We've heard the stories of the Gaylord Texan's ICE exhibit for several years now, so we decided to check it out for ourselves on Sunday afternoon!
And it didn't disappoint.
This year, ICE tells the story of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, by recreating scenes from the book in intricately carved, larger-than-life ice sculptures set in a walk-through world.
Here are a few fun facts about ICE:
3:
the number of types of ice used in the construction of ICE! ~ Clear “glass-like” crystal ice – so flawless that it is compared to Waterford Crystal – makes up 80 percent of the sculptures ~ “White ice” blocks, which are more like compacted snow, make up 15 percent of the sculptures ~ Colored ice, which is dyed brilliant colors, is used for highlighting and accenting the remaining 5 percent of the sculptures
9:
DEGREES that is! The temperature inside the exhibit.
Don't worry though, they provide HUGE blue parkas to keep you warm!
34:
the approximate number of days needed to hand-carve the ICE display
40:
the number of artisans from the City of Harbin (China) Tourism and Development Commission, who sculpt the attraction by hand
1,400+:
the number of LED lights frozen within ICE
5,000:
the number of ICE blocks hand-carved and transformed into our winter wonderland
2,000,000:
pounds.
That's the amount of ice it took to create the exhibit this year!
Oh and I'll throw in one more TIP...wait till after Christmas Day to visit, like we did.
You can thank me for that little jewel next year when you don't have to wait, like some folks did,
in line for 2 hours.
And now my favorite stanza from the Grinch theme song...
ah, hem!
"You're a monster, Mr. Grinch,
Your heart's an empty hole,
Your brain is full of spiders, you have garlic in your soul, Mr. Gri-inch,
I wouldn't touch you with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole!"