A Magic Experience on The Polar Express – Bryson City, NC |

On Christmas Eve many years ago I laid quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets, I breathed slowly and silently. I was listening for a sound I was afraid I’d never hear: the sound of Santa’s sleigh bells.

This is the opening line to a movie that my family has watched together since 2005 (the year it hit DVD). The Polar Express represents a few different things to us. Hope, joy, wonder… the stuff of wonder. Once we moved to Augusta in 2007 and became friends with Chris Harrison, it was brought to my attention that there were several places in the US where you can bring your family on a real train to actually experience the Polar Express for yourself. From the second I told my wife, she was on board.

Due to our work schedule, we have never really taken a family vacation. There have been times where we’ve taken little day long excursions, but we’ve never done anything quite like this. With a family of 5, group events can add up financially so this year, my wife and I decided that we were going to give it a go. We were going to do it.

Unfortunately, clients had another thing to say about our plans. Due to a few set backs, it looked like we were not going to be able to make it. The words that I heard from my wife were “Looks like we won’t be able to do it this year…”

My response was “Okay…” But for me, that simply wouldn’t do. It wasn’t okay. So I set out on my mission. First, I went and started working multiple side web projects (unbeknownst to my wife). I was (and still am) determined to make this Christmas a time of “miracles”. And luckily, I managed to get 5 first class tickets to the Polar Express Excursion in Bryson City, North Carolina.

I booked the trip almost a month before the day we were to take the trip (November 19th). Do you have ANY idea how hard it was for me to keep this a secret? As my wife says, I’m a blabber mouth. But honestly, I’m not the best secret keeper. When I have something planned for my family (my wife in particular), it takes everything in me not to say something. So keeping this bottled up inside (even after being asked on several occasions by my wife if I either A. got the tickets or B. Planned on getting the tickets).

So yes, I did lie a tad, but it was for a good cause. Honest. I wasn’t content though to just get the tickets. I REALLY needed to do it up. If you’ve ever seen the movie, you know that the “Hero Boy” wore a house coat throughout the movie. My kids are obsessed with house coats for a reason. But none of them actually HAD one. So over the course of the weeks leading up to the 19th, I purchased 3 house coats for them to take on the trip. Then I spoke with one of the booking agents (Thanks Gail Findlay), and she encouraged me to make sure that the kids should wear pajamas. Well of COURSE I had to pick up new pj’s for them as well. Add some embroidering done by Palmetto Twisted Threads (thanks Brenda) for the house coats and the wardrobe was ready for the night.

Leading up to the day, I concocted a story that I needed to go film for one of the local radio stations on a bogus project that I made up. The kids thought I was going to be coming home and we would have a movie marathon. I needed to make sure that they would be all ready and waiting for me when I got home. I left at 10am and went to pick up the pjs/house coats from my friend Gomi’s house. Once I picked all of that up, I went to pick up a few goodies (like our copy of The Polar Express book along with treats to eat on the way there as it’s a 4 hour drive from where we live to the Great Smoky Mountains.

I arrived home and BOOM, dropped the bomb on everyone. I don’t think my kids fully understood what was going on. We had kept it from them that there was such a thing. They knew they were going to get to ride a train, but I don’ think they knew exactly what was in store.

I didn’t know what we had in store.

We packed all the kids in the van, had our snacks and goodies ready, and headed out to the North Carolina for the day. We had Christmas movies playing on the portable DVD player, Christmas music ready to jam once we got there, and excitement pulsating through the van.

From the second the kids piled in the van, we had magic running through our veins. Might as well call me Harry Potter. Let me tell you that The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad has their act together. Seriously, you pull past the train station and seeing the families with their children all in their jammies, the Christmas lights, the toymaker in the window making actual toys as you walk to the train depot… it’s a perfect perfect perfect set up. The anticipation that builds is insane.

We parked and checked in to get our tickets. Families beaming, excitement in the air, classic Christmas music playing, the Christmas lights all around… it was almost too much. I was like a little kid in a candy story. We arrived about an hour and a half early. Went through the gift shop (which was REALLY reasonably priced), and then we began to line up. We waited outside at Gate 3 (though we were supposed to be at Gate 2), and once the train arrived, just about everyone in line (and there was ALOT) lost it. Kids, parents, elderly people riding the train without any kids at all just to experience the Polar Express alike, were so excited. We loaded onto the train with the assistance of or car’s hostess (who was SO nice). The first thing we see? A basket on each table with muffins, petit fours and gingerbread cookies. The car hostess announces “We want your kids to be up and running around during the train ride! It’s time to go to the NORTH POLE!” At that point, my middle child looks at me with eyes wide as silver dollars and says to me “… Are we really going?!”

That says it all. From there, the hostess took over. The kids were running up and down the train car doing a sudo conga line, singing, and just getting all riled up! And it was GREAT. The kids took a seat and that’s when it started. It was time for HOT CHOCOLATE!

If you’ve ever seen the movie, you know the seen. The waiters come out and dance their heads off all the while delivering Hot Chocolate. The GSMR crew delivers again and put on a show! And the Hot Chocolate was SO delicious. And if you ride in the first class compartment… you get to KEEP your special mugs! Oh, and they also pass out some amazingly tasty chocolate chip cookies.

Shortly after that it was story time as a voice came over the PA to read the actual Polar Express book that the movie is based on. All of the kids on the train got quiet (even the big kids that at first seemed to think they were “too cool” for the trip). After the reading of the book, we hit the North Pole followed by Santa coming on the train. Each child received a bell just like at the end of the movie and we made our way back to the station.

Guys, on the way home, the kids were so buzzed. They were tired, but buzzed. Once they fell asleep, including my wife, I drove. 4 hours through the dark. It was quiet. While driving I reflected on the day (as well as the past month worth of planning). Myself, my wife and my kids will ALWAYS remember this. So, without further ado, here is the video synopsis of that eventful day! Thanks again GSMR and we look forward to next year! More pictures after the video!

To Book Your Own Excursion, head over to http://www.gsmr.com and click Events. Not only is there the Polar Express ride, but also a few other holiday excursions!