Marriott International is bringing its signature frozen holiday experience to eight resorts this season, reflecting the growing appeal of immersive, destination-based celebrations for families and travelers.
Marriott International is expanding its signature holiday attraction, ice!™, to eight resort destinations across the United States for the 2026 season, marking its largest rollout to date. The experience will debut at Gaylord Pacific Resort in California and JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort in Arizona while returning to several established Gaylord Hotels and JW Marriott properties. Alongside the expansion, visitors will encounter three new themed experiences inspired by Harry Potter™, Home Alone™, and Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas™.
The announcement reflects a broader shift in holiday tourism, where seasonal attractions have evolved into travel experiences that encourage families to plan dedicated trips rather than simple day visits. Resorts are increasingly combining accommodations, entertainment, dining, and immersive experiences into single destinations, offering guests reasons to extend their stays during traditionally busy holiday periods. This approach has become an important strategy for hospitality companies seeking to create memorable experiences that extend beyond the hotel itself.
At the center of the attraction are more than two million pounds of hand-carved ice sculptures crafted from approximately 60,000 blocks of ice by more than 300 artisans from Harbin, China, whose techniques draw inspiration from the internationally recognized Harbin Ice Festival. Each installation features large-scale scenes, interactive passageways, and two-story ice slides based on well-known holiday stories, all maintained at temperatures cold enough to preserve the intricate carvings while guests wear the attraction’s signature insulated parkas. The new locations join returning themed experiences featuring classics such as The Polar Express™, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer™.
Beyond the ice sculptures, Marriott’s participating resorts are expanding the holiday atmosphere with seasonal programming that includes live performances, themed dining, ice tubing, scavenger hunts, Santa visits, festive decorations, and interactive family activities. These additions illustrate how hospitality companies increasingly view seasonal entertainment as a comprehensive guest experience rather than a single attraction, blending recreation, storytelling, and overnight accommodations into one destination.
Marriott International’s expanded ice! lineup demonstrates how immersive experiences continue to reshape holiday travel. By pairing beloved entertainment franchises with large-scale handcrafted artistry and resort-based programming, the company is responding to growing demand for vacations centered on shared experiences rather than traditional sightseeing alone. As experiential tourism continues to grow, seasonal attractions like ice! are becoming an increasingly important part of how travelers choose where to spend the holidays.
