The 'Most Wonderful Time of the Year' Has Whole New Meaning To Gaylord Opryland Resort This Year
With 2 Million Lights and 15 Miles of Garland to Hang, the Iconic Resort Begins Decorating Now for 27th Annual A Country Christmas for November 15 Reopening
Nashville, Tenn—( July 21, 2010 )

The iconic Gaylord Opryland Resort, which is currently closed for repair due to the historic flooding of May 2, 2010, announced its much-anticipated plans for the 27th annual A Country Christmas event today, Wednesday, July 21, 2010. The world-famous A Country Christmas is known for its family-friendly shows and activities, as well as its beautiful 2 million twinkling lights, which take the resort’s horticulture STARS (employees) four months to string. Brand-new events—and favorite traditions returning by popular demand—were announced, all while reconstruction continues inside, as Gaylord Opryland and Nashville, Tennessee eagerly await the November kick-off to this popular event.

During the first weekend in May, unprecedented flooding swept through Nashville, including Gaylord Opryland Resort. More than 10 feet of water inundated several areas of the hotel, including signature atria, gardens and 115 of its guestrooms. The flood waters caused $215 million in damage. Since then, crews have been hard at work remediating and reconstructing the property. Several new exciting features will be unveiled at the November 15 reopening, such as a completely remodeled Cascades Lobby and Cascades Terrace Bar, as well as the Ristorante Volare and Jack Daniel’s Saloon restaurants. In addition, a new Mexican restaurant concept, redesigned guestrooms in the Magnolia section and renovated Presidential suites will be introduced.

“While there is much construction work being done inside, we are also hard at work planning our 27th annual A Country Christmas event,” said Pete Weien, senior vice president and general manager of Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. “Gaylord Opryland will be open in time for the kick-off to this extremely popular event, with all-new activities added to our line-up. And the best part: Even a flood can’t dampen our Christmas spirit.”

Called one of the “Ten Great Places to Catch up with Santa” by USA Today; hailed as “The Most Christmassy Hotel in the Nation” by the Travel Channel’s Extreme Christmas; named one of the top ten places to spend Christmas in the world by Travel + Leisure magazine; and referred to as a “Nashville treasure” by Southern Living magazine, the Christmas experience at Gaylord Opryland is unparalleled.

Some of the top attractions and events to A Country Christmas include:


ICE! featuring Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town™

This year’s ICE! will welcome some new friends, as a brand-new theme to the popular event comes to town, literally. For the first time, guests will have the chance to join their favorite characters the iconic television special Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town®, celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2010, in this year’s version of the interactive, colorful ice sculpture world that tells the story of how our favorite Christmas traditions came to be. Do you remember when the Burgermeister Meisterburger outlawed toys in Sombertown? A wooden train melted the Winter Warlock’s icy heart? And Kris Kringle became Santa Claus? This original Christmas classic will be brought to life in 2 million pounds of expertly carved ice. The characters’ sculptures, slides and scenes are literally constructed out of ice, hand-carved by artisans brought to the resort from Harbin, China, home to the internationally famous Harbin Ice Festival. ICE! featuring Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town® runs Nov. 19, 2010 through Jan. 2, 2011.


Louise Mandrell’s ‘The Gift’ Christmas Dinner Show, featuring Christy Sutherland

The highly acclaimed Christmas dinner show starring Louise Mandrell has also gotten a makeover. This year, Louise Mandrell’s ‘The Gift’ Christmas Dinner Show features Christy Sutherland and all-new songs from the country music artist who has been winning over hearts of fans for three decades. This recharged show will showcase the multi-talented Mandrell and her band bringing a combination of lively Christmas music, choreography and comedy to the stage as they celebrate the Reason for the season. Complementing the show is a fresh menu of Christmas favorites with the innovative spin for which Gaylord Opryland is known. The show runs Nov. 19, 2010 through Dec. 25, 2010.


NEW! Breakfast with Kris Kringle

Begin a day filled with holiday festivities by having breakfast with young Santa Claus, Kris Kringle. The star of this year’s ICE! featuring Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town® will join families and Santa Claus-adoring friends for a delicious breakfast, Saturdays and Sundays during Gaylord Opryland’s A Country Christmas. He’ll share hugs and photographs as he visits from table to table, revealing the origin of how he came to be a part of the “most wonderful time of the year.” Breakfast with Kris Kringle will be held in the resort’s signature Italian restaurant, located in the Garden Conservatory Atrium from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.


Radio City Christmas Spectacular, starring the Rockettes

Fill your heart with Christmas as the world-famous Radio City Rockettes® bring their legendary eye-high kicks and a cast and crew of more than 100 to town in America’s number-one holiday show, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular®! Seen by 70 million people over 77 years, the Spectacular wonderfully appeals to the entire family. Parents enjoy the flawless precision of the Rockettes in numbers such as the legendary “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers.” Children marvel as Santa takes them on a magical ride to his workshop at the North Pole, where playful rag dolls come to life! And everyone is genuinely moved at the stunning reenactment of the very first Christmas in the “Living Nativity.” Create family memories that last a lifetime at the Radio City Christmas Spectacular! The Radio City Christmas Spectacular will be performed Nov. 19 through Dec. 24, 2010.


Rockabilly Christmas

Gaylord Opryland’s Rockabilly Christmas is a wild and wailing, fun and colorful free show, with all of the rockin’ classic Christmas tunes of the 1950s. Rockabilly Christmas is a not-to-be-missed feature of A Country Christmas that includes the live band Hillbilly Casino, dancing girls and Santa’s lost sleigh, all located atop the popular Garden Conservatory Atrium restaurants. Rockabilly Christmas will be performed Wednesday through Sunday evenings, Nov. 19 through Dec. 23, 2010.


Winter Wonderland

It is a wonderland of glistening Christmas trees with thrilling prizes, gingerbread houses dripping with icing, treasures for shoppers to hide or to share and a bigger and better train to show kids that Santa is near. It’s called Winter Wonderland, and it is a popular holiday hotspot within Gaylord Opryland Resort’s A Country Christmas. All of these holiday delights, including the new Cookies with Mrs. Claus; a gingerbread decorating corner, visits and photos with Santa Claus, the charity-focused Hall of Trees and the 27-year-tradition of the Treasures for the Holidays Arts and Crafts Show are in one convenient location for holiday revelers who want to do it all. The dates for attractions in Winter Wonderland vary between Nov. 19 and Dec. 24, 2010.

A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland begins Nov. 19, 2010 and runs through Jan. 2, 2011. Vacation packages are now on sale, with options ranging from one night to four nights at the iconic resort. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.ChristmasAtGaylordOpryland.com or call 1-888-999-OPRY (6779).

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