The next morning, the boy and his sister Sarah open their presents. Upon having opened nearly all of them, Sarah finds one more behind the tree. The boy opens it to find the silver bell with a note from Santa saying it fell into his sleigh. He shakes the bell to create a sound he and Sarah both enjoy, but neither his mother nor his father can hear it and remarks that it must be broken. The book ends with the following line:

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. Through dark forests, over tall mountains, and across a barren desert of ice, the Polar Express makes its way to the huge city standing alone at the top of the world, where the boy will make his Christmas wish. THE POLAR EXPRESS™ at Wensleydale is the largest and most northern of the experiences in the UK. Surrounded by the wonderful rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales, THE POLAR EXPRESS™ in Yorkshire is a fantastic setting for your magical Christmas expreience this year. Santa will be waiting patiently for the arrival of THE POLAR EXPRESS™ where he will meet all believers ready to hand out the first You don’t have to wear pyjamas, but if you really want to get into the spirit of the Polar Express experience, why not wear pyjamas like the little boy in the film? Wearing pyjamas is encouraged by the Polar Express.

Do I have to watch the Polar Express film to enjoy the experience?

To make the experience extra special, how about Polar Express PJs? Here are some cute options on Etsy:

The train ride will last approximately one hour and will include dancing and singing characters from the Polar Express movie. At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe. Development [ edit ]

What age is best for the Polar Express train ride?

A young boy, lying awake one Christmas Eve, is welcomed aboard a magical train to the North Pole . . . All the locomotive sounds were recorded from the 1225 in 2002. [6] The only exception to this is the whistle, which was recorded from Sierra Railway No. 3. hard at work making sure that this year will be every bit as thrilling as before, and that all our guests on THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride

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. There will be hot chocolate and a cookie served during the train ride and a gift of a silver sleigh bell. 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 Duration: The return journey lasts around 1 hour with a 30 minute performance beforehand. Swanage Railway Polar ExpressDuring 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? 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. Location: Wealden Railway Co. Ltd, West Station, Nevill Terrace, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5QY. At the premiere of the film, Van Allsburg stated that Pere Marquette 1225, a class N1 2-8-4 Berkshire steam locomotive formerly owned by Michigan State University and now owned by the Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso, Michigan, was the inspiration for the story line. [5] [6] [7] He played on the engine as a child when it was on display and was inspired by the number 1225, which to him was 12/25 – Christmas Day. [6] The real 1225 was used to create the animated image of the engine. The Polar Express races north past towns and villages, through boreal forests, and over mountains, but the train never slows down. When it arrives at the North Pole, the conductor explains that Santa Claus will select one of them to receive the first gift of Christmas.