Friday, December 23rd (continued)
After we returned our parkas to the coat drop-off area, we wormed our way through the crowds to check out the balance of the ICE! attractions, specifically the snow tubing exhibit and snow throwing station:
I am sure those specific activities held a high degree of appeal to many southern visitors.....snow, for them, would be a pretty novel experience (even that which is manufactured).....but for us Canucks, we were happy to take a pass. Pay $10 to throw 3 balls of frozen ice when we can do so at home, all winter long? No thanks. We'll pass.
We decided to take a stroll through the resort and visit the atrium before we headed out. Grateful to leave the ICE! crowds behind, we meandered our way into the hallway and followed the signs to our next Gaylord Palms destination.
We stopped along the way to marvel at some of the beautiful Christmas decorations which were skillfully placed throughout the resort. One centerpiece was this massive rocking horse, just down from the entrance to the Alpine Village.
We also took the time to admire some of the Florida-inspired statues which are permanent fixtures within the resort, like this one that featured five graceful dolphins and stretched all the way to the second level:
The atrium, however, is what captures my heart on every visit....and is one of the huge reasons that I'd love to stay at this property at least once on a future trip. Many hotel rooms border this spectacular showpiece, and I can only imagine the view from above
. With the glass roof letting in all that amazing Florida sunshine
, the atrium bursts with lush colour. It's something you really have to
see to appreciate.
We took our time and meandered slowly through the entire area, taking in all the little details of the carefully crafted Christmas displays within the robust gardens. We were hoping to see some of the alligators that call the Gaylord Palms atrium 'home' through their partnership with the good folks at Gatorland, and we were not disappointed!
They and their turtle friends were all out sunning themselves on a large rock, seemingly oblivious to the dozens of visitors who stopped to snap a photo of their reptile awesomeness with their cell phones and cameras
.
While ICE! was crazy busy and definitely felt crowded, the atrium was, in contrast, very quiet and peaceful
. A few folks were sitting quietly on benches, serenely taking in all that tropical beauty, but for the most part the atrium was very much deserted. An oasis in an otherwise busy resort at one of the highest-occupancy times of the year.
The domed glass roof seems to go on forever, and dwarfs the 60 foot tall Christmas tree that graces a place of honour in the atrium every holiday season. This picture makes the tree look so insignificant, but honest....it was massive!!!
Even here, it still somehow ends up looking small
.
Hmmmmm......maybe this one?
At any rate, I bet it looked SPECTACULAR at night, when it was all lit up in a plethora of twinkling lights. I've seen photos of it after dark, and it's breathtaking.
Speaking of trees, there were several within the property that were crafted from live red and white poinsettias that were too pretty for words. Only a photo can do them justice, and even the pictures fall short. They were gorgeous!!!
We explored every square inch of the atrium, sometimes looping back for a second look at some of our favourite spots.
Christmas and Florida don't seem to be two things that would mesh very well, but here.....well, it just sort of 'works', doesn't it?
Once we had completed our atrium tour, it was time for us to head back to the Grande Vista to prepare ourselves for our nighttime plans: the Capone's Holiday Dinner & Show. Some of you may remember that we had visited Capone's for the first time on our autumn vacation two months prior and LOVED every second of the experience. When we learned that they were featuring a special show during the holiday season with a festive overlay, we decided we would just
have to repeat the fun
.
Capone's Dinner & Show....and a Dismeet!! .....is next.