The Polar Express Train Ride

The ride is okay, the staff were warm and super awesome. So a 3-​star is due to the north pole. There was no snow, not too much to see on the wrong side of the train, or generally things that should exist for this ride.
Took the cheapest ticket is a wise thing we did, and we would not return to this ride for the near future.
Oh, need to mention the bathroom on the train was not working the day we rode, so empty yourself before you join the ride.

We took my 3 year old niece and she had a blast. She and the other kids on the train were geeking out with excitement when we got to the North Pole.
The guy playing Santa had a real white beard and did a phenomenal job. He worked the entire train car and made sure to stop at every group.
The bells Santa hands out are higher quality than I expected, I’m keeping mine and looked around the train when we left hoping to find a discarded one, no luck.
The gift shop was cheaper than expected too. We got two large polar express coffee mugs for $ 6 each. I’m drinking out of one right now.
Based on other reviews I’m glad we got the cheap tickets. Just get the cheapest tickets and enjoy.
We went at night: this seems to be key as well. I had driven past the ‘North Pole’ set up several times during the day. From the road in daylight it looks small but from the train (closer than the road) at night it looked pretty magical. Well lit up, and happy elves jumping around and waving at the train.
Someone else had complained the North Pole is not real and there was no snow. Obviously it’s not real; maybe it’s time to tell your 6yr old the truth. It would have been more fun with snow but people can’t control the weather and I wouldn’t want them littering a marshy area with styrofoam or batting or whatever one would use to make fake snow.
Also if you have not been on a train before note: it’s not possible to seat large groups all together on a standard passenger train. We were a group of 7 and for two seating areas across from each other. This was fine and expected.
I agree the story over the loud speakers could be louder. I could barely hear it. But we all know if it was louder someone else would be complaining that it was too loud and messed with grandpas hearing aid.
I agree the ticket area is pretty chaotic and crowded, but it’s a bunch of people and their kids. When your crowded in a room with other people’s kids it’s going to be a little annoying. Your not in there for long though.
Would I do it again, well no, because our family only has the one kid and we took her, but it was well worth doing and an enjoyable night.
It did remind me how awesome it would have been if Wisconsin had accepted the federal grant money to build the train connecting Madison to Milwaukee and Chicago; it would have been running now.

Ok I’m not a child so the polar express has no value to me as an event but as a rail fan the train it self has a value to me so for the first time I checked it out.
There is a brick and mortar ticket/​gift shop with a parking lot that I didn’t have access to because I didn’t buy a ticket or pay to park in it. There is a one track siding on the property that connects to the main line that takes the kids to the North Pole. There is plenty of parking with an off properly structure that will take you with extended golf carts if there lot is full to the ticket area and they were full.
Since I can’t believe there is not a single picture of the polar express train I will post some for people to see. The 2015 train was an eclectic mix of re named and re sold equipment from other railroads which made for a unique train set. Any rail fan will know by the colors where the equipment most recently came from and can see that is has been rebranded.
I found my polar express experience to be pretty neat today and I’m glad I went so I can’t wait to see next year.

Amazing production. I had a great time and everyone with me did too. The kids are engaged the whole time, and get so excited about the hobo conductor and Santa. There was singing and dancing and I could tell the staff really cared about our Christmas experience.

The ticket process is terribly disorganized. They messed up our reservation and we were unable to get us to sit with our party. I agree with the other review that the management is not empathetic or accommodating. It is certainly not worth the price. There are far better things you can do with your money. I’d avoid this mess at all costs.

Short version:
My 3 year old son enjoyed the experience ON the train, but the customer experience off of the train was some of the worst I’ve ever seen. I want to rate it 1 star but am generously giving it 2 from my sons perspective.
Long version:
Very expensive for what you get. $ 174 for standard class tickets for 4 adults and 1 child. My 3 year old son did have a great time and that’s what’s important, but we (the adults) had a very bad experience overall. When we got on the train they put us at the very front of the train facing away from the activity and looking at a curtain. We had 5 of us in our group and we weren’t able to sit together. Considering the two others had driven 4 hours to attend this event it was pretty ridiculous that we weren’t able to sit together. We did buy our tickets together as well and were never told we would have the equivalent to «obstructed view» and not even get to sit together.
We told a guy on the train, who was actually very receptive, but unfortunately he directed us to Kayla who has been very difficult to work with. She told us they would give us 25% back. While we were talking in their office after the train ride there was another group irate about having the same experience. We were promised the refund in 3 days but we can’t get a hold of the company. When I call Kayla back she doesn’t return phone calls and you can’t even leave a voicemail with the main company line because their voicemail box is full. Pretty good bet there is a long line of people dealing with similar bad experiences.
The actual train experience was a lot of fun though. Fun music, kids dancing in the aisles. Honestly, if we were just situated in any of the other compartments on the train I doubt I would be writing this review. Still would have thought it was very overpriced, but are you really surprised by that?

We had a great time with our whole family including grandkids. The kids loved riding the train, seeing the North Pole and the visit from Santa. The staff kept us entertained the whole time.

This is definitely pricey. The Standard Tickets were much better than expected. We could not see spending an extra $ 50/​person for the Diamond tix.
That is the only complaint. The experience was great and we would do it again. The kids were so excited and all the staff/​actors built upon the electricity in the air.
Come in your pjs but dress warm for the 10 – 15 minute wait to get on the train.
I recommend for sure.

The web site is very well done. It will make you think this train ride will be amazing… I can assure you it’s not. When booking tickets you have 3 options. Diamond class, first class, and standard class. Looking at pictures standard class looks chaotic and not cozy (they want you to think this) and in our eyes your options are poor class, middle and rich. Prices are high and with paying so much you expect more…
We debated for few days and got middle class, for two adults and two kids under age 4 $ 160.00 this is a one hour train ride that goes maybe 8 – 9 miles out from its location. We got there 50 minutes before it depart. We waited in a building that could hold everyone. One corner a table set up for picking up tickets, another corner with a gift shop set up. And couple of places to take pictures. We were on 4:00 train do to our children still take naps, the lighting was terrible inside. Hard to take good pictures with out a flash.
When walking to get on train we had warm weather for wi, was in 40’s in mid December. there was mud and puddles to get though before getting on train.
We got our tickets with another family of 4 (two kids under age 3), on website it says it will do its best to seat you together… What they gave us was one table that seats 4 and two seats behind them that you got to ‘share’ with two other strangers. Maybe if our kids were bigger or maybe if say your partner didn’t want to sit next to you this could have worked but with 4 kids all under age 4 that was impossible. What a disappointment! To go on a magical train ride and not seat with the ones you love, your family your friends. To pay $ 55 per seat! So my husband and I sat with our 4 year old and 19 month on one side of the table. I sat in middle with metal arm rest under my tush for that hour our friends did the same.
Once the train gets going you can hear the noise on speakers but it’s hard to understand, soon they are reading the story from book but again it’s hard to hear. Train workers did a good job! They came by few times with book stopping to show pictures. When cups came at first they set 3 down and seemed to be confused on how many we would get… They gave us two more. A total of 5 cups. 4 adults and 4 kids?
The train is moving and with staff singing Christmas songs. Kids are excited with sugar from cookies and hot (lukewarm) chocolate. It gets more enjoyable, the train nears the North Pole and staff lets you know (great job again)
The North Pole is sad, at first you can sort see a bunch lights lit up, then a car and a portable potty. Then. I’ll stop I’ll let this be a surprise but we were disappointed. The staff talks about how santa needs to get on and kids are excited all around us.
Soon Santa is walking about the train giving out bells as we head back.
Would I ride this ever again… no. There is a place outside of baraboo wi, can’t think of the town name but really nice train ride in summer time with great people running it for ¼ the cost.