tell me about the bedrooms on amtrak

[disney_girl125]

I'm taking amtrak down to Disney in December. I'm trying to decide between a bedroom and going coach. I have taken coach on the auto train and don't mind it, although I have always had lower level seating. It would be myself, and my 3 kids..ages 12,10, and 6. Amtrak said 2 can sleep on the upper bunk and 2 at the bottom. It's just a basic bedroom, they don't have family rooms on the train we're taking. How small is it? I get claustrophic, so i'm wondering if i'll feel that way. Can we leave the door open?
The only reason i'm even considering the bedroom as opposed to coach is so our meals are included, and I can get a shower!! I don't like not being able to shower in the morning. Also I was concerned with all the stops. I know this may seem silly..the thought crossed my mind. When we are at a stop if we're all sleeping..is it possible someone can snatch my child? Two are going to be in their own seat. I know it may seem silly. I'm use to the auto train where once you're on you're locked in until the end of the trip. Thanks for your help!

 

[BigTigger]

If you go to http://www.amtrak.com and under New Riders choose Sleeping Choices. You can see the optons for Viewliners cars (I believe all eastbound trains from your locale are Viewliners, but your train schedule will tell you that). There are virtual tours of all types and you can figure out what fits best for you and three kids. The Bedroom Suite appears to work best as it would hold four people and three to four suitcases. Sleeper accommodations can be very fun with kids as the layout can vary and you have private space and on overnight trains a dedicated porter for your car.

As you noted, sleeper service includes meals, so on an overnight run you usually can get dinner and breakfast with the fare which saves on club car purchases and the like.

Most of the stops south of DC are at night on the Florida trains, so the attendants keep an eye out on who boards where as they have to collect the tickets and don't want to disturb a whole train doing it.

Whether you choose a bedroom or coach, buy extra pillows for the trip as those seats feel real hard after 20 hours.

 

[jad215]

DBF and I took the train to Orlando last October (our first train trip) and had a bedroom. It might be kinda of tight with that many people in there, but could be doable. The beds are not the size of a traditional double bed, at least I didn't think so. We really liked it and I really liked having the bathroom/shower in our room. You can certainly leave the door open if you'd like. When the beds are not open it's a fairly big bench seat on the bottom and there's another chair off to the side that someone could use. With the bottom bed open, there's not a lot of room to walk around, especially around the sink area which is near the door. The meals were great! Let me know if I can answer any other questions for you!

 

[dromio42]

Auto Train coach is way nicer than the regular Amtrak coach. I have done both and would not do coach on the regular train again. Taking the auto train in Dec!

 

[AlyLynn]

Hated the autotrain! And we had 4 kids and 2 bedrooms open into one. First of all it was hours behind schedule...rough with four kids who want to get to Disney, and the shower was not an extra shower stall like you might be thinking...I also never realized I'd get motion sickness...needless to say it was a horrible experience for us!

 

[Missytara]

I was interested in taking the train across country and back from DC to San Diego - believe it or not, to get in some reading, watch movies on my laptop, etc.

A person posted pictures of the train and the "roommettes", which I expected since I had already been on the Amtrak site. But I seriously never thought about how narrow the halls were going to be - I have terrible claustrophobia and just looking at the pictures, I am not sure I would be able to leave my roommette to get food in the dining car!!!!

 

[rockydek]

Just so you know....Amtrak Auto train has the Family bedrooms for 4 people.
You would be required to purchase 2 rooms for that many people on the regular Amtrak train...Either 2 roomettes or 2 bedrooms.
I have taken both...My senior Mom refuses to fly. when she travels with us we take the Amtrak.