Have an ICONIC Christmas Extravaganza

Orlando is a true family holiday paradise for much of the year, but its array of child-friendly fun and excitement goes into overdrive when the calendar clicks around to December.

As we’ve already noted in this blog (and detailed in our previous instalment), the Central Florida Christmas season is one, long festive extravaganza, highlighted by the theme parks and embellished by just about every other attraction, both small and large.

Even some of the dinner shows put on a Yuletide overlay to add to the atmosphere!

In fact, it’s hard to think of anywhere else where the festive season is so comprehensively covered with colour, lights and special programmes.

And that is especially true of one of our favourite locations for a wide variety of family entertainment in the heart of the bustling International Drive area.

A Super Setting for Festive Fun at ICON Park

ICON Park has become a genuinely iconic venue since it opened on May 4, 2015, highlighted by the magnificent 400ft edifice of The Wheel, with its revolving observation capsules, but also studded with an increasingly appealing range of other options for shopping, dining and attractions.

Just recently, they opened the In The Game arcade games and amusement centre and Max Action Arena, with its interactive virtual reality sessions, escape adventure challenge and axe-throwing (yes, really!), while their restaurant offerings have expanded to include the fab Key West vibe of Sloppy Joe’s and the succulent barbecue of Brother Jimmy’s (which we featured in a recent blog).

It all adds up to a wide-ranging – and good value – entertainment complex that has special appeal for children of all ages, notably with the eye-catching Carousel on the Promenade, a classic ride for younger kids, as well as mum and dad, which opened this summer.

ICON Park at Christmas

It stands to reason that if ICON Park is excellent value during the year, it offers extra allure for the festive season, and that is most definitely the case.

Much of the extensive venue is decorated in suitable style – you can’t miss the glittering 30ft tree at the main entrance – and several venues have added noticeably cute Christmas elements, plus there is an additional seasonal attraction that is purpose designed to appeal to families and provide that essential Santa moment.

The lighting package is another speciality, as the Park can change the colours and phasing of the 64,000 LED lights on the massive Wheel to give the location a distinctly merry vibe.

And, if you’re looking for a bit of festive fare to go with all the December excitement, well, they can offer that, too, as the lovely tapas style of Spanish restaurant Tapa Toro features a special Christmas menu, while the Sugar Factory has some outrageously extravagant cocktails and milkshakes on offer this month.

So, What Should we See?

If you haven’t been to ICON Park before, you might want to start with a trip on the Pearl Express Train, which provides a fun chug around the whole complex and is nicely decked out in its festive finery for the occasion.

Next up, you have both Madame Tussauds and SeaLife Orlando, with superb set-piece exhibits that have terrific family appeal. SeaLife also goes the extra yard for the Holiday period with the eye-catching appearance of ‘Scuba Claus,’ their very own underwater Santa who adds a visual highlight to any visit here (and yes, he is in full scuba-diving gear!).

Of course, there is the standout attraction of The Wheel, which you can ride on its own or as part of a combo ticket with a variety of ICON Park’s other elements.

And, on Fridays in December, the Museum of Illusions offers the extra fun of ‘Elfs Off The Shelf,’ with two of Santa’s helpers turning up to provide an additional air of mischief and merry-making.

And Then There’s Santa…

Despite all the large-scale entertainment on offer, the most heart-warming encounter is provided by a more modest-sized attraction, and it totally hits the mark for Yuletide splendour.

The Santa Workshop Experience is simply a wonderful journey into the realm of Father Christmas and his North Pole neighbourhood, packed with fun details and with a grand ‘reveal’ of St Nick himself.

The waiting area of the Workshop is full of artful decorations and selfie spots, and the excitement builds as you await your turn to meet Santa, just the other side of the impressive fireplace.

It is a countdown to a thoroughly memorable meeting, and it is the crowning glory of ICON Park’s box of genuine Christmas crackers. We absolutely loved our experience there, and we think you will, too.

All in all, it makes for an impressive day out, with magical moments aplenty and a superbly jolly atmosphere. The only thing lacking is snow!

PS: If you’d like a “sneak preview” of all that’s in store this year, our Orlando friends of Veness Travel Media – authors of the Brit Guide to Orlando – have a highlights video of ICON Park’s festive presentation on this link.

Have you been to ICON Park before? Tell us about it on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages… and don’t forget to interact with us on Pinterest, too!.