All about the Autotrain

[Mrs.viv07]

Ok one more question and this one is probably silly. I plan on showering the night before we leave. ( I decided well just leave the day of around 6 am to give us p,ent of time...thanks for all the advice btw) anyway we have a family bedroom booked but I was wondering if anyone has pics of what the showers look like? I thought our room had its own shower/ bathroom but they don't just the "community" ones which is fine but how comfortable is it to shower in there? Are they like locker room showers? How many are there? Or are they private showers to use meaning only I would be in there? Hope that makes sense. The diagram doesn't make sense...maybe it's me being miserably sick and it's not making sense to me.

 

[la79al]

I am trying to coordinate transportation with us taking the AT but also picking up/dropping off people at MCO . So if I get to Lorton at noon, that should be great, right? Am I going to go crazy trying to entertain 2 small children until we can get on the train/train leaves? Once we get to FL, we should be pretty close to 9:30? And then worse case scenerio 1.5 hours until we are ready to leave the station? On the way back, what time should we leave Disney to get to Sanford at a decent time? I'm ready to tell everyone in our party that they have to take the AT with us but they can't all take an extra day off work and I'm not willing to give up a Disney day .

 

[denise5374]

We intend to take the auto train next summer for our Disney trip. It's hard to imagine that it the same price to take the train (w/a sleeper both ways) & fly out of Newark, pay for parking, baggage fees & car rental!

We plan to leave central NJ on a Sat next August & drive to Lorton....I'm assuming a 6am departure is good w/plenty of time to arrive...esp if we take 95 on a Saturday??

We are about 25 miles NW of Philadelphia and took the PA turnpike to the Blue Route to 95 and the trip was less about 3 hours on a Saturday morning. We left our house about 8:45am and got to the Lorton station about 12:30. We had no traffic. According to Google maps, the trip is 180 miles.

 

[barb007]

We are located right in the middle of NJ (where 287/78 intersect)...so we can take 78 to 81 (but I find this out of the way..I hate going west to go south) or take 29 to 95S. But if we leave around 6-6:30am that should give us time...according to mapquest it's about a 4-4.5 hour ride.

 

[denise5374]

Ok one more question and this one is probably silly. I plan on showering the night before we leave. ( I decided well just leave the day of around 6 am to give us p,ent of time...thanks for all the advice btw) anyway we have a family bedroom booked but I was wondering if anyone has pics of what the showers look like? I thought our room had its own shower/ bathroom but they don't just the "community" ones which is fine but how comfortable is it to shower in there? Are they like locker room showers? How many are there? Or are they private showers to use meaning only I would be in there? Hope that makes sense. The diagram doesn't make sense...maybe it's me being miserably sick and it's not making sense to me.

The community shower is very small, stand up shower. I didn't measure it but it is maybe 36" by 36" with a shower curtain. It is contained in its own little room that has a shelf and mirror but the whole area is maybe 6' by 3'. I am about 5'3" and I had difficulty maneuvering to get dressed in the dressing area. There is only 1 shower per train car and 4 toilet, they are on the lower level of the train car, there is also one bathroom on the upper level.. I don't recall seeing (hearing) anyone use the shower.

We showered before we left home and then didn't shower again until we got to our resort room. The movement of the train makes walking difficult sometimes so I can't imagine trying to shower.

 

[denise5374]

I am trying to coordinate transportation with us taking the AT but also picking up/dropping off people at MCO . So if I get to Lorton at noon, that should be great, right? Am I going to go crazy trying to entertain 2 small children until we can get on the train/train leaves? Once we get to FL, we should be pretty close to 9:30? And then worse case scenerio 1.5 hours until we are ready to leave the station? On the way back, what time should we leave Disney to get to Sanford at a decent time? I'm ready to tell everyone in our party that they have to take the AT with us but they can't all take an extra day off work and I'm not willing to give up a Disney day .

Lorton and Sanford stations have free wi-fi. We brought laptops to amuse ourselves. There is also a small playground. My DS15 also brought movies and headphones to watch while we were waiting.

On both our southbound and northbound trips we arrived about 8:15am. From what I was told by other passengers, when we stopped to refuel (in the middle of the night), we stayed an extra 45min because the train was so ahead of schedule that we would have arrived at the station before it opened. Apparently it opes at 8am.

Sanford is about 40 minutes from Disney. We had breakfast at Kona Cafe at 10:30am and left after that, maybe around noon.

 

[Mary Anne]

If someone was leaving from the NYC area this Friday morning, what time would you leave to avoid the DC traffic? Thank you for any input.

I am sending DH and son via Auto train to take a car down to my other son who lives down there, I will be flying. Kinda sad that I am missing out on the AutoTrain but my son wanted to do it and I figured he'd be much more of a help to my husband with map reading then me (trust me you don't want me reading any maps) and my husband wanted a sleeper car and it would have meant we needed a family sleeper car and it got kind of pricey.

 

[NJRRK]

Ok one more question and this one is probably silly. I plan on showering the night before we leave. ( I decided well just leave the day of around 6 am to give us p,ent of time...thanks for all the advice btw) anyway we have a family bedroom booked but I was wondering if anyone has pics of what the showers look like? I thought our room had its own shower/ bathroom but they don't just the "community" ones which is fine but how comfortable is it to shower in there? Are they like locker room showers? How many are there? Or are they private showers to use meaning only I would be in there? Hope that makes sense. The diagram doesn't make sense...maybe it's me being miserably sick and it's not making sense to me.

The shower is private, it's a little smaller than a standard shower stall, I'd say a good 4 foot square. I'm not a large guy but I'm not a lightweight either. I have enough room to shower it's not bad. I NEED my shower every morning. Plus there is a dry area in the room that you can kiwi your clothes and the have towels. There is also a sink and mirror in the "shower room." Don't worry you'll be fine, and the shower is about 10' from the family bedroom.

 

[ClearScreen]

If someone was leaving from the NYC area this Friday morning, what time would you leave to avoid the DC traffic? Thank you for any input.

I am sending DH and son via Auto train to take a car down to my other son who lives down there, I will be flying. Kinda sad that I am missing out on the AutoTrain but my son wanted to do it and I figured he'd be much more of a help to my husband with map reading then me (trust me you don't want me reading any maps) and my husband wanted a sleeper car and it would have meant we needed a family sleeper car and it got kind of pricey.

6:30am - 7:00am at the latest.

We left at 7:00am from 45-60 minutes north of the City and would have made it to Lorton around 12:30pm if not for an accident on I-95. If you really want to be super-cautious, I'd say 6:00am, but I think that's unnecessary.

 

[pwdebbie]

I just rode lower-level coach on Friday, and I this will help:

In the bottom image, the open area adjacent to the luggage area is where they would put the wheelchair, facing towards the other seats.

Where did you find this pic? I'd like to see one for the sleepers.

 

[Mrs.viv07]

ok last question i promise...
my youngest doesn't require a ticket my concern is that i read he isn't allowed to eat either even if we pay for the meal? no ticket no meal...which i understand BUT even if we pay he can't get one since they are limited?
if that is the case then i have to find a meal that i can give him...do they have microwaves to use?

 

[dalspot]

How old is the youngest? I'd put my mind at ease and call Amtrak and ask them directly rather than relying on internet hearsay.

ok last question i promise...
my youngest doesn't require a ticket my concern is that i read he isn't allowed to eat either even if we pay for the meal? no ticket no meal...which i understand BUT even if we pay he can't get one since they are limited?
if that is the case then i have to find a meal that i can give him...do they have microwaves to use?

 

[la79al]

OMG. We haven't booked our tickets yet, waiting for my mom since she's paying. Just looked and prices have gone up $300. I think I'm going to be sick.

 

[dalspot]

Prices always rise the closer you get to your travel date.

ALWAYS select pick up your ticket at the station whenever you book also. Lots easier to cancel if the need arises.

OMG. We haven't booked our tickets yet, waiting for my mom since she's paying. Just looked and prices have gone up $300. I think I'm going to be sick.

 

[Mrs.viv07]

How old is the youngest? I'd put my mind at ease and call Amtrak and ask them directly rather than relying on internet hearsay.

he is going to be turning 2 while in Disney

 

[mikat]

Where did you find this pic? I'd like to see one for the sleepers.

I did a Goggle search for Auto Train Layout and found this link:

http://www.trainsim.com/vbts/showthread.php?298877-Superliners&p=1656664#post1656664

Note - the lounge care layout is wrong, but the rest are correct. The images show the upper and lower part of each type of car

HTH!

 

[loveysbydesign]

Help...I lost the info I'd copied and saved from this thread!!

We will be on the At next month, I need to know:
1. What time should we check-in at Sanford to get an early dinner spot and then what time do we board(traveling on a Sunday)?
(we will be driving over from Rte 192 in west Kissimmee or from DTD if we have time to stop there in the morning, not sure time wise how that would work)

2. If we check-in before lunch where should we go to eat in between check-in and boarding the train. (I thought someone had posted a map but can't find the link)

3. Should we pack snacks and water bottle or is there snacks and beverages available for free on the train in between meals and do we tip serves at meals and how much for a family of 5?

4. Are there any showers for those in coach?
Any other tips or must-dos (kids will be 13, 10 and 5)?

Thanks so much!

 

[nyfinfan]

Help...I lost the info I'd copied and saved from this thread!!

We will be on the At next month, I need to know:
1. What time should we check-in at Sanford to get an early dinner spot and then what time do we board(traveling on a Sunday)?
(we will be driving over from Rte 192 in west Kissimmee or from DTD if we have time to stop there in the morning, not sure time wise how that would work)

2. If we check-in before lunch where should we go to eat in between check-in and boarding the train. (I thought someone had posted a map but can't find the link)

3. Should we pack snacks and water bottle or is there snacks and beverages available for free on the train in between meals and do we tip serves at meals and how much for a family of 5?

4. Are there any showers for those in coach?
Any other tips or must-dos (kids will be 13, 10 and 5)?

Thanks so much!

We just got back last Sunday on teh Auto-Train roundtrip.

1. We left MK parking lot at about 1pm. Got to Train at 2Pm. The 7pm dinner was closed out when I got on line. I was about 15 people back. The person right before me got the last 5Pm dinner. So we were the first family stuck with the 9PM dinner. It wasnt that bad for us . We took a nap from about 6-7 and watched a movie after on our portable's before dinner. Seemed to make the night go faster. Boarding starts around 2:45 but there really is no rush unless you just want to get situated. We never had trouble getting overhead space for our carry-ons. I guess if you check in early you will get the seats across from each other but if you check in later like us you run the risk of being on the same side and not able to see each other. We didnt care.

2. I dont know about local restaurants but I see that Longhorn Steakhouse is in Lake Mary about 7 miles away and they are great for a meal. We should have done that. If you have GPS than it will be easy.

3. We brought drinks and snacks because thats how we do it. There is non-bottled water available and drinks you can buy. The snack they give you when you get on the train is just a bowl of mixed pretzels and stuff....nothing exciting. Whatever they give you on the train gets picked over and messy very quickly. Like when they put cookies out they all get destroyed. They ran out of hot chocolate on the way down before we could get any. We didnt like the adult choices for dinner so we got the kids chicken strips and mac and cheese. I'll say the only thing I thought was edible was the Vegetable Lasagna. Drinks at dinner are lacking.....warm "Iced-Tea" or warm house wine. We tipped at dinner but not at breakfast. I don't think that its like a restaurant and they make their living off tips but they are still serving me so we left some $$$.

4. No showers. Each car has 3 bathrooms downstairs. One bathroom is big enough to change in.

If I ever did it again I would have to get a downstairs car. We got no sleep both ways upstairs. Too many people walking by all night and too many kids screaming and coughing all night. If you have noise cancelling headphones use them. I borrowed my fathers and they were great. We did the trick with hanging the sheets up for privacy while we slept and that worked well. Its funny that on the way down everyone did that but on the way home we were the only one's. Lots of people commented that it was a good idea. That way you get a little privacy and you dont get that breeze on you everytime someone walks by (which is all night).

Best Tip: I dont drink alcohol and I hate wine...but i had some at dinner and it helped me sleep a little

Enjoy.

 

[loveysbydesign]

We just got back last Sunday on teh Auto-Train roundtrip.

1. We left MK parking lot at about 1pm. Got to Train at 2Pm. The 7pm dinner was closed out when I got on line. I was about 15 people back. The person right before me got the last 5Pm dinner. So we were the first family stuck with the 9PM dinner. It wasnt that bad for us . We took a nap from about 6-7 and watched a movie after on our portable's before dinner. Seemed to make the night go faster. Boarding starts around 2:45 but there really is no rush unless you just want to get situated. We never had trouble getting overhead space for our carry-ons. I guess if you check in early you will get the seats across from each other but if you check in later like us you run the risk of being on the same side and not able to see each other. We didnt care.

2. I dont know about local restaurants but I see that Longhorn Steakhouse is in Lake Mary about 7 miles away and they are great for a meal. We should have done that. If you have GPS than it will be easy.

3. We brought drinks and snacks because thats how we do it. There is non-bottled water available and drinks you can buy. The snack they give you when you get on the train is just a bowl of mixed pretzels and stuff....nothing exciting. Whatever they give you on the train gets picked over and messy very quickly. Like when they put cookies out they all get destroyed. They ran out of hot chocolate on the way down before we could get any. We didnt like the adult choices for dinner so we got the kids chicken strips and mac and cheese. I'll say the only thing I thought was edible was the Vegetable Lasagna. Drinks at dinner are lacking.....warm "Iced-Tea" or warm house wine. We tipped at dinner but not at breakfast. I don't think that its like a restaurant and they make their living off tips but they are still serving me so we left some $$$.

4. No showers. Each car has 3 bathrooms downstairs. One bathroom is big enough to change in.

If I ever did it again I would have to get a downstairs car. We got no sleep both ways upstairs. Too many people walking by all night and too many kids screaming and coughing all night. If you have noise cancelling headphones use them. I borrowed my fathers and they were great. We did the trick with hanging the sheets up for privacy while we slept and that worked well. Its funny that on the way down everyone did that but on the way home we were the only one's. Lots of people commented that it was a good idea. That way you get a little privacy and you dont get that breeze on you everytime someone walks by (which is all night).

Best Tip: I dont drink alcohol and I hate wine...but i had some at dinner and it helped me sleep a little

Enjoy.

Thanks so much!
Looks like we'll have time to go to DTD if the weather
is nice and then we could eat at Earl of Sandwich for lunch before heading over, maybe at noon(we like to eat lunch early anyway).

We did book the lower level car when I made ressies online Hopefully we'll get them!
Guess we will def. plan to bring along snacks and water in a small soft-sided cooler.
Did you bring along your own sheets to hang up?

 

[nyfinfan]

Thanks so much!
Looks like we'll have time to go to DTD if the weather
is nice and then we could eat at Earl of Sandwich for lunch before heading over, maybe at noon(we like to eat lunch early anyway).

We did book the lower level car when I made ressies online Hopefully we'll get them!
Guess we will def. plan to bring along snacks and water in a small soft-sided cooler.
Did you bring along your own sheets to hang up?

Thats good that you have LL seats. That has to be better than UpperLevel. I think if you're LL you wont need the sheets but yes i had brought them for that reason and for waiting for parade's. I would guess if you got there by 1:30 you could get the 5PM dinner if you wanted but you never know. I would much rather spend my last 1/2 day at Disney than rushing to the train just to get a dinner time We did 3 hours in MK and rode Space,Splash and BTMM a few times each.