All aboard the awe train 🚂🧊

I’ve walked into more than one ice! exhibit in my day. It never gets old, just predictably cold.

Hello fans, it’s Haley.

This year, Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee is pulling out all the stops for the return of “The Polar Express”.

This week, I was there for the welcome ceremony for the dozens of ice! artisans who traveled thousands of miles from China and will spend about a month sculpting 2 million pounds of ice into a 20,000-square-foot, 9-degree walk-through experience.

I also got to see the master carvers at work. There’s something undeniably mesmerizing about the finished product, but catching it mid-build hits different.

One thing that appeared to be finished was the Polar Express locomotive. It’s the first thing you see when you walk in, and it stopped me dead in my tracks. I kept circling back to it because I couldn’t get enough photos and footage.

It won’t be long before ice! featuring The Polar Express opens officially. Click here for my full write-up and more visuals of the experience.

Walt Disney World

Calfuccino’s big comeback 🥬

Calfuccino’s the manatee (Disney Parks)

Many of us would argue that time spent at Walt Disney World can be healing, but for manatees and sea turtles at The Seas with Nemo and Friends, they are getting a special kind of care.

There’s a new sea cow temporarily calling the EPCOT marine-themed pavilion home. Click here to read about Calfuccino’s road to recovery.

SeaWorld OrlandoWalrus watch 🍼Annautaq at SeaWorld Orlando (United Parks & Resorts)

Expedition Odyssey at SeaWorld Orlando is hands-down my favorite spot in the entire park, and the walruses are a big reason why.

Needless to say, the recent arrival of Annautaq, an adorable rescued Pacific walrus calf from Alaska, has me thrilled.

Right now, Annautaq is getting settled in. Click here to read about his journey from Alaska to Orlando.

That’s a wrap on some heartwarming rescue stories and holiday cheer.

As always, keep me in the loop through my email or reach out to me on X or Instagram.

See you next week!

– Haley

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