AUTOTRAIN? anyone?

[kiki02]

any comments on how it is if anyone has taken? and advice? have to go to NY....

 

[kim929]

I have never been on the auto train, but my mil does every year. She drives from RI. The first year she just reserved a seat and hated it. Now she always gets a sleeper car, she says it's expensive but worth it.

 

[kiddisney]

hi - husband has gone down twice this year - once in january & once in august - to bring daughter & son to their internships - couldn't get a sleeper for the january trip - daughter found out only two weeks before that she got the internship so sleepers were booked - the ride in the seats was tough - especially since they had no experience - so they heard doors banging - passengers walking thru - he didn't like the movie (though my daughter did) - also driving from NJ they hit some traffic and got to the station late & ended up getting a late dinner time - or the 2nd trip - they got a sleeper - which was better - brought noise reducing headphones - they knew about the traffic - got an earlier seating - brought their own videos & snacks (food is included but they brought some specialty items they liked & since they had their own car they could take it away w/them w/little problems) - they did say that the sleeper was small - but if you need to take a car - they thought it was worth it - they took really great care of the car - and if you're prepared it's not bad -

hope this helps

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

any comments on how it is if anyone has taken? and advice? have to go to NY....

I would ask on the Transportation Board. It's discussed there often.

 

[ldo]

some tips--for a family of 3-4, book 2 roomettes across from each other. Kids can hang out together until bedtime and then just separate parents so 1 is in each roomette. Note-someone must be able to ride backwards. 2 roomettes can be cheaper than the family bedroom and give peace to parents to watch a DVD movie before bed. You can see everything next door--you can even leave the sliding door open and it is all glass. An autotrain rep told me to do this when my kids were 5 years old--what a good tip!

 

[Tink's Pixieduster]

any comments on how it is if anyone has taken? and advice? have to go to NY....

We've taken it twice and will use it again. It may take longer than flying, but is so much more pleasant an experience than worrying about oversize/overweight bags, whether we can have liquids, long lines for the security checkpoint, and the list goes on. And we really enjoy traveling by train; for us it's part of the adventure.

Join the discussion on the Auto Train thread on the Transportation board http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=402667/

ETA - you'll also find interior and exterior photos of the Auto Train on that thread.

 

[PrincessDadx2]

Have been a couple of times and loved it. Station is only 45 minutes from our house so a piece of cake. We just get coach seats, but stay in the bottom car. That has less traffic and is quieter. You also get all your meals, which are actually pretty good.

If you shop well it can be as cheap as flying and renting a car.

Another thing we liked was driving down, but taking the train back. Was able to stay up till 2am for extra magic hours then sleep in and head to the station. No stress going home During snowbird season northbound tickets are a lot cheaper than southbound, so it was cheap too.

 

[LMN]

I would LOVE to take the autotrain, but unfortunately, it does not service the area I live in!

 

[kiki02]

I would LOVE to take the autotrain, but unfortunately, it does not service the area I live in!

Same here! WE'd be driving to it.

 

[blondie219]

We look it in January, but only for the return trip. It was a truly wonderful experience. My kids loved it, they were able to plug in their travel games, we could watch movies on the laptop and we went to the lounge car and played cards. After a week of touring the park, it was a really nice change to not have a 12 hour car ride in front of us.

 

[Pooh2]

We drove from NH and picked up the autotrain in Lorton. Much more relaxing than flying. Coach was doable but next time we would like to try a bedroom so we could have access to showers and be ready to head to the parks right away.

 

[lucyem]

We find it more of a hassle. We drove from NH which meant either driving the day before or verrrrry early the day of to be there by noon. Plus you still have to drive the NYC/Philly/DC gauntlet which is the worst part of the whole drive to WDW. Then you have the looooong bumpy night on the train. I would only do it again if I had to because driving was too much for me. I would also have a sleeper.

 

[Granny square]

Seriously bumpy. I gather they use the freight tracks because of the cars.

But I wouldn't trade the memories with my kids or anything

 

[lucigo]

Every time I have looked at the option its just SO expensive. Is there a specific time of year that it is more affordable? Even Amtrak vs Flying without the car from Richmond it is usually cheaper to fly. I think it would be a fun experience but haven't been able to justify the cost.

 

[Poohbear5]

Definitely more expensive for us than flying but coach was not too bad and it was a fun adventure. I would not do it everytrip but for a long trip where I want my car and lots of things from home, I would do the autotrain.

 

[bdcp]

We're taking our 5th Autotrain RT for our trip coming up. We love it and we're only 45 min from Lorton, so it's very easy. We can fly for free (DH has lots of ff miles) but I HATE flying so he humors me and we take the AT. The train is part of the adventure/vacation. It's not just transportation. Train travel is seen by a lot of people as more than just a way to get somewhere.

There's an entire thread on the transportation board with a ton of info.

We usually cruise as well as visit WDW when go to FL, so it's nice being able to take as much luggage as we want. This trip, we're arriving in FL and driving down to Ft. Lauderdale over a couple of days (sightseeing) to cruise on Allure of the Seas and then returning back to WDW for a few days before coming home. Having our own car (SUV) means no rental and all the luggage we want to take.

 

[GinnyBear's_mom]

We took the autotrain in 2011 and reserved a family bedroom. The kids loved it and it was so much less stressful for the adults. We drove down to Disney this past August and we were wishing we had taken the train instead! The autotrain isn't cheap, but when it is in the budget we will definitely be taking it.

Every time I have looked at the option its just SO expensive. Is there a specific time of year that it is more affordable? Even Amtrak vs Flying without the car from Richmond it is usually cheaper to fly. I think it would be a fun experience but haven't been able to justify the cost.

I believe Amtrak releases the dates 11 months in advance. As soon as the dates are released, that is generally the lowest price you will see. As the train fills up, the price will increase according to how full the train is.

 

[jjsmom]

We've done the AT twice, once in coach and once in the sleeper. We, as well, love train trips and consider it part of the vacation experience. If you can afford it and it's available, get the sleeper. I would definately do it again for the same reasons as others have posted (especially avoiding the long lines at MCO security on the return trip and being able to pack water, snack foods, whatever you want).

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We've done the AT twice, once in coach and once in the sleeper. We, as well, love train trips and consider it part of the vacation experience. If you can afford it and it's available, get the sleeper. I would definately do it again for the same reasons as others have posted (especially avoiding the long lines at MCO security on the return trip and being able to pack water, snack foods, whatever you want).

A 19 hour train ride vs. 2 hour flight to avoid a 15 min line at MCO? After waiting in 100 lines at WDW?
You can take snacks on a plane and for $2 you can get bottled water in the terminal & they'll give you more on the plane. (How much do you need for 2 hrs?) I can pack a gallon size bottle of shampoo in my checked luggage if I wanted it & not feel the least bit restricted. If you have FoF, it's ok to say it. It's actually more credible.

 

[jjsmom]

A 19 hour train ride vs. 2 hour flight to avoid a 15 min line at MCO? After waiting in 100 lines at WDW?
You can take snacks on a plane and for $2 you can get bottled water in the terminal & they'll give you more on the plane. (How much do you need for 2 hrs?) I can pack a gallon size bottle of shampoo in my checked luggage if I wanted it & not feel the least bit restricted. If you have FoF, it's ok to say it. It's actually more credible.

No. I have absolutely no fear of flying domestically and I suppose that is our family's first option. After 30+ trips to Disney, we've utilized every means of transportation (except standard Amtrak, which I would not recommend due to the number of stops). AT is an interesting and viable alternative. Some travel options work better for some, based on family size and budget, time available, and personal needs and interest.