auto train

[HugsForEeyore]

chipmunk226 hugsforEeyore is not right you can fit 5 in the family sleeper done it the last three years .dw and i sleep on lower bed which folds out to about a full size bed .p.s. dw and i are not small people .ds9 sleep in the bed above and dd7 and ds6 sleep on other to beds .so it can be done .we bring kids school books and one sport bag with pjs and change of cloths and other things plus a must is bring your own pillow.train pillows are small.is cramp when beds are down but you are just going to sleep right.

Wow, actually I never knew this. The family sleeper has only four beds (though one is slightly wider than the others), so I never knew they would allow 5 people in there. You are brave for fitting 2 adults on that lower wide bed, as we coudn't manage that one! (And we are sort of short, small people, too!). The OP has very young children, so if they would allow 5 in the room, that would be a great option for them!

Ah, less than 2 weeks and I am back on the train! Can't wait!

 

[HugsForEeyore]

no, i'm sorry maybe my quesion was not right... i meant what time did she leave her house, since we live in the same county, to get to lorton, va. i was just wondering if HugsforEyore left the night before the train left and stayed in a hotel close to the train station, of if she has to leave early in the morning, or is after the AM rush on the NJ turnpike ok?? sorry for the confussion.

~Sue

Hey! Just saw the pending question (And I am a Sue, too, even!). I live in the Mendham area (southern Morris County), and Long Hill is one of my favorite areas! I just love Meyersville - so little and quaint, and I used to bike in the swamp alot, too! And I shop down in Gillette often (love that Panera that's there now!). If I could afford it, I woud buy a house in Long Hill in a heartbeat!

Taking the Auto Train, I have used both methods to get to Lorton. Fortunately I have an aunt who lives in Vienna (near Washington), so often I drive down the day before and stay with her (that info doesn't help other people much, I guess! ). And sometimes I have also driven from NJ to Lorton on the same morning I was taking the AutoTrain. I leave Morris County usually about 7:00 am. I take 287 to the Turnpike, and can hit some traffic, but usually nothing too bad. I usually get to Lorton by 12:30-1:00ish (depending on traffic, whether I stop, etc). I also drive the speed limit and my car doesn't go very fast (Honda Civic with a tiny engine, no muscle!). I always stress myself out a bit by leaving NJ on the same day I travel the train - like I worry I will oversleep or something! But so far so good - I made the train with an hour or two to spare, since I like to be there by 1:30 at the latest (boarding the train starts at 2:30). For my upcoming trip, I think I am staying with my aunt the night before.

Hope you have a great trip!!! I love the train - it really is part of my "Disney Adventure" and I always look forwards to it!

 

[BearHawk]

We stayed at the Comfort Inn the night before and it made the trip much less stressful for me since we were leaving on a weekday and I didn't want to be worried about an accident and didn't need to leave super early to get to Lorton. I highly recommend it. We never stayed at a Comfort Inn and I was somewhat concerned, but the hotel was fine. There is a family pizza shop in the strip mall across the road and other restaurants nearby. But as other posters mentioned - be sure to ask for the AutoTrain rate and the late check out. I found that rate to be reasonable.

One suggestion: eat lunch just prior to heading to the station. That way your kids are full and then should be ready to eat at 5 p.m. if you choose the first supper time.

 

[stevepete]

I don't know if I can handle being in the car with a 2 and a 3 yo for 14 hours Hubby first said he wouldn't mind driving. I think it would be great driving down... but the drive home would SUCK! Especially after having such a great vacation. Plus, we have to get to Philadelphia to get my oldest to his dads for his weekend and THEN go back home to Maryland . that makes it an even longer drive.

I haven't read the thread cheryl posted yet... maybe that will change my mind

If you don't know if you can handle being in a car for 14 hours with a 2 & 3 year old, DON'T take the autotrain, trust me. We've done it more than once with our boys. One trip, one was 6 y.o. and the other 4 months old. They were very calm children and it was still hell. Don't forget, once you are on the train, you are stuck on the train and there is no escape At least if you're in your own car, you can stop and stretch and let the kids run around. The family room, although it sounds nice, is small and there really isn't room for kids to run around. Aside from the space factor, it is a very rough ride (we almost lost our 6 year old going down the steps after a meal). My suggestion is think long and hard about it before you spend the money. Driving home does suck (we drive from NH every year) but make it part of your vacation and stop and see something different on the way home.

 

[postalcop]

Hey! Just saw the pending question (And I am a Sue, too, even!). I live in the Mendham area (southern Morris County), and Long Hill is one of my favorite areas! I just love Meyersville - so little and quaint, and I used to bike in the swamp alot, too! And I shop down in Gillette often (love that Panera that's there now!). If I could afford it, I woud buy a house in Long Hill in a heartbeat!

Taking the Auto Train, I have used both methods to get to Lorton. Fortunately I have an aunt who lives in Vienna (near Washington), so often I drive down the day before and stay with her (that info doesn't help other people much, I guess! ). And sometimes I have also driven from NJ to Lorton on the same morning I was taking the AutoTrain. I leave Morris County usually about 7:00 am. I take 287 to the Turnpike, and can hit some traffic, but usually nothing too bad. I usually get to Lorton by 12:30-1:00ish (depending on traffic, whether I stop, etc). I also drive the speed limit and my car doesn't go very fast (Honda Civic with a tiny engine, no muscle!). I always stress myself out a bit by leaving NJ on the same day I travel the train - like I worry I will oversleep or something! But so far so good - I made the train with an hour or two to spare, since I like to be there by 1:30 at the latest (boarding the train starts at 2:30). For my upcoming trip, I think I am staying with my aunt the night before.

Hope you have a great trip!!! I love the train - it really is part of my "Disney Adventure" and I always look forwards to it!

Hi Sue~
thanks for the reply. LOL, how funny is that you are so close. i will be at that shopping center tomorrow, going to the food store. and oh my gosh there are so many houses for sale right down the sreet from me. i always thought Medaham would be more expensive than Long Hill!?
anyway we are most likely leaving the same day the train leaves, after dh comes home from work, (6 am) that should be more than enough time, even going through DC. i hope!!!
well have fun with your upcoming trip!!
~Sue

 

[LisaNJ25]

Morris County here also...

The auto train can be great when it works right. We took it home in 2003 and everything was great.

When we went this past August things didnt go so good. We drove to Baltimore the night before and had dinner with my niece. The next morning we got up and drove to Lorton. Fyi there is a grocery store accross the street from the station. We stopped in for a galoon and milk and munchies. We also grabbed lunch.

We requested lower level which was perfect. It was just my family of 6 and a woman with her daughter.

Kids were having fun than things went downhill. There were storms in the area and we hit a tree on the tracks. It was a long hot night.. train has to stop for repairs.. and for crew change. Ac was turned off during the night also. We got into Sanford at 6pm the next day.

Return trip was Labor day. Got a call form my aunt around 10 am (she bought us the tickets). Amtrak called her and the train was canceled for the day. We had to scramble and pick up supplies to drive back home to NJ. We could not take the next the following day because my oldest 2 would of missed their first day of school. My younger 2 are the same age as yours.. it wasn't a fun drive, Add that in with my youngest throwing up

 

[postalcop]

Morris County here also...

The auto train can be great when it works right. We took it home in 2003 and everything was great.

When we went this past August things didnt go so good. We drove to Baltimore the night before and had dinner with my niece. The next morning we got up and drove to Lorton. Fyi there is a grocery store accross the street from the station. We stopped in for a galoon and milk and munchies. We also grabbed lunch.

We requested lower level which was perfect. It was just my family of 6 and a woman with her daughter.

Kids were having fun than things went downhill. There were storms in the area and we hit a tree on the tracks. It was a long hot night.. train has to stop for repairs.. and for crew change. Ac was turned off during the night also. We got into Sanford at 6pm the next day.

Return trip was Labor day. Got a call form my aunt around 10 am (she bought us the tickets). Amtrak called her and the train was canceled for the day. We had to scramble and pick up supplies to drive back home to NJ. We could not take the next the following day because my oldest 2 would of missed their first day of school. My younger 2 are the same age as yours.. it wasn't a fun drive, Add that in with my youngest throwing up

oh my gosh... thats so horrible. i will be sooo very upset if that happens, since my truck (H3) is smaller than dh truck. (H3 fits he reuired hieght). that wont be fun getting gas. we usually drive down in our small RV, which happens to be great on gas. and it has a bathroom on board and a fridge,which makes things so much easier., (but it to high and wont fit on the train.) however we will be doing the land and sea package,and due to our work schedules the autotrain will help us, so we dont have to worry about driving home strait through. plus i really dont like to fly!
yikes! well i will keep my fingers crossed that this wont happen!
~Sue

 

[happymommy]

We drove from Maryland once (and are planning on doing the drive again this summer) when the kids were 2 and 4. Not the best timing, but here's how our drive went.

The kids were in half day Montessori preschool. I dropped them off at 8:30, went home, and spent all morning packing the car. Picked them up at 11:30, drove to College Park, Maryland to DH's office, changed the kids a little (forced DD to wear a pull-up even though she was fully potty trained, as she was actually 2 1/2). She was mad, but I explained that we may not be able to stop to go potty too often, so just in case wear the pullup during the day.

We got on the road after noon, maybe close to 12:30 or 1:00. Not my ideal time to get going, but we planned on driving about halfway, then stopping for the night. Our reservation at the BWV wasn't until the following day.

The drive was pleasant, as we had a NEW minivan (our family's first and I'm sold on the convenience). We got a DVD player installed in it the week before (it was way back when they didn't come with them, but I got the Chrysler one). Since we didn't even HAVE a DVD player at home yet, this was a treat, and I'd bought new Disney DVD's to watch on the way down. It was fun, and then the kids fell asleep shortly after 8pm. They were so soundly asleep, we kept on driving, and driving, then we're like, they're asleep let's just keep on going. It seemed like a hassle to stop, unload the kids, and get them settled again. About 1:30am, we're at Disney. We had to stay at the Doubletree Guest Suites for the night, as I'd been on the phone with Disney, and they didn't have a villa that we could check into early (go figure, there was like no one there). It was right after 9/11.

The drive home sucked but that was since we had to go down to Naples after our 10 disney days, then that was further to get home. But it was doable.

In short, with little kids, I thought that driving beat flying. We brought all our stuff, didn't have to deal with flying (I've done that a lot as the kids were little, and it was a pain when they were really young).

I second the motion of just putting the oldest on a flight to Philly also.

I'd drive.

Looked into the autotrain, but it's more expensive than flying, and sounds like a pain.

 

[NJRRK]

We're from Morristown we took the Autotrain in August. We left 6 a.m., on a Friday took I287 to 202 to 31 to I95 and got to Lorton at 10:45 (go around the west side of Washington).

It's the second time we did the Autotrain and we had minimal problems south (1½ hours late) none north (30 minutes early). But, from what I understand we missed the two major problems by one day in each direction.

If you look at the Amtrak website it will show you the actual arrival times of any train, including the Autotrain and MOST of the time the Autotrain is on-time or just a little (less than 1 hour) off it's schedule.

We're doing it again this October.

 

[LisaNJ25]

We're from Morristown we took the Autotrain in August. We left 6 a.m., on a Friday took I287 to 202 to 31 to I95 and got to Lorton at 10:45 (go around the west side of Washington).

It's the second time we did the Autotrain and we had minimal problems south (1½ hours late) none north (30 minutes early). But, from what I understand we missed the two major problems by one day in each direction.

If you look at the Amtrak website it will show you the actual arrival times of any train, including the Autotrain and MOST of the time the Autotrain is on-time or just a little (less than 1 hour) off it's schedule.

We're doing it again this October.

Hi Neighbor! I will make sure we dont book for October and jinx you.

 

[disneysnob]

We've also done the autotrain for the first (and last) time a couple of years ago. Like a previous poster said..once you're on the train-you're stuck.There is NO way out!!! Because of some storms moving through (it was in July-06) we were dalayed coming back to Lorton. Instead of arriving at 8:00am, we got in at 4:00pm. At times the train would literallly stop for 30min to an hour!! Very frustrating! Especially in some areas where you can see some roads and cars zipping by..... We have always driven down to Disney, but we thought it might be 'different' and 'adventurous' to try the train. Never again. I know people love it and would go no other way (my brother and his family included) but it just wasn't our cup of tea.
Also, you mentioned you were going in December, so beware of any storm-related delays.
good luck

 

[HugsForEeyore]

We've also done the autotrain for the first (and last) time a couple of years ago. Like a previous poster said..once you're on the train-you're stuck.There is NO way out!!! Because of some storms moving through (it was in July-06) we were dalayed coming back to Lorton. Instead of arriving at 8:00am, we got in at 4:00pm. At times the train would literallly stop for 30min to an hour!! Very frustrating! Especially in some areas where you can see some roads and cars zipping by..... We have always driven down to Disney, but we thought it might be 'different' and 'adventurous' to try the train. Never again. I know people love it and would go no other way (my brother and his family included) but it just wasn't our cup of tea.
Also, you mentioned you were going in December, so beware of any storm-related delays.
good luck

My very first AutoTrain trip was delayed even worse - we came in at 6:00 pm, about 9 hours late! We were going south from Lorton to Florida. Apparently a tornado came through in NC (before we got there), and knocked trees down over the tracks. We were at a dead halt for hours. When we woke up on the train the next morning, we were suppose to be already in Florida - but instead we were in southern North Carolina! Yikes!!! They had to improvise a lunch, since we weren't suppose to be on the train at that time of day! We took it all in stride, though, since we had no plans that first day. We only wanted to check-in and settle in our room and hit the parks the next day. So it worked out, as we got to our hotel POR by 8:00 pm.

I guess I am a "train person" since I still loved taking the train even after that! Since then, I have taken the train about 20 times, but that was my worst delay. Back in the summer over Labor Day Weekend, I only missed that delay that LisaNJ25 hit by one day! So much is luck of the draw!

In a few days, I will be back on the train! Hoping for a good ride!

 

[tombstonemkr]

does anyone have pictures of the sleeper rooms on the auto train. DW and DD (12 weeks) are going to drive down 1-18-08 and take the train back north 1-28-08. It is a better option (I hope) for us.

I would appreciate any pictures of the sleeper rooms (the ones with a bathroom and shower) and of the common areas of the train.

Thanks

 

[sheepygirl23]

I did see a post with pics of the auto train rooms but i am not sure if they have pics of the rooms you want i will try to find the post

 

[postalcop]

I'd love to see some pics too! hey, Sue- AKA- hugsfor Eeyore, how about some pics. from your next trip?? sorry to ask you, but you did say you are going on it soon!!!
well i hope you have a great trip!!

~Sue

 

[chipmunk226]

Wow, actually I never knew this. The family sleeper has only four beds (though one is slightly wider than the others), so I never knew they would allow 5 people in there. You are brave for fitting 2 adults on that lower wide bed, as we coudn't manage that one! (And we are sort of short, small people, too!). The OP has very young children, so if they would allow 5 in the room, that would be a great option for them!

Ah, less than 2 weeks and I am back on the train! Can't wait!

i called amtrak and they said that they two little ones they would allow b/c they could fit on the smaller lower bunk together.

hubby is 6ft 260 though and then 4 other people??? right now, if we get the family bedroom it would be cheaper to take the train then fly... but I really don't want to deal with getting super delayed or stuck. But with flying, there is no guarantee we get a flight where we can sit together, so we will be split up. so one of us will have to man two kids.

I know most 9 year olds can do a plane on their own, but my son I don't think would handle it well. To put it nicely he's scatterbrained He's also very impulsive and loud. He's quick to run off and I already have teased him the first time he runs off at WDW, I'm putting our 3yo's leash on him he doesn't do this to be defiant, he just marches to the beat of his own drum.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I'd love to see some pics too! hey, Sue- AKA- hugsfor Eeyore, how about some pics. from your next trip?? sorry to ask you, but you did say you are going on it soon!!!
well i hope you have a great trip!!

~Sue

Yep! Very soon in fact! I have some AutoTrain photos, but I still have to upload them off my camera from my last trip ), and I intend to take some new ones, too! To the poster who wanted photos of the deluxe rooms with bathrooms - if I see an unoccupied one, I'll try to snap a decent photo! I am staying in a standard sleeper, which is the smallest sleeper.

To postalcop (another Sue) - I knew you would think that comment about how I would love to move FROM Mendham TO Long Hill was interesting! I live in Mendham in a house that's been in my family for years, so I'm stuck at the moment. But someday, I would love to live in Meyersville or Millington, which would take lots of luck to make happen, but I can dream! Just love the area, and then I could bike in the swamp more often.

Sounds like your plan to leave early (if DH home by 6:00 am) should work! I have left as late as 7:30 from Morris County, and made the AutoTrain just fine. I usually like to arrive at the station by 1:30, so I can chill out a bit before boarding at 2:30. Ahhh - can't wait for my trip!

 

[n2mm]

Anyone here who is planning to use the rails soon might want to keep an eye on this issue:

Amtrak employees may strike as early as Feb. 1 over pay issues. Amtrak is offering signing bonuses of $4,500 per employee and a total pay raise of 24% between now and 2010. The unions, which have only received cost-of-living raises since their contract expired, want pay hikes to be retroactive to 2000, but Amtrak says no way. A spokesman for Amtrak says that would cost $215 million


(I take a commuter train from WV to Wash DC every day each way and this is on everyone's mind. Keep in mind this would shut the rails down because Amtrak employees run the towers and switches and no one will go anywhere. Most likely it will be adverted.)

 

[DC7800]

That issue has effectively already been resolved; A tentative agreement with the labor unions was annouced on Friday, and is pending expected ratification by members of the affected unions. There will not be a strike.

 

[pepe of ohio]

We just returned but used regular Amtrak from northeast Ohio to Kissimmee Florida. Our past 5-8 trips have been on Amtrak. First issue with the Auto Train, Lorton is too far a drive for this to be an option for us, second, we do not need nor have used an auto when staying at Disney.

Our trip runs 29 hours, 4 hour layover in DC and yes, we've been late a few times, but its no big deal for us, al least we got there and back. We've done regular coach seats and have gotten the Conductors Special on the DC to Kissimmee and Kissimmee to DC portions of our trip. thats when you wait to board and see if any sleepers are available in route, at a cheaper then pre-board fare but you play the percentages of having no sleepers available. We only need a roomette, but its a very small cubicle, upper and lower bunks toilet and very tight but during the day 2 facing seats for watching the scenery.

Train travel isn't for everyone, it can be long and boring and at times crying children through the night but its a rare occasion to have that every trip. we take a portable DVD player, gameboy, books and magazines plus a hefty lunch bag with drinks and goodies so the trip is fine. Its very relaxing when the car is quiet but at times annoying cell phone calls and crying children can disrupt the serenity of the trip.