The Wandering Disciple

Deep in the swamp lives everyone's favorite ogre. The jolly green giant ogre Shrek earns his fame as he and Donkey helps rescue Princess Fiona from the evil Lord Farquaad. What started as a mission to regain the solitude of the swamp launched Shrek into a worldwide sensation.  Produced by Dreamworks, the Shrek movie franchise has resulted in a blockbuster hit. In 2013, Gaylord Palms in Orlando brought Shrek from the swamps and into Central Florida as a star of meet and greet character breakfast.  Taken: December 27, 2013 at Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center (Kissimmee, FL)

The holidays are in full swing at Christmas at Gaylord Palm. The hotel transforms into a dazzling display of lights and music each holiday season. As we celebrate the holidays with our families, the family here at Donten Photography would like to wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas. (Photo: December 26, 2013)

There is one place in Florida where you can get a taste of Florida without ever leaving your resort. At Gaylord Palms Resort, the Spanish architecture of St Augustine, the tropical oasis of Key West and the deep swamps of the Everglades are all recreated under the atriums at the popular resort. From the turrets of the fort to the southernmost marker of the keys, it is all here for you to see and enjoy to make the most of your Central Florida vacation. (Photo: December 26, 2013)

As the gang gathered around the tree they began to sing, Hark the Herald Angeles Sing. The famous closing from the timeless classic "A Charlie Brown Christmas" leads us into Christmas Eve. May you and your family have a wonderful Christmas filled with memories. (Photo: December 31, 2016)

Each year, central Florida gets covered in Ice.  Well not really, but the convention center at the Gaylord Palms does as it transforms into an icy wonderland for the yearly Ice! exhibit.  Master ice artists turn two million pounds of solid ice into a life-sized creations that brings childhood Christmas memories like Frosty the Snowman to life.  This year's display features Christmas Around the World and opens on November 21 and runs through January 7.  (Photo: December 26, 2013)

What better way to cool down from a day of fun in the Florida sun than by taking a dip in a sparkling pool like the one here at the Gaylord Palms Resort.  The Cypress Springs area at the resort features a large pool, The Tree house water playground, Wake Zone FlowRider and the Big Cypress Slides.  Earlier this year, the Gaylord Palms put the finishing touches on a $4.2 million dollar renovation which added new slides including a 49 foot AquaDrop slide, the tallest such slide in the Sunshine State.  (Photo:  December 26, 2013)

Doctor Lucy is working her magic once again provide psychiatric help for poor ole Charlie Brown.  This year the Gaylord Palms resort brought the classic Peanuts characters to life during their annual ICE exhibit.  (Photo: December 31, 2016)

Through the imagination of the staff and the magic of modern refrigeration, Gaylord Palms is transformed to a winter wonderland each holiday season.  While it may be 80-90 degrees outside it is cold enough for snow and ice in the Alpine Village here at the resort featuring the Alpine Rush Snow Tubing.  (Photo: December 31, 2016)

Soaring through the skies and bringing dreams to life, a pair of aerial performers dazzle the crowd during the Cirque Dreams UnWrapped Stage Show. The 25 minute acrobatic performance is one of the many holiday peformances that make up Christmas as Gaylord Palms, an annual holiday spectacular hosted by the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center. (Photo: December 31, 2016)

Kissimmee, Florida:  Each year, steamy Central Florida takes things down to a freezing 9 degrees for ICE! at Gaylord Palms.  The annual event at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center brings to life a holiday classic through interactive ice sculptures. This year's event featured A Charlie Brown Christmas, a holiday classic in our family and many more.  After being outfitted with your stylish Ice parka to protect you from the 9 degree air that most Floridians have never experienced, your journey through the Charles Shulz classic begins. Many of the popular scenes from the animated feature can be found here.  Watch the Peanut gang skate across the pond, get some Psychiatric help from Lucy, crawl through Snoopy's award winning decorated dog house, help Charlie Brown pick out the perfect Christmas tree, listen to Linus tell the true meaning of Christmas and much more can be seen and experienced here, all crafted from over 2 million pounds of ice. Once th...

It may be 80 degrees in December, but it is a cold 9 degrees inside Ice at Gaylord Palms.  This year's exhibit featured A Charlie Brown Christmas in which Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the gang came to life with the story told in ice sculptures.  We photographed the final weekend of the exhibit and I hope to have the photos online soon.  Until then enjoy today's photo of the day.  (Photo: December 31, 2016)

Merry Christmas to your family from ours.  We hope you have a safe and enjoyable Christmas.  (Photo: December 26, 2013)

A wooden fishing shack like this is a common sight in the Everglades, but this shack is not in the swamp but actually in the atrium of a Central Florida hotel. At Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, the sights of sounds come to life under the glass atrium of the hotel. The Everglades, St Augustine and Key West are some of the regions represented at the resort. (Photo: December 27, 2013)

The Holiday Season has come to life as Gaylord Palms has transformed into a winter wonderland.  With over a million twinkling lights, a massive Christmas tree, great holiday shows and the Ice! exhibit, it is the place to go to feel the holiday spirit in central Florida.  The highlight of the festivities is the Ice! exhibit featuring the Nutcracker. (Photo: December 26, 2013)

The Cypress Springs water park is a great way to take a break from the Central Florida heat. The water park is the main feature of the pool area at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando. (Photo: December 26, 2013)

A replica of the Castillo de San Marco dominates the St Augustine Atrium at Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee.  In addition to the fort, other St Augustine landmarks like Flagler College and St George Street can be found within the atrium.  (Photo: December 26, 2013)

The SS Gaylord provides a dramatic background for the Key West Atrium at Gaylord Palms Resort. The Key West atrium features a large saltwater lagoon, a replica Mallory Square and more Southernmost reminders throughout. (Photo: December 27, 2013)

The big green ogre Shrek entertains guests at Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee. Here guests can have breakfast with Shrek during the Shrek & Friends Fairytale Feast. (Photo: December 27, 2013)

The Christmas classic "This Christmas" is just one of the many classic performed during the Luminescence show as part of the Christmas at Gaylord Palms event at Gaylord Palms Resort.  The show features music and aerial acrobatics to dazzle the audience.  (Photo: December 26 2013)

Bundle up and head inside the frozen world of Frosty the Snowman at Ice! at Gaylord Palms.  It may be 70 degrees outside, but when you step inside you will be transported to Frosty's world and a chilling nine degrees.  The childhood classic comes alive through ice sculptures featuring scenes from the cartoon.  (Photo: December 26, 2013)