(This post is sponsored.)
This Halloween season we headed down to Felton to one of our favorite railroads, the Roaring Camp Railroads, for an extra special event where fully functional, life-sized Thomas and Percy tank engines from the Thomas and Friends series take you on a Halloween adventure through the Redwoods.
My son could not wait for the day he would meet Thomas and Percy. When we arrived we were welcomed by a huge welcome sign, a yellow caboose, and the excitement of toddlers, many dressed up as train conductors or other Halloween characters. There were many people entering the train station for the 11:00 AM train, but we were able to find one of the few remaining parking spots in the main lot. Roaring Camp Railroads did an excellent job of spacing out the activities and the waiting queues because it didn’t feel extremely packed anywhere despite having several hundred people at the site at any time.
Because the train cars are selected at ticket purchase, passengers could easily find their waiting queue after receiving their tickets in the mail or at will-call and enter the train with the other passengers in their passenger car. We arrived about 40-minutes early for our train and that was the right amount of time to easily pick up your tickets from the ticket booth, get in line, and enter the train before the conductor calls, “All aboard!” The train rides are about 25 minutes each and are running back to back so they leave on time. We did see a few late arrivers have to wait for the next train so, if you are planning on riding the train, head over to your queue a bit early to be able to find your seat before the train boarding is closed.
The train ride is very relaxing as Percy, the first car, begins the adventure through the Redwoods over a bridge and along a river. After about 12-minutes, the train stops and Thomas, the eighth car, takes over and drives the train back to the station. During the ride, the conductor collects ticket stubs, educates the riders about the Redwoods, and turns on Thomas and Halloween themed music for the ride home. Each child also receives a Jr. Engineer Certificate, which of course made my son smile.
After the train pulls into the depot, families rush to the photo lines to take a picture with the engine of their choice. This time, we chose to take a photo with Thomas. My son was so amused by the moving eyes and smile as the train sent steam clouds into the air. We waited about fifteen minutes to take a photo with Thomas on a bale of hay. It didn’t feel rushed and was a huge highlight of the day.
After taking our photos we decided to make the day even more memorable by also taking the longer steam ride up to Bear Mountain. This ride is much longer, about an hour, and has absolutely breathtaking views of the redwoods. During the ride, my son played with the trains we purchased at the railroad’s toy store which was fully stocked with special Thomas’s Day Out train engines and memorabilia.
With all of the train riding, we worked up an appetite. We ate some lunch, caught a few musical performances, and then headed to the game area. There were bouncy houses, ridable Thomas trains and tractors, Lego tables, train tables, face painting, art stations, temporary tattoos, and a pumpkin patch which were all included in the cost of a train ticket. Roaring Camp Railroads’ Thomas And Percy’s Halloween Party™ was beyond expectations! They hit it out of the park!
Here are a few pro tips if you plan to attend Roaring Camp Railroads’ Thomas And Percy’s Halloween Party™:
- Remember to bring $10 cash to pay for parking.
- If you are hungry before or after your train and you don’t want to wait in line for the BBQ or the regular cafe, head on over to the side of the cafe and there is an express menu where they sell coffee, pastries, nachos, sandwiches, water, and other quick bites.
- If your child has a preference for Thomas or Percy choose the canopy cars on the outer sides of the train. This year Percy is the first car and Thomas is the eight car, so choose canopy car 2 or 3 to be able to see the back of Percy and 6 or 7 to be able to see the back of Thomas as you ride.
- If your child loves train rides, they will probably see the regular steam engine and want to ride it. It’s a really great experience for families who want a longer train riding experience.
- On the Thomas/Percy train, sit on the left side of the train. This is the side where you can see the river and has better views. The right side is mostly large trees and mountainside.
- If your child is sensitive to loud noises, bring ear covers. The Thomas and Percy trains are not very loud but the conductor’s microphone and the music can be loud and jarring to some babies/kids.
- Bring a stroller, it’s a bit of a long walk from the trains to the parking lot and we saw many children completely passed out from the full day of activities.
- Remember Roaring Camp Railroads’ Beach Train during the Summertime! One of our family’s favorite trips in the summer is to take the train to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk through the Redwoods!
Thomas and Percy are in town for one more weekend: October 27-28. Tickets are $25 each and required for passengers ages 2+.
Don’t forget to enter our Facebook giveaway for your chance to win 4 tickets to ride Thomas and Percy at Roaring Camp Railroads on Saturday, October 27! The winner will choose tickets for either the 2:00 PM or 3:00 PM train.
