Is Christmas at the Gaylord Texan Worth It for Kids? Our Family Review
ゲイロード・テキサンのクリスマス
If you are considering Texas this winter, take a look at Christmas at Gaylord Texan. It is one of the best-known indoor Christmas setups in the country. We happened to visit the one in Texas.
6 miles
From DFW, no hotel shuttle
Marriott
Card or Bonvoy points
2 nights
Enough with a young child
CHRISTMAS at Gaylord Texan
Watch on YouTubeGetting There
Gaylord Texan is in Grapevine, a few minutes from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The hotel does not run a shuttle.
- Address: 1501 Gaylord Trail, Grapevine, Texas 76051. Phone (817) 778-1000.
- Closest airport: Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW), 6 miles, about 10 minutes by car. Taxi or rideshare. No hotel shuttle.
- Love Field: Dallas Love Field (DAL) is 20.8 miles, about 30 minutes. Also no shuttle.
The Hotel, Cards, and Points
It is a Marriott hotel. Pay with a credit card, or book the room with Marriott Bonvoy points when a points rate is offered.
- Credit card: The resort is cashless. Cards and mobile pay work at the desk, restaurants, shops, and the garage.
- Hotel points: Gaylord is Marriott Bonvoy. Book on Marriott.com and use points when a points rate is offered. A Marriott credit card earns those points. Tax, the resort fee, and parking are still charged.
- Resort fee: $28 plus tax per day, on the hotel’s know-before-you-go page.
- Hours: Check-in at 4:00 p.m. Check-out at 11:00 a.m. Pets are not allowed.
Room Tour
Our room had two queen beds and a balcony over the indoor atrium. The balcony faces the tree. The resort does not post one price for each room type, so the table is who the room fits, not a quote.
How the room is arranged
The view
Lights, a 54-foot tree, and the Shine Light Show, outside the glass.
Balcony
Where we stood, over the indoor atrium.
Beds
Two queen beds. That is the room in the photo. This view also comes with one king.
Bath
A larger bath with two vanities.
In the room
Coffee, a refrigerator, and a flat-screen TV.
A sketch of the center-atrium room, not a measured floor plan. Marriott offers this room with one king bed or two queens. Checked October 19, 2026.
Which room fits your family
| Room | Who it is for |
|---|---|
| Partial atrium view | A couple or a small family. The balcony looks over the Riverwalk or Hill Country atrium. |
| Center atrium view | The view we had, with two queen beds. The balcony faces the lights, a 54-foot tree, and the Shine Light Show. |
| Executive suite | A family that needs a place to sit away from the beds. One bedroom, a living area, and a desk. |
| Deluxe suite | A bigger family. One bedroom, a dining table, and a separate living area. |
| Two connecting rooms | A family that will not fit in one room. Ask the hotel to add connecting rooms to a reservation you already hold. |
Checked October 19, 2026. Nightly rates change, and the resort does not post one price per room type. Tax, a $28 daily resort fee plus tax, and parking are extra. With ID, teachers were posted from $199 a night, or $259 with two ice! tickets, for 1 or 2 nights. Military ice! packages were posted from $259. Price your own dates on Marriott.
The Christmas Village
The Christmas village is indoors. Our daughter went back to the snow throw, the slides, and the snowman.
- Santa's Snow Throw: An indoor snowball throw. Our daughter could throw snow without going outside.
- Ice skating: The big indoor rink in the middle of the village.
- Snowman and canvas: Slower stops when the crowds are too much. We built a snowman, then sat down to paint.
The Breakfast Buffet
We loved the breakfast buffet: fresh fruit, pastries, cereal, and hot food, before we walked into the village. We did not find one posted buffet price, so check it when you book.
How Many Days
Two nights was the right length for our daughter. Arrive, see the lights, use one full day, then eat breakfast and leave.
- A day visit: You can come without a room. Day guests pay parking each time they drive in.
- 1 or 2 nights: Teacher, military, and Marriott ice! packages are built for this length. So Much Christmas includes two ice! tickets, a $50 resort credit, elf training, a scavenger hunt, and unlimited carousel rides.
- Leaving a 2-night package early: On So Much Christmas, an early checkout from a 2-night stay is a $200 fee plus tax.
- 3 nights: Stay Longer saves up to 20%. Leave early and that discount is reversed.
- Our pick: Two nights with a young child.
Tickets at a Glance
The photographs are from our earlier visit, not the 2026 season. These are the rules the resort posted for November 13, 2026 through January 3, 2027. They move.
What the resort posted for 2026–27
| Item | Posted detail |
|---|---|
| Season | November 13, 2026 through January 3, 2027. Ice skating opens November 15. |
| Snow throw | Now called Snowball Build & Blast. From $12.99. One ticket is one bucket of snow. |
| Ice skating | Indoors, from $22.99, unlimited that day. Children 11 and under need a ticketed adult age 18 or older. |
| Tubing | Snow Flow Mountain, from $19.99. Riders must be at least 42 inches (107 cm) and carry their own tube. |
| ice! | 9°F, about 20 to 40 minutes. A parka is included. Children 3 and under are free. Anyone under 18 needs a paid adult. Strollers stay outside the tent. |
| Parking | The Christmas FAQ lists self-parking at $30 and valet at $50, plus tax. The hotel’s know-before-you-go page lists $25 and $45. Recheck both. |
Checked October 19, 2026 on the Christmas site, the ticket pages, and the offers page. Buy tickets only at GaylordTexanTickets.com. There is no box office, and the ticket arrives by email.
- ice! is cold and timed: Arrive at least 15 minutes early. More than five minutes late is not guaranteed. No strollers inside the tent.
- Tubing height: 42 inches minimum. A shorter child cannot ride Snow Flow Mountain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Parents asked us the same four questions. Here is what we found with our daughter.
What kind of activities are there for young kids at the Gaylord Texan Christmas event?
We found so much for our daughter to do! We spent time at Santa's Snow Throw, built a snowman in the indoor snow area, went ice skating, and even did a holiday canvas painting activity.
Is the food good at the Gaylord Texan?
We loved the breakfast buffet! They had a huge spread with fresh fruit, pastries, cereals, and hot items. It was very convenient for feeding a hungry family before heading out to the holiday village.
Should we stay overnight or just visit for the day?
We stayed overnight, and it was wonderful. Our room had a balcony that looked right out over the massive indoor atrium, which made the whole experience feel incredibly festive and magical.
Is the ice skating indoors or outdoors?
The ice skating rink is completely indoors, right in the center of the resort's Christmas village, so you don't have to worry about the weather outside!
Photo album
旅の写真
01 / 25
The indoor atrium
The indoor atrium during our stay, with the Christmas tree and the lights.
Take with you
Practical Trip Resources
実用メモ
- LinkChristmas at Gaylord Texan
- LinkVisitor FAQs: tickets, parking, strollers, and the Chill Pass
- LinkBuy tickets at Gaylord Texan Tickets
- Linkice! featuring Harry Potter
- LinkOvernight stays and atrium-view rooms
- LinkChristmas offers and package prices
- LinkMarriott page: points, rooms, and the airports
- MapGaylord Texan on Google Maps