Say hello to the new holiday trolley adventure: Time Warp Express at Volo Museum. We absolutely love Volo Museum so were super excited to see another new adventure. The Time Warp Express is two years in the making is more than just a holiday trolley ride: it’s a holiday adventure! We really enjoyed the unique twist on the holiday trolley ride and you will too!

Disclosure: Our family was provided complimentary tickets for review purposes. I was not required to express a particular point of view, and all opinions are my own. Some links may be affiliate links. See disclosure policy here.

Getting Started at Volo Museum

Since the event is after hours, we found plenty of parking. We checked into the front desk, was given our wristbands, and we were off!

Get your munchies on

What better way to start the adventure than with cookies and hot cocoa! We made our way to Grams Central Station to grab our goodies then found our seat in the retro cool dining area. If you’re craving more food, they also have pizza, hot dogs, adult beverages, coffees and more to purchase.

Tip: Make sure to look up to see all the cool bicycles hanging from the ceiling.

Say hello to Santa

While here, we were greeted with the friendliest elves out there. The Museum collaborated with Woodstock-based Theatre 121, and I do have to say they do an amazing job of lifting all holiday spirits. Make sure to bring your wish lists because Santa is here too! Loved that we could snap photos while waiting for the trolley.

Hop along the Time Warp Express

Santa had to leave but along the way we find out that he goes missing and it was our mission to save Santa. What a fun and creative twist! I don’t want to disclose too many secrets but along the way we see different clues.

On our trolley ride, a couple of the elves came along for the ride to find Santa. They kept us entertained with a fun storytelling experience. We traversed through different time eras –  through the Ice Age, the Jurassic period, the 1800s and into the modern era. If you love trains and dinosaurs (what kid doesn’t?) then you’ll love spotting them along the way.

Love dinosaurs? And trains? Come early to scope out Jurassic Gardens and the rest of Volo Museum. It’s so much fun!

We made one stop at the Jupiter train which was important in connecting the railroads across the country to the west coast.

Fun fact: the Museum acquired the train from Disney and was from the movie “The Lone Ranger” with Johnny Depp. 

During the rest of the ride, we took in the beauty of the animated Christmas light displays and hundreds of lit trees also bedazzling the path. We saw helicopters, animated dinosaurs, a huge Radio Flyer wagon, and more.

So did we end up saving Santa? You’ll have to check it out to see if we do!

Tip: For the ultimate experience visit early to scope the museum. The new TItanic Exhibit is wonderful! More on this soon.

Final Thoughts of the Time Warp Express at Volo Museum

What a fun and unique take on seeing Santa..and saving him! You will no doubt have a holly jolly time at the Time Warp Express Holiday Trolley.

READ MORE: Find more holiday activities to add to your holiday calendar.

Nitty Gritty

Website: Time Warp Express | Volo Museum (volocars.com)
Address: 27582 Volo Village Road, Volo, IL
When: Fridays & Saturdays, Nov. 10th – Dec. 23rd 5:00 & 7:30.
Pricing: $25 for November, $29.95 for December, ages 5 and up. Children under 4 are free, but must sit on an adult’s lap during the ride.