any advice for those taking SW11 All Aboard Steam Train (Skagway)

[CanuckOnaBoat]

Any tips or advice for someone doing the All Aboard Steam Train in Skagway? Sit on which side? Which car? ETC....

We're traveling with toddlers and the mobility limited grandparents - so I want to prepare them as much as possible and help them get the most out of the excursion.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Left up/ right down.

But see if you can book with Chikoot charters, we had a better trip with them, seeing more than the DCL trip.

 

[saxmangeoff]

The steam train is an up-and-back trip. Going up, you have to be in the cars when going through tunnels, but on the way down, they'll let you stay on the platforms, if that's your thing. (That little engine is working hard going up the pass.)

They say you need your passport, and Disney will check for it, but you do not ever actually use the passport. You go into Canada but do not get off the train. You turn around at a loop just before Fraser, BC.

And if you weren't sure about this excursion, here (in my book) is all the motivation necessary:

 

[CanuckOnaBoat]

wonderful! thank you. image is helpful too! there is no doubt. everyone is excited.

 

[MPS516]

Don't forget your jackets. Great trip, they had the stoves fired up inside the cars but for those of us who love cooler weather, it did get a bit chilly on the platforms. Car steward did mention the day before it was 20 degrees (F) warmer. We did get off on top where the train was looping around and got pictures of the engine coming back toward us. Glad we took the steam train versus the diesel electric which we passed twice, would do this excursion again.
.

 

[saxmangeoff]

On our way down the mountain we could see a bus pulling out on the highway and people excitedly rushing out with cameras. The narrator on the train said, "If you wondered if you took the right trip today, when was the last time you saw a train pull over to take pictures of a bus?"

Agreed about the diesel locos. They're certainly more practical than steam, and thus a less expensive trip, but nothing beats sitting behind a steam locomotive while traveling through gorgeous scenery.

 

[Shanti]

On our way down the mountain we could see a bus pulling out on the highway and people excitedly rushing out with cameras. The narrator on the train said, "If you wondered if you took the right trip today, when was the last time you saw a train pull over to take pictures of a bus?"

Agreed about the diesel locos. They're certainly more practical than steam, and thus a less expensive trip, but nothing beats sitting behind a steam locomotive while traveling through gorgeous scenery.

Was this an early morning excursion? I'd like to do another excursion at 2pm.

 

[cmph]

Left up/ right down.

But see if you can book with Chikoot charters, we had a better trip with them, seeing more than the DCL trip.

This is the only excursion my dad seriously cares about. But based on a conversation with a friend who did it last year, he is under the impression he will have the same seat for the entire roundtrip - so he'll see both sides of the tracks. So that's not true? Everyone scrambles to change seats? I'll need to prepare him for this. He's not fast, I'm afraid! I'm worried now that he'll end up on the "bad" side both ways.

 

[Weedy]

Bring things to entertain your toddler. Long trip with nothing to do but look at the trees.

 

[Shanti]

Bring things to entertain your toddler. Long trip with nothing to do but look at the trees.

Would you not recommend it, then?

 

[anricat]

Would you not recommend it, then?

I recommend bus in one direction. The train did get a little monotonous. We did bus up/train down (booked through Chilkoot who were AMAZING). I'm so glad we did the bus because my daughter was much more engaged. We made a lot of stops and saw a lot of really great sites we wouldn't have seen on the train. And by doing the bus first, we sort of knew better what we were looking at/for as the train whizzed by.

 

[anricat]

Here's the specific entry in my trip report about our Skagway excursion so you can see some of the things we saw on the bus vs. train: https://www.disboards.com/threads/w...extra-fun-in-vancouver.3537617/#post-56316268

 

[Geomom]

We were on the same exact Chilkoot Charters tour as @anricat. I think if your party is adults only, a train only trip would be fine--if you're really into trains. With kids, doing the bus/train combo will keep them more engaged and more chances to stretch legs with each bus stop...and who doesn't want to hold a puppy at Caribou Crossing Trading Post or do the dog cart ride? Bus up, train down was perfect for us. Mornings can be rather foggy in Skagway...we even still had fog in the afternoon as we returned, but it was clearer than in the morning. Train down also was very relaxing after a full day of sightseeing--we were all tired.

I will say that this scenic train ride is MUCH more scenic than the one we've done in North Conway, NH...that one you're really just seeing trees, and enjoying an old train.

 

[Kesohio63]

We did this in September, and it was great. The train turns around at the top, so you can stay in your same seat and see both sides, but the downhill side is more scenic, IMO. HOWEVER, on the day we took it, the weather was lovely on the way up and very foggy on the way down. We got lucky in that we sat on the left going up, so we got to see the best of the amazing scenery, but coming down, the people on the right side did not get to see it as well, due to the fog. If I remember, our excursion met around 11:00 am, so the train probably left around noon. There is no food served on this excursion, except they did give us water and a couple of cookies, (and a glass of champagne or sparkling cider at the top), so you might want to bring a snack. After the train ride, we went to Skagway Brewing for a beer flight and a soft pretzel, also highly recommended!

 

[cmph]

Bring things to entertain your toddler. Long trip with nothing to do but look at the trees.

I'm not a toddler, but this is super helpful for me, too, LOL! Our (extended) family is splitting into 3 groups in Skagway. I've been going back and forth about which thing to do myself, b/c it's the one time I don't *need* to be on a particular excursion with one or the other of my kids, who are only doing the same excursion as each other in Skagway. Everyone says the train is amazing, but I'm not sure I want to sit on a train that long. I might be joining the ziplining group then.

 

[kuhltiffany]

Ours was...foggy on the way up, and on the way down. Kids ended up sleeping on the way back, not much to see or do...

 

[Shanti]

I think we'll go rafting instead.

 

[Agent 86]

My only advice would be to listen out if they announce that the wheelchair access carriage is free.

We were at the station, waiting to depart, in a quite crowded carriage when they announced that the wheelchair access carriage wasn't being used and people could move to that carriage.

We weren't quite sure what it included (e.g. no seats at all), but took a risk and ended up with an entire carriage for us and two other people. The carriage had plenty of seats, bottled water, a bathroom and we had free reign of the platforms at either end. It was pretty awesome and a MUCH better experience than if we'd be stuck in a very crowded carriage for the entire ride.

 

[HarborBlvd]

Bring things to entertain your toddler. Long trip with nothing to do but look at the trees.

Darn those trees for getting in the way of all that beautiful scenery.