Three types of ice are used in the construction of ICE!, the attraction at Gaylord Palms:
- Clear "crystal" ice is the most difficult to make. it is created using highly filtered de-ionized water. It takes three days to freeze the 45 gallons of water used to create each 400-pound ice block. By freezing it slowly, the molecules are able to line up perfectly, similar to a diamond or crystal. In fact, this ice is so flawless it is often compared to Waterford Crystal.
- White ice, which looks like compacted snow, makes up a small part of the attraction, but is invaluable when you're carving a snowman (below). This ice is frozen quickly, giving it a cloudy look. By freezing quickly, the molecules do not have time to perfectly align. This is similar to the cloudy ice you make in your home freezer.
- Colored ice, dyed one of nine brilliant colors, is used for highlighting and accenting many of the ice sculptures. This year, the attraction is as colorful as ever... especially the Candy Land and Penguin Pointe scenes.
