Christmas at Gaylord Rockies

Have you ever visited a Gaylord Resort during the holidays? What did you think? Our Colorado location is pretty new and this year was their inaugural year for Christmas celebrations. We were invited as guests of Gaylord (in exchange for media coverage) for a full day of family fun and wow! I was amazed at just how much there is to do during Christmas at Gaylord Rockies.

ICE! at Gaylord Rockies

Before my kids even knew they were going, they were begging to see ICE! This year’s theme is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and they had already been mesmerized by the commercials. As Christmas at Gaylord newbies, we weren’t sure what to expect, but it was more incredible than we imagined. Not only were Rudolph and his friends larger than life, carved from over two-million pounds of ice, there were four, two-story ice slides. Yes, you read that right–slides made of ice!

Although they provide giant, blue parkas to keep you warm inside the exhibit, we packed hats and gloves, as well as dressed in layers, and I’m so glad we did. After a little over 30 minutes of exploring in the frigid 9 degree (F) chill, we were frozen and ready for some hot chocolate.

Tickets from $13.99/child and $24.99/adult

Check out this quick video for a glimpse of the fun:

Cirque Dreams Holidaze

Already amazed and our hearts filled with Christmas magic, our next stop at Christmas at Gaylord Rockies was Cirque Dreams Holidaze. The show featured acrobats and performers that are masters of their skills. Singing, dancing, swinging from the ceiling or by the necks of their partners. Hula hoops, tight rope walkers, comedy and balancing, each act was more impressive than the previous.

Tickets from $29.00

Outdoor Winter Wonderland

After sitting quietly enthralled in Cirque Dreams Holidaze, it was time to take the kids outside to burn some energy. Here, Christmas at Gaylord Rockies offered ice skating, tubing and bumper cars on ice. Our teen was quick to head to the ice skate tent, lace up his skates and get out on the ice. I was dizzy just watching him circle around, so after a quick lap with the younger kids, we headed to bumper cars.

Once we all had enough fun, we headed to tubing where the four of us raced down the hill. Joyous screams and uncontrollable laughter erupted each time we climbed to the top and glided back towards the bottom.

Ice Skating: From $15.99/person for unlimited all-day skating Ice Bumper Cars: $8.99/driver Tubing: From $17.99/person for unlimited all-day rides.

LIGHT! at Gaylord Rockies

As the day winds down and the sun begins to set, the property comes alive with light. Glowing trees, giant packages and ornaments, and musical designs can be found on a lit up pathway around the resort. Timed just right, you can catch the beginning of it with the colorful Colorado sunset.

More Christmas at Gaylord Rockies Fun

Strolling through Mistletoe Village, you’ll also find Santa, a sweet candy shop where you can decorate a gingerbread house ($29.99) and take a photo with the gingerbread man, Build-A-Bear and a holiday gift shop.

You can also dine with Rudolph and friends (From $19.99/child and $32.99/adult) and eat cookies while listening to Christmas stories from Mrs. Claus ($12.99/person.) Plus, don’t forget the resort-wide scavenger hunt ($9.99.)

Planning Tips

While the holiday magic is plentiful at Christmas at Gaylord Rockies, the price of the fun can add up. To make the most of it, keep an eye on discounts and sales. Cyber week, as well as late in the season, traditionally offer promotions.

Also, when you combine ICE! with two or more events you can save up to 30% on your visit. I also suggest reading the descriptions of the various activities online to see what your family will most enjoy. For us, we loved tubing as a family, but could probably have lived without skating or the ice bumper cars.

Last, see if they offer any packages with an overnight stay or a discounted overnight stay. This way, you don’t feel like you have to get everything done in one day. Unfortunately, there aren’t room options for those with families of five or more (other than buying more than one room.) Luckily, the location is great and there are plenty of budget-friendly hotels right around the corner.

I’d love to hear if you’ve visited a Gaylord Resort for the holidays and which one if so? Share your story in the comments below!