The Polar Experience is one of TrainTastic’s most beloved holiday traditions in Gulfport, Mississippi. On select December evenings, families can put on their pajamas and enjoy a cozy night of holiday lights, train rides, hot cocoa, crafts, sock skating, and a special Gift of Christmas ceremony with Santa.
Unlike Holiday Lights, which gives families a festive way to explore TrainTastic during the Christmas season, The Polar Experience is a more intimate, limited-capacity evening built around special holiday activities and traditions.
It is less about rushing through a checklist and more about spending a Christmas evening together.
What Makes The Polar Experience Different From Holiday Lights?
Both experiences bring holiday magic to TrainTastic, but they are designed to feel different.
Holiday Lights is about seeing TrainTastic transformed for Christmas and enjoying the museum surrounded by festive lights and seasonal displays.
The Polar Experience takes that atmosphere and adds a more personal, ticketed evening with limited attendance, pajamas, themed activities, hot cocoa, train rides, sock skating, and a special ceremony with Santa.
For families who love Holiday Lights but want an even more immersive Christmas experience, The Polar Experience is the next stop.
What Is Included in The Polar Experience?
The evening includes several activities and traditions designed specifically for The Polar Experience.
The Gift of Christmas Ceremony
One of the most meaningful parts of the evening begins at 6:00 PM with TrainTastic’s Gift of Christmas ceremony.
Santa presents a keepsake bell to each participating child, calling them by name as they receive it.
It is more than simply handing out a souvenir. The ceremony gives families a moment to slow down, gather together, and create a holiday memory children can carry home.
The bell can then become part of the family’s own Christmas traditions year after year.
Train Rides
Families can climb aboard for a holiday train ride during the evening, subject to weather and operating conditions.
For young train fans, getting to actually ride the train after spending time surrounded by model railroads may be one of the biggest moments of the night.
Holiday Crafts and Activities
Families can enjoy holiday-themed crafts and interactive activities throughout the event.
After the 6 PM Gift of Christmas ceremony, guests can generally move through the evening’s activities at their own pace.
Sock Skating Returns for 2026
Sock Skating is back for The Polar Experience in 2026.
Kids can slide, glide, laugh, and burn off a little Christmas energy as part of the evening’s holiday fun.
Hot Cocoa and Holiday Treats
Pajamas, trains, and Christmas lights are even better with something warm.
Hot cocoa and holiday treats help make The Polar Experience feel less like a traditional event and more like a cozy family Christmas night.
When Is The Polar Experience in 2026?
The Polar Experience takes place on five select evenings in December:
- Sunday, December 6
- Thursday, December 10
- Sunday, December 13
- Thursday, December 17
- Sunday, December 20
Each event runs from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM.
The Gift of Christmas ceremony begins at 6:00 PM, so families should arrive early enough to check in and get settled before the ceremony starts.
Because attendance is limited, families are encouraged to reserve their preferred date early.
How Much Does The Polar Experience Cost?
Admission is priced per person:
- Children ages 1–12: $30
- Adults: $20
- Infants under age 1 participating in activities: $10
- Infants under age 1 who are not participating in activities: FREE
Families with infants can choose whether their child will participate in The Polar Experience activities when purchasing tickets.
Why Should Families Book Early?
The Polar Experience is one of TrainTastic’s most popular holiday events, and attendance is intentionally limited.
That smaller attendance is part of what makes the evening special. Families have more room to enjoy the activities, explore TrainTastic, ride the train, and spend time together without the experience feeling overwhelming.
It also means available tickets can disappear quickly.
If you have a specific December evening that works best for your family, grandparents, or visiting relatives, booking early is the best way to secure it.
What Should We Know Before Attending The Polar Experience?
A little planning can make the evening even better.
- Wear the pajamas. They are encouraged and make the evening that much more fun.
- Arrive before 6 PM. The Gift of Christmas ceremony begins at 6 PM.
- Dress comfortably. Some activities, including the outdoor train ride, may take place outside.
- Plan naps for little ones. The event runs until 8 PM, so younger children may enjoy the evening more after some rest earlier in the day.
- Bring the grandparents. The Polar Experience works especially well as a multigenerational Christmas tradition.
- Leave room for sock skating. Comfortable clothing is definitely a plus.
Is The Polar Experience Good for Toddlers and Young Children?
Yes.
The trains, lights, Santa, cocoa, crafts, and holiday activities make The Polar Experience especially fun for young children.
Families with infants under age 1 can also decide whether they want their baby to participate in activities. Infants participating in the activities are $10, while infants who are not participating are admitted free.
Because the event takes place in the evening, parents of toddlers may want to plan the day around naps or an earlier quiet afternoon.
Is The Polar Experience Good for Grandparents and Extended Family?
Absolutely.
This is one of those TrainTastic events that naturally works across generations.
Children get the excitement of Santa, train rides, sock skating, and holiday activities.
Parents get to watch the magic happen.
Grandparents get to be part of a tradition everyone can experience together.
And nobody has to know much about model trains to enjoy the evening.
Is The Polar Experience a Good Christmas Activity Near Biloxi?
Yes. TrainTastic is located in Gulfport, making The Polar Experience an easy holiday outing for families in Biloxi and throughout the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
For local families, it can become an annual tradition.
For families visiting the Coast for Christmas, it is also a unique way to add trains, holiday lights, and a special evening together to the trip.
Why Has The Polar Experience Become a Gulfport Holiday Tradition?
December gets busy fast.
School performances. Shopping. Parties. Travel. To-do lists.
The Polar Experience gives families a few hours where none of that is the point.
Put on the pajamas. Drink the cocoa. Ride the train. Watch your child hear their name during the Gift of Christmas ceremony. Go sock skating. Take another look at the lights.
Sometimes the best holiday traditions are the ones that give everyone permission to simply enjoy being together.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Polar Experience
What is The Polar Experience at TrainTastic?
The Polar Experience is a limited-capacity holiday event at TrainTastic in Gulfport featuring the Gift of Christmas ceremony with Santa, train rides, holiday activities, hot cocoa, sock skating, and other festive experiences.
When is The Polar Experience in 2026?
The Polar Experience takes place December 6, 10, 13, 17, and 20 from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM.
What time is the Gift of Christmas ceremony?
The Gift of Christmas ceremony begins at 6:00 PM.
How much does The Polar Experience cost?
Admission is $30 for children ages 1–12 and $20 for adults. Infants under age 1 who will participate in activities are $10. Infants under age 1 who are not participating in activities are admitted free.
What is the Gift of Christmas ceremony?
During the ceremony, Santa calls participating children by name and presents each child with a keepsake bell to take home as a reminder of the evening.
Does The Polar Experience include sock skating?
Yes. Sock Skating returns for The Polar Experience in 2026.
Are pajamas encouraged?
Yes. Pajamas are encouraged and are part of the fun.
Does The Polar Experience include a train ride?
Train rides are part of the planned experience, but outdoor train operation can be affected by weather and operating conditions.
Is The Polar Experience the same as Holiday Lights?
No. Holiday Lights and The Polar Experience are separate TrainTastic holiday experiences. The Polar Experience is a limited-capacity ticketed evening with additional activities and traditions, including the Gift of Christmas ceremony.
Does The Polar Experience sell out?
Attendance is limited, and popular dates can fill. Families should reserve their preferred evening as early as possible.
Reserve Your Polar Experience Date
Christmas gets busy.
This night does not have to be.
Put on your pajamas, bring the people you love, and spend an evening riding trains, sipping cocoa, sock skating, making something, and watching a child receive a special Gift of Christmas from Santa.
Choose your December date and make The Polar Experience part of your family’s holiday tradition at TrainTastic in Gulfport.
RESERVE YOUR POLAR EXPERIENCE TICKETS
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