I think not, because everywhere you turn this time of year you discover a new ‘ice thingie’ here in town.

In the mid 70’s when I first arrived on the Orlando scene, it was just the occasional tiny ice rink that would pop onto the scene around the holidays, kind of like those Teflon ones you find on some of the cruise lines. Then RDV opened their Sports Complex in Maitland including the Ice Den and voilà, next thing you know we have an actual hockey team here in Otown.  Soon, the great, big sprawling Gaylord Palms Resort Hotel opened and immediately began featuring an incredible annual ICE! exhibit which just gets more creative and bigger (and more expensive, as a fellow Hype Orlando blogger recently posted) every year, followed by the city of Winter Park adding their popular ice rink for public skating.  Next up not one, but two ice bars in the tourist corridor on International Drive. Ice Bar Orlando, located right on the Drive, and Minus 5 Ice Bar, which you will find at Pointe Orlando.  So, what next?  An ice show with professional skaters for all to enjoy based at a local hotel? 

Why yes, thank you!

Enter Holidays on Ice at Rosen Centre that recently premiered for a limited run through this holiday season.  Details including show times and prices along with options for open skating, private lessons, and tons of other holiday activities at Rosen Centre can be found at www.RosenCentre.com/holidays.  This is a professionally choreographed family friendly show featuring a cast of six pro skaters from across the USA (one is a local from Winter Park, FL, and another one is actively training for the 2018 Winter Olympics) performing to a variety of perennially favorite holiday tunes.  It’s fast paced and interactive, about 45 minutes in length, and includes some fascinating light projections on the hotel’s façade while the skaters are using every inch of the synthetic-ice rink for their whirls and twirls and lifts and dips.

There’s a fun storyline to follow about the skaters competing in the Holiday Olympic games and, since this is Orlando, ahem, you knew there would be an ice princess, too, right? (NOTE:  NOT to be confused with, well, you know, that ‘other ice princess’ currently enjoying a wildly popular run found at an equally wildly popular Orlando attraction. . .) Another so-cool factor (pun intended) is that this is all taking place in the balmy outdoors, next to the Olympic size hotel pool filled with tourists and their Margaritas, many of whom are probably wondering why Floridians are so infatuated with ice.  We’re not sure either, but fa la-la-la-la.

BONUS TIP:  your entrance ticket includes some of the best dang made-from-scratch-with-lots-of-love-in-the-hotel-kitchen hot chocolate you’ll get anywhere in this sizzling town.  But, if hot chocolate isn’t your thing (???), stroll on over to the pool bar and purchase an adult beverage of your choice.  Yes, watching an ice skating show in Orlando just got a little better, right?

Kudos to I.C.E, Ice Creative Entertainment (www.IceCreativeEntertainment.com), the full service production company behind this holiday mini-extravaganza, and even bigger candy canes go to Mr. Jolly Hospitality himself, aka Harris Rosen, for upping the Orlando Ice Game another notch.  In fact, there’s a great array of holiday events at three of the premiere Rosen Properties which include the Rosen Centre, Rosen Plaza, and Rosen Shingle Creek. Inter-active family friendly events like a nightly Menorah Lighting, Gingerbread University, tea with members of the Nutcracker Ballet and tons of opportunities for dining with Santa are just a few things you’ll find listed on their extensive website. www.rosenhotels/holidays.com .  In fact,  if you can’t find holiday happiness at one of these activities you must be a true Scrooge.

So, go out and enjoy some of that Orlando Ice, before it all melts!