As you begin your holiday event planning, make sure you add the Gaylord Christmas Celebration to your list. This experience is a true holiday destination unlike anything else in the greater Denver area.
Disclosure: My family and I were provided with complementary tickets to experience Gaylord Christmas Celebration. As always, all opinions are my own.
I remember the first time I stayed in a Gaylord hotel and heard all about the amazing ICE! display and Christmas celebration. I knew that at some point in my life I would need to see this amazing event with my own eyes. So, when I first heard about the Gaylord Rockies opening here in Colorado I was so excited to learn about the inaugural Christmas at Gaylord Rockies holiday celebration!
Last weekend, we had the opportunity to kick off the holiday season at the Gaylord and check out all of the fantastic Christmas events there is to enjoy. It will be an experience that the kids, my mom and I will never forget and hopefully we will continue this holiday experience for years to come – new family tradition? I think so!
Plan Your Visit To Gaylord of the Rockies Christmas Celebration
Gaylord Rockies – General Information
This was my first visit to the new Gaylord Rockies and from the moment we drove up to the hotel and convention center we knew we were in for a treat. The building is gorgeous and it seems like there are endless photo opportunities through out the building. The kids were getting sick of my asking them to take pictures but I couldn’t help it!
The Gaylord of the Rockies Resort and Convention Center is located off of E-470 and Pena Boulevard in Denver. Just southwest of the Denver Airport. A great location for those looking for a great place to stay during the holidays as a little treat. In true Colorado fashion there is an amazing mountain view of the Rocky Mountains and the Front Range and the interior decor brings a perfect rustic charm to the hotel.
While we did not stay in the guest rooms during our visit, I have heard they are amazing. I hope to add this to our holiday experience next year.
What Is The Gaylord Christmas Celebration?
Like I said, I had heard about the celebrations at the Gaylord resorts but I didn’t really know how much there was to do. We only had about 6 hours at the Gaylord to experience the Christmas Celebration and we could have used another 6 hours at least! So much to do, see and experience. Gaylord Rockies Christmas Celebration runs November 22, 2019 to January 5, 2020.
Activities To Enjoy At The Gaylord Christmas Celebration:
Free Activities:
Light! (walking experience designed to immerse guests in color, patterns and light as you follow a path of illumination)
Father Christmas Library
Mistletoe Village (Adorable set-up, you feel like you are walking through a little mountain town)
Shows To Take In:
ICE! (ICE! featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – each Gaylord location has a different theme)
Cirque Dreams Holidaze – DO NOT MISS!
Extra Ticketed Activities:
Rudolph Character Breakfast
Naughty or Nice Escape Room
Mrs. Claus’ Christmas Traditions
Other Paid Activities:
Gingerbread Decorating Corner (we took ours to go since we were not staying at the hotel)
Ice Skating (outdoor – be prepared with winter gear)
Ice Tubing (outdoor – be prepared with winter gear)
Ice Bumper Cars (outdoor – be prepared with winter gear)
Reindeer Games Scavenger Hunt (throughout the resort)
Build-A-Bear Workshop
Seasonal Spa Treatments
Told you….SO MUCH TO DO!!!
Rudolph’s Holly Jolly™ Breakfast
Meet Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and his friends, Clarice and Bumble, and enjoy a delicious breakfast and Sing-A-Long to favorite music from the beloved television special.
ICE! featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer™
Experience favorite scenes from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer brought to life in this winter wonderland carved from more than two million pounds of colorful ice as you walk through the attraction kept at a wintry 9 degrees. Crafted by master artisans who travel across the globe from Harbin, China, families can enjoy spectacular holiday scenes, colorful characters and ice slides! Complimentary parkas are provided for both children and adults to help keep you warm.
ICE! was the highlight of our visit. Two million pounds of ice all in one 9 degree tent in a convention center? YES!! We started our experience by being handed our HUGE blue ICE! parkas and we headed in. Okay, I am a Colorado native and when I heard that the tent was kept at 9 degrees I didn’t flinch because I figured it wouldn’t be THAT cold. Guys, IT WAS COLD! Thank goodness for those parkas!
We loved the theme of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – some of our favorite holiday characters. The detail as you go through the event is pretty amazing. The story is listed out so it was fun to have the kids read as we walked.
So many selfie opportunities too! Isn’t the detail and coloring of the ice great? ICE! gives the kids a little fun too – oh okay adults too! A two-story ice slide? YES!! So fun. The kids could have spent all day in there if it wasn’t so chilly! HA!
Outdoor Adventures
When you step outside you have the opportunity to enjoy Ice Tubing, Ice Skating and Ice Bumper Cars. The kids really enjoyed the tubing and wanted to keep going down the hill over and over. It was a fun set-up outside that kept kids of all ages entertained and enjoying some fun winter outdoor activities.
Ice Tubing
Want to enjoy some awesome Ice Tubing in Aurora, Colorado? This absolute blast of ice tubing fun offers kids, and those who are young at heart, the opportunity to slide down one of four slides that will take guests hurdling towards the Denver skyline. The extreme tubing hill is covered in ice and is great fun for everyone. And, the views from the top will be awe inspiring!
Ice Skating
Enjoy a perfect day or evening under the stars by going on a yuletide glide at Gaylord Rockies’ outdoor ice skating rink. Christmas at Gaylord Rockies has never been more fun!
Ice Bumper Cars
If you like bumper cars, experience the thrill of driving them on ice! Slide, spin, and bump your friends and family as you zoom around in our Ice Bumper Cars.
Mrs. Claus’ Christmas Traditions
Gather around for warm and cozy fun with the jolliest hostess of all – Mrs. Claus! Delight in the reading of holiday classics and singing of Christmas carols while enjoying cookies and milk.
While this seems like such a simple activity, both Jude and Teagan enjoyed their time with Mrs. Claus and her helpful elf. We sang songs, enjoyed cookies and milk and even played instruments. Super cute activity that gave my mom and I a few minutes to sit and enjoy the scene.
Cirque Dreams Holidaze
Cirque Dreams Holidaze debuts its newest electrifying and reimagined live family holiday spectacular. This exclusive in-the-round theatrical experience includes the world’s best acts and dazzling costumes featuring astonishing aerialists along with world-class singers and dancers. It’s a Broadway musical and new cirque adventure wrapped into the ultimate holiday gift for the entire family. This action packed 75-minute joyful celebration is performed on stage and in the air by toy soldiers, snowmen, penguins, reindeer, gingerbread, Santa and holiday characters imagined by Broadway director and renowned Cirque Dreams founder, Neil Goldberg.
This show had all of us gasping and smiling. The music, the costumes, the music and the talent was all amazing. Yes, this show is a bit crazy but it was captivating. I am so happy that Jude and Teagan got to experience their first Cirque show. This is a part of the experience that I would put on the must see list!
Bundle and Save!
When booking your tickets, make sure you check out the whole list and menu of what is available. After reading more about the event tickets it is clear that the best way to enjoy your time at the Gaylord Christmas Celebration is by bundling! By bundling with the Play & Save options you can combine ICE! with 2 or more events and save up to 30% on your visit!
Like I said, we were only at the Gaylord for 6 hours, which means while we had the opportunity to enjoy every event we were not able to experience all of them. When planning your experience, keep that in mind! Do not overbook yourself and not use the tickets you purchase. Either come for a whole day or even stay the night OR pick a few events to enjoy as a family for a shorter stay.
Oh wow, this looks like SO much fun! (Mistletoe Village!) I love your descriptions and photos— and you got to meet Rudolph; how cool is that? Thank you for sharing about your visit!
shelly petersonsays
What a fun place to visit. Looks like you had a great time.
Oh wow, this looks like SO much fun! (Mistletoe Village!) I love your descriptions and photos— and you got to meet Rudolph; how cool is that? Thank you for sharing about your visit!
What a fun place to visit. Looks like you had a great time.