On August 15th, the Island of Sodor came to life in New England’s famed Edaville USA for Thomas the Tank Engine’s 70th Anniversary and Edaville USA’s 70th Anniversary. Thomas Land is the largest permanent Thomas & Friends® attraction in North America! Set in the lush New England landscape of Edaville USA, the park covers 11.5 acres and boasts 11 rides based on Thomas & Friends and the Island of Sodor. Attractions at Thomas Land feature a 20-minute long, scenic train ride on a life-sized Thomas the Tank Engine as well as theme park favorites including a roller coaster, drop tower, Ferris wheel, soft-play area and much more. All of the rides and attractions feature full scale and working models of beloved characters such as Thomas, Diesel, Toby, Cranky the Crane, Harold the Helicopter, and more favorites. Your Thomas the Train fan can visit familiar destinations around the Island of Sodor like Tidmouth Sheds, Knapford Station, and Brendam Docks. Sir Topham Hatt, Controller of the Railway on the Island of Sodor, is regularly on site to greet and take photos with guests.
Tickets for Edaville USA, including Thomas Land, are on sale now and available by visiting Edaville.com/ThomasLand. Ticket prices are $29 per person for ages 3 and up.
This history of Edaville, USA is rich. A heritage railroad was started shortly after WWII by Ellis D. Atwood, who built a 51⁄2 mile rail bed around his then 1,800-acre cranberry plantation, where he installed two-foot narrow gauge rails and trains he had purchased in Maine. Edaville USA, originally named for Atwood’s initials, opened in April of 1947 and is thought to
be one of the world’s first tourist railroads. Atwood used the railroad to harvest cranberries and take tourists sightseeing through the plantation. Today Edaville is one of the last amusement theme parks in New England that caters primarily to young children and their families, which often span several generations.
I highly recommend the trip to Thomas Land. The rides are more than age-appropriate and the 20-minute train ride around the perimeter of the property was both beautiful and relaxing. When children have had enough with rides and attractions, they can actually grab a fishing pole and fish along the banks of the pond that is located on the property. Make sure to wear sunscreen and stay hydrated as there is very little shade throughout the park.
We stayed at the TownePlace Suites Wareham Buzzards Bay, which is the closest hotel to the park and is about 13 minutes away. The hotel is brand new and rooms feature a kitchenette and many “at home” amenities, which make it a perfect choice for traveling families.
Please enjoy some photos of our journey through Sodor!
The star of the show! Thomas the Train
Ready to go!
The band welcomed all.
Tidmouth Sheds
View from our train car- so pretty!
20-minute train ride
Beautiful views!
At the gates of Thomas Land
Here he comes!
Sir Topham Hat stays cool
Cranky the Crane drop
Flynn the Fire Engine ride
Diesel Derby
Harold the Helicopter
Percy hangs out at the shed.
The grounds.
Percy’s controls.
Toby’s Twister
Bertie the Bus
Who is your favorite Thomas the Train character?
*DISCLAIMER: Any opinions stated are strictly my own. I was sent the above item by Mattell and Edaville to help facilitate my review. I also received a discount for my stay the TownePlace Suites Wareham Buzzards Bay. All photos used in this post are courtesy of Kathy Zagorski.*
Shannon B. Baker
Tuesday 4th of July 2017
Wow! The Thomas Land must be kids' paradise and I bet that every child will love it! No kid can refuse it! Thanks for your great share! I also love this park, especially the Thomas Trains! :)