Amtrak Auto-train to Orlando (nearby), your experience?

[Anonymous]

I just read an article in my AAA magazine about a family taking the Amtrak auto-train from Lorton, VA to just north of Orlando. You get on about 3pm one day and get off about 9am the next day. Has anyone had good/bad experience with this? It looks like dinner/snacks are included and a coach seat w/ foot rest and reclines but DH said "sleep in a seat all night?" The rooms are pricey and would definitely end up being a lot more than airplane tickets, but we'd have to factor in a rental car. If you took this, were the seats comfy, quiet, dark enough to really sleep most of the night? Did your car make it off the train in one piece? We're thinking of going to Disney next Spring.

[Anonymous]

One of the most miserable nights of my life was spent in a seat on the auto train. Ugh - very uncomfortable. And then you can't predict if your car is the first off the train or the last - and the difference can be hours.

[Anonymous]

I would only do it with a reserved room.

[Anonymous]

You can reserve a room that has seats convert to beds. I like the idea and considered it, but it is more pricey than flying.

[Anonymous]

A few thoughts about the Auto Train:

-The following is a great website to give you an idea of what the trip will be like: http://www.on-track-on-line.com/autotrain-tips.shtml

-To get even more of a sense of what it will be like, search youtube.com for videos regarding the Auto Train. There are a few really informative tours of the coach seats and the sleeper accommodations. Also, search web photo websites such as Flickr.com or twitpic.com for photos of the interior of the train.

-If you need even more information, you will sometimes be allowed to drive down to Lorton, VA and board the train between when it unloads passengers each morning and when passengers board in the afternoon. Call in advance before making the drive to Lorton to ensure that you can find an Amtrak staff member that will permit this on that day.

-If you do book, be sure to check out the discounts. The base fare can be high, but there are quite a few discounts, including for AAA, children, seniors, military, National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP), Student Advantage, Intl. Student ID Card (ISIC) and Veterans Advantage.

I hope this helps. Safe Travels.

-Please consider checking out my Travel Deals website - http://TravelDealoftheDay.com

[Anonymous]

Depends on what you plan do in orlando. If you are just doing Disney, there is really no need for a car. There is transportation between parks and from the airport.

[Anonymous]

Did this once and it was hell. Got to Florida with no sleep, no shower, and super stinky. Hated it.

[Anonymous]

There is a lot of good info online, as PPs have mentioned, so check that out.

We did this last year and had a really great experience, but we reserved a bedroom car. The private bedroom car was more expensive than the cost of flying and renting a car. But the train experience is so exciting for some kids, that it can really be the best part of the whole trip, so you can factor that into the decision as well. We also liked having more flexibility in what we brought (whatever we could stuff into the van was good--no packing everything into huge suitcases to minimize the number of airline baggage fees). We arrived in Orlando early, and fairly well rested, well fed, and showered in our private bathroom (tiny, but perfectly functional). So we enjoyed the experience and will definitely consider doing it again. But the higher costs are a real negative.

We looked at the coach seats and thought we just couldn't do that though. The coach seats are big and they do recline, but there is no privacy (unless you reserve a roomette), so your experience will largely depend on whether your family members are sound sleepers, and whether the degree of closeness with strangers would bother you. For us, the costs savings for coach seats were not worth having what I figured would be a miserable trip. But I am a very light sleeper, and get stressed out around tons of strangers so couldn't imagine sleeping in a train car full of them.

[Anonymous]

You really have to think about what kind of traveler you are before deciding on the auto train. If you just want a quick trip to your destination with no frills, it's not for you. If, on the other hand, you think the idea sounds fun and would be an adventure for your family then go for it. We have done the auto train a few times and love it. That said, the first time I rode it was when my brother and I were elementary age kids and I've ridden it into adulthood. I have not and would not, however, take my two little ones on it until they are a bit older. Although it's a great way to take your car with you, you have to know it is very much an adventure which is fun for older kids, but not an efficient way to travel with little ones who really do need a good night's sleep.

[Anonymous]

I've ridden on the train south with my dc a couple of times, beginning when he was 5, and he LOVES it (we get off in Savannah). He wants to take the train everywhere. We get the small room (roomette?), which is cheaper than the bigger bedroom, but still probably more expensive than flying. It's tiny, but you're spending most of your time on board asleep. I decided that there is no way I would get any sleep in an open train car with my dc. I would feel like I needed to keep an eye on him all night. You can lock the sleeper car door from the inside, and we both sleep fine.