All about the Autotrain

[Kitcat]

I just emailed Amtrak RE: infant dinners they said I could order one but I would have to pay for it. What was the reason they would not give you something was it because they might not have enough? Also when you sit in the dining car are there tables and chairs or tables and booths? My little one would probably sit in a booth but then again you never know

 

[Henlady]

KitKatt
For those in coach seating the dining car has booths that seat 4.
Not sure about the dining car for those with "rooms", but I would imagine they are the same.

Kris

31 days till we leave for our 30th Anniversary Tour - 4 nights on the Wonder and 3 nights at PO-R

 

[Henlady]

Kitcat - sorry about the misspell of your name.

Kris

 

[christinou]

The dining cars are the same in coach and rooms, they are booths that sit 4 people. I think with an 18 month old you woud be fine, he might fidgit, but the space is fiarly tight, the meal service goes fairly quickly.

 

[AnnetteF]

Kitcat,
It seemed that quantity was the issue because we said we would pay for it but the waitress said we would have to "wait until dinner was over and see if there was any leftover". I'm not sure if she meant that dinner seating or the later one . Did they say you could order the food there on the train or would it have to be in advance of the trip? I didn't pursue it any further because, as I said, my daughter was asleep at that time anyway and I had 2 containers of Gerber pasta pick-ups in my bag for her, which she loves. The most that she would have eaten anyway would maybe be 1 or 2 small chicken nuggets and a tiny scoop of mac & cheese. I just thought it could cause trouble for some people with children under 2 if they had not brought anything.
As far as the seating is concerned, It was all booths that seat 4 and they are kind of tight, but I think the table is too high for a child that age to reach up to eat off of. You could probably hold him on your lap and let him eat without a problem though. That's what I was going to do if my DD hadn't been sleeping. Also, as someone else said, the meal does move along pretty quickly. Too quickly, I know, for my DD to finish eating (she takes her time and I know she is done when she starts pushing it all onto the floor ) so you might want to plan on taking some of it back with you to your seats or compartment if you do order a meal for him.

When you get back, I would love to hear how it all turned out for you .

 

[Kitcat]

It's so nice to have someone to share this kind of info with. I just received another email from Amtrak:

"Everyone on the Auto Train is provided with a dinner in the evening and a continental breakfast in the morning. Even though an infant travels free, they are still served a meal. Passengers are not required to purchase a meal for a child under two years of age"


We hope you find this information helpful.

Sincerely,

Michele
Amtrak Customer Service


So they say....

 

[AnnetteF]

Kitcat, Thank you so much for posting this! When you travel, beware of a 20-something waitress, with straight dark brown hair just below the shoulder and very fair skin with some freckles. She is the one who waited on us. I just told my husband about your e-mail. He was furious about this that night and was going to write a letter to Amtrak to complain and then we kind of forgot about it but now he said he wants to. Have a wonderful trip and once again, I would love to hear how it goes when you return.

 

[Kitcat]

Okay, just tell your husband that you need to take another Autotrain to Florida again so he can give that waitress a piece of his mind!!! Thanks for all your suggestions I would have never even thought about it in the first place!!

 

[Henlady]

What is the acceptable/average tip given to those on the train who take care of your roomette/bedroom for 2 passengers? I was figuring on $15 for each way ($15 on the way down and $15 on the way back)

Kris

31 days till we leave for our 30th Anniversary Tour - 4 nights on the Wonder and 3 nights at PO-R

 

[DVC Chris]

AnnetteF and Others: In the future, when on you're on the AutoTrain and don't get the service you expect to get, ask to speak to the on-board service crew chief. They are like a manager and should be able to rectify any situation. It is unfortunate and suprising that you received this service. I've heard that the staff on the Auto-Train are among Amtrak's finest becuase it is a route that is close to profitibility. My personal experience with the on-board staff (6 trips) has been very favorable with the exception being sometimes harried staff in the dining car. They have a lot of folks to feed in a short amount of time (in cramped quarters) and seem to get frazzled easy. But that's no excuse for refusing food!!

Henlady: As far as tipping, we usually tip between $10 and $20 based on the level of service the car attendant provides.

 

[spima3]

If we get in on time, or not too late, we would like to stock up on some provisions in FL rather than travel down with them. Is there a grocery store, or better yet, a Walmart on the way to WDW?

Also, when my brother took the train to FL a few years ago, not auto, they had to pay for headsets in order to listen to the movies. I have not seen anything about this. How do the movies work on the train?
Thanks, Lori

 

[christinou]

YOu do not pay for headsets, the movies are shown in the lounge car, and you just go there and find a place to seat. There is a new Walmart not far from the toll road that you can take to go to disney, you might want to look at walmart.com for directions.

 

[Credit Man]

Can't help you with the grocery store question, but as for the movies, they are shown on tv screens in the lounge car. No headphones required. The upper lounge car may be to loud to fully enjoy the movie. If that is the case, the lower lounge also shows the movie, and will be quieter.

 

[spima3]

Thanks for the info on the movies. Also, I found a Walmart via the allears website. Only 3 days left to go!!!!

 

[Kitcat]

We will be driving down from NJ and would like to stay overnight somewhere near the Autotrain. Not sure about the surrounding towns. I know Lorton has a Comfort Inn anyone ever stay here? (reviews were not good). In Dumfries, there is a Hampton Inn and in Woodbridge there are Inns Of Virginia. Anyone stay in any of these if so what is your opinion. I will be travelling w/my husband and 2 boys 4 1/2 and 20 months. Thank you

 

[Kim&Chris]

Take a look at hotels in Fairfax VA. Fairfax is right off the Beltway, and it's a very nice town.

 

[bdcp]

If you're talking the city of Fairfax, it's not "right off the beltway". Fairfax county is off the west side of DC. Coming from NJ, I would guess you'll be coming straight down I-95, on the east side of DC, so that would be out of your way to go west of town. I work in Fairfax county and everyone pretty much avoids the city of Fairfax, unless they have to go there, because of traffic. Actually, Dumfries is a nice area, close to Quantico Marine Corps base. Or you could try in the Ft Belvoir area. It's an active army base, so there are hotels nearby also. Woodbridge is south of Lorton, but because of Potomac Mills Shopping center there are lots of hotels in that area. I would try to stay close to Lorton simply because I-95 can be unpredictable and if you dont' know the area, you don't know the back routes. We'll be driving from our home (about 35 miles) and have about 3 different routes we can take and one or two avoid I-95 completely.

 

[Kitcat]

How is the Hampton Inn ind Dumfries is it about 10 miles South of Lorton?
I would leave NJ early in am instead of getting a room. But I have 2 little ones and I heard DC traffic is a nightmare. Any other names of hotels? Is the town of Dumfries a safe town?

 

[bdcp]

Dumfries is south of Lorton, but I've never stayed there since I live so close. I'd say it's a safe area, but it's farther away that Woodbridge. Woodbridge is less than 10 miles, more like 4-5 miles. There's also a town called Occoquan close to Woodbridge that is right on the river. Do a Google search for both and see what's available. I've never really paid attention to the hotels there since we tend to exit farther south onto I-95 than the Woodbridge area, but I can tell you from the times I've been through there, there's plenty of places to eat, shop, etc in Woodbridge and I know there are several hotel chains, because I did a quick Google (Comfort Inn, Wytestone Suites, Fairfield, Hampton Inn). DC traffic is a nightmare if you hit it at rush hour (like any other city). It's not bad on the weekends especially if you come through early and in the summer it's a route used to get to the VA/NC/SC beaches. I love how everyone thinks traffic here is so horrible. I've been in many cities and I've seen traffic just as bad and worse, (Atlanta, LA, New York, Dallas). It's perception and planning.

 

[Kitcat]

I just booked Hampton Inn in Woodbridge it includes hot breakfast!!!
I did read on these boards about the bridge being under construction. That's probably the only reason we are staying over. I can't guarantee I will get out of my house at 6:00am with my kids and get to Lorton. Don't want to miss that train. Again thanks everyone for all your help.