Autotrain-Bedrooms?

[nezy]

So, tell me about the autotrain bedrooms...
I have been on the Autotrain in a coach seat. That did not work well for me. I am considering the bedroom. There are 5 of us and I was told I could book 2 bedrooms and open the partitiion to make it one big room for the family. Is it worth it for the price and more importantly wil I actually be able to sleep?

During the night in coach people were walking throught the cars-so doors opening woke me up, plus I really need to recline to sleep-I mean recline flat-not in a lounge chair type of recline.

I was given a rate of $1898 for 5 and a mini-van for Pres. week in Feb. This is w/ AAA discount-
so my question is DEAL OR NO DEAL?

Otherwise we would just drive!

 

[hollyb]

I would to know also. We are planning to take the Autotrain in May.

 

[nurseypoo5]

ok...whats auto train? NM, i googled it looks cool.

 

[HeatherC]

I've never taken the autotrain before, but for that price I would think that you would be able to fly and rent a car for the week. We are also going that week and the airfare from Boston, Hartford or Providence is about $350 a person for that week. (If we connect.) But....JetBlue, Allegiant and Southwest haven't released their fares yet. So ...I do anticipate being able to get it lower. I have already reserved a full size for 10 days for $325 through national.

I guess my point is that if you can reserve a car for less than $300 and pay about $300 for air person, it would be quicker and easier to fly? Would you be flying out of New Jersey? I know my parents have also flown Southeast Air into Sanford for a very cheap rate last February. Not sure if they are still flying this route though.

Best of luck to you in your planning! If the autotrain left from here in the Northeast, I would think it would be fun to try with the kids one year. But...for me there is just something about being in Orlando in 3 hours.

HeatherC

 

[NALA 24]

We took the Autotrain about 5 years ago. We had a family bedroom. Everyone in our group slept well except for me, but I have a difficult time sleeping anywhere. The privacy was nice.

 

[DVC Chris]

The 'Bedrooms', as Amtrak now calls them, have an upper and lower bunk, small chair and private bathroom. All bedrooms in a car, with the exception on the ones on the ends of the car, do have a 'pocket door' that can be opened to allow movement between the two rooms.

The lower bunk is a bit wider than the upper bunk and, I suppose, that if you have two smaller people, they could fit in a lower bunk.

Since you have the ability to close the door to the bedrooms, you will not be bothered by people walking past the room. Once the door is closed, the hallway 'noise' is pretty well eliminated. The sleeper cars tend to be quiter anyway because there is not as many people in them and they're usually in their rooms anyway.

As far as being abl to get sleep, if you deal with the normal train movement and occasional noise from the train, you should be OK. We have always travelled teh Auto-Train in either the 'roomette' or ' bedroom', but I would assume that the sleeper
is much quieter and private than coach.

The Family sleepers have bedding for four, but don't have a private bathroom. I have seen stories of folks with small children being able to handle five in one of the family bedrooms. The Family sleepers are located on the lower level of the cars and are very close to the 3 bathrooms and 1 shower.

There is a post on this board that shows pictures of most of the Auto Train.

Hope this helps...

 

[Henlady]

We have traveled in both coach and bedrooms. It is definately much quieter in the bedroom cars. We do not have any trouble sleeping in the bedrooms, I sometimes wake up momentarily when the train travels over a "switch", because that can be noisy and bumby, but I usually go right back to sleep.

 

[hollyb]

I've never taken the autotrain before, but for that price I would think that you would be able to fly and rent a car for the week. We are also going that week and the airfare from Boston, Hartford or Providence is about $350 a person for that week. (If we connect.) But....JetBlue, Allegiant and Southwest haven't released their fares yet. So ...I do anticipate being able to get it lower. I have already reserved a full size for 10 days for $325 through national.

I guess my point is that if you can reserve a car for less than $300 and pay about $300 for air person, it would be quicker and easier to fly? Would you be flying out of New Jersey? I know my parents have also flown Southeast Air into Sanford for a very cheap rate last February. Not sure if they are still flying this route though.

Best of luck to you in your planning! If the autotrain left from here in the Northeast, I would think it would be fun to try with the kids one year. But...for me there is just something about being in Orlando in 3 hours.

HeatherC

For us it isnt really about the pirce or the time to get there. Its all about letting our kids ride on a train for the fun of it. DS really wants to travel by train. DD just wants to go to Disney so she dosent care of we get there.

 

[nezy]

I would rather fly-and i am waiting for JetBlue to open up the booking for that time. I also have a r/t free flight w/ JetBlue, so that would cover the cost of the car rental-
My other thought was to do a one-way auto train, cutting the price in half.

We have already had the train experience, so for me it is about getting there! We don't mind driving though -I would have to take the kids out of school though to drive.

Of course, i will plan and plan and plan for the next few months

 

[madhouserobey]

travel on the auto train last nov. in a family bedroom dw,ds7,dd5,ds4. the big couch folds down into about a fullside bed which fit me and my wife just fine and we are not small people .that allowed the kids to have both upper bunks and other lower bed .was a little cramped when all the beds are down.but other then that it was great. we are doing round trip this year.leaving in late oct and coming back in the beginning of nov. it costed alittle over 1300 dollars for a suv and afamily bedroom each way,this is with aaa discount

 

[nezy]

Sounds like it would work-just have to decide if the $ is worth it.

PS-I used to know a family from Sykesville, MD. One son is still there the others moved away-to GA and CO-Braver is there name-know them?

 

[Cupmom]

We too are taking the Auto train home in Aug. because my husband wanted his own bathroom we book 2- bedrooms that was told can connect. The price was just $26 dollars more than a family bedroom. The total came to $890 for 2 bedrooms and an SUV. My only advice is to book early because the price I was quoted today was $300 more.

 

[bdcp]

We took coach last Nov rt for WDW and our cruise and this Nov for a cruise we have a roomette booked. To me it's the experience of taking the train. My DH has enough frequent flyer miles for us to fly, but I enjoy the train and do not love to fly. The train is part of the vacation and is an experience everyone should try once. We had snowbirds on our last trip that were taking their 12th auto train trip. It's a big social event for most of them as they travel with friends and neighbors (at least in FL they're neighbors). Booking in advance and for the rt, we're paying the same as we did for coach last year booking one way and then the other later. It's just fun.

 

[hollyb]

How far in advance should we book our tickets? We are going in May 2007.

 

[Disneyjosh229]

WHEW!!! $1800 is over $350 per person. Thats kind of high, seeing that its nearly the same ride time as driving. If flying is an option, take a serious look at it, because thats a little expensive imo...

 

[bdcp]

How far in advance should we book our tickets? We are going in May 2007.

We booked about 8 months out. Depending on what time of year you go, north or south may be busier. Fall is when snowbirds move south and spring they come north. I would say book as soon as you can if you know your schedule and have a preference for a roomette or bedroom. They also add or remove cars depending on demand. I do know prices are better the farther out you book, but I'm not sure how much they vary by.

 

[Dopey's twin Dippy]

yes i would def. book now if you can.the prices can go up alot in just a week or two. we have been taking the train down to disney, i dont liketo fly. we have gone a few times really cheap, withe specials like 2 kids free,but i have checked prices for the roomette and its just been so exp. that we have never booked. i have been checkin g again for late oct. the beg. of nov. if its just me and my husband it wouldnt be to exp. my dd is 17 now , so thats adult price , and she usually bring s 1 - 2 friends. im hoping that we will get to go with a roomette someday, esp. since my family would rather fly , but i really dont want to. so if i could get a decent price on the sleepers i would book it so they wouldnt complain about sitting in coach..hahah.

 

[jbird327]

I have my 5th Autotrain trip scheduled for this Jan07. I booked it at 7 months out. One large bedroom, 2 smaller bedrooms, an SUV and a car. There are six of us going and my mother, who is 74, will only stay in the larger room. I don't mind the extra expense over flying - I strongly dislike flying and totally enjoy the train. For me, the thought of having to fly back will bother me the entire trip. The family rooms, that sleep four, have two pretty small beds that would only work for young kids. The upper bunks in the standard bedroom are pretty tight, but I have managed to get myself into them (6'3"/250lb or so). When you book a room, it is also considered first class, so you get upgraded meals that include wine.

 

[pepe of ohio]

I have my 5th Autotrain trip scheduled for this Jan07. I booked it at 7 months out. One large bedroom, 2 smaller bedrooms, an SUV and a car. There are six of us going and my mother, who is 74, will only stay in the larger room. I don't mind the extra expense over flying - I strongly dislike flying and totally enjoy the train. For me, the thought of having to fly back will bother me the entire trip. The family rooms, that sleep four, have two pretty small beds that would only work for young kids. The upper bunks in the standard bedroom are pretty tight, but I have managed to get myself into them (6'3"/250lb or so). When you book a room, it is also considered first class, so you get upgraded meals that include wine.

These questions bother me the most, if we liked flying we would be doing it. Flying is not an option to most no matter what the cost, so we opt to do the train. Yes, its time consuming, yes its never on time, yes, it would be great to hitch a plane ride and be there in an hour and a half but no, I hate flying, am not going to see the doc for drugs, train suits us fine. Its part of the experience we relish to go to WDW. We've done coach the whole route, 27 hours and we've done coach the first leg and roomette the last leg, alot of fun. Its to each there own, do not try to convince people into flying no matter what the cost and time frame if train travel is their means of traveling.

 

[mwehttam]

How are the roomettes? I am strongly thinking of the Autotrain for my trip in July 07. It will be DW, DS who will be 8mo and myself. I am thinking of either a roomette or the lower coach were there looks to be less traffic.
Thanks.

-Matt