Celebrate SO.MUCH.CHRISTMAS. with Gaylord Opryland

The countdown to Christmas begins! One of our favorite holiday traditions is a visit to the Gaylord Opryland hotel to enjoy all the holiday fun and sights.

The 2021 debut of “SO.MUCH.CHRISTMAS.” is November 19th, although some activities begin as early as November 12th. Enjoy all the festivities through January 2, 2022.

An Important Note: All tickets to the different activities and events must be purchased in advance, online. There is no box office on site this year.

Click here for tickets to all the different activities.

Commitment to Clean

Although cleanliness and guest safety has always been a top priority for Gaylord Opryland, they have raised their standards to an even higher level as we all continue to face unprecedented times with Covid-19. The activities are ticketed, based on time slots, to help ensure social distancing.

Face coverings (masks) are required in all public areas of the hotel for unvaccinated guests. For fully vaccinated guests, masks are optional. The exception to this policy includes:

  • Children younger than 2 years old
  • Persons who are actively engaged in recreation such as running, swimming or water attractions, or while seated for eating or drinking.

You can read more about the cleaning protocols and steps the Gaylord Opryland hotel has taken to keep both guests and employees safe from the spread of Covid-19.

Limited Daily Access Starting Nov. 26, 2021

Gaylord Opryland is prioritizing guests health and safety, so beginning November 26th, Friday, Satruday, & Sunday access to the hotel will be limited to hotel guests and those that have tickets to the holiday events and attractions inside the hotel building. This allows for social distancing within the hotel.

To ensure capacity management, beginning at 2pm CST every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from November 26, 2021 through January 2, 2022, access to enter the hotel will be available only to registered overnight guests and event ticketholders with reservations. Access to enter the Gaylord Opryland Events Center and Pinetop area will be available only to ticketholders with reservations for events located in those areas and to registered overnight guests. Resort access will not be restricted Monday through Thursday at this time; however, additional restrictions may apply without advance notice. 

– Gaylord Opryland Hotel

Please plan accordingly if you are going to see the lights and enjoy the holiday cheer. *PLEASE NOTE: Last year due to overcrowding during the week Opryland did eventually have to restrict access to the hotel during the week, as well. I would imagine there’s a good chance that will happen again this year. If you plan to visit, click here to purchase tickets now, to ensure you have access the day you plan to visit.

Ticket Bundles

Ticket Bundles are the way to go if you know you’ll want to experience more than one or two of the activities this year. Save up to 40% on all the family fun Opryland has to offer for the season!

Platinum Includes:
– Mission: Save Christmas featuring ELF™
– Tubing
– Reindeer Games™ Scavenger Hunt featuring Rudolph and The Misfit Toys
– Ice Skating
– Gingerbread Decorating
– Ice Bumper Cars
– Hot Chocolate

Gold Includes:
– Mission: Save Christmas featuring Elf™
– Tubing
– Reindeer Games™ Scavenger Hunt featuring Rudolph and The Misfit Toys
– Ice Skating
– Gingerbread Decorating

Silver Includes:
– Mission: Save Christmas featuring ELF™
– Tubing
– Reindeer Games™ Scavenger Hunt featuring Rudolph and The Misfit Toys

Gaylord Opryland’s SO.MUCH.CHRISTMAS.

This year’s offerings are even bigger and you can make a day out of your visit. See Santa, go ice skating, build a Gingerbread house and more!

The activities are in two main areas; the Pinetop Village area is outside in the courtyard of the convention center where you can experience “MISSION: Save Christmas featuring ELF™.” Inside the hotel, you can see Santa, ride a special themed Delta Riverboat ride, see the magically decorated gardens and more. Read on to learn about each special holiday event and experience.

MISSION: Save Christmas Featuring ELF™

MISSION: Save Christmas featuring ELF is brand new this year! It’s a walk-through of the classic movie we all know and love, starting at the Candy Cane Forest and going through all of your favorite scenes. Each room has different interactive games and activities and as you move through you’re helping to “Save Christmas” by spreading Christmas cheer! You even get to see the Clausometer go higher and higher. The sets are designed really well and the games are lots of fun. My kids didn’t want to leave!

“Christmas is in trouble and Santa needs your help! For the first time this Christmas, journey into Buddy the Elf’s world to help save the holiday in our all-new, multi-sensory experience. Team-up with Mr. Narwhal and friends in the candy cane forest, stay ahead of the toy quota in the North Pole, prepare for Santa’s arrival at the iconic department store, and take part in an epic virtual snowball fight in Central Park. These are just a few of the fun, interactive challenges you’ll need to complete to muster enough Christmas cheer to power the Kringle 3000 and Santa’s sleigh!”

The North Pole Kitchen

The cookie bakery was our favorite part. When you put the wooden ingredients into the bowl they show up on your screen. Pick which kind of cookie you want to bake and how you want to decorate it. When you’re all done you “put it into the oven”. You’ll start smelling delicious baked cookies from the smoke coming out of the big oven there in the corner and your cookie will pop up on the oven screen with your name and everything! It was absolute MAGIC, y’all!

Snowball Fight

Another favorite for my kids was the snowball fight in Central Park! Throw real “snow balls” at the screens and try to get those silly elves. Your little ones will love it, and adults will inevitably show their competitive side in this fun game!

All of the ELF activities are located indoors, but separate from the hotel, inside of the Gaylord Opryland Events Center, which is located near the Pinetop Village area. Secure your family’s tickets HERE.

Pinetop Village

Pinetop Stage at Gaylord Opryland is where you’ll find all the thrills and chills of SO.MUCH.CHRISTMAS. this year! Ice tubing, ice skating, ice bumper cars, live performances, shopping, hot chocolate, and other delicious treats!

Ice Tubing

Ride in a tube down a snow packed slide! Fun for kids of all ages (Parents – I’m talking to you!) the snow tubing experience provides a tube (in 3 sizes) and a chance to slide for unlimited rides.

The Ice Slides in 2019

Have smaller children? Ride down with them in a double tube. There are some height & weight restrictions – must be 36″ to ride in a double tube with an adult, 42″ to ride solo in a small tube, and 60″ to ride a large tube, so be sure to measure before you go to be sure your child is tall enough.

Weight limit of 325 lbs.

Gaylord Opryland Country Christmas - snow tubing

Snow tubing opens for the season on November 12 and is available through January 2, 2022. Get all the prices and details HERE.

Ice Skating

Enjoy a perfect day or evening under the stars by going on a yuletide glide at Gaylord Opryland’s 9,000 square-foot outdoor skating rink made with real ice.

The rink opens November 12 and will be available daily until January 2, 2022. Children 11 and under must be accompanied by an adult on the rink. Skate Buddies (plastic bears with handles and seats for beginning skaters) will be available on a first come, first serve basis. Children 3 and under are free with a paid adult admission. Purchase tickets and see the rink’s opening times HERE.

Ice Skating Lessons

If you are novice or new skater, take a 30 minute private skating lesson on Opryland’s holiday rink. The lessons are provided by professional skaters and are available for all ages. Sign up for lessons in advance HERE.

Rockin’ Ice Skating Show

The Skating Champions Ice show features professional skaters who will amaze you with lifts, spins, and tricks.

Ice Bumper Cars

Slide across the ice and collide into your friends and family in this fun new attraction. There’s guaranteed to be lots of giggles with this activity! Grab tickets HERE.

Bumper car driver/passengers:
Minimum height and age to operate alone: 36 inches / 5 years old
Children must be age 3-7, under 65lbs, and under 50 inches tall to ride with an adult 18 years or older and 60 inches or taller.
Maximum weight: 350 lbs. total per car

Pinetop Stage

See all kinds of fun entertainment on the Pinetop stage. It is a great place to sit, enjoy some music, and drink some hot cocoa with your family.

Activities inside the Gaylord Opryland Hotel

The Gaylord Opryland Resort is magical year round, but it really shines during the holidays.

The Oak Ridge Boys Christmas in Tennessee Dinner Show

Spoil your family with a holiday feast prepared by Gaylord Opryland’s award winning Chefs and then enjoy a holiday concert with The Oak Ridge Boys and their band performing Christmas classics, new favorites and many of the timeless hits that shaped their legendary career. 

Tickets are $39.99 for children (ages 4-11) and $99.99 for adults. Children 3 and under are free. Be sure to purchase tickets in advance online; there is no box office on site.

Character Breakfast with Rudolph™

Eat a holiday breakfast with Rudolph and his friends! Enjoy a delicious breakfast with photos and visits with Santa’s favorite antlered hero. $34.99 for adults and $19.99 for children (4-11). Children 3 and under are free with a paying adult. Tickets must be purchased in advance online. Make your reservations and purchase tickets HERE.

Reindeer Games™ Scavenger Hunt

Take your family on a scavenger hunt through the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and enjoy all the holiday decorations. A few years ago we searched for the bears from Build-A-Bear.

New for 2021, you can search throughout the hotel’s 9 acres of indoor gardens for Rudolph and all of the Misfit Toys! Purchase a guide online, pick it up at the Family Fun Zone in the Delta Atrium and venture through the hotel following clues to find the Misfit Toys and send them on their way to their new homes. The adventures begin on November 12th and continues through January 2, 2022.

Gingerbread Decorating Corner

The Gingerbread Corner is even sweeter this year with more options for decorating kits, as well as the addition of Nutmeg – a real life gingerbread man available for photo ops after your little ones are finished with their cookie decorating.

There is plenty of space for your family to spread out and decorate a kit on one of the many available tables. The best part? You get to be creative and you don’t have to clean up afterwards!

Tables to decorate gingerbread houses

Buy a ticket and reserve a gingerbread house kit for your family to create when you visit!

Santa’s Spinners & Holiday Express

At just $4.99/person/activity, the winter themed teacup ride, as well as the Holiday Express are wonderfully affordable additions to the activity line-up this year! These ticketed attractions are indoors, but not located inside the hotel. They are right outside the entrance to MISSION: Save Christmas Featuring ELF, inside of the Gaylord Opryland Events Center near the Pinetop

Build-a-Bear

Right around the corner from the Gingerbread Decorating Corner is a pop-up Build-a-Bear workshop. Create a new friend to take home!

Fountain Shows

The Delta fountain shows have been transformed to celebrate the season. Dancing fountains, along with lights and songs of the holidays, immerse you in Christmas spirit.

Photos with Santa

SANTA?! I KNOW HIM! This year Santa is back with a great set, ready to meet with your little ones and take lots of photos. He’ll be at the resort daily starting November 12th, right up until Christmas Eve.

Photo packages vary by price, but start at $35.

Make sure to make reservations online in advance to save a time and date to visit Santa.

Delta Riverboat Christmas Cruise

See the decorations in the Delta from a different vantage point. This festive cruise winds through the atrium along a quarter-mile-long river traveling through the 12 Days of A Country Christmas.

The cruise is especially magical at night. Tickets are available now.

Carriage Rides

See the lights on the grounds of the hotel from a private horse drawn carriage. Carriages are available for up to 6 people, and they do sell out. So, if this is an experience you want to include in your holiday festivities, be sure to book a time and date online early.

Outdoor Nativity

Located on the lawn outside the Magnolia entrance is a life-sized Nativity. It is lit up at night by thousands of white twinkling lights.

Gaylord Opryland Outdoor  Nativity

There is so much to do at Gaylord Opryland this holiday season.  In addition to the events we have listed above there is also the Yule Learning Log, Frosty’s Pub (perfect for date night!), the Holiday Horticulture Trek, Holiday Selfie Spots located throughout, Nightly Tree Lighting & Caroling, Delta Flatboat rides, the Parade of Trees, the General Jackson Showboat, Luminaries of Love benefiting the Children’s Miracle Network, Christmas Fountain Shows, and 3 MILLION CHRISTMAS LIGHTS!!! (That’s our favorite part!)

There is one huge downside to having so many great Christmas activities in one spot.  Traffic.  There’s just no way around it friends.  Gaylord Opryland is located adjacent to one of the biggest shopping malls in Tennessee.

My best advice is this: try to go on a weekday.  If you can’t, you can still enjoy a trip to Opryland but you have to be patient.  Give yourself lots of extra time especially if you are attending an event at a specific time.

Enjoy the holidays at Gaylord Opryland’s “SO.MUCH.CHRISTMAS.”.  It’s a Nashville tradition.

Lauren headshot

Lauren is a transplant from Texas and has become a local tourist exploring the area with her two children. She loves to discover new places in Nashville to share with others.

1 thought on “Celebrate SO.MUCH.CHRISTMAS. with Gaylord Opryland”

  1. Is it possible to get the names of the 2020 professional skaters? My granddaughter took a lesson with a young lady and we would love to know her 1st name to complete our photo scrapbook. All we can remember is she was married to one of the other skaters.

    Reply

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