How is Day Out with Thomas?

Trying to decide if we should go with the more convenient weekend in September for DW or the weekend that has Day Out with Thomas.

3yo DS was obsessed with Thomas when he turned 2 but he has moved on since then. He rarely plays with Thomas and his trains. He is much more into cars.

Could you share your experience with Day Out with Thomas?

Re: How is Day Out with Thomas?

My 2 1/2 yo son is obsessed with Thomas. Day out was fun for him but it was crowded and 95 degrees out (you obv won't have that problem). I wonder if the fall day out is less crowded too.

There was one huge negative which was that you board "Thomas" from the back and never pass the front of the actual Thomas unless you are waiting on line for the photo opp between train runs (and then they sell you the pics- clever them not letting anyone get in front of Thomas at any other time). Anyway, it boiled down to my 2 1/2 year old not really understanding that the coaches we rode were being pulled by Thomas.

The only other stuff they have there as far as Thomas is a MEGA merchandise tent (which DS was INSANE in and he still asks to go to the "Thomas Store", lol) a photo opp with Sir Topham Hat, and a way lame photo opp in front of a giant poster of the diesels. There is also a non-thomas mini steam train ride and one of those little pump train things to ride. We skipped both due to insane crowds.

Overall, I don't think I would do it if my ds was over Thomas.

We stayed 3 nights and our stay looked like this-

Day 1 hung around Pool at Eden and then did DW preview which we left early bc ds started melting down (no nap).

Day 2 Hands on House (we intended to do the morning at DW but it rained so we went to this small children's museum)/nap in car (I went to Kitchen Kettle Village and shopped while dh sat in the car with the sleeping boys)/ DW for another like 4 hours that evening/ Again slept at Eden (used indoor pool). We could have done a few more hours at DW but that's just the way the cookie crumbled with the weather.

Day 3 Thomas all day/ checked into Red Caboose Motel (again, only for a big train enthusiast b/c the rooms are horrendous)/ Tried to do buggy ride but ds was scared so we just hung around the petting zoo area at the motel. (Cherry Crest was not open yet for the season or we would have done that)

HTH. PS 2012100 gets like a $7 discount if you buy the dw tix online.

Re: How is Day Out with Thomas?

Honestly, I thought it was a waste of money. The ride was like 15 minutes. We could have gone that day, showed DS the Thomas the Train and then boarded one of their regular trains and he would have never known the difference. It would have cost a lot less too.

Re: How is Day Out with Thomas?

There is a lot of other little things to do for the day there. Little rides and a whole tent full of stuff for the kids to do. All included in the price of the ticket. And you can get a discount for the other train rides. We went in June and it was 99 degrees. We didn't last more then 2 hours. We are going back in Sept to try it again... Friends of ours have always been able to get pictures on their own of their kids in front of thomas. Let them take there pics and then snap your own when they are taking the shots... We are going mid week so DW won't be open, but the event is 7 days long..

Re: How is Day Out with Thomas?