Rudolph, friends have shining moments in Gaylord Palms ice exhibit
A very shiny nose is a focal point of this year’s Gaylord Palms ice sculpture display, which opened to the public Friday.
Scenes from “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” have been re-created inside the Kissimmee resort, a section of which is kept at the bone-chilling temperature of 9 degrees Fahrenheit for the duration of “Ice.”
Designers work in a few surprises to the presentations, no easy feat, as the storyline of the beloved 1964 television special is well-trod territory. So, without getting too Grinchy with spoilers — oops, slipped into another holiday classic — here are a few cold, hard facts to know about the 2025 edition of “Ice.”
Red alert
Sure, the title character, famous by 1949 thanks to the catchy Johnny Marks song inspired by a 1939 poem, dominates the scenes. Although “Ice” is made up almost completely of ice, there are exceptions. One example is Rudolph’s nose, so bright. In some scenes, it flashes on and off thanks to batteries or concealed wiring.
A Bumble rap
A big moment inside the exhibit is the crowd-pleasing slide room, where participants can glide down an icy carving. (Yes, it’s freakishly cold.) This year, the design features a chase scene with the ginormous Bumble, the toothy abominable snow monster, with arms outstretched across the room, in hot pursuit of Yukon Cornelius and Hermy.