Amtrak train info w/pics!All Aboard-Choo-choo!UPDATED

[chanken3]

We just returned from a week at WDW!! It was an amazing week - our son got married on Wednesday just outside Magic Kingdom. Anyone see the pink and orange "What Wedding?" t-shirts at EPCOT on Thursday?

We took the auto train down on Friday 4/16. It was our first time and it was FUN. The train left on time and got to Sanford, FL about an hour early. By 9:30 Saturday morning we were off the train, van was detrained, and we were on the road heading for WDW. We decided to go coach and did not get much sleep but still I would do it again. Dinner was so-so, breakfast was good, movie was "The Blindside", and cash bar was visited a few times. The ride was very smooth, quiet, and scenic. We had booked several months ago and paid under $600 for one way, 4 adults and an over size van. The train ride cut out half of our drive down as we live in Maine. We drove all the way back since I was not sure how we would like the train.

[terribm]

Originally Posted by cntrygal

We love the train. We have done it twice, from albany NY to orlando, with a towncar pick up. Never got a room , we just sleep in the coach seats. And i maybe going west on the train all the way to montana in april, for that i may get a room.

This makes me feel better about my trip from NC. I have coach seats booked for me, DS-10, and DD-8. We are going in June and got a rountrip price from Raleigh to Kissimmee for $200. That is TOTAL for the 3 of us!! I could not buy gas one way for that. I have been a little worried about the kids being able to sleep in the coach seats but our trip will be relatively short compared to you northeners We board the train at 9pm and will basically just spend the night and wake in FL. Is there any way to request or be more likely to get the four seats facing each other?

T

[katybugsmom]

Our family is planning a vacation to Orlando the week before Christmas. We live at the top border in SC along I-95. In years past we have always driven1/2 way and spend the night because I have back issues and I can't sit for long periods. I saw a deal for Amtrak that ends in August,but it peaked my interest so I decided to check out the website. BOY WAS I SURPRISED!!!!! We can travel from Florence, SC(30 minutes from our house) to Orlando for $302.00 total round trip!!! We are a family of 4 and we are also AAA members. This price is for coach seats and the total trip will be 9 1/2 hours. Ican handle this because I can get up and move around!!!! I don't know if we will ever drive again!
Does anyone know how far the train station is from WDW and Universal? We would'nt want to rent a car if other means of transportation is available.

[lisa-upnorth]

Originally Posted by terribm

This makes me feel better about my trip from NC. I have coach seats booked for me, DS-10, and DD-8. We are going in June and got a rountrip price from Raleigh to Kissimmee for $200. That is TOTAL for the 3 of us!! I could not buy gas one way for that. I have been a little worried about the kids being able to sleep in the coach seats but our trip will be relatively short compared to you northeners We board the train at 9pm and will basically just spend the night and wake in FL. Is there any way to request or be more likely to get the four seats facing each other?

T

I do not know of that being an option It is a grab it first kind of spot-that said If it were me I would try and get seat across the aisle rather than behind each other.Have a great trip!!

[lisa-upnorth]

Originally Posted by chanken3

We just returned from a week at WDW!! It was an amazing week - our son got married on Wednesday just outside Magic Kingdom. Anyone see the pink and orange "What Wedding?" t-shirts at EPCOT on Thursday?

We took the auto train down on Friday 4/16. It was our first time and it was FUN. The train left on time and got to Sanford, FL about an hour early. By 9:30 Saturday morning we were off the train, van was detrained, and we were on the road heading for WDW. We decided to go coach and did not get much sleep but still I would do it again. Dinner was so-so, breakfast was good, movie was "The Blindside", and cash bar was visited a few times. The ride was very smooth, quiet, and scenic. We had booked several months ago and paid under $600 for one way, 4 adults and an over size van. The train ride cut out half of our drive down as we live in Maine. We drove all the way back since I was not sure how we would like the train.

You have inspired me to try the autotrain we also travel from up north-near Rutland Vermont-and the thought of driving all the way is not a thought I like at all!!!BUT, I might just try the drive to VA

[lisa-upnorth]

Originally Posted by katybugsmom

Our family is planning a vacation to Orlando the week before Christmas. We live at the top border in SC along I-95. In years past we have always driven1/2 way and spend the night because I have back issues and I can't sit for long periods. I saw a deal for Amtrak that ends in August,but it peaked my interest so I decided to check out the website. BOY WAS I SURPRISED!!!!! We can travel from Florence, SC(30 minutes from our house) to Orlando for $302.00 total round trip!!! We are a family of 4 and we are also AAA members. This price is for coach seats and the total trip will be 9 1/2 hours. Ican handle this because I can get up and move around!!!! I don't know if we will ever drive again!
Does anyone know how far the train station is from WDW and Universal? We would'nt want to rent a car if other means of transportation is available.

The trip takes about 30 minutes tops BUT I would advise a car rental.We had always done Mears or taxis but were spending more than the price of a rental car for the week It was about $100 for the Mears town car for 4 people(and that was a few years ago!) Spent about $15 for taxis to and from parks.I would look around this board at the rental deals-for the week you could have a car-and believe me that is a good thing

[lisa-upnorth]

As I posted at the start of this thread I paid $295 for 12 days using a code I found on here for my rental from the train station

[chanken3]

Lisa - I hope you do try the auto train. Definitely better than the long drive for us "northerners". We drove all the way home last weekend and I wished we were on the train. We only tried it one way this time in case we hated it. My husband is well over 6' tall and he had a hard time getting comfortable enough in coach to sleep, but that was the ONLY down side. I was surprised at how quiet and relaxing the ride was.

[lisa-upnorth]

Terri and katybugsmom-great prices
I always choose the train and am happy to see when others get a good deal on the tickets! The rooms are where they kill you on price!!If you have older kids, I would advice trying the coach seats, at least once, to see if you can do it.For us it is 24hrs on a train and we have a 5 year old so we get the roomettes, but if I had kids over 10 I would try the seats.You will be a little tired-- but not nearly as tired as you would have been had you drove down!!!
Let's go ridin' the rails!!!!!!!

[katybugsmom]

Does anyone know the website where I can see previous arrival/departure times for the station we are leaving from? I saw it somewhere, but I can't locate it now. Our train pulls out at 3:28 AM and I want to get there early, but not too early with sleepy kids!
Thanks!

[lisa-upnorth]

http://www.amtrakdelays.com/

[MommyTaraLee]

Thanks for all of the great information!

We were looking into pricing for either flying or driving in October, when I decided to look into Amtrak... turns out, through all of my previous work travel on Amtrak, I had almost enough reward points to book a bedroom for DH, DD & I round trip. I was able to purchase the points I needed to make up the difference for $230! : So... long story short... for $230, we will be taking Amtrak round trip between Philly & Orlando, with a bedroom!!!

All of this info has made some of my worries about the trip disappear!

[lisa-upnorth]

Mommy-I am jealous!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great job! you will LOVE it!!!!!Take pics and let us know how it went!

[lisa-upnorth]

bump for the field trippers

[lisa-upnorth]

you can rent a car thru Hertz which is located right in the train station.