Taking train from Philly?

[julie-o]

I’m looking at options other than flying and considering the train. Has anyone done this? Would be me, DH, DS11 and DS3. I think the boys would love the train. But sleeper car is too expensive, would just have seats. Is that bananas? Are there discounts? I don’t want to pay more for a train than I would for a flight. Thanks for any insight!

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I’m looking at options other than flying and considering the train. Has anyone done this? Would be me, DH, DS11 and DS3. I think the boys would love the train. But sleeper car is too expensive, would just have seats. Is that bananas? Are there discounts? I don’t want to pay more for a train than I would for a flight. Thanks for any insight!

Amtrak is notoriously unreliable and unless you are train aficionados I think that it will get old quickly, especially with kids. This is not like train travel in Europe. We crossed the country when I was 16 and my sister was 9. Granted it was pre-cell phone but still it was not good.

If your family has done long distance train trips and likes them, great. Or if you really want to have your car so are mostly doing this to take advantage of the auto train, then fine. Otherwise I wouldn’t waste my vacation time on the train when flying is probably cheaper and definitely more convenient.

 

[Lynne G]

Yeah, taking the train that far, usually doesn’t cost that much less than flying, if not more costly, and takes significantly more time than flying. Best if you don’t want to drive the whole way, is to see how much the auto train is. Still will take you more time than flying, but at least you will have a car the whole time.

Cheapest is probably a road trip. We have done it in about 18 hours, stopping for gas, food, and bathrooms. Two drivers we did it straight through. Left there at 6am pulled into driveway at midnight. But we were younger adults when we did that, with no kids. Once I had kids, I started to only fly. But do have fond memories of being a kid and my mom driving me and my younger brother down to see her parents in the Miami area. We survived those long road trips. And if you decided to drive the whole way, your kids would survive too.

I hope you price out all options, and have a fabulous time however you get there.

 

[julie-o]

Thanks for the feedback. I am also considering driving but eek. We are def no longer young adults

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

What’s your objection to flying, out of curiosity?

 

[julie-o]

Price

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

Price

If you book the train far in advance and are flexible on your dates and times you can occasionally get a good deal. But honestly the train probably isn’t going to save you a whole lot, especially once you consider time wasted (though you would save on hotels for a night or two). As someone else mentioned the cheapest way to get to WDW from Philadelphia is probably to drive.

 

[Genie+]

We’re about a 2 hour drive north of Philly. I’ve compared train options over the years and they’ve never turned out to be a cheaper option. Could be because we never visit over major holidays, and always keep an eye out for good flight deals. I wouldn’t mind driving at all but the extra time traveling and recuperating cuts too deep into how many days we can WDW. It’s been a long time since I took Amtrak down to Florida. Trips were fine but since flying has been cheaper, quicker and less energy… flying it is

 

[mn51]

We're from the Boston area and have taken the train to Disney leaving from New York City quite a few times. For us, we have really enjoyed it and just consider it part of the vacation. We've also been lucky with the reliability of Amtrak when we have taken it. Might be a little difficult for your 3 year old son. We've been on trips with some little ones loving the ride and some not so much. We are planning our next trip and will be taking the train.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I put in a random Friday in October about a month ahead and saw $152 tickets on way on Amtrak. ITA flight matrix shows tickets on frontier direct for as little as $31 available in October. Amtrak is >20 hours plus delays. The flight is about 2.5.

I really struggle to see the benefit of Amtrak in your circumstances.

 

[Genie+]

I checked Amtrak from Penn Station NYC to ORL Sat-Sun late Oct (would be 6 night stay in WDW) - $250 round trip. Our flight next month cost $140rt on JetBlue, Sat-Sat 6 night stay.

 

[_19disnA]

But sleeper car is too expensive, would just have seats.

Amtrak is >20 hours plus delays.

Have never ridden on Amtrak, but seems like a roundabout way to save some $$$ traveling. If you only have seats, sounds like sleeping on a 20+ hour trip could be an issue. Likely you would arrive at your destination exhausted and sore from sleeping in a seat still wearing the same clothes you had on when you left home ..........not my idea of how to start a vacation. Some prior posts indicate the cost of flying could be comparable or even less then taking that train. If air travel isn't within your budget, seems driving would be a far better option.

Are you planning to stay at your timeshare you mentioned previously at Disney's Floridian?

 

[julie-o]

I suspect we’ll end up flying. The cheapest flights I’ve been seeing are more than $500 each. We might just have to do that but it feels hard to swallow when we’re used to paying half that.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I suspect we’ll end up flying. The cheapest flights I’ve been seeing are more than $500 each. We might just have to do that but it feels hard to swallow when we’re used to paying half that.

Bummer! I know ticket prices vary wildly. Hopefully you have some flexibility and can grab something more in line with what you are used to paying.

 

[Genie+]

I suspect we’ll end up flying. The cheapest flights I’ve been seeing are more than $500 each. We might just have to do that but it feels hard to swallow when we’re used to paying half that.

When are you traveling? We often have good luck around the 3 month mark. Setting up google price alert for our flights has helped many times too.

 

[Jimsig]

@julie-o Being that you are in the Philly area you have lots of options for airports and that could mean a big savings. As well as PHL you should check Newark, Harrisburg, Allentown and BWI which are all less then 2 hours from Philly. Although a bit further you could also check out both DC airports. Of course JFK and LaGuardia are also options that around that 2 hour mark as well but even with a little traffic it could take well over 3.

 

[Miffy]

I've taken the train from NYC to Orlando a few times and my sister has taken it from Philly to Orlando also a few times.

This is a grueling trip, especially in coach. Even with a roomette--and I would never even think about doing this again without a room or roomette--it is still a tedious, aggravating trip. And since there are 4 of you, you would have to get two roomettes. I don't even think a room would be big enough for 4 people. Now we're talking big bucks.

Why is the trip grueling? Because it goes on forever, there is all but no interesting scenery, there's no decent food on the train (you have to bring your own if you value yourself and your family), the train can stop for a loong loong time--hours, sometimes--and you can be many many hours late for your scheduled arrival.

The last time I took the train they were stopped for so long somewhere in Georgia, iirc, that they were threatening to put everyone on a bus--a BUS--for the rest of the trip. At that point I was almost in tears. Fortunately, they rescinded this idea and got the train moving again.

Passenger trains in the US have to make way for freight, which has the right of way. In none of my several Amtrak trips to Orlando have I ever arrived early or on time. Always late. Sometimes incredibly late.

Also . . . you will get to sleep on the train in coach only if you are wildly lucky or don't need quiet or even semi-quiet in order to sleep. Your coach car will be filled with children, babies, people who aren't wearing earphones but are listening to/watching something on their phones or tablets, people walking back and forth, conversations, phone calls, etc.

My sister thought she'd have a relatively pleasant trip and would save some bucks once and took coach from Philly to Orlando. She had zero sleep and was miserable the entire time. She paid an exorbitant price to get a roomette on the way back.

If I were you, I'd drive. That is definitely the cheapest way for you to do the trip. Either that or start pricing out other airports. You don't have to fly out of Philly, do you? There are a zillion flights to Orlando from Newark, which isn't that huge a drive from Philly.

 

[julie-o]

When are you traveling? We often have good luck around the 3 month mark. Setting up google price alert for our flights has helped many times too.

Thanks. I need to set up the google price alert. I hate to keep waiting bc I worry it will just get worse, but we’re not traveling until April, so I’m not too worried yet. Just been such a weird couple years of travel.

 

[julie-o]

I've taken the train from NYC to Orlando a few times and my sister has taken it from Philly to Orlando also a few times.

This is a grueling trip, especially in coach. Even with a roomette--and I would never even think about doing this again without a room or roomette--it is still a tedious, aggravating trip. And since there are 4 of you, you would have to get two roomettes. I don't even think a room would be big enough for 4 people. Now we're talking big bucks.

Why is the trip grueling? Because it goes on forever, there is all but no interesting scenery, there's no decent food on the train (you have to bring your own if you value yourself and your family), the train can stop for a loong loong time--hours, sometimes--and you can be many many hours late for your scheduled arrival.

The last time I took the train they were stopped for so long somewhere in Georgia, iirc, that they were threatening to put everyone on a bus--a BUS--for the rest of the trip. At that point I was almost in tears. Fortunately, they rescinded this idea and got the train moving again.

Passenger trains in the US have to make way for freight, which has the right of way. In none of my several Amtrak trips to Orlando have I ever arrived early or on time. Always late. Sometimes incredibly late.

Also . . . you will get to sleep on the train in coach only if you are wildly lucky or don't need quiet or even semi-quiet in order to sleep. Your coach car will be filled with children, babies, people who aren't wearing earphones but are listening to/watching something on their phones or tablets, people walking back and forth, conversations, phone calls, etc.

My sister thought she'd have a relatively pleasant trip and would save some bucks once and took coach from Philly to Orlando. She had zero sleep and was miserable the entire time. She paid an exorbitant price to get a roomette on the way back.

If I were you, I'd drive. That is definitely the cheapest way for you to do the trip. Either that or start pricing out other airports. You don't have to fly out of Philly, do you? There are a zillion flights to Orlando from Newark, which isn't that huge a drive from Philly.

Thank you @Miffy! You have convinced me once and for all.

 

[PatMcDuck]

We did it from Newark NJ to Orlando one time, 4 kids, ages 5-7-9-11 I think? Coach. They had a promo, 2 kids free per adult. Over 20 years ago now, time flies. We approached it like an adventure.

Bring food, as in a cooler. Blanket throws and small pillows for each. We met some fun people including international visitors with rail passes. Sit in the middle away from the rest rooms.