Disney brings Christmas to Whitefish

Whitefish Pilot

Christmas will be coming a little earlier than usual to Whitefish this year — mid-summer to be exact. A special train promoting Disney's fantasy adventure film "A Christmas Carol" will be in Whitefish on July 9-12.

The film stars Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins and Robin Wright Penn. The "multi-sensory thrill ride" based on the Charles Dickens novella was 're-envisioned" by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, who wrote the screenplay.

The Disney train left Los Angeles on May 22 bound for 40 cities across the U.S., from Seattle to Miami. Whitefish is the smallest town on the itinerary. Fargo, N.D., the next stop, is the only other small town scheduled for a stop.

"Disney had two choices when it was choosing its routes — north to Vancouver, B.C., or east to Whitefish," Whitefish Chamber of Commerce executive director Sheila Bowen said

Here in Whitefish, the train will be located on a siding east of the depot that has been used in the past for the Polar Express train. BNSF Railway's business class trains transported local children to Essex each year around Christmas time, but the Polar Express train was canceled because the tracks were too busy with other trains.

Disney first contacted city officials and BNSF Railway about four months ago, Bowen said. The chamber and the Whitefish Convention and Visitor Bureau have been involved in getting the message out, but Disney hasn't paid the city or other groups for their services.

Columbia Avenue will be closed from Second Street two blocks north to Railway Street for "crowd control." City officials decided no special parking provisions were needed because locals who come to Whitefish for other special events, such as Winter Carnival, have always found adequate parking.

Whitefish police chief Bill Dial said no extra officers will be on duty.

"We have notified the neighborhood of the parking issues," he said. "Disney has their own security, and we will meet with them to coordinate our efforts."

About 5,000 people are expected to come to Whitefish to see the train over the two-day stop, according to Disney estimates. The free tour of the train and the 48-foot-square tent is expected to take about 45 minutes, Bowen said.

"Most of the people who'll come will be from the Flathead," Bowen said. "We might get some from the Missoula area who were already here, but we're not expecting any Canadians."

Disney estimates 1,200 people can tour the four custom-designed "vintage" rail cars every hour. Inside will be a digital gallery of the film's characters, interactive games and artifacts from the Charles Dickens Museum, in London, including a first edition.

The tent, which will be set up on a nearby field used by the city for snow storage in winter, will house a 3-D theater. Visitors will get a chance to see a 'sneak preview" of the movie. Carolers walking outside the train will regale visitors with classic Christmas time music.

For more information, visit online at www.christmascaroltraintour.com.