**Disclosure: As a member of USFamilyGuide, I was given a family four pack of tickets to attend this event, in exchange for promoting on my site and writing up an honest follow up review post. All views shared are mine and were not influenced in any way**
“This holiday season, fall in love with the heartwarming tale of Janice, a little girl who looks forward to riding the Train to Christmas Town every year with her brother and Grandmother. This year is a little different though, as readers of the story already know. Accompanied by a bag full of surprises, woodland friends and jolly elves, Janice relives happy memories as she rides the train to Christmas Town once again”.
My family and I took a ride on the Train to Christmas Town from the Cape Cod Central Railroad a couple of weekends ago and I wanted to tell you a little bit about our experience.
What happens on this train?
The train departs from the Buzzards Bay depot and Chamber of Commerce. Classic passenger rail cars are decorated for the holidays. The Conductor will punch each passengers train ticket in a jolly fashion. Elves travel through the cars serving hot cocoa and cookies to everyone on the journey to Christmas Town. The book The Train to Christmas Town is read aloud and there’s lots and lots of fabulous music and fun. You’ll meet the woodland characters from the book including the famous Bumblebee the Polar Bear!
Upon arrival to Christmas Town (passengers are not allowed off the train), Santa boards the train with some helper elves. He will make his way through the train cars making time to visit with each child as well as pose for photos for those that wish to take them. Continuing along the return journey, the elves lead passengers in the singing of happy holiday carols.
Let me start out by saying that neither myself or either of my children had heard of this book before we got these tickets, so we weren’t entirely sure what to expect. They did have copies of the book for sale in the train depot, but I didn’t purchase a copy. I personally feel that a copy of the book should be included with the ticket price- maybe one per family? Obviously it’s not a popular book yet, so I don’t think many people are familiar with the story and having a copy of the book to read while we waited for the train to depart would have been nice.
But I digress……
Once the train got going, the conductor stamped each child’s ticket. He stamped out each child’s first initial onto their ticket.
Then the “Elves” passed out a cookie and hot chocolate to everyone. If you’re wondering, it was a chocolate chip cookie minus the chocolate chips and neither of my kids liked them. The hot chocolate was good, though – and it was refreshing to actually get hot chocolate as opposed to the ice cold chocolate we got on the Polar Express ride on that train last year.
About 15-20 minutes into the ride, they played a recording of the story through the speakers on the train while “an elf” walked around to show the kids the pictures in the book. The thing is, it was so loud on the train from all the people talking that we couldn’t hear any of the story, so we still don’t really have any idea what the book is actually about.
But then, after about 30 minutes,we arrived at Christmas Town where Santa was waiting and there were a few lights set up. Few being the key word.
Santa then boarded the train and visited each child.
And guess what? He handed every single child on the train whistles because there is apparently a song that they play on the train ride (from the book?) in which the kids can blow whistles along with the song.
Whistles.
Honestly, it was awful. The kids were ALL blowing their whistles for the entire 20 minute ride back to the train station and to say that I walked out of there with a headache is a complete understatement. Many of the parents I saw were literally sitting there with their hands over their ears. I strongly feel that there should be a warning for all parents about this. It was extremely loud and uncomfortable once the whistles were handed out and even if the song that they could blow their whistles along to was played – it couldn’t be heard over all the noise.
We did see Bumblebee the Polar Bear, who is a character from the book, on our ride, too. The thing is, my kids wanted to meet him, but he didn’t stop for pictures or even to say hi. He walked through our train car twice and that was it.
So, I will leave you with this. If you are interested in taking your kids on this, bring earplugs and maybe try to read the book beforehand so that you know the story before you go.
Dates and Times for the Cape Cod Central Railroad:
Dec 1, 6-8, 13-15, 18-23, 27-29
3:30pm, 5:30pm 7:30pm
Buzzard’s Bay Depot 70 Main St. Bourne, MA
https://www.
Christmas Town and Christmas Train, wow , it seems Christmas has really come very early.
Very loud the whole trip, next time make the gift no sound related
We did the ride last year. Was this the same the train? It looks nicer?? Well, it “sounds” like the whistle idea was a terrible one. (Glad I missed that part!) They should have stuck with the bells….and handed THEM out as the kids left the train! 🙂
Sounds like they need to do a little work to make this a nicer event – I see the potential though (minus the whistle part!).
It sounds like the whistles need to be handed out at the END if the ride. I can’t even imagine how loud that must have been.
You had me cracking up about the whistles (just a bit, sorry) and seriously glad I won’t be doing this one anytime soon now!
Haha! Oh wow.. Trains in your country seems so much fun – nothing that sort of thing happens on ours though. Must be a happy experience!
We have something similar to that in our area but I have never gone on the trip!
WHAT?! I CAN”T HEAR YOU! I’M STILL DEAF FROM THE TRAIN WHISTLES!!! I loved everything about that ride *except* for the whistles. If Santa really were a giving soul, he would have gifted every single parent on the train a pair of earplugs, lol.
wow this train looks like a dream…a fairy tale!
Umm I am just gonna say I would be confiscating a lot of whistles OR send the kids to the front with the conductor and him no ear plugs.. just saying.. Bet that idea will be poof lol
So cool! I want to ride!!!
We work with USFG too and have so many fun experiences.
🙂
Traci
I would have been the parent covering my ears, ugh I hate whistles. They give me an instant migraine. I’m sure the kids will remember the train trip though.
Chocolate Chip cookies without chocolate chips!? Somebody needs an ass kicking over that! Sounds like the trip was a bust. Too bad, as these things are usually what the best memories are made from. Maybe you’ll be able to look back and laugh about it someday. Probably when the migraine from the whistles goes away.
What a fun experience (minus the whistles)! I had seen this but they didn’t have a location near me.
Sounds like it could have been a fun ride–but a lot more thought should be put into it-whistles—oh my gosh–and you could not hear the story being read? Well-maybe they have it in one of your local Barnes & Nobels where you can find it and read it just to find out what it is all about–maybe even sit in the cafe in peace and quiet while you are reading–then return it to the shelf!
Aside from the whistling, it sounds like a really fun ride. I’d definitely do something like this if it were available locally!
I keep hearing about this on the radio and I wasn’t sure what it was all about. They talk about it like it’s a yearly thing here but I think it’s the first time. The elf walking around with the book would really annoy me. This doesn’t sound like much fun!!
I agree that handing out a book would have been a good idea! It does sound like a fun trip though!
sorry you had a bad experience – sounds weird. who runs these things?
what a fun outing. It is very complete. I wish we had something like this near us!
Oh well, time to take a trip to your area 🙂
OM Gosh that is too bad this could have been such a fun event – they need to ditch the whistles…
While I am sure it would have been better if the cookies were also good, it looks like everyone had fun. I would love to do this with my kids.
That is the coolest Christmas Train ride EVER! I want to ride it! That would be so much fun.
This looked like it was so much fun. I love that the entire experience is themed and that they serve treats for the whole family on the train. I would love to try this with my own family.
That’s so much fun! I’d love to take the family on this, it would be a fun holiday tradition to start up. Take a ride on the train 🙂
LAME I also think you should have been allowed off the train at Christmas town for a little break before having to head back.
That sounded like a jolly fun time! I’d like to take a ride, too!
Sounds like something not to look forward to with your experience. Sounds horrible!
I’ve never done a holiday train but this one looks pretty cool!
This sounds like it could be fun, but your experience was not so fun… reading about the whistles actually made my head hurt a little.. I feel for you. :/ Ear plugs should be part of the ticket price too! haha
I got an invite for this but unfortunately there was nothing close by me. It did sound like a lot of fun and I’m happy you got to go and enjoy yourself. Great pics. 🙂
I did a Christmas train ride once with the kids and in a way it sounds similarly set up, i.e. lame. I have hypersensitive hearing so I would have been in literal pain over the whistles.
Oh my word I wish we lived closer because I know my boys would love that, especially Landon! He would be freaking out. 🙂
Wow, sorry this was a bad experience. I know there is something similar back in the midwest but I have heard a lot of positive things about it. Make sure you send them a link to your blog post so they know what to improve on next year.
I think that the whistles would have me running for the hills lol.
I’d have to say it sounds like they need some tweaks before I’d consider riding this – sorry it wasn’t up to par for you guys!
Wow! That sounds like a lotta fun! I love trains!
That sounds fun, I could do the hot chocolate, could not do the whistles for more than 20 seconds 🙂
Looks like it is going to be a Merry Christmas
Based on what you described, I agree 100% with your suggestions. Give out the book and ditch the whistles!
Sounds fun for the kids – just not for the adults! ~lol~
Whole lotta snackin’ going on during that train ride.. I assume you never hear “are we there yet?” 🙂
That looks like such an experience! I want to do this!