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FEBRUARY 27, 2004 at 3:17 PM
Posted by CHEESER
Source: HP Fan Trips
Reminder: You can win a trip for two
on the weekend portion of this trip. Contest ends March 15, 2004.
February 27, 2004 - Participants on the first HP Fan Trips tour to Britain will ride on what Harry Potter fans worldwide recognize as the Hogwarts Express train from the films based on author JK Rowling's popular books.
The announcement was made after Beyond Boundaries Travel, the fan-created group's operating tour company, secured the deal this week with the West Coast Railway Company, the train's owner. The locomotive #5972 doubles as the celluloid version of the Hogwarts Express and is being put into service expressly at the request of HP Fan Trips while on exhibit in York for the National Railway Museum's Rail 200 extravaganza, celebrating 200 years of railways. Trip-goers will have private carriages just like the ones used in the films, with access to a candy trolly and other goodies during the ride.
"We're extremely excited to be able to offer this to the Harry Potter fans who will be coming on the first of what we hope is many HP Fan Trips operated by Beyond Boundaries Travel," said Jeff Guillaume, one of the group's organizers. "Only the people on this trip will be able to say they've ridden on the actual Hogwarts Express train seen in the Harry Potter movies."
An immersive week-long excursion through the United Kingdom, centered around the film debut of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, awaits participants who have until March 31, 2004 to book their reservations. Actor Chris Rankin, who portrays Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's head boy Percy Weasley in the movie, will accompany travelers for an entire weekend as they trek through London, feast at a Great Hall-style gathering, and watch a "Quidditch" match created exclusively for the tour by USA Team Handball, a member of the United States Olympic Committee.
(This is the first of three special announcements that will be made through the end of March. The tour, which celebrates the history of wizards, fantasy, and magical creatures using world-class storytellers and ingenious activities, is developed in cooperation with Visit Britain, the official British Tourist Authority, and commences on June 1, 2004.)
About HP Fan Trips
HP Fan Trips in July 2003 began planning a Harry Potter fan's dream vacation, focused around the premiere of the third Harry Potter film. Its organizers include Heidi Tandy, an intellectual property lawyer and co-founder of fan site FictionAlley.org; Jeff Guillaume, a 23-year-old programmer and creator of Harry Potter news site HPANA.com; Jeannie Barresi of Beyond Boundaries Travel; and Jonathan Trachtenberg, designer of the HP Fan Trips web site.
About Beyond Boundaries Travel
Since 1991, Beyond Boundaries Travel has designed theme-based experiential tours for group travel. It is an international tour company working with The History Channel, the World Bank, the United Nations, the National Institutes of Health and numerous other clubs and organizations. Beyond Boundaries works with actors, authors, film directors, dancers and choreographers and many other very special guest presenters on these customized programs.
CONTACT: Jeannie Barresi
TEL: 800-487-1136
E-MAIL: jeannie@beyondboundariestravel.com
CONTACT: Jeff Guillaume
E-MAIL: info@hpfantrips.com
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Professional Beater
Points: 20891
feltonluver says:
Hey hpcrazyfan! You are a slytherin! Yay go and post in the slytherin commonroom, welcome here hopefully you can post more!
Posted Feb 29, 2004 at 10:25 PM EST
Student
Points: 254
potter says:
Wow!! it sounds so cool! I hope I live in Great Britain. It seem to be a great experience. :)
Posted Feb 29, 2004 at 11:02 PM EST
Unspeakable
Points: 3920
stocco says:
I wanna ride the Hogwarts Express. That would be so much fun!!!!
Posted Mar 1, 2004 at 1:08 AM EST
Professional Beater
Points: 20891
feltonluver says:
I agree with all of you when I say whoever wins that contest is one lucky sod and I wish I could go to london!
Posted Mar 1, 2004 at 9:21 PM EST
Redhead at Heart
Points: 3121
Ms Weasley says:
Way cool! I would be able to go if I was still at home, but being in Australia and all, it might be just a bit hard to realize. Pity.
Posted Mar 2, 2004 at 1:27 AM EST
Points: 2593
Stella_ says:
I am DYING to on this trip, why does HPANA feel the need to shove it in the faces of those who can't go?! *cries*
It's so unfair!
And if the mystery guest turns out to be Alan Rickman (well, if he's in Snape-costume anyway), Tom Felton or Rupert Grint, I don't know what I'll do. Probably cry! :P
Posted Mar 2, 2004 at 9:58 AM EST
Points: 2593
Stella_ says:
*I am dying to GO on this trip.
Sorry about that, and about a second post, but you can't edit these posts. :/
Posted Mar 2, 2004 at 10:00 AM EST
Points: 17
PuddlemereSurprise says:
Well...to those who cant go, they say they are definately planning more trips so you'll have your chance some day!
So who's entering the contest and how desperate are ya? ;)
Posted Mar 2, 2004 at 2:16 PM EST
Professional Beater
Points: 20891
feltonluver says:
Haha I am entering but when is the deadline, isn't the deadline in march and I still haven't submitted yet I better get a move on!
Posted Mar 2, 2004 at 8:30 PM EST
Marauder
Points: 3954
jade says:
It sounds like its going to be brilliant imaginebeing on the Hogwarts Express how cool is that ahhh...it would be so fantastic :)
Posted Mar 3, 2004 at 9:21 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1065
Lerah99 says:
I am sending in the entry forms to win this vacation. Otherwise I will have to miss out; I'm saving my money for The Witching Hour in 2005.
Posted Mar 3, 2004 at 11:52 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1368
Danzer says:
What is the witching hour where is it when is it what is it about whos at it and how can I enter mate.
Posted Mar 3, 2004 at 11:58 AM EST
Points: 17
PuddlemereSurprise says:
How many entries are you guys sending in?
That one person who said they sent in over a thousand...haha nice try but if that was the case, you could have used the 400 dollars you would have paid in postage to just buy the trip. ;)
Soooo, am I the only one who got such a kick out of filling out forms that I completely forgot WHY I was filling out forms?
Yeah..I realized this....at entry...230. I kid you not. Did anyone else get this high? I dont even care if I win. I had a bunch of stamps left over from Christmas and I was having a riot just filling them out and buying different stamps. Man I'm an idiot. I hope I just win the 100 bucks so I can get the money back I spent on effing postage.
Posted Mar 3, 2004 at 3:45 PM EST
Professional Beater
Points: 20891
feltonluver says:
Yes I wish I was on that train. Plus hearing british accents for a weekend would really make my day. Got to go check out the fan trip again!
Posted Mar 4, 2004 at 6:56 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1092
quidditch_queen says:
Awesome!!! I wish i could be there!:'( My life sucks.
Posted Mar 5, 2004 at 9:51 AM EST
Witch
Points: 841
evangalista says:
This would be so cool. I just got back from Las Vegas, but I've always wanted to go to Britain.
Posted Mar 15, 2004 at 2:29 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1990
HarrysGran says:
I really would like to attend these trips with Chris Rankin, but they are expensive... No chance. But I really was tempted!
Posted Mar 19, 2004 at 1:05 PM EST
Professor of Astronomy
Points: 3288
Prof Aurora Sinistra says:
Wow!! That would have been so fun.. I wish I could have been there. Those fan trips sound really fun... I should start saving my pennies.
Posted Mar 25, 2004 at 11:43 PM EST
Witch
Points: 540
lexie75 says:
hey wonder if they would have the Witch going around with the sweet trolly!! now that be sweet
Posted Mar 29, 2004 at 10:51 AM EST
Student
Points: 283
LunaDea says:
Wow, that would be cool. I could go up to people and say "I rode the Hogwart Express."
Posted Mar 29, 2004 at 6:13 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 6
Sluarin says:
I would love to go to England! I wish those that do get to go the best time ever!
Posted May 13, 2004 at 9:38 AM EST
Student
Points: 227
ObsessedFan says:
I'd love to go and I'm sure it would be lots of fun, but I can't. At least I can still ride my imaginery Hogwarts Express.
Posted Dec 24, 2004 at 6:20 PM EST
The Slytherin Slayer
Points: 9551
Mr. Big Shot says:
Hum hum hum . . . *reads news* Harry Potter fans ride real Hogwarts Express *flips page* WHAT!?!?!?! Harry Potter fans do what!?!?!?! DANG I wish I was over there, I'm in america . .
Posted Jan 31, 2006 at 2:18 PM EST
Rickmaniac to the Core
Points: 2564
snaily says:
Oh wow! I'd love to get on it for a day! ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Posted Jul 12, 2008 at 4:39 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2424
bonniewrightrulz says:
Man,how i wish i could go!!The guys going to the trip must be so lucky!!!Too bad i cant go to London,i dont have the time!
Posted Aug 2, 2008 at 3:02 PM EST
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