Ice Castles Director reflects on how one motion picture changed everything for the company

CRIPPLE CREEK, Colo. (KRDO) - Ice Castles in Cripple Creek has officially opened for the season. It's actually the first time it's opened before Christmas, which is thanks to recent weather paired with their ice artists.

KRDO13's Bradley Davis came to take a look, and even got the chance to ride down a slide in an igloo.

A.J. Mellor, Director of Ice Castles, says his passion for the ice started as a backyard passion project. But one motion picture really changed the outlook: Disney's Frozen.

"Yeah, that changed a lot. Before Frozen, it was Superman and the Fortress of Solitude. You get people walking around with the capes, and now it's all Elsa," said Mellor, Ice Castles Director. "[It took us] from a small business venture to a nationwide enterprise."

The movie skyrocketed their business.

"He called me in 2013, and he was sitting in one of the towers, and he said, I don't I don't know what's going on, but there are thousands of people in this castle right now," explained Mellor.

Ice Castles now has two locations in Colorado (Cripple Creek and Eagle) as well as locations in Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Utah.

Tickets can be found here. This year, the company says they've added a new ice bar.