Macaroni Kid Reiview:
This was our first time at Chill and we were so impressed by the event. There was so much to do and see! I definitely recommend buying the Elf pass for faster access to attractions.
Loved the tubing! I haven't done something like this since I was a kid. Being able to ice tube with my son for the first time while in Long Beach is priceless (hight restriction applies).
The Ice Kingdom is like nothing I've ever seen. The work is truly beautiful. It is extremely cold in the exhibit, so it would be a good idea to bring gloves, scarves and hats to wear. DO take the additional jacket they offer you when you walk in. We decided to not take our infant into this exhibit and took turns standing outside with her due to the extreme coldness.
There's an ice slide in the Ice Kingdom! I can't think of any other place that would offer an opportunity to experience a slide like this. No matter how cold you are, you should slide down at least once.
My favorite part is ice skating with the Queen Mary behind us. Young kids can rent a penguin to hold on to while skating. Sorry, there's no adult size penguins, I tried.
There are also shows, bounce houses and lots of venders passing out free samples. Chill is such a great holiday event to attend. You don't want to miss it.
Event Details:
The Queen Mary will once again be overtaken by a deep freeze for the third annual CHILL, opening on November 21. Experience the frozen magic that will bring holiday celebration, wonderment and North Pole temperatures to families across sunny Southern California.
An experience like no other, CHILL transforms over two million pounds of sparkling ice into larger than life hand carved colorful ice sculptures in the 14,000 square-foot Igloo called The Ice Kingdom, located inside the Queen Mary’s Dome, formerly home to the legendary Spruce Goose. The Ice Kingdom will feature a California holiday theme complete with breaking waves, dancing dolphins and a Surfing Santa. Frozen scenes from The Nutcracker will adorn The Ice Kingdom with walk-through castles and sugar plum fairies. Get lost in the life size candy cane forest, explore the penguin village and slip down three ice slides off of a 30’ high replica of The Queen Mary.
Each ice exhibit is meticulously hand carved and created by an international team of expert ice sculptures from Harbin, China and enhanced with LED lighting to create a visually awing experience like no other. The Ice Kingdom is kept at a frosty nine degrees Fahrenheit to preserve the ice and guests will receive parkas to help protect against the frozen temperatures.
CHILL welcomes back ice tubing with six lanes of glistening ice slides standing two stories tall and 100-feet long in front of the Ice Kingdom. Ice skate under the stars on the 6,000 square-foot ice skating rink with a view of the picturesque Queen Mary ship. A holiday village will offer gingerbread houses, holiday carolers, the decoration adorned Candy Lane and a visit with Santa Claus. The world’s largest rocking horse and snowman bounce house will provide holiday merriment for all guests young at heart.
“CHILL is a truly unique holiday experience that brings the cold festive weather of other areas right here to sunny Southern California,” commented Steve Sheldon, director of entertainment events at The Queen Mary. “Stepping into the Ice Kingdom immediately puts you in the holiday spirit.”
CHILL will also feature nightly live entertainment, movies under the stars and festive food and beverages. Pricing starts at $39.99 for adults and $29.99 for kids (ages 4-11). Tickets include entrance to The Ice Kingdom, Ice Skating, Ice Tubing and access to the Queen Mary ship. Lodging packages are also available. CHILL will be open select dates Nov. 21 through Jan. 11. CHILL sponsors include The Port of Long Beach, Hawaiian Host, YP, Coca-Cola, Heineken and Finlandia. For more information, including hours or to purchase tickets online, visit http://www.queenmary.com/events/chill/.
About the Queen Mary
Located in the Port of Long Beach, the Queen Mary features a rich maritime history, authentic Art Deco décor, and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and Long Beach city skyline. At the time of her maiden voyage in May of 1936, she was considered the grandest ocean liner ever built. The Queen Mary’s signature restaurants include the award-winning Sir Winston’s and Chelsea Chowder House & Bar as well as a weekly Champagne Sunday Brunch served in the ship’s Grand Salon. History buffs enjoy the ship’s museum and Glory Days tour, guests of all ages love the Ghosts and Legends show, and the ship is currently featuring the renowned Diana: Legacy of a Princess exhibit and Tea Room. The Queen Mary features 80,000 square feet of event space in 17 remarkable Art Deco salons as well as a tri-level, 45,000-square-foot Exhibit Hall. The Queen Mary boasts 346 staterooms including nine full suites. For more information or for reservations, see www.queenmary.com or call (800) 437-2934. The Queen Mary is located at 1126 Queens Highway in Long Beach.
