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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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Witch
Points: 916
SnapesSlave says:
Wow, that is so cool. Wish I could go, but alas...I'll be in school. Oh well. I hope those that go have a great time.
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 3:27 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1072
Hary says:
That is verry cool but my parents are to cheap to send me any were more than 10 miles from wher i live and yet alas they can go to las vegas and every where else while im stuck here*sigh*
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 3:31 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1660
siriusgyal says:
Wow i better get save fast then if i want to go.
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 3:37 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2034
Professor Snape says:
Wow, that would be cool to ride that train. i've never ridden a train before so it would be cool to ride on that one for the first time. haha. hope the kids that go on vacation with that have fun.
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 3:37 PM EST
Points: 7828
Rococoed says:
I wish I could go on the trip, but I have to teach VBS then. Iowa is where I'll always be this summer...
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 3:41 PM EST
Pesky Pixie Presidente
Points: 4357
Firebolt_909 says:
man, lucky to those who get to go! geez, why don't all the good stuff happen to us pathetic people?
yeah, it'd be awesome if we got to go. all the HPANA members. though, that would have to be a very big train to fit us all in.
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 3:44 PM EST
The Girl Who Lived
Points: 4219
Tacha says:
That's soooo cool! I'm one of the unlucky ones unfortunately. I can't even enter the competition cause I don't live in the US. Have fun everyone who's going!
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 3:46 PM EST
Seer
Points: 15207
Brittany Radcliffe says:
Waaaaaaaaaah i want to go. mommy PLEASE!! this is like the oppertunity of a lifetime right here!! gah and they get to ride on the Hogwarts Express AND get the candy and goodies. no flipping fair. i think im going to cry.
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 3:46 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2644
Orlando's Obsession! says:
WOW!
thats so cool! i wish i could go!! and maybe i might see Dan Rupert and Emma!!! thats if i every get to ride it!
:(
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 3:47 PM EST
Student
Points: 231
HP fan says:
Going on that trip would be so much fun!! I've never even been to England, nor rode on a train before, so that would be awesome!! Plus, Chris would be there (!!), and plus a lot of other fans of HP. Awww...too bad I can't go.
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 3:47 PM EST
Heir of Slytherin
Points: 5499
Spazzingduck says:
Oh, I wanted to go on that trip soooooooooooo bad, but when I asked my parents about it they just laughed. Grr.... trip sounds cool, cool, cool!
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 3:59 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2308
QuidditchChickie says:
How fun! Hogwarts express looks like so much fun!
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 4:08 PM EST
Lady Black
Points: 2933
Shades says:
I so want to go but in dont live in london :( oh well maybe next time...
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 4:20 PM EST
Sirius' Princess
Points: 5611
nymphadora84 says:
Lucky Eh!
That would be a nice train ride! And imagine, if they actually will serve all trypes of chocolates and candies...i'd love to go!
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 4:36 PM EST
Animagus
Points: 19544
Sirius-Ella says:
Aww, man! I wanna go this stinks! I never getta go anywhere!
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 4:49 PM EST
Keeper of Harry's Fate
Points: 8785
TheOneWhoMustBeNamed says:
Very nice. It sounds like a lot of fun and a great way to get into the flavor of the characters and stories. It is amazing on how much is being done on this.
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 4:54 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1059
DarkMagic13 says:
I can't go because I don't live in England. Some things in life are unfair, but I have to get used to them. Thats wicked cool that you can actually ride on the train they used in Harry Potter. Unluckily I live in America.
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 5:19 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2119
hpchik898 says:
Oooooooooo I wish I could go! I can't becuase of instead I decided to buy a blood juicy outfit! Stupid juicy Conture! (and gawd I want the skirt)
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 5:20 PM EST
Witch
Points: 660
Draco's little secrete says:
It would be cool to go on it. Only if they could bring it over to the US.
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 5:23 PM EST
Points: 329
emmaisverysexy says:
wow thats awsome and I wish I could go. Its been my dream to go on the Hogwarts express but im sure i cant go
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 5:37 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1506
Paint Horse says:
In making this trip even better than a dream come true, the torture of not being able to go is just intensified to beyond the level of human endurance!!
Oh, the pain!
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 5:40 PM EST
Ravenclaw's Heiress
Points: 3926
PhoenixFire says:
I wish I could go on the trip. I would love to ride the Hogwarts Express. But unfortunately my parents probably wouldn't let me go.......
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 5:41 PM EST
Professional Beater
Points: 20884
feltonluver says:
Wow! I would love to do this, let alone go to England and take that Harry Potter fantrip! Okay I'm signing on to win!
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 5:42 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1155
MissMaryPotter says:
Yippy!!!! I hope I win, better get back to cracking on those entries....Crossing fingers tightly
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 5:43 PM EST
Death Eater
Points: 6201
Voldemort's Heir says:
That would be great fun to go on that trip and then get to ride on the same trian that they use for the Hogwart's Express.
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 5:53 PM EST
Half-Blood Prince
(Moderator)
Points: 939
Professor Scoots says:
I want to ride on the Hogwarts Express!! I think it would be so neat to be able to ride the actual train - even if it doesn't really go to Hogwarts! Just to see and experience something from the movies would be au-some!
Too bad I am here in America and have no plans to take a trip to London. Nor do I have the money/time to make such a trip!
Posted Feb 27, 2004 at 6:02 PM EST
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