All about the Autotrain

[pwdebbie]

There is more room in the train than in a car or airplane. He can get up and walk around and sit in the lounge car with lots of windows..

True, but he can't get off if he wants. He can get out of a car and he can control where he's going. Once on the train, he is confined to the train until it gets to its destination. Same reason he won't go on a cruise.

 

[chartle]

You make me even more interested in taking AT. If only I could talk my claustrophobic hubby into trying it.

There is more room in the train than in a car or airplane. He can get up and walk around and sit in the lounge car with lots of windows..

True, but he can't get off if he wants. He can get out of a car and he can control where he's going. Once on the train, he is confined to the train until it gets to its destination. Same reason he won't go on a cruise.

Have learned here that claustrophobia is more then just tight spaces. I have read where a people find Ellen to be claustrophobic because they feel trapped because they just can't leave like a regular theater.

I can see why a cruise would be worse for your DH because its not like the ground or "freedom" is not just a few feet away but maybe miles away.

 

[loveysbydesign]

getting so excited about our train trip! Would really love to take the AT down to FL too but they just cut back my dh's hours

 

[LisaNJ25]

Question about using a AAA discount. I have the trip down already booked using the kids 25 promo. I need to book the return trip. I do not have aaa but we are traveling back with my kids aunt and she does. Can we apply the discount to all of our tickets or just to hers?

 

[Marshay]

Question about using a AAA discount. I have the trip down already booked using the kids 25 promo. I need to book the return trip. I do not have aaa but we are traveling back with my kids aunt and she does. Can we apply the discount to all of our tickets or just to hers?

You can call to double check but if she buys the tickets then I don't see why not. She should be able to apply the discount to each of the tickets. My kids aren't listed on AAA but I buy AAA discounted tickets for them (of course it's the same last name...). Actually, I've never been asked to show my AAA card, so not sure if their system looks it up or not..

 

[CapeCodDisney]

How comfortable are the seats to sleep in? My daughter is a light sleeper, how is the noise in the coach section?

 

[kandb]

We have taken the autotrain twice to florida. Once, we had a family bedroom both ways and the other time we had seats going down and a family bedroom coming home. I will NEVER get on a train and expect to sleep in a chair. It was the longest night of my life. There was also a family in front of us that said they are going to try to get a bedroom for the trip home because it was so tortureous. IMO, if you can't get a sleeper car, don't use the train.

 

[mykidslovesdisney]

We have travelled 9 times on the AT Round trip. We have had both sleepers and coach. Coach is doable. I am a fairly light sleeper. We bring our pillow and a fleece blanket to sleep with. We also got one of the pillows that look like a doughnut and it folds all different ways (As seen on TV product). I used that our last trip in coach and slept amazingly well.

Noise depends on your car. Some are quiet some are not. Even in sleepers I tend not to sleep soundly either. I feel like I am being tossed on my head when we are in the Deluxe bedroom. the tracks are fairly rocky at times. I tend to sleep better in a roomette due to the bed is the same direction as the train. Deluxe bedroom your bed is head and toe to side /side of the train.

Good luck and try not to stress too much on it. It is just for one night.

 

[dingleberry]

For those who have tried both......2 adults and 2 children.....if cost was equal.......

2 roomettes or 1 family room?

 

[vacationer1954]

We've done it both ways sleeper and coach and I agree that unless you are a very easy sleeper don't plan on sleeping in the coach. The seats are just not comfortable enough for that.

 

[NJBILL]

How comfortable are the seats to sleep in? My daughter is a light sleeper, how is the noise in the coach section?

Purchase a set of foam earplugs at your local pharmacy. They work very well and I always use them to stop background noise.

 

[NJRRK]

If your children are young the family bedroom, it stretches across the entire width of the train, BUT the two children's beds are very short.

 

[nyfinfan]

Does anyone know if they allow small coolers to be brought onboard?

 

[LisaNJ25]

Does anyone know if they allow small coolers to be brought onboard?

Yes. That's not a problem at all

 

[nyfinfan]

Yes. That's not a problem at all

Thanks Lisa for the quick response.

 

[busymama04]

Does everyone usually drive to the auto train day of departure or day before and stay at the Comfort Inn? Trying to decide which to do. I live 4.5 hours away.

 

[chartle]

Does everyone usually drive to the auto train day of departure or day before and stay at the Comfort Inn? Trying to decide which to do. I live 4.5 hours away.

Thats my time from Western PA and we drove that day. No reason to add an extra day to your vacation or the cost of a room.

Just give yourself plenty of time. We left on a Saturday so no traffic until we hit just getting off the beltway. We also planed on being there at 1:30 and were only off by 5 minutes.

We packed a lunch and ate after we checked in and gave up our car. No waits at all. Around 2:30 ish the line to check in was way out to the street.

 

[Marshay]

For those who have tried both......2 adults and 2 children.....if cost was equal.......

2 roomettes or 1 family room?

If cost was equal, then 2 roomettes...just gives you more space and all of the beds are long.

The family room works best with kids that are small, since there are 2 beds that aren't as long (the kids beds). I'm not certain on the dimensions, but when your kid gets to be about 55" or so, she won't be able to stretch out.

My 6yo is 52" and sleeps curled up, so no problem for now.

Does everyone usually drive to the auto train day of departure or day before and stay at the Comfort Inn? Trying to decide which to do. I live 4.5 hours away.

I would drive early that morning and save yourself the extra night and costs, like Chartle said. Just give yourself 1-1.5 hour leeway, in case you run into traffic, so plan to arrive around 1-1:30pm, if not earlier. We try to arrive around 12 noon - 12:30pm and then just hang out. But we have small kids and want to make sure we get the early dinner service, so we arrive earlier than most people.

 

[busymama04]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[vacationer1954]

We've tried to drive day-of to board the train, but it is a bit far from us for that, so we stay overnight just outside of Washington. We have made the trip home on the day-of but there's nothing to be late for that way.