philly train

[phillyfamily]

I'd like to know if anyone from the Philadelphia area has ever taken Amtrak or the A train to Disney World ? Is it worth it ? I can't get myself back on a airplane since 9/11 .My family is against it, they want to fly .If anyone has any input on this as too how long was the ride ? Was it comfortable ? Does Mears pick you up in Orlando or do you have shuttles to Disneys hotels from the Orlando train station. We have been there abpout 10 times all stays were at The Disney Beach Club (9)Dixie Landings(1)

 

[alexturner74]

I've taken trains before, but never to Orlando. Therefore, I must disclose that my info comes from Amtrak.com.

There are a couple that go straight to Orlando, which will be about a 20 hour train ride. There are four where you would have to change trains in DC, and that would be a 23-24 hour train ride.

Price wise, it may be cheaper than taking a flight, but not necessarily depending on the airfare that you can find, meals on the train, or if you decide to get a sleeper on the train, etc.

To me, it's definitely not worth it because of the time, cost and the fact that I'm not afraid to fly. However, it is a personal decision.

Goodluck

 

[christinou]

You also could drive to Washington and take the auto train, you would live at 4:00 p.m. and get to Oralndo at 8:30 a.m the next day, we did that last year, and loved it......

 

[DC7800]

There are really only two trains which serve Orlando from the Northeast - the Silver Star and Silver Meteor. Each follows a slightly different route from New York to Florida, but both serve Philadelphia and all Orlando area stations (Sanford, Winter Park, Orlando, and Kissimmee). The Meteor is marginally faster (about a 19 hour trip from Philadelphia) and departs every evening from Philadelphia; the Star gets to Orlando around noon after departing the previous afternoon. There is a third NY - Florida train, the Palmetto, but the closest station it serves to Disney is Winter Haven.

The other trains which show up on the Amtrak website all just connect in Washington to the trains noted above, and since those pass through Philadelphia anyway, there is usually no reason to make a D.C. connection.

It is a very comfortable trip, even more so if you reserve a sleeper. The trip generally seems shorter than it really is (it helps that you are asleep about eight hours of it). The train is faster than driving (with an overnight stop) and MUCH more comfortable than air travel (and it's far, far more civilized!). On the train you can get up and move around whenever you feel like it, with a dining and lounge car (and restrooms) right there.

If you are completely new to long-distance train travel, you might consider tracking down a copy of the book All Aboard. by Jim Loomis. It's fairly accurate and serves as a good introduction for the new passenger. Also, request a copy of Amtrak's Travel Planner and a current timetable (both available In Philadelphia and other stations). On the web, you might try:

http://www.on-track-on-line.com/amtrak-tips.shtml

and

http://www.amtrak.com/trains/silverservice.html