Pirates and Princesses invade Gaylord Palms Resort during ‘Summer of More’
“Summer of More” festival comes to Gaylord Palms Resort from May 13-September 5, 2022, with more adventure, more relaxation, more fine dining, and the chance to make more memories.
As the resort celebrates its 20th anniversary, the festival offers several ways to make the most of overnight stays, including the chance to become a pirate or a princess through an interactive show, puzzles and riddles in an enchanted escape room, bellying up to the pop-up bar for a mug of grog, exploring the remains of a pirate galleon, and searching for treasure during a scavenger hunt.
“Summer of More” highlights:
“Pirates & Princess Academy” – Youngsters can learn how to become a swashbuckler or a poised princess during this live, interactive show filled with fantasy and musical tales of high-seas adventure. Participants can take the official oath and join the royal court, or recite the pirate pledge and take their place as part of the captain’s crew.
“Secret Garden Escape Room” – Enter a dream-like garden, where explorers must search for clues amid the fanciful forest home of a mischievous fairy. Visitors must solve all the challenges within 30 minutes, or they’ll be “trapped in the garden forever.” But don’t worry…the fairy might just offer some helpful hints.
Captain’s Quarters Bar – It’s off to the captain’s retreat and pirate ship’s helm at this themed pop-up bar serving hearty libations to would-be buccaneers. Try royal cocktails and mocktails created by Gaylord Palms’ mixologists, designed for pirates of all ages.
Captain’s Quarters Trail – Capture sharable photos during a seafaring stroll along the trail, which is adorned with ship parts and tools of the pirate trade.
“Shiny Stash Scavenger Hunt” – There is hidden treasure in the resort’s atrium, stashed by a princess and just waiting for adventurers to discover it! Solve riddles and puzzles and you may just find the kingdom’s riches.
Other “Summer of More” experiences:
Animal Encounters – Hosted by Wild Florida wildlife park are these weekly up-close encounters with a parrot and an indigenous snake. Animal experts are on hand to answer questions, and guests can also watch as the resort atrium’s collection of alligators are fed in Gator Springs and the fish are fed in Key West Lagoon.
Wildlife Rescue – Want even more animal fun? Take a virtual safari by locating specially marked spots in the atrium and using your mobile device and a free augmented reality application to scan the spot with the app. The result? Virtual animals will appear on-screen, and you can even take a photo with them.
“Adventure Kids: Join The Club” – Join the Adventure Kids Sophie, Seth the Sea Turtle, and Ava the Alligator during this live stage show that explores conservation, wildlife, nature, and more through stories and songs.
“Illuminate Florida” – Experience a “kaleidoscope of color” as the summer “night sky” inside Gaylord Palms’ main atrium lights up during this indoor light-curtain show. Guests with rooms facing the atrium can enjoy it from their balcony.
Relax and restore – Pirates and princesses deserve the royal treatment, and Relâche Spa has just the thing with their lavender spa package in May, or the Father’s Day “Relax & Restore” package in June featuring body, face, and nail treatments for men. Treatments and therapies are infused with natural garden elements.
Cypress Springs Water Park is open all year, giving guests the chance to try three water slides for adults and four water slides geared toward kids, the zero-entry pool, full-sized basketball goals, plus a video wall that transforms into an outdoor screen for “Dive-In Movies” on select nights.
South Beach Pool offers lap-swimming, poolside seating, day beds, and private cabanas.
Villa de Flora restaurant in the atrium features Mediterranean-inspired dishes when it’s time to fuel up for more fun, while Old Hickory Steakhouse serves gourmet steaks and MOOR specializes in sustainable and local seafood and vegetables.
