All Aboard The Polar Express

Team Zumwalt decided it was time to get out of town for a while. We earned it. We haven't really left town since our Colorado vacay just before I got pregnant last year. Seems we had lots of other things going on. So, where to go? The answer...Branson for two reasons. Isaac is obsessed with the Titanic and they have a great Titanic museum. But most importantly, The Polar Express Train.

I have to first paint the picture. My son has been obsessed with The Polar Express since he was 6 months old. I had a broken ankle and had a hard time taking care if Isaac on my own while Nick was working so Isaac spent a lot of time with his Nanny and Poppy. They planted the seed. At six months old he would watch the movie with such focus and fascination. His favorite part then and now is the hot chocolate scene. Something about that scene has captured his attention since he was a baby and it still hasn't lost it's appeal all these years later.

Fortunately for us, Branson has a Polar Express you can ride. So of course we did. And we even splurged and got the first class tickets. Can I just say, it was worth every penny. My sister and her family also went so Isaac got to experience the ride with his cousins. Can I just say, it was magical. To watch my son experience something he has been so fascinated with was worth the price of the ticket and more. We had all the hot chocolate we could drink while they played the hot chocolate song overhead. Then the conductor came by and punched each child's ticket with their initial just like in the movie and the look on Isaac's face was better than when Santa came through and spoke with each child.

This may not seem like a big deal to those who are reading it but if you knew what a big deal The Polar Express is to my son you would understand. He watches the movie year round, plays with his Polar Express train, pretends he the conductor, carries a stop watch like the conductor, and on and on. So to watch your child experience something they love was priceless. I think I was even more excited than he was at the whole experience.

With that being said, the next morning Isaac did in fact inform me that the Polar Express we rode was not like the movie. I asked how it was different. Isaac informed me that the Polar Express we rode was a diesel engine and the one in the movie is a steam engine. Only my son. I told you he was obsessed.