Why Would Anyone Take the AUTO TRAIN?

[Minnesota!]

If it was an option for me, I would take it in a heartbeat. We love rail travel, love taking in the sights, hate driving, flying we enjoy but it's such a hassle at times. Etc.

 

[MsMulan]

I agree with the other posters here. The Autotrain is in no means faster than driving but I think it offers a level of convenience for those who live on the east cost but do not like to fly or they do not want to be bothered with the hassle of flying (TSA, late flights, parking, rental car etc).

My last experience flying to Orlando left a lot to be desired. I rushed to the airport for a 5 o'clock flight only to find out it had been delayed by 40 mins. We got on the plane and one of the runways was closed so we taxied around on the ground for another hour. We finally landed in Orlando a little after 9 PM only to have to wait for our baggage (thunderstorm) and they were not unloading. I did not know it but at the time Hertz was located off property, so we had to catch a shuttle to get our rental. All in all, we arrived at our condo rental at 11:30 after getting stuck on I-4 in Friday night traffic.

Based in that experience alone, I believe in the Autotrain.

 

[DCTooTall]

You asked for it - Here's my thoughts:

(For 2 ADULTS from the Northern VA suburbs of DC)

FLYING

Roundtrip airfare
cost = $250 per person, including taxes and fees
Room near airport night before early flight
cost = $130
Cheapest airport parking for 1 week
cost = $80
TSA security checks (take shoes off/empty pockets/put 3-2-1 bag in bin/don’t lose boarding pass/put carry-on on moving belt/put shoes, personal item and camera in bin/walk through metal detector/walk back to bins and put in watch after alarm goes off/walk back through metal detector/locate bins/put items back in pockets/get one shoe on/tell TSA agent that yes, we can walk over to a table so he can examine the contents of my carry-on/pick personal item and camera/don’t lose boarding pass/put on other shoe/pick up carry-on/follow TSA agent/go back to bins and retrieve watch/walk back to TSA agent and wait while carry-on is examined/finally get cleared to walk to gate/do head-smack at gate because 3-2-1 bag was left in bin at security
cost = my sense of humor
Waiting in a long line to board the plane while people that got on first sort out their carry-ons and block the aisle and then argue with the flight attendant when their carry-on is too large for the overhead bin
cost = 1 ton of patience
Finding out someone seated in the back of the plane put their carry-on in the bin over my seat
cost = my last nerve


DRIVING

4 tanks of gas at $65 to fill up each time
cost = $520 roundtrip
Expensive and unhealthy snacks from gas station stops @ $10 per person per stop x 4
cost = $120
Trying to stay with traffic and make good time for 13 hours while 1) getting out from behind slow moving trucks, 2) avoiding people who ride on my back bumper and 3) looking out for local cops with speed traps that will ticket for exceeding the speed limit by 1 MPH
cost = my sanity
Throwing in the towel and getting a hotel room in SC or GA for the night, round trip
cost = $260 (but get rebate on some sanity)
Hitting Orlando on I-4 at rush hour, even when used to DC rush hour traffic
cost = soap to wash my curse words out of my passenger’s ears

TRAIN

Train fare (bedroom w/bath), car fare and taxes roundtrip
cost = $1,230
Dinner
cost = FREE
Lounge car entertainement
cost = FREE
Ability to get up and walk around
cost = REBATE - Less Tylenol for bad knee and no sore rear end from sitting in one place for hours on end
Arriving in Sanford/Lorton rested after sleeping on the train
cost = REBATE - more alert for Orlando traffic/more energy for parks or home
Not having to worry about I-95 traffic
cost = REBATE - saved patience
Packing whatever we want however we want as long as it fits in the car
cost = nothing/priceless

Great breakdown, although I'd probably throw in a car rental cost for the Flight option. If nothing more, it would create a more apples-to-apples comparison since the other 2 options would also provide you the freedom of a car.


Obviously, there is also the old "Do I have a car/drive on vacation or Do I stick with Disney Transportation" argument inherent within the drive/fly/autotrain debate. For some, there is a strong value in having a vehicle at least available while on Vacation in the Disney area.... whether it's the freedom to visit places outside the Disney Bubble (such as food, grocery store, souvenir shopping, Other area attractions, etc), or even just to have the freedom to avoid the buses and set your own schedule at the parks w/o worrying about squeezing on a Disney bus with hundreds of your fellow resort guests at park close.

And monetarily, having a car could save you some $$$ if you decided to stay offsite vs. onsite. (either timeshare, or an area hotel).


So really, The Autotrain decision may not just be one of the cost/time involved in arriving at your vacation destination, But it could also be part of a larger financial decision based on your trip as a whole.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

You asked for it - Here's my thoughts:

(For 2 ADULTS from the Northern VA suburbs of DC)

FLYING

Roundtrip airfare
cost = $250 per person, including taxes and fees
Room near airport night before early flight
cost = $130
Cheapest airport parking for 1 week
cost = $80
TSA security checks (take shoes off/empty pockets/put 3-2-1 bag in bin/don’t lose boarding pass/put carry-on on moving belt/put shoes, personal item and camera in bin/walk through metal detector/walk back to bins and put in watch after alarm goes off/walk back through metal detector/locate bins/put items back in pockets/get one shoe on/tell TSA agent that yes, we can walk over to a table so he can examine the contents of my carry-on/pick personal item and camera/don’t lose boarding pass/put on other shoe/pick up carry-on/follow TSA agent/go back to bins and retrieve watch/walk back to TSA agent and wait while carry-on is examined/finally get cleared to walk to gate/do head-smack at gate because 3-2-1 bag was left in bin at securitycost = my sense of humor
Waiting in a long line to board the plane while people that got on first sort out their carry-ons and block the aisle and then argue with the flight attendant when their carry-on is too large for the overhead bin
cost = 1 ton of patience
Finding out someone seated in the back of the plane put their carry-on in the bin over my seat
cost = my last nerve


DRIVING

4 tanks of gas at $65 to fill up each time
cost = $520 roundtrip
Expensive and unhealthy snacks from gas station stops @ $10 per person per stop x 4
cost = $120
Trying to stay with traffic and make good time for 13 hours while 1) getting out from behind slow moving trucks, 2) avoiding people who ride on my back bumper and 3) looking out for local cops with speed traps that will ticket for exceeding the speed limit by 1 MPH
cost = my sanity
Throwing in the towel and getting a hotel room in SC or GA for the night, round trip
cost = $260 (but get rebate on some sanity)
Hitting Orlando on I-4 at rush hour, even when used to DC rush hour traffic
cost = soap to wash my curse words out of my passenger’s ears

TRAIN

Train fare (bedroom w/bath), car fare and taxes roundtrip
cost = $1,230
Dinner
cost = FREE
Lounge car entertainement
cost = FREE
Ability to get up and walk around
cost = REBATE - Less Tylenol for bad knee and no sore rear end from sitting in one place for hours on end
Arriving in Sanford/Lorton rested after sleeping on the train
cost = REBATE - more alert for Orlando traffic/more energy for parks or home
Not having to worry about I-95 traffic
cost = REBATE - saved patience
Packing whatever we want however we want as long as it fits in the car
cost = nothing/priceless

Wow, no wonder you hate to fly. You're making such a difficult time out of security. After so many times, it's a no brainer. My kids knew what to do by the time they were 8. I don't enjoy the process but again, that's something I'm willing to do to get there in 2 hrs. To each his own.

 

[Tink's Pixieduster]

Wow, no wonder you hate to fly. You're making such a difficult time out of security. After so many times, it's a no brainer. My kids knew what to do by the time they were 8. I don't enjoy the process but again, that's something I'm willing to do to get there in 2 hrs. To each his own.

No, I really don't hate to fly, and I don't make a difficult time of security; I've flown more times than I can count, including flights to MCO, and I'm pretty proficient at getting through. I was trying to make a point which is that the security check means keeping track of a lot of stuff - shoes, carry-on, ticket, jewelry/watches, pocket contents, personal item, laptop, etc. I'll fly again, and I understand the necessity of security, but I really dislike the hassel of it.

The travel on the AT takes place mostly overnight, and by arriving at 9:30 in the morning its as though we caught an early flight, but we arrive fresh and rested with our car. We can also pack whatever we want in our suitcases and carry-ons; if a suitcase weighs 51 pounds there's no penalty, and if we have more than the allowed liquids in a carry-on they won't be thrown away before we board. Yep - to each his own.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

fwiw, it's not that I dislike trains. I take one every day into Philly for work. We also opted to take the Grand Canyon Railroad just for the experience & fun of it when we could have much driven there faster. We also enjoyed the Strasburg Railroad through Lancaster County, PA on our way home from Herhey Park. We all loved it. So I can appreciate the idea of a relaxing train ride.

FL is just sooooo far away.

 

[Missytara]

OK, I'll play.

Because as one gets older, it can be harder to do things (like drive loooonnnggg trips) that previously were easy to do.

That is one thing I was going to add; my father is 74 and his wife is 63. She is in excellent shape, as my dad, but your ability to drive long stretches and your reaction rates become less and less as you get older. Also, don't have to wonder how far for the next bathroom break......

They stay on the west coast of Florida, and love having their own car. They stay for two weeks, so they can pack the car to the hilt. They pack a picnic basket full of food and snacks and sit on the upper deck and just enjoy leaving the driving to someone else - at their age.

The cost of the autotrain trumps the cost of a rental car for two weeks every time.