This month, my husband Austin was invited to cover a new event called WinterFest at the Gaylord Texan for the local newspaper where he works as an editor. He was offered the opportunity to stay one night for free at the Gaylord Texan, and I got to come along with him!

We typically visit the Gaylord lobby during Christmastime to sip hot chocolate and look at all of the beautiful decorations, but we’ve never been overnight guests there before. I was so excited to experience my first Gaylord Texan staycation! Here’s an overview of everything happening this winter, and our experience on WinterFest opening weekend.

 

Gaylord Texan WinterFest Activities

WinterFest at the Gaylord Texan runs from now until the end of February. Guests get to enjoy all of the Gaylord’s typical amenities, plus special limited time shows and activities. The WinterFest lineup includes:

  • Jack Frost’s Frigid Finds Scavenger Hunt – Guests hunt down clues all over the resort. At the end, they earn a prize for their winning detective skills!
  • School’s Out! Winter Breakout Escape Room – Guests have 40 minutes to crack the code that unlocks a teacher’s desk in a classroom. 
  • Winter Art Studio – Families can create kid-oriented winter art projects.
  • Cool Critters Animal Encounters – Guests can meet and hold wild animals in the hotel atrium.
  • The Jason Bishop Illusion Show – Jason Bishop, famous for his off-Broadway runs and for being featured on CW’s Masters of Illusion, performs a 1-hour show full of dazzling magic.
  • Snow Much Fun Family Trivia 
  • Brrr Family Bingo
  • Winter Family Movies

 

Our Gaylord Texan Staycation

We arrived at the Gaylord Texan on Saturday afternoon, just in time for our 4:00 check in. We got to sample the Winter Breakout Escape Room, meet the Cool Critters, and enjoy front row seats at The Jason Bishop Illusion Show. We also grabbed dinner at one of the restaurants inside the hotel.

Our Hotel Room

When we arrived, the concierge was kind enough to upgrade us from a standard king-sized room to a slightly bigger one since they had plenty of availability that weekend. It was super spacious, with a comfortable bed, a nice TV, and a cute desk. 

Unfortunately, we didn’t have a balcony that looked over the atrium. If that’s an important detail to you, make sure you book an inner-facing room and not an outer-facing room for your staycation.

Winter Breakout Escape Room 

Our first WinterFest activity was the escape room. We stepped back in time to a high school classroom, and were challenged to retrieve a smart phone that was locked inside a teacher’s desk. We had 40 minutes to try locker combinations, use morse code to figure out hidden messages, and find clues inside hidden compartments of everyday objects. 

It was a tough escape room, and we didn’t make it out in time. I think we could have gotten closer if the time limit was a tiny bit longer! (But I might just be kidding myself there.)

One thing I really appreciated about the experience was that the Gaylord keeps participants in groups only with members of their own party. During Covid it keeps people safe from possibly spreading germs to anyone outside their family, and it also means you don’t have to share your escape room experience with a group of strangers!

Cool Critters Animal Encounters

On our way to the illusion show that evening, we ran into some furry friends in the atrium. We met a lemur, a badger, and a ferret! That was one of my favorite parts of WinterFest for sure.

Jason Bishop Illusionist Show

We had the best seats in the house for Jason Bishop’s illusions, but despite our excellent view I still have no idea how he pulled off his amazing tricks! He solved a Rubik’s cube with one spin of his hand, read minds, and escaped from the inside of a locked trunk. 

My favorite illusion by far was when he made his pet dog (a Yorkie named Gizmo) completely disappear! Gizmo reappeared later inside a totally different box. 

Guests are seated several feet away from each other throughout the show to promote social distancing, so the audience probably didn’t look like the packed crowds Jason is used to seeing when he performs. He bantered with everyone like we were a group of friends gathered to share jokes and magic, and I think it added to the overall experience of the show. 

He definitely understands how to connect with his audience as a performer.

Our Dinner at Zeppole

Before we returned to our room to crash in the comfy bed, we grabbed dinner inside the resort.

There are 4 different restaurants and bars inside the Gaylord Texan, but during the slower winter season only a few of them stay open and they offer limited menus. We decided to dine at their Italian option, Zepppole. 

The ambiance was lovely, with string lights and enormous winter snowflakes glittering above us. I really liked the spaghetti and meatballs we tried. Full disclosure, Zeppole is a little bit on the expensive side. If you’re trying to stick to a certain budget for your staycation or if you’re bringing a large family, keep that in mind.

 

Winter Decorations

Since Christmas was over by the time we visited, we expected all of the decorations to be gone. But we were pleasantly surprised to find that the Gaylord Staff left some of them up and added some new ones! Instead of enormous Christmas trees and wreaths, the atrium was covered in wintry decor like penguins, polar bears, icicles, and snowflakes. It made the experience of staying there feel special and festive.

 

Covid-19 Safety Measures

This was the first time we have stayed in a hotel in over a year because we have tried to stay home as much as possible throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. We were comforted to know that the Gaylord Texan staff was using plenty of extra safety measures to reduce the risk that guests would ever come into contact with Covid germs. 

Masks are required across the resort. Social distancing is utilized for dining and entertainment seating. Staff does not enter your room to clean it until after your stay at the Gaylord is over. Check out can be totally contactless by using dropboxes for your room keys.

 

Book your own Gaylord Texan staycation this winter!

Whether you and your sweetheart want a romantic getaway for Valentine’s Day, or your whole family wants to take a break from being cooped up in the house, a Gaylord Texan staycation is the perfect retreat! To learn more about their WinterFest activities, check out the Gaylord Texan website.