BLAST THAT CHRISTMAS MUSIC!

San Antonio resort will put the Grinch on ice for 2024 holiday season

Things are getting Grinchy at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort in 2024.

Photo courtesy of Gaylord Texan

The fevered work of bringing Yuletide magic to San Antonio is ramping up into full gear: JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa has unveiled run dates and ticket sales for ICE!, its most ambitious holiday attraction yet.

"ICE! featuring Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!," will debut in the Alamo City on November 23, 2024, and run through January 5, 2025.

As announced back on ICE! is an awe-inspiring installation made entirely of frozen water. (Let's just say it was a slippery slope from buzzy 2023 festivities, which entailed covering a hillside in real snow for tubing.)

Grinch Gaylord Grapevine ICE!, JW Marriott Hill Country ICE! featuring Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!," will open November 23 at the JW Marriott. Photo courtesy of Gaylord Texan

Artisans from Harbin, China, will sculpt over two million pounds of ice into whimsical scenes and characters from Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The mammoth undertaking will include walk-through scenes, two-story ice slides, and glittering passageways.

If it's anything like the 2023 "Grinch"-themed ICE! attraction at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, guests in San Antonio will cozy up in blue parkas while strolling through 10 themed rooms filled with oversized depictions of the Grinch, Max, Cindy-Lou Who, and other esteemed citizens of Whoville. The activation also includes a life-size nativity scene.

ICE! brings the magic of How the Grinch Stole Christmas to life. Photo courtesy of JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa

“We are thrilled to introduce the legendary ICE! experience as the centerpiece of our Hill Country Christmas celebration at JW Marriott San Antonio this year,” said General Manager Doug Gennardo in a release. “It’s a great honor to share a 20-plus-year Christmas tradition and memorable holiday experiences with our resort guests and the city of San Antonio.”

Holiday revelers can now make advance online reservations for accommodation packages using booking code 1GC and add a round of golf with booking code ZJ4.

Individual tickets for timed entry vary by date and time, and start around $15. Various packages and bundles are available via the website.

This is the second recent announcement of a fun new holiday event coming to San Antonio for 2024. Coca-Cola’s Classic Christmas, a new immersive experience from the creators of the world-famous "Enchant" holiday light maze, will also make its Alamo City debut in late November.

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Note: This story was updated with dates, prices, and details on July 25, 2024.

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Airline News

San Antonio gets nonstop flights to this Washington, DC airport

Photo courtesy of American Airlines

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American Airlines will soon introduce long-awaited nonstop flights between San Antonio (SAT) and Washington, D.C. (DCA). One flight will be scheduled daily, starting in March.

Tickets for the new service will be available on sale starting December 23 through aa.com or American’s mobile app.

The route was tentatively announced in October, but the U.S. Department of Transportation has now formally approved the application by American Airlines.

“This new service will offer convenient nonstop access to our nation’s capital for San Antonians, while helping further connect customers to our comprehensive global network," said Brian Znotins, American’s Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning, in a press release. "American thanks the many elected officials and citizens who supported our application, and we look forward to welcoming customers onboard this new service soon.”

Flight 1718, reflecting the year San Antonio was founded, will depart SAT at 6:35 am and arrive in DCA at 10:41 am. Flight 1947, reflecting the year the U.S. Air Force was established, will depart DCA at 7:45 pm and arrive in SAT at 10:43 pm.

“This long-awaited connection to our nation’s capital is a game changer for our community, opening doors to countless opportunities for travel and economic development,” said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg. “I’m grateful to those who have championed this effort and for the bipartisan support of our representatives in the Senate and House, whose advocacy was instrumental in making these flights a reality. We look forward to the positive impact this nonstop service will have for years to come."

San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh echoed the sentiments about economic development and pointed out some growth already happening in San Antonio. The release also notes that San Antonio is the largest city in Texas lacking nonstop service to DCA and the largest city in the U.S. with a majority Hispanic population without nonstop service to DCA.

“Serving the fastest-growing city in the country, SAT has achieved record-breaking passenger numbers throughout 2024. This nonstop service to and from DCA addresses a need for our military, business, educational and research communities, among others. It also promotes competition and offers more travel options for passengers flying to and from San Antonio, enhancing connectivity as we continue making progress on the airport Terminal Development Program.”

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