Neil Bagaus, a representative from the Orlando Northwestern Railway, said he was excited for the experience to return.
“From an economic standpoint, the city of Tavares it leaves out of really benefits from it,” he said.
When guests visit the Polar Express Train Ride, they eat, stay and buy gas in the Lake County area, Bagaus said. The railway company also paid up to $200,000 in sales tax last year and hired close to 125 seasonal employees to operate the event.
In addition to the economic benefits, Bagaus said he enjoys seeing the impact the train ride has on families.
“They’re creating a new tradition,” he said. “They come back year after year after year. The story of ‘The Polar Express’ is pretty endearing to a lot of folks.”
The Polar Express Train Ride is one of 48 trains across the U.S., U.K. and Canada licensed by Rail Events, Inc. on behalf of Warner Brothers. Florida has two other Polar Express trains in Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
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This article appears in May 22-28, 2019.