New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The wonder of the holiday season arrives in
Music City today as Gaylord Opryland Resort flips the switch on 3 million holiday lights and officially ushers in its 34th annual A Country Christmas.
With acres of stunning decorations, dazzling shows and family-friendly activities, A Country Christmas at the 2,888-room resort is a holiday destination unto itself. Crews have worked several hours a day since July to make sure the holiday lights and over-the-top decorations are up in time for A Country Christmas, presented by FUJIFILM INSTAX®, which takes place through January 1.
"It's the most wonderful time of the year as we get to welcome families from all over the country and even around the globe," said Gaylord Opryland General Manager John Adams. "We are honored to have so many people making holiday memories with us."
The resort's signature holiday attraction—ICE!, presented by Pepsi—returns with A
Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles Schulz. The beloved holiday story will come to life in 2 million pounds of colorful, larger-than-life ice sculptures. Kept at nine degrees Fahrenheit, the exhibit is hand-carved by 40 master artisans from Harbin, China, who use their artistry to create favorite scenes with Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy and friends, plus multi-story ice slides. If you can't get enough of the Peanuts gang, enjoy an interactive breakfast you and your family won't soon forget at Breakfast with
Charlie Brown & Friends.
Cirque Dreams Holidaze lights up Nashville for the first time November 18 through December 27, 2017, at the Grand Ole Opry House featuring never-before-seen performances, over 300 costumes, 20 of the world's best acts, original music and seasonal favorites in a multi-million-dollar stage wonderland. Hailed by The New York Daily News as "a delicious confection of charm, sparkle and talent by the sleighload," don't miss this must-see Broadway musical, new cirque adventure and family show wrapped in one. BroadwayWorld declares it "the perfect holiday gift."
Also new, Diamond Rio's Holiday & Hits Dinner Show will bring lighter-than-air harmonies to Gaylord Opryland, November 17 through December 25. The Grammy Award-winning six-man group has sold more than 10 million albums, earning three platinum and five gold records. With their hit, "Meet in the Middle," they became the first group in the history of country music to have a debut single reach No. 1. The band was awarded Opry membership in 1998 and has received Top Vocal Group honors six times from the Academy of Country
Music and the Country
Music Association.
The Build-A-Bear Workshop experience lets guests make their very own furry winter friend—a cuddly, cute polar bear plush, designed exclusively for Gaylord Hotels that can be personalized with cozy winter clothing and accessories. For even more fun, families can work together to solve the Build-A-Bear Workshop Scavenger Hunt to gain a "beary" special prize.
Santa's favorite lady will make an appearance again this year in Cookies with Mrs. Claus. Cozy up by the fire and delight in some milk and cookies while Mrs. Claus reads an enchanting Christmas tale.
No need to endure the cold for a lovely yuletide glide! Gaylord Opryland takes it up a notch this year with a 6,000-square-foot indoor ice rink where guests can skate and see free figure skating performances. While there, guests can also hop aboard the Opryland Express kids' train, stop by the Gingerbread Decorating Corner presented by Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas, or take a whirl on the Santa's Spinners tea cup ride!
An exclusive interactive installation, JOHN WAYNE: The Genuine Article, takes visitors through the journey of John Wayne's life with never-before-seen memorabilia, iconic film props, a behind-the-scenes glimpse into John Wayne's private life and more.
For heart-pounding thrills, guests can head outdoors and brave the hills of the resort's extreme snow tubing hill covered in 1.5 million pounds of real snow—or enjoy a carnival-style game to test guests' aim at Santa's Snow Throw.
Of course, A Country Christmas wouldn't be the same without a visit from Santa, who will be stopping by to give guests a chance to have a treasured Christmas photograph taken—whether they have been naughty or nice.
Holiday festivities also include carriage rides and holiday cruise experiences on the General Jackson Showboat along with free activities like the new nightly Delta
Atrium Show and an Outdoor Nativity with an audio rendition of the biblical story.
A Country Christmas has been hailed as one of the "Ten Great Places to
Catch up with Santa" by USA Today; "The Most Christmassy Hotel in the Nation" by the Travel Channel's "Extreme Christmas;" one of the top 10 places to spend Christmas in the world by Travel + Leisure; and a "Nashville treasure" by Southern Living.
Tickets and vacation packages are now available at ChristmasAtGaylordOpryland.com or by calling 1-888-677-9872.
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, located at 2800 Opryland Drive in Nashville, Tenn., is the flagship property of Gaylord Hotels, part of the Marriott portfolio of brands. The 2,888-room hotel offers "everything in one place"— diverse dining options, a full-service spa, top-notch entertainment, on-site shopping, an award-winning golf course and more. For more information, visit www.gaylordopryland.com.
BY THE NUMBERS:
3 million holiday lights
1 million visitors to the resort during the holidays each year
15,000 poinsettias
15 miles of green garland
10 miles of hand-tied, red ribbon
48-foot-tall Christmas tree
1.5 million pounds of real snow on snow tubing hill
2+ million pounds of ice for signature ICE! attraction
Nearly 7,000 giant blocks of colored ice
40 ice artisans from Harbin, China
