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Retailers such as Sears and Toys "R" Us are trying to get shoppers in the Christmas spirit, waayyy early this year with special holiday-season style savings, layaway options, and even some holiday-themed events and displays. Given the economy, it seems stores will try anything to avoid another underwhelming shopping season, and to spark some sales during the summer. (For more on the trend, check out this Washington Post story).

Christmas seems like years away, and speaking on behalf of oft-shivering Midwesterners, that's the way we like it. But leave it to the creative marketing folks at Disney to make Christmas not only come alive, but endearing, despite a 0% chance of snow in the forecast.

The company is promoting its big 3-D animated November movie release A Christmas Carol, based on the Charles Dickens classic, with an ambitious, enchanting experiential marketing campaign. Starting in May, a movie-themed train started its trek across 16,000 miles, with 40 stops along the way, showcasing Christmas carolers, jugglers, high-tech interactive exhibits, and sneak preview footage. The train pulled into Chicago's Union Station and opened its doors to the public today. For more info, including tour dates, click here.

The free exhibit is reminiscent of a Disney theme ride. The first rooms showcased portraits of the animated renderings of Dickens' famous characters, models of Big Ben and Ebenezer Scrooge's head, and some artifacts on loan from London's Charles Dickens museum. From there comes a room showcasing how the animation was based on actual physical performances from leotard-and-sensor clad actors. Then came a tunnel lined with monitors displaying the differing levels of animation, from crude dotted figures to flesh-and-blood creations. And finally, a cinnamon-scented room, with a faux-fire burning bright, fake snow dancing beyond the windows, and a cooked goose waiting on a tabletop. Then there's the 3-D footage of Carol itself, showcased in a specially designed theater and playing every hour, featuring scenes of Jim Carrey as Scrooge confronting his nephew Fred (Colin Firth) and spooky Jacob Marley (Gary Oldman). But the coolest part of it all was a special face-morphing feature, where utilizing digital cameras, visitors' can see their faces transform into one of the movie characters. (Look below for a shot of a Piet Levy/Scrooge hybrid).

Carol director Robert Zemeckis, Disney Studios Chairman David Cook and Amtrak CMO David Lim were on hand for the ribbon cutting. At a press conference, Cook credited train travel as romantic, and a fitting method to market a movie based on a classic tale. Lim told Marketing News that the campaign is an opportunity to introduce train travel to young consumers and families.

Truth be told, Carol would probably be a hit whether this train campaign existed or not. But it's an ambitious attempt to get consumers deeply familiar with the film before its release, and a way to steal away some of the buzz that's been building for another 3-D movie release this Christmas season, James Cameron's Avatar.

Enjoy the pics folks, and have a holly, jolly weekend.