Resort, 6000 W. Osceola Parkway in Kissimmee, as the headline of the resort’s Christmas at Gaylord Palms season. The walk-through retells the film in 11 scenes carved from more than 2 million pounds of ice, inside a hall kept at 9 degrees Fahrenheit. You do not need a room at the resort to go. You do need a ticket bought in advance, online — there is no box office on site.

Tickets: timed, online only, priced by the day

Every ICE! ticket is for a set date and time, sold online in advance and delivered by email; entry is single-entry, and most guests spend 20 to 40 minutes inside. Prices move with demand: a guide that priced the official ticket site on October 26, 2026 found adult tickets (ages 12 and up) from $31.22 to $46.22 including ticketing fees, with children 4–11 paying $8 to $10 less and children 3 and under free. Treat that range as a planning figure, not a quote — the resort posts no flat price, and the date you pick sets the price you pay. Day-guest tickets are non-refundable but can be exchanged for another date or time if space allows, per the resort’s FAQ terms. Overnight guests receive a complimentary Chill Pass for front-of-line entry — but they still need tickets, bought the same way.

The 9-degree part, taken seriously

The resort hands every guest a hooded parka, in sizes from infant to adult 4XL, and the parka is required to ride the two-story ice slides. Underneath it, dress as if the forecast were single digits, because it is: hats and gloves are strongly recommended, long pants help, and closed-toe shoes are required for the slides. Arrive early — the Gaylord FAQ guidance is to be there at least 15 minutes before your slot, because the resort is large and entry for guests more than five minutes late to a timed slot is not guaranteed. If you step out to warm up, Gaylord’s FAQ for the program allows a quick warm-up re-entry at some resorts but tickets are sold as single-entry; plan the visit as one pass of 20 to 40 minutes and dress so the smallest person in the group can last it.

Parking and the day-guest math

For a Kissimmee day trip, parking is the second ticket. The October 26 check of the resort’s official pages put day-guest self-parking at $38 plus tax, or $30 if prepaid online — prepaying is the single easiest saving in this article. Add it up honestly: two adults at a mid-range date, a child, prepaid parking and fees land a family visit in the region of $110–$130 before food. Against that, the comparison set is our Best Attractions ranking and the season’s other big-ticket nights; ICE!’s distinction is that it is the only one of them kept at 9 degrees on purpose. Our verdict for residents: worth it once a season if your household has a Polar Express devotee or a visitor who has never seen ice carved at this scale — pick a weekday slot, prepay the parking, and layer up. If you are weighing it against a full Kissimmee stay, our Kissimmee rentals-versus-hotels guide covers the lodging side, and the season’s theme-park companion is our Epic Universe holidays feature.

Sources & notes

Key facts in this article were checked against:

HotelTipOrlando — Christmas at Gaylord Palms 2026 guide (prices checked against the official ticket site Oct. 26, 2026) — confirms the Nov. 13–Jan. 3 season, the 9°F hall, 11 Polar Express scenes, timed entry, adult prices $31.22–$46.22 including fees, day-guest parking $38 plus tax / $30 prepaid, and the Chill Pass terms.
DeepArrival — Gaylord Palms ICE! guide — confirms the 6000 W. Osceola Parkway address, more than 2 million pounds of ice, online-only advance tickets with no on-site box office, and the resort FAQ’s arrival guidance.
Gaylord Hotels — Christmas FAQs (official Gaylord program FAQ) — confirms the program standards: 9°F, complimentary parka in sizes infant to adult 4XL, 20–40 minute typical visit, single-entry timed tickets sold online in advance, arrive at least 15 minutes early.
Wikipedia — Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center — confirms the resort’s Kissimmee location and that its ICE! attraction is hand-carved from two million pounds of ice in a hall kept at 9 degrees.

Ticket and parking prices were last checked against the official ticket site on October 26, 2026 by the guide cited above and vary by date; confirm on the resort’s ticket page before you buy. Featured image: Gaylord Palms Resort, Kissimmee — WordPress Photo Directory, CC0, graded to the paper’s photo finish.

Filed under Christmas · Family · Gaylord Palms · ICE! · Kissimmee

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