ArizTravel.com » Williams

Polar Express 2009 Tickets Now Available!

christinatoo — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:30:53 +0000

Tickets are now available for the Grand Canyon Railway’s enormously popular The Polar Express for its ninth season. Based on the classic children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg, this Christmastime attraction will run in 2009 and early 2010 on selected dates from November 13, 2009 through January 9, 2010. Tickets for The Polar Express sell out quickly, so be sure to reserve your tickets for 2009 now, available exclusively at 1-800-THE-TRAIN or on the Grand Canyon Railway website, www.thetrain.com.

November 13-15, 19-23, 25, 27-30, 2009
December 2-7, 9-14, 16-23, 2009
January 2-3, 8-9, 2010
Santa visits with those who Believe on the Polar Express. Photo credit: Philms on flickr.com

thecanyon.com 2007 Poll Results Part 3: Most Popular Grand Canyon Places to Stay

christinatoo — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 05:13:07 +0000

While it might not be any surprise that the South Rim of the Grand Canyon receives the lion’s share of the 5 million visitors to the National Park each year, you might not realize that lodging options are not limited to the Grand Canyon National Park lodges inside the south rim of the park. With half a dozen cities and towns peppered around the national park’s edges, and within a day’s drive to several larger metro areas like Las Vegas, Sedona and Phoenix, the geography of places to stay at the Grand Canyon lends itself to lots and lots of options. Last year, we polled thecanyon.com visitors to hear what they had planned for their Grand Canyon vacations. Here are the results of the most popular places to stay at and around the Grand Canyon.

South Rim – 27%
North Rim – 14%
West Rim – 12%
Tusayan or Williams – 17%
Jacob Lake, Lees Ferry or Southern Utah – 3%
Las Vegas – 9%
Sedona – 8%
Flagstaff – 9%
Phoenix Metro Area -3%

Polar Express Tickets Now Available for 2007 and 2008

christinatoo — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 05:09:53 +0000

Tickets are still available for the Grand Canyon Railway’s fervently popular The Polar Express in its seventh season. Based on the classic children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg, this seasonal attraction runs this year on selected dates from November 2 through January 12, 2008. The Polar Express is a fast sell-out so be sure to reserve your tickets for 2007 now, available exclusively at 1-800-THE-TRAIN or on the Grand Canyon Railway website, www.thetrain.com.

What if you can’t get your desired 2007 dates? Start planning for next year; 2008 Polar Express dates have been released:

Nov 6-10
Nov 12-17
Nov 19-27
Nov 30-Dec 1
Dec 3-8
Dec 10-15
Dec 17-22

Photo source: www.thetrain.com Grand Canyon Railway Polar Express

Grand Canyon Railway Polar Express Fact Sheet

christinatoo — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 03:44:19 +0000

A classic Christmas story comes to life on the Grand Canyon Railway’s Polar Express. Here, we’ve collected information about the Polar Express into a handy fact sheet. (Information source: www.thetrain.com)

What is The Polar Express?

Experience the magic of The Polar Express™, the classic children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg. The Polar Express comes to life when the train departs the Williams Depot for a journey through the dark and quiet wilderness for a special visit to the “North Pole.” Enjoy hot chocolate and cookies while listening to the magical story. Watch the joy on the children’s faces when the train arrives at the North Pole, where Santa Claus and his reindeer are waiting! Santa will board The Polar Express and hand each child their own special gift.

2007 Polar Express Schedule:

The Polar Express runs twice per evening – at 6:30pm and 8:00pm – on these 2007-2008 season dates:

November: 2, 3, 8 – 12, 14 – 19, 25, 26, 28 – 30
December: 1 – 3, 5 – 10, 12 – 22
January 2008: 4 – 6, 11, 12

Tickets – Pricing, Availability and How to Purchase

Pricing
Individual Tickets*
Adults: $26 Children (2 – 16): $14

*Individual tickets are available only after packages sell out for the requested evening. Please call 1-800-THE-TRAIN to check the status of packages and individual ticket sales. Please have multiple travel dates in mind, in case your first choice is not available.

Polar Express Package – Starting at $289 for two adults and two children includes:

Polar Express train trip from Williams, Arizona to the North Pole
One night at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in Williams next to the train depot
Dinner and breakfast for each person at the Railway’s Max & Thelma’s Restaurant
$10 retail certificate per adult (maximum $20 per package) for use in Railway Gift Shops

The package is $309 for two adults and two children on Fridays and Saturdays in November and December and from December 15 – 22.
Price is based on adult double occupancy and does not include tax. Options available for all family sizes!

Grand Canyon Railway Daily Ride Combination Package Discounts
Grand Canyon Railway is offering Polar Express package customers 50% off Coach Class or 50% off the cost to upgrade any class of service. This special offer is valid for travel December through February, excluding 2/15 and 16.

Availabilty – Tickets are still available for selected 2007 dates. Tickets sell out very quickly. TIP: Weekends closest to Christmas are the most popular dates. Weeknight and January dates are a good bet. Please call 1-800-THE-TRAIN to check availability. Please have multiple travel dates in mind, in case your first choice is not available.
2008-2009 Availability – Can’t get your desired 2007 dates? Advance reservations for the 2008 Polar Express season if paid in full. Click here for the 2008-2009 Polar Express schedule.

How to Purchase Tickets
Reservations can be made by calling 1-800-THE-TRAIN.

Where Does The Polar Express Start?

The Polar Express departs from the Grand Canyon Railway Depot in Williams, Arizona. Williams is located 32 miles west of Flagstaff off of Interstate 40. Take Exit 163 and drive south 1/2 mile to the Train Depot.

Where Does The Polar Express End?

Closely following The Polar Express book, this nighttime trip from Williams through the starlit wilderness to the “North Pole” features a special reading of The Polar Express while passengers enjoy hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies. After arriving at the “North Pole” – a Christmas light village featuring an Aurora Borealis – Santa Claus and his reindeer welcome passengers before boarding the Polar Express for the return trip to Williams. Santa then boards the train and makes his way through the historic Pullman passenger cars, greeting every child and presenting each one with a special gift – a jingle bell signifying their belief in Santa Claus. The round trip journey is a little more than an hour in length.

What Should We Wear?
Why, warm, snuggly pajamas and bathrobes, of course! TIP: Dress warmly for Grand Canyon winter weather, as the evening low temperatures are often in the 20s.

Anything Else We Should Know?
You can help the Grand Canyon Railway give back to the community and make the holidays special for a less-fortunate child.

[Bring] a new, unwrapped toy to the Grand Canyon Railway Depot when you come to ride The Polar Express. All items collected are donated to Northern Arizona Law Enforcement.

More Information
is available at www.thetrain.com

New Upscale Motel Opens in Williams, Arizona

christinatoo — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 17:07:37 +0000

The owners of the Lodge on Route 66 are excited to announce the opening of another upscale motel in Williams, Arizona. The owners of the lodge have contracted with Choice Hotels International to open a dual-idenity motel called The Rodeway Inn & Suites / Downtowner on Route 66. The property is the first of its kind for Choice Hotels. The Downtowner on Route 66 has been remodeled with an “up town” urban feel.

The rooms have been redesigned to rival any upscale resort with appointments like natural stone floors, granite countertops, solid wood contemporary furnishings, and comfortable leather chairs. The 600 thread-count Egyptian cotton linens will offer you a wonderful night’s sleep. If your travels take you to Northern Arizona or the Grand Canyon, check out the new Rodeway Inn & Suites/Downtowner on Route 66 in Williams, Arizona.