Gaylord Palms Christmas Fun

If you love Christmas, you are going to want to plan a visit to Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, Florida! There is so much fun to be had for the entire family. Gaylord Palms Christmas has a long list of activities: gorgeous Christmas decorations, snow tubing, a fun pop-up holiday bar, Cirque: The Spirit of Christmas show, and Mission: Save Christmas featuring Elf interactive experience. I recommend an overnight visit so that you have plenty of time to fit in all of the festivities. Visit until January 2, 2022.

Highlights: Christmas Activities at Gaylord Palms

• Gaylord Palms Christmas Trees and Decorations
• Mission: Save Christmas featuring Elf
• Snow Tubing on Snow Flow Mountain
• Snowball Build & Blast
• Gingerbread Decorating
• Cirque: The Spirit of Christmas Show

Gaylord Palms Christmas Trees and Decorations

This resort is beautiful no matter when you visit, but Christmas is extra magical. Take a stroll along the Christmas Tree Trail throughout the Everglades atrium area and find all eight trees.

New for 2021, make sure to view the Shine Light Show. Watch thousands of dancing lights, synchronized to a high-energy, seasonal soundtrack. Animated light curtains glow with Christmas imagery around a centerpiece tree that magically transforms into a gleaming and glowing holiday spectacle. This event happens daily at 9:15pm in the St. Augustine Atrium.

Make sure to find the Christmas Tree Farm and pop up bar. Such a cute photo opportunity and a fun list of unique drinks. I tried the Home for the Holidays that tasted like a twist on coquito made with rum, coconut cream, and pistachio. Other fun options include the Mistletoe Margarita, Reindeer Jive, and A Jolly Good Time.

Mission: Save Christmas featuring Elf

Mission: Save Christmas is a fun, interactive journey through Buddy the Elf’s world. There are so many rooms that look like they are straight out of one of my favorite Christmas movies. This experience is fun for the whole family. Complete enough challenges to muster enough Christmas cheer to power the Kringle 3000 and Santa’s sleigh! This activity, along with many others, is located over in the Convention Center. Purchase tickets online ahead of time to save. Children ages 4-11 are $16.99 and $29.99 for ages 12+. This activity is available from 10:00 am through 7:45 pm daily in 15 minute increments to help space parties out.

Snow Tubing on Snow Flow Mountain

Slide through factory conveyor belts that have frozen solid, and ride on tubes down a slide or hilly ice coaster in the Snow Factory, a mechanized, snowy play space. Must be 42” to ride. This activity is available daily 10:00 am through 8:00 pm. Tickets are $22.99 for all ages and are valid all day for unlimited rides.

Snowball Build & Blast

Build and toss real snowballs to boost the power of the snowmaking machines and earn points in this experience. You’ll get a bin of real snow to make your own snowballs. How fun! Tickets are $11.99 for all ages. The Snow Factory Bar is right there too along with the snowfall plaza.

Gingerbread Decorating

Get to work decorating your gingerbread house or cookies. Once it’s perfect, you can head over for a meet and greet with Nutmeg the gingerbread man. Prices range from $22.99 – $29.99 depending on what you choose to decorate.

Cirque: The Spirit of Christmas

This Cirque-styled Christmas show is something else new for 2021. Watch dazzling acrobatics and high-flying stunts. Shows happen at 1:00 pm and 6:30 pm almost daily, with an additional 8:00 pm show on most Saturdays. Head to the Emerald Bay Plaza and prepare to be wowed. We didn’t get to see this while we were there, but I would definitely try to see the night show if you’re able to with all of the lights in the atrium area. Tickets range from $19.99 to $32.99 depending on where you select seats.

Other Tips

There are so many other fun activities, these are just some of the highlights!

If you’re planning on doing multiple activities, look into the Buy More, Save More passes. There are three different levels, plus a weekday pass, to get a better deal than buying the tickets individually! Check out all of the ticket options and availability here.

Parking is not included with any of the ticket purchases. If you are just visiting for the day, the parking is $30. You can pay before leaving on your phone or at a table in the convention center so you don’t have to try to find your wallet while you’re driving out.

There are also special resort packages that can include the Christmas activities plus a guaranteed view of the stage for the Cirque show and the lights from your room’s balcony. Definitely check these options out!

Gaylord Palms is within minutes of the town of Celebration. They have fun Christmas activities you can check out too.

Planning an Elf movie night at home with your family? Check out this Hot Cocoa Dip recipe to try!