Train to Disney?

[The Gang Of Five]

My friend Nani just had a great idea for our Gang's GradTrip: Instead of driving and having parents possibly refuse to let us go, or flying and spending more money than we really need to, we could just take the train down. However, I know next to nothing about trains, especially trains to Orlando. So I guess my question is this: is taking the train to Orlando really cheaper than flying, and how far is it from the Disney property?

Thanks!
Stitch

 

[sandyneck]

Price depends on where you are coming from, but train is usually more than the plane. The station is quite a ways from Disney and you will have to take a cab. We took the train from Rhode Island and flying is def the better way to go.

 

[The Gang Of Five]

Thanks for the advice! I'm definitely going to take that into consideration! Thank you very much!

 

[bas71873]

I can give ya feedback in about a week or so. A friend and her mom and DS took the 15 hour train ride from VA to Orlando leaving Friday evening around 5 PM and arriving Orlando at 10 AM on Saturday. She got the 3 of them on the train for what it would have cost one of them to fly. We are getting together when she gets back to talk about her trip. I'm dying to know how the train ride went even though I know I would NEVER. Not when I can get a direct flight and be there in 2 hours!

 

[Mallow]

You should check out the transportation board. There's a thread by lisa-upnorth that tells all about her train travels. I'll let you know, I just booked round trip for our Aug trip. Total price was $1500. Since it's a 20 hr. trip we booked roomettes & that really adds to the price. But DH won't fly so we're trying the train instead of driving.

 

[kmvand1]

There are actually two different trains that run from Virginia/Washington DC to Orlando/Sanford. The Auto Train we have done twice and my husband will never do again. You leave at 4PM and arrive around 9 AM the next day. It is a cool experience everyone should try once. I will tell you there were times the cars on 95 were going much, much faster than we were. The other train will take around 20 hours and makes several stops along the way. NO THANKS!!!

 

[DawnM]

Wow. I just did an initial search. For 4 of us it would be $600 and 23 hours!

Think I will stick to driving and have the car while there.

Dawn

 

[SOnotLayuh]

I've never taken a train but have always wanted to! I'm just not sure I could deal with the trip being so much longer than going in the car.

 

[My2BabiesLexis&Dill]

We have always taken the auto train down to Orlando and we will be doing it again in September. It is a little pricey but I don't fly and it's only one adult so I would be stuck driving the whole time.

The kids and I really enjoy the train. We don't look at it as the travel time but as our real vacation. You can relax and not worry about getting lost.

Since we do take the auto train, we will have our vehicle to go where ever we want when we get to Florida. I would have to agree with a previous poster though, it's an experience that everyone should trip at least once.

If you have any question, feel free ask.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

We took the train from Raleigh to Orlando last May. We didn't pay for roometes because that would make the trip more expensive than flying, but coach was pretty cheap. Our travel time was mainly at night. For the most part it was okay although the kids got a little hard to entertain for the last 2 or 3 hours. We probably would have been fine except that we hit someone in SC and got delayed about 4 hours.

 

[The Gang Of Five]

Thanks all of you for your great advice! I did some searching on Amtrak as well. Amtrak says it's $166 per person for a seventeen hour trip, while Southwest is a little over $200 a seat for a 2 and a half hour trip. The Gang agreed that for hour money, it was better to fly, since there are no perks that come with taking the train. At least with flying, there's the ME.

Thanks so much for all of your help!
Stitch

 

[nunzia]

Well, we go to DLR and the train is a great option! About half the price of flying, and a great family time (I really hate planes so I am biased I guess.)I'd check out the AMTRAK site and also see about shuttles and such to the park.

 

[JB2K]

A poster that is on the transportation boards, regularly (Pepe_of_Ohio), recommends if you use Amtrak to use the hassle-free Kissimmee station rather than the extremely busy (and more distant) Orlando station.