It's time for winter wonderland enthusiasts to brace for the cold and get their mittens on tickets for the "Winter Realms" extravaganza in Lake Geneva. Beginning December 6, thrill-seekers can purchase passes to the frosty festivities formerly known as Ice Castles, which promise a cool range of seasonal attractions set against the backdrop of Geneva National Resort & Club.

According to NBC Chicago, the tickets, available bright and early at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, will allow guests to explore a "snowy, fairy-tale playground" as long as Mother Nature plays along. The event is poised to kick off in early to mid-January and could wander through the calendar until early February, weather permitting.

Note to thrifty planners: grabbing tickets in advance might be wise. Based on historical trends, favored dates to experience the icy domain are pegged from Jan. 26 to Feb. 11. But organizers are dangling the carrot: if Jack Frost is generous, the event could extend its chilly embrace beyond these dates. Details on this possibility will crystalize once an official opening date is set in ice.

"If weather permits, Winter Realms will likely open sooner and/or stay open later than the advanced ticket dates now available for sale," per the details in FOX6Now's release. And for those who like their winter excursions untimed, once you're through the gates based on your 30-minute entry window, the realm is your oyster until you're frostbitten or simply satisfied.

This year's Winter Realms isn't just a redux of past icy escapades, but an event peppered with whimsical offerings. Visitors can expect to revel in sleigh rides, enjoy frosty beverages at a "polar pub," zip down ice slides, and wander through an arctic village complete with snow caverns and spectacular ice sculptures.

And lest we forget, Winter Realms isn't just playing it cool in Wisconsin. Locations in Lake George, N.Y., Midway, Utah, Cripple Creek, Colo., Maple Grove, Minn., and North Woodstock, N.H., are also gearing up to open their glacial gates this winter, making this frosty phenomenon a nationwide chill pill for those looking to spice up their winter with something other than another Netflix binge.