KISSIMMEE, Fla. – It's already starting to look a lot like a Christmas over at Gaylord Palms Resort. They're once again preparing for their annual tradition -- a tradition that's been a staple in Central Florida -- with their Christmas at Gaylord Palms featuring ICE!
Inside a big white tent, and in 9 degree temperatures, artisans carve into ice some of the most iconic scenes from one of America's favorite holiday movies.
"This year we have 'A Christmas Story.' That's celebrating classic holiday film come to life in these amazing ice sculptures," Niko Nickolaou, director of special events and entertainment, said.
Visitors who've seen the classic movie will relive memorable moments where young Ralphie dreams about having the ideal Christmas.
"As you can see, they are starting to carve Santa Claus and this room will have five slides in it. The scene is when Santa kicks the kid down the slide after he asks him for the BB gun for Christmas," Nickolaou said.
Both kids and adults will be able to go down the ice sculptured slides -- of course, minus the kick, but with an extra layer of clothes.
"You have to have one of our blue parkas on because they're made so you can slide down easier," Nickolaou said.
Another scene, probably one of the funniest, takes place in the living room.
"Behind me is the staircase where Ralphie comes down in Aunt Clara's pink bunny suit. This side of the scene, you'll have them opening up Christmas presents in the morning, the whole entire family from the movie," Nickolaou said.
For the artisans brought in to create this life-sized ice display, carving ice sculptures is a tradition in their hometown, a place known worldwide for the largest winter festival.
"These artisans come from Harbin, China, so the artistic beauty of this is incredible," Nickolaou said.
"In his hometown, the ice show is very famous and they are famous all over the world but especially in his city," a translator for the art director, Zhang Xu Hong, said.
He's been carving colorful sculptures for about 20 years, a skill he said he wanted to explore ever since he was a little boy.
"He says this is his career and this is his dream job ... and so while he's in school, so when he's in school, he likes to do this because in his hometown, because it's very cold there, everybody was doing like something similar, that's what he wants to do when he grows up," the translator said.
Two million pounds of ice will be used for the annual event. The artisans started to carve and build the displays in late August. The project takes about 40 days to complete.
The event opens to the public Nov. 16 and runs through Jan. 6.
For more information about ICE! at Gaylord Palms, click here.