Each passenger will receive a silver sleigh bell as a gift from Father Christmas who you will meet during the train ride. Meeting your favourite Polar Express characters on this magical journey to the North Pole will be a truly memorable experience. One of the hardest things for a fantasy-flavored film or story to do is to retain its atmosphere of awe and magic even after the characters have interacted with the magical world and plumbed its secrets, so the fact that The Polar Express never sheds that atmosphere is very impressive indeed. For one thing, The Polar Express leaves some aspects of the story mysterious, never explaining who or what the hobo is; the result is that the train (and the experience as a whole) retains its magical aura even at the very end of the film. There's also the brilliant choice of never telling us the names of the characters. I've always held that one mark of a good film is that you don't need to remember names to fully engage with the story, and The Polar Express meets that standard completely, as all of the characters (except for Santa) are kept nameless in a totally natural manner: there's never any moment during the film in which we would need to know their names. It's an indication of polished storytelling, but it's also something more. By keeping the child characters without names, especially the protagonist, The Polar Express underlines the idea that this is a magical experience that could happen to any child, anywhere, at any time. The boy protagonist has his own personality, to be sure, but it's kept low-key enough that he can be an Everyboy, for any viewer (adult or child) to imagine as himself or herself. Everyone receives a silver sleigh bell gifts and when the train ride is over, there are festive activities to enjoy.

Telford Polar Express is a lovely Christmas experience with the re-telling of the story whilst drinking hot chocolate and eating a cookie. The Polar Express characters entertain the carriage which is decorated festively. The Polar Express: Two-Disc Widescreen Edition is, as its name points out, a two-disc set. The film appears on the first disc, while the special features are on the second. During the journey, you will meet characters from the film, most notably the Polar Express conductor and, of course, Santa. There will be singing and dancing and each passenger will receive a gift. What age is best for the Polar Express train ride? Duration: The return journey lasts around 1 hour with a 30 minute performance beforehand. Swanage Railway Polar ExpressIf you and your little ones love the Polar Express Movie, you are bound to love this Polar Express experience. Want the ultimate Polar Experience? Here’s how to book a DIY Lapland trip on a budget. There will be hot chocolate and singing and a gift of a silver bell as a memento of your special day. There will be hot chocolate and a cookie served during the train ride and a gift of a silver sleigh bell.

The story seems to be a fairly linear one, but only in retrospect. As the film develops, there are constantly hints that the story could go in this, that, or another direction, so we never really know what to expect next... and as a result, we're in exactly the right mindset to be open to whatever wonderful or delightful surprise is around the next corner. In terms of the story arc, the journey is the destination: except for the scene at the heart of the film, the child characters are always moving forward literally as well as figuratively. That's no coincidence; the film takes on the metaphor of life as a journey so completely that it ceases to be a metaphor and becomes a magical reality. There's a sense that the train ride for the characters is exactly as long as it needs to be, and that the figures of the conductor and the hobo are much more powerful than they seem to be at first glance. You might also like to read our post on Christmas events in Norfolk for ideas for more festive days out in Norfolk or find out where to find the best Christmas light displays in Norfolk. We also have a guide to the Norfolk Christmas markets happening this yer.And if you’re in Norfolk, you’re not far from some of the Christmas things going on in Suffolk. Churnet Valley Railway Polar Express Location: Embsay & Bolton Abbey Polar Express location: Bolton Abbey Station, Bolton Abbey, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 6AF. The last and most minor special features include a mini-game in which you steer the train (no big thrills there) and a trailer for the upcoming Polar Express computer game. Enjoy a 30 minute performance in a heated marquee before setting off on your 60 minute Polar Express train ride. When the closing credits roll and you think "I want to watch that movie again!" you know you've just seen something special. That's the case with The Polar Express: it's a polished little gem of a film that tells its story exactly right and leaves you feeling charmed and delighted... just like the protagonist, the little boy who falls asleep on Christmas Eve wondering if Santa Claus really exists, only to be woken up by the thunderous arrival of the Polar Express to take him on a trip to the North Pole to meet the great man himself.

Colors and contrast are perfect, with warm, bright, or dark tones as needed in any particular scene, and excellent use of light and shadow to create an interesting atmosphere. As we'd expect, the print is absolutely clean, and the overall visual impression is a highly pleasant one. The only flaw I noticed was a very slight bit of artifacting in the occasional long-distance shot, but overall The Polar Express has a solid and nicely handled transfer. Birmingham is one of the best cities in the UK to visit at Christmas with kids and your visit would not be complete without a ride on the Polar Express. On arrival at the ‘North Pole’ you will see festive lights and Santa will board the train giving out gifts. Location: Cholsey & Wallingford Railway, Wallingford Station, 5 Hithercroft Road, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 9GQ.Selected items are only available for delivery via the Royal Mail 48® service and other items are available for delivery using this service for a charge. Location: Wensleydale Railway, Leeming Bar Station, Leases Road, Leeming Bar, Northallerton, DL7 9AR.