Just back, 9 nights WL.................

[pepe of ohio]

We just returned home from our 40th trip, Amtrak travel and Wilderness Lodge resort. The train going down was okay, only 1 1/2 hours late but no sleepers available from DC to Kissimmee.

Upon arriving in Kissimmee, Sunray Transportation was there to scoop us up to take to the world. After our grocery and alcohol stop, we're off, 30 minutes later we're at the Lodge. Check in went smooth, we booked woods view, and no up grades were available, for free, upon entering our room, there were shaving items left in the bathroom, grocery items in the fridge and other personal items in the room. We call down to the desk and inform them that the room isn't clean and looks like others may come back, not likely, no clothes but we're not sure if the linens were changed or what. We're beat, been on the train for 30 hours and just want to unload our stuff and hit the pool so off we go to the front desk again, followed but the bell man and all our stuff, we give us another room, free up grade to pool view, great. Off we go again, other side of resort, bell man leading and a really great, clean room, finally, we unpack, load fridge and settle in.

Not to bore anyone with park details, but we had no plans for parks, not on dining plan but had AP's. We went where we wanted when we wanted and did the same for dining. Crowds were fair, most all attractions were walk ons. The weather was the best, alittle cool on arrival day January 6th but the temps went back to the 80's the next day until we left the 15th, when the bottom fell out of the thermometer, mid 60's, seems colder there than at home. We saw rain one night, during Wishes but we were on the train platform and still could enjoy the fireworks. We did Fantasmic in the Studios, been along time since we were there. The show it great but the theatre is nuts, too many people and small alley into and out makes for a huge thong of people. glad we went but no more.

We enjoyed the trip, all went well, ceowds were manageable and the weather was great. Go again in January, don't think so, just not our time of year, prefer fall better but this was our first January trip, just seems the weather is too iffy to plunk down alot of cash and have to, maybe, walk around all bundled up. Heck, we left Ohio to get away from that kind of weather. Coming home to snow on the ground, about an inch, is terrible.

Be glad to answer any questions regarding our trip, Wilderness Lodge, Amtrak, do's and don'ts, fire away.

 

[heaven2dc]

Sounds like you had a great time - you've been 40 times to WDW! I'm envious!

Amtrak sounds like it would be fun to try but I'm too anxious to get there (heck, our 2 hour flight from D.C. is too long ). I'm taking my best friend in 2 weeks which will be her first trip and am going to one park per day for 4 days. Did you have any problems getting into restaurants? We have ADRS for Teppan Edo @ Epcot on arrival day for dinner and then the Polynesian Luau the next day (she thought it would be fun) but otherwise we are going to wing it.

 

[pepe of ohio]

WE are not the big table seat dining type, just seems to take too long to complete a meal, we do like the different styles of counter service at the different resorts plus we don't like to be tied down to eating times by ADR's. If we see a place that has something appealing, we just like to pop in and give it a go, we pop into CR Concourse Steakhouse, no reservation and waited 30 minutes for a table. There are just too many places to pick from and we do not like paying 30 bucks per plate for a little hunk of meat and some vegatables we don't even eat at home, hence counter service.

All in all, we ate good, what we wanted and when we wanted without reservations but we're not picky. We also like the out of the way places, Trails End in FW for one or FOFQ for the best counter service meatball sandwich on property, Casey's hot dogs is number one with us too so you can see, sit down isn't our cup of tea for vacation.

Yeah, the train is a long haul 29 hours but relaxing, especially with a sleeper, meals are included and train food is excellent, best steak I've had in a long time. We relax and read, chat, gameboy and have a few drinks which we never do at home, talk to one another, train travel makes couples communicate more, at least for us.