We loved it. We went the weekend before Thanksgiving last year. All 3 of my children enjoyed it. They read the Polar Express. We were given hot chocolate and a cookie. The train took us to the North Pole and Santa got on the train.
We stayed at Lands Creek Log Cabins. It is about 2 miles from downtown Bryson City. www.landscreek.com The owners of the property are wonderful. My children want to go back just to stay in the log cabin.
We also visited Cherokee and the Biltmore house that weekend.
We did the Polar Express ride in Bryson approximately 6 years ago. DSs were about 5 and 7 yo. They loved trains and the Polar Express story at that time so we had a lot of fun.