ICE! The Grinch Who Stole Christmas in Grapevine
GRAPEVINE -
Open the door and you're hit with a blast of cold air. Then you step into the story book pages of the Dr. Seuss holiday classic "How The Grinch Stole Christmas!" It's all part of the new " ICE!" attraction at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine.
Over 30 days in October, ice artisans from Harbin, China magically transformed 5,000 blocks of ice into a winter wonderland.
"They're master carvers that learn from the time that they are little boys, into adulthood, how to carve these amazing displays," said Martha Neibling at the Gaylord Texan Resort.
Those amazing displays are bigger than life ice carvings straight from Who-ville -- ice caves, sleds and the Grinch.
With each chisel and chip, these ice carvers built an ice city that immerses you in the story. But, these artisans had a unique cultural challenge when presented with the concept.
"The artisans in China really hadn't heard of the Grinch," said John Steenhoven who worked on the "ICE!" project with the Gaylord Texan. "A beloved character in the western world, but not in China. When they saw the art they knew of no other way to describe it other than the 'big green monkey.'"
And, to pull this off, the ice is made to precise specifications. The makers of this attraction actually imported an ice plant from China to Dallas to produce the ice.
"We have three different types of ice that they use," Neibling said. "There is clear ice that looks like crystal, then we have frosted ice that looks like the snow, and colored ice."
That colored ice that makes the Grinch green and Who-ville orange, and red and blue is infused throughout the block. "We use bakers quality dye that is used in food products in order to get our deep, rich products," Steenhoven said.
Just before your fingers start to go numb from the 9-degree temperatures, you hit the wondrous ice slides and warm up with excitement. Toward the end of the "ICE!" attraction in the 14,000 square-foot tent, there are four 20-foot ice slides. They are smooth, icy slides specially carved out of giant blocks of ice.
Then as you exit Who-ville during the great feast, you step into one of the signature pieces of this attraction.
"In crystalline, larger than life size ice, you'll see the entire nativity scene," Steenhoven said.
It's an awe inspiring attraction that puts cruise ship ice sculptures in the minor leagues.
Over 30 days in October, ice artisans from Harbin, China magically transformed 5,000 blocks of ice into a winter wonderland.
"They're master carvers that learn from the time that they are little boys, into adulthood, how to carve these amazing displays," said Martha Neibling at the Gaylord Texan Resort.
Those amazing displays are bigger than life ice carvings straight from Who-ville -- ice caves, sleds and the Grinch.
With each chisel and chip, these ice carvers built an ice city that immerses you in the story. But, these artisans had a unique cultural challenge when presented with the concept.
"The artisans in China really hadn't heard of the Grinch," said John Steenhoven who worked on the "ICE!" project with the Gaylord Texan. "A beloved character in the western world, but not in China. When they saw the art they knew of no other way to describe it other than the 'big green monkey.'"
And, to pull this off, the ice is made to precise specifications. The makers of this attraction actually imported an ice plant from China to Dallas to produce the ice.
"We have three different types of ice that they use," Neibling said. "There is clear ice that looks like crystal, then we have frosted ice that looks like the snow, and colored ice."
That colored ice that makes the Grinch green and Who-ville orange, and red and blue is infused throughout the block. "We use bakers quality dye that is used in food products in order to get our deep, rich products," Steenhoven said.
Just before your fingers start to go numb from the 9-degree temperatures, you hit the wondrous ice slides and warm up with excitement. Toward the end of the "ICE!" attraction in the 14,000 square-foot tent, there are four 20-foot ice slides. They are smooth, icy slides specially carved out of giant blocks of ice.
Then as you exit Who-ville during the great feast, you step into one of the signature pieces of this attraction.
"In crystalline, larger than life size ice, you'll see the entire nativity scene," Steenhoven said.
It's an awe inspiring attraction that puts cruise ship ice sculptures in the minor leagues.
