Once Upon a Christmas & Heritage Holiday Train — Heritage Park

Heritage Park Historical Village in Calgary, Alberta, holds Once Upon a Christmas on selected weekends in December. The operator lists a visit with Santa and his elves, horse-drawn wagon rides, carolers, a LEGO version of the Historical Village, a CANTRAK model railroad display, holiday crafts, live theatre and a Christmas Market.

The railway element is the Heritage Holiday Train, which the operator describes as a seasonal train ride through the winter landscape. It is a limited-capacity extra: seats are on timed departures and are sold as a train-plus-admission bundle or as a train seat alone, in four seating areas (the Locomotive Cab, the Caboose Cupola, the Caboose Lower Level and the River Forth Dining Car, a heritage dining car built in 1929, with holiday entertainment planned aboard).

The operator also sells a Christmas Breakfast Buffet at the Wainwright Hotel, booked separately.

A day in the Historical Village with a visit with Santa, wagon rides (not run below -18°C), carolers, LEGO and model railroad displays, crafts, theatre and a Christmas Market. The Heritage Holiday Train is an optional timed ride from Midnapore Station, with limited seats in each of four seating areas; in the Caboose Lower Level and the River Forth Dining Car, children aged 0 to 2 ride free on a parent's lap.

Heritage Park Historical Village, 1900 Heritage Drive SW, Calgary. The operator asks train passengers to arrive at Midnapore Station early and join the boarding line 10 minutes before departure, and allows about 10 minutes to walk from the entrance. The Locomotive Cab is for ages 3 and up (2 guest seats per trip) and the Caboose Cupola for ages 6 and up (4 seats). Annual members get discounts and must call Guest Services (403-268-8500) for a code before purchasing. Wagon rides depend on road and ice conditions. The Christmas Breakfast Buffet is a separate purchase.