Being a Disney girl growing up in California I always identified with Ariel and longed to visit a castle, so when I found out Utah had Ice castles I was so excited!
We we’re contacted and invited to the Ice Castles at Midway VIP night!
From the moment we walked through the ice tunnel I was in awe! The intricate detail is absolutely amazing on every icicle. The ice castles cover two acres and include ice slides, glacier caves, ice arches and even a fountain! The ice walls are illuminated by LED lights that change color with the overhead music. Once we got inside Carson immediately ran to get in line for the ice slide. While in line they had a Fire entertainer. He twirled fire batons, threw them up in the air and caught them! When he was done with the batons he lit a whip on fire and did all sorts of tricks with the flaming whip. He was quite talented and made the time in the line go by relatively fast. Above us they lit off fireworks mortars! The sky was lit up and sparkling with so many lights and colors, Carson was in awe and I was loving every minute! The only trouble I had was deciding what amazing thing I was going to take pictures of next. Once the show was over Carson got to the top of the slide, grabbed a mat, and began his ride down the ice slide. Carson had the best time, he felt quite big and brave going down the slide on his own.
Next we moved onto the light display they had which was surrounded by enclosed fire pits – these were a n ice touch. Even though you’re “inside” a castle, when it’s made of ice, it can still be pretty cold. I tried to dress warm, but being a California girl, it didn’t seem to matter. Once we had warmed up a bit we went to the ice tunnels. Carson crouched and crawled through the Narnia-like tunnels and found his own little ice cave. From there we headed to the fountain. The color changing fountain is probably one of my favorite things to see here! I could watch it for hours! It feels magical! The pictures honestly can’t do this place justice. I highly recommend checking out the ice castles if there is one near by you. I will link their website at the end of this so you can see all the locations.
Like most 5 year olds, after about 45 minutes in the cold, he was pretty much done. My love wore Nike’s and ankle socks (even though he knows better…he’s been several times) so he was ready to go too. I probably could have stayed longer, but my little legs were frozen. In my opinion, snow pants make me look too “puffy” for pictures, but in hindsight, I should have worn them – regardless of how often I try to convince myself that, “The cold never bothered me anyway!”
My tips for ice castles are definitely wear snow clothes and boots. Bring gloves and if your little one gets tired, you can always bring a small sled to pull them around. It’s easier to buy your tickets online ahead of time (and they do sell out!) so get them in advance! If possible, I would recommend scheduling your trip in the day time, for two reasons – it’s just as pretty and a little bit warmer for the littles, plus the photos turn out a whole lot better because of the natural lighting. Either way, it will be an experience you (and your kiddos) will never forget!
The longer we are here in Utah, the more I am realizing how beautiful this state is and how much it has to offer.
Get your tickets here: Ice Castles
