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. 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. Visually, The Polar Express is a treat. Here we can see computer graphics coming to maturity in film; the technology is used here to create a picture-book world with a soft, magical feel to it that not only is faithful to the look of the original picture book by Chris Van Allsburg, but is also perfectly matched to the tone of the film. Technology also makes it possible to create some simply amazing shots, and entire scenes, that would have been impossible otherwise. The "dancing waiters" sequence is eye-poppingly clever and engaging, for instance, but then again, the entire film is filled with one scene after another that offers breathtaking images and amazing visual flights of fancy (sometimes literally so).

There will be singing and dancing chefs and you will be encouraged to recount your own Christmas memories. On Christmas Eve, a young boy embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express, while learning about friendship, bravery, and the spirit of Christmas. 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.If you happen to be visiting the US this year, we also have a complete guide to the US Polar Express train rides– there are 34 of them! The train ride will last approximately one hour and will include dancing and singing characters from the Polar Express movie. 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.

Duration: The return journey lasts around 1 hour with a 30 minute performance beforehand. Swanage Railway Polar Express Location: Wealden Railway Co. Ltd, West Station, Nevill Terrace, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5QY. 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.Enjoy a 30 minute performance in a heated marquee before setting off on your 60 minute Polar Express train ride. There are currently 12 locations across the UK where you can find a UK Polar Express Train Experience. If you happen to be in the US, there are many more US Polar Express locations there! Duration: The train journey lasts about one hour, but it is recommended to allow 2 – 2.5 hours for the whole experience.

This is the story of a young hero boy who boards on a powerful magical train that's headed to the North Pole and Santa Claus' home on Christmas Eve night. During this ride, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery which shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe. — Anthony Pereyra {[email protected]} 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. If you don’t fancy wearing Christmas pyjamas, a Christmas jumper is a great alternative! What to expect from a Polar Express Train ride

What age is best for the Polar Express train ride?

On the topic of music, there's a 4-minute performance of the song "Believe" by Josh Groban, and a 4-minute "Behind the Scenes of 'Believe'" piece. The last substantial special feature is an additional song, presented in rough cut format and running about 7 minutes. Location: Wensleydale Railway, Leeming Bar Station, Leases Road, Leeming Bar, Northallerton, DL7 9AR. Duration: The Staffordshire Polar Express Train Ride lasts about an hour with the whole experience lasting about 2 hours. 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? Meeting your favourite Polar Express characters on this magical journey to the North Pole will be a truly memorable experience.

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. There will be hot chocolate and singing and a gift of a silver bell as a memento of your special day.

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 the one hand there are many delightful moments in THE POLAR EXPRESS, not the least of which is the entire look of the film--appealing in a way that great illustrations of children's books always are to young and old. Tom Hanks and the others enter into the spirit of the whole thing with gusto--and all the performances are right on target. 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. If 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.