Choices choices! Fly or autotrain

[ErinInCT]

Planning a Sept 2010 trip with dh and 2 dds (6 and 10) from CT (NYC burbs) to WDW. I'm not a good flier but can suck it up ONLY for WDW! It's too early to get prices on Airtran or JetBlue but so far Delta is the cheapest at a little over $1000 for our family. Last time we rented a car so we could stop at a grocery store (stock up our DVC villa) and with strollers and little ones we wanted the comfort/ease of our own car driving to non MK parks (stayed in MK area).

Kids are older now (wow, 1st trip without a stroller, where will we put everything? LOL) and waiting for a bus may not be as much of an issue. Hopefully we'll get free dining in Sept so stocking the kitchen and eating breakfast and lunch in our room may not be necessary either.

We are a 5 1/2 hr drive to the autotrain and can easily get there b4 Amtrak would leave at 4:30, getting to Sanford by 10am. Looks like Disney is about an hour drive (which would get us to the parks earlier than the flight). We've never travelled by train but it sounds kinda fun. We wouldn't get a "room" but instead just sleep in our seats. It's $823 for the autotrain vs $702 from Penn Station in NY and renting a vehicle in FL.

1st I'd like advice about travelling on the auto train. Can you really sleep or not in the chairs. 2nd, as much as I'd like a rental car vs being at the mercy of a bus schedule, it is not a necessity, more of a want. So is it worth it to pay $200 more and have a 3 hr flight (although it gets in a bit later and we'd have to wait for the Disney bus and have the possibility of who knows what kind of airport inconveniences like paying for luggage, delays, hurricanes, etc)vs an overnight on a train?

Advice is certainly appreciated.

 

[kristytru]

 

[shafke]

We are also considering taking the auto train net August although only for the return trip.

Even though the train does not leave until around 4:30 you need to be at the station at least 2 hours prior and I think if you have an oversize vehicle (SUV/minivan) by around noon so you need to figure this into your schedule.

I don't know how comfortable to seats are for sleeping.

 

[Andrewj]

ya the choices displayed above are no doubt the cool one. lets see who choose what and why. Just wait and watch for it.

 

[dburg30]

Are the auto trains some super smooth riding cars or something? Any trains I've ever been on, along with the track condition of course, have seemed to be more motion inducing then any airplane trip I've ever taken. I'm just curious as I see a lot of people taking the auto train, but I've always wondered exactly how comfortable / smooth of a ride it was.

 

[chartle]

Are the auto trains some super smooth riding cars or something? Any trains I've ever been on, along with the track condition of course, have seemed to be more motion inducing then any airplane trip I've ever taken. I'm just curious as I see a lot of people taking the auto train, but I've always wondered exactly how comfortable / smooth of a ride it was.

In certain places its like riding Star Tours, but without the seat belts and you are able to walk around.

 

[chartle]

When we went last summer we wanted to get to Lortan no later than 1:30 PM. this gave us some room for DC traffic. We took our lunch and after dropping off the car and checking in, ate before boarding.

Now to your other ??. One of the nice things about the AT is the fact that you have your own car and you can pack all your stuff anywhere you want.

Its not like everything you need to take must fit in 4 rectangular boxes (luggage) that you have to put in your car, go to airport, take out of car, put in plane, take out of plane, put in rental or ME and then get them to your hotel one way or another. Reverse for the way back.

If you have bags of groceries just leave them in the bag and pack wherever. We shoved stuff under the seats and all the cubbies.

Its also "your" car, no second driver attachments or damage wavers.

 

[QueenGoblin]

I know some people think we are crazy, but we fall into the camp of people who love the auto train. We have taken it 3 times (all roundtrips). The first time our older DD was 3, again when she was 5 and younger DD was 1, and then again at almost 6 and 2. We have always gotten in before schedule and have had easy trips.

The pp was correct in saying you need to plan on getting there more like 1 or 2pm. I think 3pm is the absolute latest you can get there with a standard sized car. By 4:30 everything is already hooked up and rolling so there is no last minute boarding. We come from SE PA and we leave between 8 and 9 am and easily make it to Lorton by noon. We usually go to the mall across the street from the station, get some lunch, repack the car the way we want it and then go to the station, b/c once you drive into the station they want you out of your car pretty quick so they can load it.

We have always slept in our seats. Bring lots of pillows to make yourself a nest in your seat. All the seats now have access to electricity, so you can plug in your computers, potable dvd players, etc.

Personally, we find it less stressful than flying. We have all of the convenience of having our own car with us on the trip, without having to have two young kids strapped into seats for 16+ hours. Plus, the auto train is nicely kept, it doesn't make extra stops, and they provide, snacks, dinner and continental breakfast at no additional charge. So when you figure in gas, food and lodging for a car trip, it is not terribly more than driving. It is NOT going to be a great night's sleep, particularly if you are a light sleeper, but our kids always slept soundly. Also, you kind of have to think of the train as part of your vacation experience. It is not as fast as flying, and there is some sitting around (after boarding, while they are unloading the cars, etc.) but it is mellower than hanging around an airport. And the drive to WDW is an easy hour. We are usually in the parks before noon.

 

[mykidslovesdisney]

We have just completed out 5th trip to WDW via the autotrain and already looking forward to Aug 2010 trip too. I have to agree w/ queengoblin. You do need to get there early. We are also from CT- hartford area. We leave at 2am (crazy I know but we dont' hit any rushhour traffic!). We do make a billion bathroom stops. I can take us a bit since w/ still have 2 in car seats. We stop in Maryland for an hr at cracker barrell for breaksfast and a stretch out of the car. We usually arrive in Lorton just before 11 am. We also go to a shopping ctr just a bit further down the road then the one closer to the station. We grab lunch and head back to get loaded. The latest they will take a van is 2pm. There have been times we have left the station by 330 since everyone is checked in.

We have rode in coach and sleepers before. I haven't figured out which I prefer. We had sleepers on the way down which w/ great w/ ds2 since he had his space to sleep on the bed while dd6 had the bunk. On the return we had coach and I didn't sleep well bc I was worried about ds2 falling off the chair or out of my arms. Otherwise everyone else slept great!

The train is an adventure-- we go knowing that we can leave later- one time waited 2 hrs at the station till another engine was attached. The 1st engine left to help a disabled train. BUT we also know we can arrive early. The last few trips we have gotten in by 830am and at the front desk of OKW by 10am!

The trip on board is broken down so it does not seem like you are on the train for very long. Board by 330pm. they offer snacks, wine and cheese (in sleepers lounge). Diner is either 5, 7 or 9pm. We do the 5pm seating if possible. the kids go to sleep by 8 or 9 pm - (they have been up since 2 am w/ a few catnaps). I usually stay up w/ a book or dvd. We get up about 630. See where the train is in relation to arrival. IF it is early we grab breaksfast and start organizing our stuff. IF it is late we go back to bed for a bit.

We bring a pillow and fleece blanket to sleep with. Snacks/drinks to keep the kids happy too.

The further out you book the autotrain the cheaper it is. They also offer AAA discounts. We priced out airfare/van rental and it just doesn't beat it for us. I LOVE having our own vehicle- not being limited on how much we can take. DH works for Amtrak so the autotrain is a great perk for us -- we go every year- dvc owners too. We ran the numbers when we purchased dvc and decided the autotrain is our way of travel even if we had to pay. IT is actually part of our vacation not just a way to get there

I would be happy to help w/ any other ?'s you may have on the train. If you are looking for directions to Lorton I have some that eliminate DC loop.

good luck w/ your decision

 

[kandb]

We took the autotrain with our twins who were 4 years old at the time, a few years back. It was a bit of an adventure but we did not sleep well and by the time the train gets to Sanford, you're definetely ready to get off. We also paid extra and had the family bedroom. I hate to fly also, but this year we have a new addition, he is 7 months old and hates the car seat, so no driving this year. I am going to suck it up and get on the plane. I also got $59 each way flights out of Westchester airport to MCO, our whole family is flying for around $550. We had chairs in our family bedroom that turned into "beds" and to be honest, I couldn't imagine sleeping in them. Good luck with our decision. Linda