The Rajin' Cajuns dun gon ta see dat Mouse! DAY 1

[crusin'minnie]

Cast of Vacationers:

FAMILY #1

DN (Disney Nazi) - Me! (Affectionately dubbed by DH after 2nd morning of waking everyone for EE) Trip Coordinator-Disney Fanatic.
Grumpy- DH (ha!- dubbed by our 6yr DD)
Jas- DD(11)
Ariel- DD(6)
B.Snow- DD (7mos)


FAMILY #2

Tink- My BF
Pan- Her DH (named Pan b/c their DS(5) makes him play Peter Pan and wear the hat while DS is Hook and chases him with his sword.)
lil'hook - Her DS(5)
B.Wen - Her DD (7mos)


Grumpy thought it would be fun to take the Amtrack from New Orleans to Orlando. He has always wanted to ride a train and thinks it would be fun for the kids. Tink and Pan concur. (Me- I thought this was sheer lunacy- 5 kids 22 hours on a train-, but Grumpy has always been pretty good about letting me plan our WDW trips so if he wants a train then a train he gets.

It's a 3 hour drive to New Orleans for us, 1 hour for family #2. We got a late start due to Jas' danceline tryouts, but finally we got on the road. Our train is scheduled to depart at 10:30pm Fri and arrive Orlando Sat 8:45pm. I call Amtrack on the way for directions to the station. Oh no- the train is running 45min late!

We follow the directions- can't find the station. We call the New Orleans station directly. After 21 rings someone finally answers- he is really aggravated about having to give us directions and is very abrupt. Well we still can't find the station. Call N.O. station again. Aggravated Amtrack guy says " I am too busy to fool with you right now hold on I'll see if someone else can give you directions." A few minutes later another rude Amtrack guy gives Grumpy directions. Grumpy makes him stay on the phone until we drive into the station. It's no wonder we couldn't find it. The sign is the size of a post card and it shares the bldg with the bus station which has a large sign. Whew we're here!!

Oh my God- this place is abominable! I hope I don't offend anyone but the people at this station looked like the dregs of humanity. Especially the employee's. The porter/security guard whatever he was looked like he had been on a six day drunk and had slept in his clothes. He yelled at us with the 5 teeth he had in his head and after Grumpy got out of the vehicle and used a lot of hand signals he finally understood that we had to move to another parking area.

Now Grumpy and Pan are scared for the families and we are given strict instructions to stay in the vehicles, doors locked until they find out exactly where to unload etc..

Grumpy comes out 15 long minutes later- face beet red. "The train is 3 hours late right now. They expect it to be even later than that before we arrive in Orlando. What do you want to do?"

I look at my 3 fresh faced little angels holding their various WDW stuffed animals and I look at this run down dirty station and the dregs that will be on this 22 hour no make that 25+ hour trip with us, and I picture in my mind our vehicle after 8 days in this parking lot, "Let's fly!!"

After some frantic phone calls Pan finds us a Southwest flight leaving at 8:30am Sat morning at a really decent price. We get rooms at the Hilton accross from the airport and we get the heck out of that Amtrack station!!!!

 

[Marla Hellwig]

Yikes - what a way to start a vacation - thanks for posting!

 

[simbasmom]

WOW! Thanks for posting I to live 3 hours away for new oleans and we were looking into riding the train, (my dh dream) after reading this I think we will either fly or drive again.

 

[Mrs. Snowgod]

What an exciting start you your report!!! I can't wait to read the next installment. I admire your spontaneity - some people would stick to a plan no matter what, and then be miserable.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[CAJUNWDWFAN]

On our recent trip we flew out of Lafayette, La (my home town)
to Orlando on Nortwest Air. No problems with our flights. A lot cheaper and less hastle that having to drive to New Orleans to catch the plane to Orlando.

 

[OhMari]

You should really write Amtrak a letter. You don't have to be real graphic in explanation (like the teeth guy), but let them know. They are a company that went bankrupt and is trying to reorganize. Maybe you will get some compensation or at least some satisfaction!