Moody Gardens Offering HUGE Family Fun Starting in November
Don’t miss interactive adventure, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and ICE LAND: CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD
BOTH EVENTS KICK OFF SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH
ICE LAND included in day of festivities featuring Parachuting Santa on Nov. 16th
Get ready to set off on a festive journey and visit some of the world’s most iconic landmarks – all carved completely out of ice and kept at nine degrees – inside the chilly ICE LAND: Christmas Around the World exhibit at Moody Gardens.
Grab a big, blue parka and travel from Russia and Egypt to China and beyond and take in famous sights such as a towering, free-standing Statue of Liberty, the Alamo, Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of China, and much more. Everything inside ICE LAND – including Shiver’s Ice Bar which has been transformed into a log cabin – is carved from two million pounds of ice.
Meander through spectacular ice tunnels to explore the Northern Lights, sit inside an igloo at the North Pole, step inside an iconic London telephone booth, and glide down the 30-foot tall ice slide traveling all the way from the Eiffel Tower to the Arc de Triomphe.
The team responsible for creating ICE LAND is the internationally-acclaimed CAA Ruijing Ice Carving Team from Harbin, China led by chief ice and snow carving artist Mr. Qiu Guanghui. He has received top honors in numerous international tournaments including the Chinese National Ice Carving Competition and the Harbin International Ice and Snow Carving Competition, which serves as the inspiration behind ICE LAND. At the annual festival more than 3,000 of the world’s top artisans create a 100-acre walk-through Ice Park featuring thousands of immense ice sculptures.
Although ICE LAND is on a smaller scale, the artistry work presents its own unique challenges on Galveston Island, including keeping a 28,000 square-foot insulated tent structure maintained at nine degrees throughout the season in order to keep those two million pounds of ice frozen.
ICE LAND: Christmas Around the World offers a rare opportunity for Moody Gardens’ guests to experience ice sculptures on this scale in the U.S.
“The craftsmanship and artistry of these carvers is truly spectacular. The precision is quite remarkable as you consider this work is done free-hand with just chainsaws and ice picks,” said Moody Gardens President and CEO John Zendt. “For example, the Statue of Liberty, just of the massive landmarks being featured in this year’s ICE LAND is itself over 20 feet tall.”
Take a tour at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHT6eY9nAZA&feature=youtu.be.
HOLIDAY KICKOFF
ICE LAND: Christmas Around the World will open at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16, followed by the Holiday in the Gardens opening ceremony kicking off at 4 p.m. This free event includes performances by dancers, singers and more. Santa Claus makes his grand entrance by parachuting in for the fun at 5 p.m. with Festival of Lights opening at 6 p.m.
ICE LAND, along with Festival of Lights, the ice rink, Arctic Slide, holiday 3D films, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D and more will offer a unique holiday experience Nov. 16-Jan. 12, 2020 as Galveston makes its transition into the Winter Wonder Island.
INTERACTIVE ADVENTURE GOES 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Moody Gardens guests can visit spectacular destinations and meet an all new cast of characters when 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: An Interactive Adventure premieres in the Discovery Pyramid on Nov. 16. Moody Gardens has once again partnered with Super 78, the attraction design and production company who previously helped bring the SpongeBob SubPants Adventure to life, to create this innovative attraction.
This brand-new adventure will take guests through all of the stages of a submarine voyage, complete with unusual sea life. They will get to be part of the crew led by Deep, a robotically-enhanced pufferfish. Along with Deep’s helper robots, Echo and Torque, they will help operate the ship, choose the direction it travels, activate the on-board camera and interact with the fascinating sea creatures The Nautilus encounters as it journeys to a spectacular coral reef, ice caves in the Antarctic, an ancient lost city, undersea volcanoes, and more. Be prepared to see a sting ray, an anglerfish, a leatherback sea turtle, a killer whale, an even a colossal squid.
Guests will be immersed in the action as 3D images on the screen transform from digital to real time through exciting 4D sensory elements. See details here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGWRYreQm7o&feature=youtu.be.
Behind the scenes is Super 78’s groundbreaking technology, the Gepetto Animation Control System™. This system allows a performer behind the scenes to control all aspects of the full-sensory experience on screen in front of audiences. The performer’s voice becomes an on-screen character, and he has an unlimited palette of animation options which brings the character to life. The performer also runs the lights, sounds, bubbles, and scents with the push of a button.
“We are thrilled to be debuting this new interactive adventure in our Audience Recognition Theater at Moody Gardens,” said John Zendt, Moody Gardens President and CEO. “It is always a treat to be able to see the reactions of the audience to things happening in the show, especially when they have a role in how the story plays out.”
TICKET INFORMATION
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea- An Interactive Adventure is a non-stop whirlwind of surprises that is fun for the whole family only at Moody Gardens. Admission is $14.95 for adults and $12.95 for seniors and children. It is also included in a Moody Gardens Value Pass.
There are many ways for guests to save on their experience. Take advantage of the new Super Value Days and Value Days. Super Value Days start at $19.95 for ICE LAND with an additional $5 off for seniors and children at ICE LAND. There are also several hotel packages available allowing guests to make the most of their visit.
For more information about these attractions and discounted ticket options please call 409-774-4673 or visit www.moodygardens.org/holiday_season.
photos courtesy of Moody Gardens