The Ice Castles in Midway, Utah have just opened for the season and we were excited to be there for the media preview. We loaded our minivan with our kids and four friends – ages 10-15. They bundled up in snow gear and enthusiastically explored all the nooks and crannies of this cool place.
My husband and I were no less impressed. This is a fun winter activity for all ages.
This was my third trip to the Ice Castles. My daughter and I first visited with friends a few years ago. The details were different, but the overall experience was pretty much the same. Still magical.
You can find the ice castles in six locations in the U.S. and Canada. Here's what you need to know before you go.
What to Expect
The Midway Ice Castles are big! They are literally all ice and snow that has been fashioned into beautiful shapes and features. There are courtyards, slides, tunnels and fountains to explore.
It was big enough that it took us all more than an hour to explore it all on a less-crowded evening. It was small enough that we trusted the kids to explore and not worry about losing them for long.
The ice castles were colorfully lighted and a Frozen-esque soundtrack played over loudspeakers. Cocoa, cookies and cinnamon rolls were available for sale.
At some locations, Elsa from Disney's Frozen and other entertainers make appearances on select dates and times. Fire dancers will perform every weekend at the Ice Castles in Midway, Utah. We caught a performance and all of us were mesmerized.
Having a great experience at the ice castles takes a little planning. Here's what you need to know…
Buy tickets in advance
Buying your tickets online is less expensive and is the only way to guarantee that you'll get in on a crowded day. To buy your tickets, go to www.icecastles.com and choose your location. Then scroll down to the calendar and choose your date and time. Your reservation time is a 30 minute arrival window. Don't cut it close because the ice castles do not guarantee entry if you arrive late.
I purchased our tickets on the same day as our visit. However, popular dates and times may sell out days, or even weeks in advance in some locations.
Go on a weekday
We have visited the Midway Ice Castles on less crowded nights, and it was still no fun to stand in line for the slides. Lines for entry, narrow passages and slides will ebb and flow – sometimes long and sometimes no line at all on less-crowded weekdays. The line for the big ice slide was consistently about 10-15 minutes during our off-peak visits.
It is less expensive to visit the Midway Ice Castles on a weekday. The online weekday price is nearly half the weekend standby price. The savings can be significant when you multiply them by every member of your family.
Go at night
The best time to see the ice castles is after dark. Colorful lighting illuminates all the fascinating frozen features, and it wouldn't be the same in daylight. However, if bed time, travel time, colder temperatures and crowds make it difficult to go at night, the Ice Castles will still be wondrous during the day.
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Dress for the weather
This is an outdoor activity, purposely set up in cold, wintry places, so be sure to wear warm coats, gloves, hats, boots, socks, etc. My daughter and I also used air-activated hand warmers. You'll have a lot more fun if your family is dressed for outdoor winter fun.
Wear snow boots
The walking surface inside the Midway Ice Castles is loose snow and ice chunks. Throughout our visit, employees were digging and chunking at the ground with tools to make it safer for walking. However, it will still be uneven, wet and cold.
On our first trip, my daughter and I wore sturdy shoes, but not snow boots. Our shoes filled with snow quickly. Not wearing snow boots was the one thing I wish we'd done differently. Now I make sure to wear all my snow gear, and am comfortable all night long.
Bring a sled
It is nearly impossible to push a stroller through the chunky ice and snow that covers the ground at the Ice Castles. The official website suggests that you bring a sled instead. We saw several families pulling sleds for their small children and it seemed to work well. It might be difficult at more crowded times.
Visit the Homestead Crater afterward
The Midway Ice Castles share a parking lot with the Homestead Crater. The Homestead Crater is a geothermally heated underground pool where visitors can soak, swim or SCUBA dive in bathtub-warm mineral water. My family has swum at the Crater before and we kind of wished we had reserved a time after our chilly visit to the Ice Castles.
It costs nothing to see the Homestead Crater, so at least go inside and take a look and this natural wonder. You'll warm right up.
Ice Castles is a fun winter experience for families and we recommend it. We had a lot of fun on our visit and hope you will too. Happy travels!
Disclosure: My family was hosted by Midway Ice Castles for the purpose of review. As always, all opinions are my own.
Good to Know
Where:
- Utah
- Minnesota
- New Hampshire
- Alberta
- Wisconsin
- Colorado
When: About Christmas through early March, depending on weather. It has to be cold enough to build them and keep them frozen.
How Much: Prices start at US$9.99 for children and US$13.99 for adults. Advance online tickets are much less expensive than standby tickets. Weekday tickets are less expensive than weekend tickets. Children ages 0-3 are FREE.
How Long: 1-2 hours
Amenities: refreshments, porta-potties, free parking, gift shop
Website: www.icecastles.com
Suzanne Austin
Hi. While my family and I have enjoyed going to ice castles in Midway in the past, I need to let you know that we had a horrible experience this year. First of all, their customer service is next to nil. they charge as much for a presale voucher for a child’s ticket as they do for an adult ticket which is about 33% more than the cost of a kids ticket.
I tried repeatedly to have someone in customer service let me know if there was any way to pay the same price for a kids voucher as I would for a kids ticket. I was trying to set this up for four families and people did not want to have to spend 33% more for a voucher as they would for a ticket. But we wanted to get a presale voucher in order to make sure we could go on the night we wanted.
I sent at least five emails to the ice castle support team and only got two responses back, neither of which actually answered the question. They do not have a phone number, there is no one to call and ask.
All four of our families took our business to Soldier Hollow tubing instead. Even though they charge more than ice castles, they charge tickets for the age group you want. They don’t mess around with presale vouchers and have a customer service phone number where you can call and talk to an actual person. Needless to say, we will not be going to ice castles this year and I think you should know about the poor customer service because I know that you are recommending ice castles.
I agree, they are beautiful but when you have horrible customer service it really takes away from the experience.
Also, I think it’s despicable that they would charge 33% more for kids vouchers during a pandemic when so many families are having a hard time financially. It smacks of price gouging.
Sincerely, S. Austin
Allison
I’m sorry to hear about your experience! We also have good memories from the Midway Ice Castles, but do not have tickets for this year. Customer service is so important and I’m sorry to know that your expectations were not met. We also loved tubing at Soldier Hollow and it should be a fun alternative. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Suzie Smith
Hi Allison!
I have a few questions regarding the Ice Castles. Is the parking lot far from the entrance? Also, I recently had a knee replacement. Do you think it is a lot of walking or could I do a short visit? Thank you. Loved the website!
Allison
Hello! I haven’t been to the ice castles this year. However, here is my experience from previous years. The ice castles are a short walk from the parking lot, but not right next to it. It might feel long for someone who has recently had surgery. Once you reach the entrance, you can definitely control how much walking you do. The walk from the entrance to the center is shorter than the walk from the parking lot. Just keep in mind that the terrain will be snowy and uneven – best suited for snow boots. Last time we visited, there were benches available, so you could choose to sit and soak up the ambiance while your family explored the nooks and crannies of the ice castles. Hope this helps!
Wendy Almquist
My experience with Customer Service has been horrible. We were scheduled to visit the last week of December 2022. Nice weather forced them to close and provide refunds. Only they haven’t.
I requested a refund the day of the cancellation and multiple times since then. Ever response is, “your refund may take 7-10 days”. I don’t know if I’ll ever get my money back.
Allison
That’s really frustrating! I’m sorry to hear this, Wendy. Thank you for sharing your experience and I hope they finally come through soon.