Beginning to Look a Little Like Christmas in Kissimmee

Back home, it’s 16 days until Christmas. In Kissimmee, at the NCDM show, it’s easy to forget we’re even in December. The temperature outside the Gaylord Palms (and the Westgate Villas, where I’m staying) is about 80, the palm tree leaves haven’t browned, and Santa’s not seen on every street corner.

But right next to our conference space, Gaylord Palms is hosting its annual Ice! at Gaylord Palms event. Richard Levey of Direct and I pass it every morning when we enter the conference, and again when we leave. It’s not overly extravagant from the outside (we haven’t paid to see Christmas), but I think it’s something that gives the resort and conference center a little bit of an advantage this time of year.

Ice! extends beyond the 9-degree Fahrenheit exhibit space the 200,000-lbs of ice sculptures and into the hotel’s common areas (where you get your complimentary cup of hot cocoa… or add a shot of Godiva liquor for $2). Tourists take in the beauty of the building (which I call the biodome!) and may be intrigued to become timeshare owners there (though I haven’t seen salespeople out and about).

And the locals are invited to dine in the Gaylord’s restaurants. If I lived down here, and saw a Shoney’s, Waffle House and Sizzler on every corner, I wouldn’t even think about the local eating establishments.

So for the locals, you make the Gaylord little more relevant, and no longer just some enormous building off I-4. And the tourists, they can see there’s more places to stay in Orlando than, well, the Westgate (not that there’s anything wrong with the place!).

And everyone gets to experience a little of the North Pole… or the Northeast.