The Polar Express [DVD] [2004]

Product Information

There will be hot chocolate and singing and a gift of a silver bell as a memento of your special day. 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. On the other hand, much of the film is an excuse to dazzle with roller-coaster-like rides on the express train that roars across various landscapes making wild leaps and turns, all the while thrilling us with a sense of adventure and excitement. For the very young, the ride might be a scary one, especially when the daring young hero rides atop the train during a blustery snowstorm.

The Polar Express train rides are perfect for families with children of all ages. Everyone will be entertained. Children aged 4+ will probably get the most out of the experience. Do I have to watch the Polar Express film to enjoy the experience? The Seaton Polar Express Tram ride is, as the name suggests, a tram instead of a train but the experience is similar. The journey lasts around 2 – 2 1/2 hours during which there will be hot chocolate, Christmas carols and a light show once you reach the ‘North Pole’.

Where is the Polar Express Train Ride UK?

Hi! We’re Ed, Jacs, Ernie and George. We’re passionate about adventurous family travel, and by sharing our detailed itineraries, travel tips and inspiration, we hope to provide you with the confidence to leap into the world of adventurous travel with kids too. It's Christmas Eve and a young boy is having doubts that Santa Claus exists. Then a magical train, the Polar Express, appears outside his house. It's destination? The North Pole. Its young passengers are going to meet Santa, but not before having some adventures along the way. — grantss 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. When you arrive in the ‘North Pole’, you meet Santa who gifts a silver sleigh bell (just like the Polar Express bell in the movie) to all kids on the nice list! 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.

I am compelled to note that the menus for The Polar Express are highly annoying, as they are extremely lengthy and unskippable. I did discover later that when the anti-piracy screen is playing, if you press "menu" repeatedly you'll finally jump to the static menu screen. 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. And to add a cozier touch to the proceedings, certain famous Christmas songs are interjected at intervals to give the North Pole--and the film--a warmer glow. On arrival at the North Pole, you’ll catch a sighting of Santa’s sleigh, a bag of toys and a giant Christmas tree and, of course, the man himself, Santa who will present each passenger with their very own “First Gift of Christmas”, a silver bell from his sleigh. There will be hot chocolate and a cookie served during the train ride and upon meeting Father Christmas at his home in the North Pole, a gift of a silver sleigh bell will be presented and the whole family will get to talk to him.There will be hot chocolate and a cookie served during the train ride and a gift of a silver sleigh bell. Location: Embsay & Bolton Abbey Polar Express location: Bolton Abbey Station, Bolton Abbey, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 6AF. Location: Wealden Railway Co. Ltd, West Station, Nevill Terrace, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5QY. All in all, quite an imaginative and innovative achievement--impressive enough to assure its place among future Christmas favorites with unlimited appeal for the young in heart. The message of Christmas is lightly hinted at but when Tom Hanks as the train conductor tells the little boy, "The true meaning of Christmas is in your heart," we can be assured that children everywhere will definitely "get it". Remember to be on their best behaviour as the elves will be scanning little ones to see if they’re on the nice list this year. Don’t miss the 20-minute pre-show before the train ride.