- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Georgia Babies
seansgirl2006
member
Santa Train Ride
seansgirl2006
member
I know there were several places mentioned last year. I am going to look up info for the one out in Duluth (I think they do Santa?) and I also know at Thomas' Day Out that railroad had ads for it too (in TN). Where have you been and how was it? TIA!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Santa Train Ride
We're thinking about doing this one:
https://www.gsmr.com/create-content/event/polar-express/polar-express-0
It's not to far from my parent's mountain house so we can stay there afterwards. We just might leave Bryce at home and just take Bailey through.
We did the duluth Southeastern Railway Museum's Lunch with Santa last year https://www.srmduluth.org/About/events.shtml I think we had 5 families altogether. I thought it was fine. I mean it was close (30-40 minute drive from us) and relatively cheap $15 per person over 2 and included food, a craft, picture with santa, hayride and a trainride and a museum tour. Now, the Santa was a bit redneck-ish and might have kicked back a few beers w/ the elves before coming to have lunch. You lined up to see Santa and had your picture taken with him first at the front of a room, at the back of the room were the craft tables. There were many crafts (not just one) - write a letter to santa, make a jingle bell necklace/bracelet, make an ornament, and color a train picture. But that room was really cramped with a ton of people/kids. logistically it could've flowed much better (that might just be the Ind. Engineer in me though)...if they had pictures with Santa in another room/place away from the craft tables. Then you moved across the museum (which was kinda dive-y) into another room where they had lunch, very basic sandwich, juice box, chips, and cookies...but good enough for the kids. And Mrs. Claus showed up and read a few stories to the kids (not like Polar Express or Twas the night before christmas either, just random). Santa hobbled on over (probably shot a squirrel on the way) and led the kids in singing some carols. Then we all filed out the back door to a loading dock (literally) and the "hayride" was the flatbed of a pickup truck...we had to wait for like 20 minutes because it had to make 3-4 trips to bring everybody over to the train "station" it was easier to walk over than wait for the hayride. Then the train ride...well...it was like a hollowed out shell of a train on the inside, all metal no plushness at all...not fabric on the seats...not even really any seats, just benches. Maybe another train was better than the one we got on, but the kids didn't seem to mind just us snobby old parents. ;-) Santa was REALLY into trains, rattling all this stuff about steam, disel, point to point and round about yadda...we asked him how the reindeer where doing and he'd rather talk about trains...silly Santa. I think we were on the train ride for all of 10 minutes...maybe 11. Anyways, the kids liked it just fine and we were home in about 3 hours total (including the 1 hour roundtrip drive). 2 of the families said they'd definitely not do that again and it was a waste of time. the other 3 (mine included) thought it was fine...humorous and the kids didn't know any better.
I've contemplated going somewhere else...but having a 5+ hour round trip drive to pay $50+ per person for an hour or 2 train ride...which better have seats for everyone and not cold hard metal, ones with fabric at least...just doesn't sound that appealing to me...yet. Maybe NEXT year when/if Darren at 3 almost 4 is really into trains and can get it.
ANyways, not trying to scare you away completely, just giving my experience and honest review. I would actually go back and might...it's just nothing fancy. The train ride was NOT the main focus of the event either...I think I liked the crafts the best, but how many christmas crafts do you need to make. We also got the whole family in the picture with redneck Santa...PRICELESS! :-)