Help with AutoTrain...PLEASE (stressing)

[TinkHappy]

My DF (DH, 2DD 6&7) are traveling to Orlando via AutoTrain. I never liked flying before 9/11 and NOW FORGET-ABOUT-IT!!! I am terified (to say the least). Anywho, we have reserved a "family Room". I was wondering if anyone has done this, and is there anything I need to know, bring, ect... Any help at all would be welcomed. Thanks again. I am looking for AutoTrain to be my option for not driving (well, really, having my husband drive the whole way). Thanks again!!!

 

[TinkHappy]

UGH!!! If I only knew what I was doing. Sorry for the mix up in the double posting. OPPS!!

 

[DC7800]

Tink,
You might start by looking at some of these websites (which I also just suggested in another thread - Auto Train must be popular today ).

Superliner Sleeping Cars Description
http://www.trainweb.com/cgi-bin/top...od/s2_sleep.htm

Pictures of the Superliner Sleeper
http://www.trainweb.com/cgi-bin/top...od/s2jsleep.htm

Amtrak Travel Hints & Tips
http://communities.prodigy.net/trains/amthints.htm


Keep in mind the rooms are quite small, so bring as little with you as possible (gives you more room, and a more comfortable trip). The website above should have pictures of the Family Bedroom, with a description including the dimensions of the room. Bedding, pillows, soap, towels, etc. are all provided, though you may wish to bring additional soap and toiletries of your own. You can bring any size suitcase you can carry, but you don't have a good place to keep large luggage. Leave those larger bags in your car, and bring a overnight or duffle bad onto the sleeper.

If you have any more questions please ask or PM me.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

Hi,
I'm in the same position as you - I WILL NOT FLY, I wouldn't before 9/11 and definately not now! I have rode the AutoTrain in a family sleeper four times. The last time I rode, I was with my sister and her two DD, ages 2 and 4. The room worked great for us. The room is not big, but certainly enough room for the four of us. We brought lots of coloring books and things like that for the girls, as well as snacks. The room had two beds on the bottom, and two beds up higher that they give you a little ladder to get to. There are three bathrooms in the hallway outside the room, which are usually very clean. It took some time to get the kids to sleep (around 11:00 pm), but they slept though the night. There is an outlet in the room in case you want to plug something small in.

I personally love the AutoTrain, and have rode a total of 12 times in the last 6 years. I always enjoyed it - it's just so convienent having your own car at Disney! I sure hope you enjoy the ride as much!

Hope this helps!

<img src="http://home.att.net/~swill70/hugsmall3.gif">

 

[Kim&Chris]

We took the auto train last November and were pleasantly surprised. Because it was just myself and my husband, we went coach.

My recommendation: bring lots of books, magazines, hand held games, etc. There were ALOT of kids on the train and most of the parents were very prepared with games, etc., but some were not. Those were the kids that cried and were bored to death.

 

[Luv2Dream]

We've been in the family sleeper car and personally I'll never do it again ONLY because I couldn't sleep due to the noise. Next time, I will reserve two upper level sleeper rooms. Much less noise although I won't have the same amount of room. But maybe I'd get some sleep!

 

[TinkHappy]

Thank you everyone for your help!! Visuals always seem to help me, I loved the website, thanks for the link DC7800!!

 

[lookingforward]

We went with the family sleeper too. I liked it. The noise did not bother me, but it is a little bit of a rough ride on the bottom level. I give Amtrak high marks for service and cleanliness. There is one larger bunk on the bottom, then a normal size one, then two smaller upper bunks. Perfect for your family of four. When we traveled we had a great cabin steward who gave the boys some toys to play with. Before you go to sleep the room has a long couch and two chairs by the window with a table between them. The boys sat there and played games. It was great. You get dinner in the dining car, the steward will ask you what seating you want. The food was okay, pretty good for trains. They show movies in the lounge but it was too smokey in there for us. When we got back to the room it had been set up for sleeping and the beds were turned down and the low lights were on. Very relaxing! The steward gave us the option of continental breakfast in our cabin or full american breakfast in the dining car. I was pregnant at the time so we went for the big breakfast, lol. It was good. We had so much fun and it was an easy ride to disney from the sanford station. You will enjoy it. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Gillian]

I think we're going to fly, but I want to look at all of our options, & I LOVE train travel!

What sleeper would work for 2 adults & a 2 year old? I don't think coach would be a good idea for our restless little one!

 

[clarkgriswold]

OK. What are my Autotrain options for a Family of five ( 2 adults & three teens) and a conversion van that's got a clearance height of about 8 feet 6 inches?

 

[DC7800]

Originally posted by Gillian
I think we're going to fly, but I want to look at all of our options, & I LOVE train travel!

What sleeper would work for 2 adults & a 2 year old? I don't think coach would be a good idea for our restless little one!

The family bedroom would probably be the most comfortable. You might be alright in a deluxe bedroom too; there are only two beds in a deluxe room, but they are wider, and there is an additional reclining chair. The best advantage, though, is that the room includes a private restroom with shower and is on the upper floor of the Superliner Passenger Car (the family bedroom is on the lower floor and the "shared" restrooms are located just outside the room).

If you did try coach, Amtrak tries to place all families with small children in the same car(s), so your child would likely have others his own age to play with. In the sleeper, you are more isolated (though, of course, the privacy is priceless). Either accomodation is a comfortable, relaxing way to travel.

 

[DC7800]

Originally posted by clarkgriswold
OK. What are my Autotrain options for a Family of five ( 2 adults & three teens) and a conversion van that's got a clearance height of about 8 feet 6 inches?

The biggest problem is that the maximum height - even after paying an extra charge - for vehicles to travel on Auto-Train is 85". Other than that, for five people you would probably need two deluxe bedrooms combined into a suite. This gives you two private baths, four beds (bunks), and two conventional chairs. You could also reserve three standard bedrooms (six bunks), but these would be three isolated rooms and possibly more expensive than the suite.

 

[clarkgriswold]

Wouldn't two deluxe bedrooms only give me four beds?

 

[DC7800]

Originally posted by clarkgriswold
Wouldn't two deluxe bedrooms only give me four beds?

Yes, it would. Someone would end up in one of the chairs for the night (no worse than spending the night in coach - and more private - but no, it's not a bed).

You would need three rooms (of any type, but only the deluxe rooms are available as a suite) to get five beds (total of 6 bunks). One 2-bedroom suite and one standard room might be an option also. The family room accomodates four people, but there are only two full size (6' 3")beds. The remaining two bunks are only 4'9" in length, making this a practical option only for shorter teens and children. I've seen families squeeze in there, but in your case you'd still be one bed short.

 

[DVCgrace]

quote:
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Originally posted by clarkgriswold
OK. What are my Autotrain options for a Family of five ( 2 adults & three teens) and a conversion van that's got a clearance height of about 8 feet 6 inches?
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Last July there were 4 of us traveling - Myself, husband, teen daughter and friend (both 15).
We travelled coach and there was enough room for us to spread out and have a double seat each. We were in a car with mostly adults and teens. The girls had a great time.
There was another mom there with 4 teens - she has travelled by autotrain for many years and had tried all the different types of sleeping car accomodations and her preference was to travel coach - and cost was least motivating factor. Sleep wise - she had just as restful sleeps in coach as she did in the most restful nights she spent in a sleeper. Food wise - her verdict was that the food presentation in first class was a little nicer, but the quality and certainly the quantity was not noticeably better. Diversion wise - it was definitely much better in coach. She especially emphasized that - once the children were over 6 years old they were better behaved and were better travelers in coach since there was more room and more to see.

We met many interesting people on the train and had some great conversations. The girls both amused themselves and met others their age and spent some time talking with the others and observing the onboard "living coach theater" (and I don't mean the movie in the lounge car!. The ability to get up, walk around and be a part of the group made the short trip quite pleasurable. We figured that our time on the train was only 16 hours - with only a few that were really conventional "sleeping" hours. We never even considered a sleeper car and after talking to some of the coach passengers on the train who had travelled both in sleepers and coach and switched to coach we're happy that we didn't spend the extra money to do so.
We're going back by autotrain in August. Instead of a friend for my daughter, my sister will be joining us - we'll be going coach again.

The cost for the 4 of us - all adult fares - is a few hundred dollars less (a very substantial saving!) than 4 air fares and car rental for 12 days. It is definitely a very relaxing and comfortable way to travel. We've done the drive once (never again, even if we were to hire a driver!) and we always took airlines previous to last July, but even before September 11, air travel hassles were getting on my nerves. For the forseeable future, the autotrain will be our preferred mode of travel.

Let me know if I can answer any questions.