Autotrain with an infant?? Please tell me your experience or advice!

[alicat07]

Hello!

We usually drive down to Disney from NJ...we are considering doing the Autotrain next trip though! The only thing we are uncertain about is we will have a 7 month old with us and an almost 4 year old toddler...the toddler I am not too concerned about, but how would a 7 month old fare on the autotrain? Is there room in a small roomette to sleep with the infant on 1 bed? I don't know how it will go sleeping in the reclining coach chair with her. And we will also be taking my mom with us, so I am concerned with her comfort as well. She will pretty much go with the flow, but wondering if the roomettes are worth it or not, or the family bedrooms? Please advise!

Were the coach chairs comfortable to sleep in? What about the rooms? The rooms end up adding so much to the cost I am not sure it would be necessarily cost efficient to take the autotrain but if the cost is semi-comparable to driving we would consider it! Any pictures would be appreciated too! Thank you!!!

 

[CourtneyL]

DH and I took the auto train a few years ago. We had a room I believe (had the private bathroom/shower) and it was pretty cozy. With the lower bed folded out there was maybe 8" of space to move to get out of the room. We didn't get much sleep because we could hear the train horn every time it blew. We also stopped randomly in the middle of the night for like 2 hours, no idea why though. I don't think I would want to travel with my DD on the train anytime soon (she is almost 6 months). I know she wouldn't sleep well and would be miserable the next day.
I think your decision will depend on how well your family sleeps with noise/movement/interruptions. I know in the room we had, the lower bed would have been enough space for me to lay down with DD, but we probably would. Or have slept very well. Also, the beds are pretty hard :-/

ETA: the bathroom/shower combo in the rooms is basically a joke. It's about the size of an airplane toilet and has a tiny handheld shower sprayer. To use the shower you basically close the toilet lid and pull a plastic curtain. It might be ok for rinsing off in the morning, but forget about taking an actual shower.

 

[alicat07]

Thank you for the info!! I am hesitant because of the baby. Not sure which would be better, "relaxing" in the train for most of the trip (though night time might be another story), or taking all 5 of us in our SUV and driving and staying the night in a hotel. I'm torn...

 

[Beemitchcowski]

Have you priced out the Auto Train? I checked it out last fall and the prices I thought were sky high...I would rather pile into an SUV and be able to make stops...We drove a 12 hour drive with our 6 month old last year (took us 17..we made tons of stops) and she traveled like a champ!.....Especially if you plan on getting a hotel...you will probably get a better night sleep!

 

[alicat07]

Have you priced out the Auto Train? I checked it out last fall and the prices I thought were sky high...I would rather pile into an SUV and be able to make stops...We drove a 12 hour drive with our 6 month old last year (took us 17..we made tons of stops) and she traveled like a champ!.....Especially if you plan on getting a hotel...you will probably get a better night sleep!

I did price it out! If we book now its roughly 11 months out and the prices weren't *that* bad lol...but of course that depends on the rooms! We've driven down and it definitely is a lot cheaper, even with a hotel room for $150. I was worried more about our comfort of squeezing my husband (who would do majority of the driving), myself, and my mom with my 4 year old daughter and 7 month old in an SUV. Add to that the luggage for 5, the double stroller, etc...and we have a tightly packed car (will probably need to use a turtle as well). We've driven down and back with just my daughter and it was not bad at all! I was just worried about all the squeezing with an extra car seat and adult in the back seat this time, so I didn't know if the Auto Train would be a better option so everyone could freely move around. I'm so confused!

 

[Auntie Kelly]

A couple of years ago a friend from work took the train down with her husband and two daughters (ages approx. 3 and 1) because plane tickets were outrageous. When she got back I asked her how the train was. She said "We flew back". Apparently the appeal of being on the train wore off very quickly for both kids and it did not make for a relaxing ride down. We live in CT, but I can't remember if they got the train here or drove her Dad's car down and got on in VA. She was so sure her kids would be fine on the train, but it was just way too long of a trip for them. I am not sure what the sleeping arrangement was either.

 

[camlace]

I did price it out! If we book now its roughly 11 months out and the prices weren't *that* bad lol...but of course that depends on the rooms! We've driven down and it definitely is a lot cheaper, even with a hotel room for $150. I was worried more about our comfort of squeezing my husband (who would do majority of the driving), myself, and my mom with my 4 year old daughter and 7 month old in an SUV. Add to that the luggage for 5, the double stroller, etc...and we have a tightly packed car (will probably need to use a turtle as well). We've driven down and back with just my daughter and it was not bad at all! I was just worried about all the squeezing with an extra car seat and adult in the back seat this time, so I didn't know if the Auto Train would be a better option so everyone could freely move around. I'm so confused!

I have an SUV and traveled when my kids were 5 yo and 3 mos (going again in April; 6 yo and 16 mos). I just rent a minivan....so much more space to spreadout. And it ends up generally being cheaper than plane tix for the 4 of us (I personally don't do infant in arms on a plane, so need 4 tix).