Taking Auto-Train To Florida About This Page:

[davennva]

We are taking the auto-train to Florida in June. Our daughter wanted to take a train ride to celebrate her 13th birthday at WDW. Would appreciate any reviews, tips etc.
The only other experience with Amtrak was not was only so-so. We took a train from our home in the Hampton roads area of Virginia to D.C. The first part of our trip was nice relaxing. However, on our return trip was anything but relaxing. The bathrooms were so dirty that my wife and I wouldn't go near them for our entire four hour trip. I do not think I can hold it in for an 18 hour trip.

[NJMama]

We've taken the auto train a couple of times and are doing so again this September.

We have small kids (1 and 4), so we book a family bedroom to have a place to decompress and not disturb our fellow travellers. We really enjoy the train. You board around 3 and leave at 4pm. Shortly after leaving the station, snacks and wine are offered. There are two dinner seatings (5:30/7:30). Then there are two movie seatings (7/9?). You hit the sack, wake up, have breakfast and you're there!

We've had great experiences and have arrived early every time. Generally, we've arrived, driven to Disney, checked in, showered and are in a park by noon.

I haven't taken Amtrak for a shorter trip, but I believe the Auto train is a very different experience from a ride with local stops. The service is good, the food is pretty good and the stress of travelling is all but eliminated.

Plus, your car becomes your suitcase!

Enjoy.

[kadterp]

Are you booking a bedroom or doing just coach? We have taken the auto train a few times. Bathrooms are an issue for me and I never felt that. We stayed in the family bedroom so you do share bathrooms with 5 or so other people who are on the bottom car with you. But 10 people in comparison to 50.....well you can see that it wouldnt get as messy as coach. Also for us, there is a shower that you can share with others, never had a problem taking one when I wanted, but if you do take one, expect the water to dribble out and not really be that hot. If you can just quick wash and then wait til your destination to take a real shower that's what I would suggest.

Dinner is pretty good, and breakfast is a continental breakfast, nothing wow. The biggest challenge we found was walking on the train! If you walk with your feet slightly apart, it does help.

If you do a bedroom, the staff will ask you what time you want your beds turned down and IMHO wait until the last minute for once they get dropped, it gets pretty cramped! I cant help you with any experiences with coach, I havent dont that but if you have any more questions, ask away!

[Ct_TiggerFan]

We have done the autotrain two times, This July will make number three.
We had the family bedroom the first two times.
It is on the lower level in the back of the car.

They say two adults and two kids,
well we are pooh sized and only had three in the unit,
Not bad, but if your big size the upper bunk isn't all that comfortable.

Over all its beats couch and is a great way to travel

This year we went for the bedroom suite, Cost $30.00 more but it is two bedroom units combined, with a bathroom in each unit. A little more room and I get to sleep on a lower bunk as does my wife.

Have a great trip.

Ed

[slyjly]

Hi! We (a total of 12) booked a roundtrip on the autotrain for our Sept.16-22 trip. We will leave on the 15 and return on the 22. We got the "kids ride free" deal Which is good 'cause there will be 6 kids We booked coach. I have never been on a long-distance train trip. My dd and her family took the train in Nov. While they didn't love, in fact they said they would probably never take it again, the price of gas and the kids ride free code changed their thinking I am a terrible car passagner--my kids threatend to slip something in my drink before we leave home o, I am hoping I do better on the train My dd said the diner was good, breakfast so-so, but couldn't really get comfortable enough to sleep. But they did like getting to check in their rooms early.
BTW, we are staying at POP w/free dining

[Nysa]

I rode coach from Indianapolis to Florida about 7 years ago, I switched to the auto train in Washington DC. I loved it. The seats were comfy & most of the time there weren't many people so I could lay across the seats. It was great to mingle and chat with people & be able to get up and move around (unlike in the car). I found the whole train to be clean & well taken care of, of course it may have changed since. Just take some anti-bacterial wipes to make you feel better about the germs. Have fun.

[Mike_Rannie]

Thought I'd bump this old thread forward, as I will be taking the Auto-train and am seeking some info. We are booking two roomettes for our party of 4; this option was more reasonaly priced than the family room and appeared to provide us with more sleeping space.

First, how are the choices for dinner? I'm assuming the service will largely be geared to families (given the final destination), however my typical experience with train (or plane for that matter) food is that it is not very kid friendly. Should we stop to pick up a few emergency groceries prior to the train ride (i.e, is there a danger to end up with two mighty hungry picky-eaters?). IS there a grocery store near the Lorton station .

I also had a question about the entertainment, but the older posts mentioning movies likely answered my question. Again, I'm assuming that the movie choices are family oriented (i.e., Disney).

I had received a phone call indicating that the arrival time has been changed from 8:30 to 9:30. Past posts indicate that the auto train was known to be late. Does this mean that we can now expect to arrive at 10:30

And just plain curious to hear from anyone who has had to more recent experience with the auto train

[Tinc]

We took the train this past May. The kids really loved it. The seats are very comfy. Take a jacket with you it gets chilly at night. Also pack your own drinks and snack food. They do sell stuff but its crazy exspensive. The bathrooms are so so not bad but not great. The dinner food is awful do not expect a great meal, the servers are tense and grumpy. You get what you see on your plate nothing else. The food is worse then a cold t.v. dinner. The breakfast was Special K, Frosted flakes, bagels, coffee and juice. Thankfully we brought alot of snacks for the kids.

Our biggest issue was the smoke comming up from the botton lounge car. We have to pass through the lounge car to get to the dining car. DD has severe asthma and a bad attack, we had to wait 5 minutes in the lounge car before dinner. For breakfast we covered her mouth and walked her right through.

The kids want to take the train again next May. Things will do differently are, bring all our own food and seat at our seats to eat.

Have a great train ride.

[NJMama]

Food on the auto train isn't bad. And if you book a sleeper, dinner, snacks and breakfast are included in the price of the ticket. For dinner there's a choice of steak, chicken or fish and maybe pasta? We usually get the steak so I'm not 100% about the other choices. For the kids there's typical kid choices - chicken fingers, mac n cheese and maybe a hot dog. Breakfast is continental - bagels, fruit and cereal. There is a grocery store very close to the train station. I usually bring snacks with me, just because with kids it's a good idea to have a full bag of tricks, but they offer snacks as soon as you depart, then dinner is offered at 5:30 and 7:30 so there's not much opportunity to get hungry.

As for movies from what we've seen southbound is a kids movie and northbound has been more grown up. Nothing with foul language or anything like that, just movies that kids would find super boring.

The two times we took the train we arrived early, so even though they moved arrival time back to 9:30, I'm not really that worried. I think we'll be checked in, showered and in the park by 1 at the very latest.

We love it - hope you will too! Good luck.

[Mike_Rannie]

Thanks much for the heads up. Looks like a definite trip to the grocery store is required. Didn't think about the cool evening issue. Do you think this applies in August, or is more an issue on how cold they set the air conditioning?

[Mike_Rannie]

One more question as the day finally approaches. Does anyone know how long it takes to unload the cars from the train? know they require two hours to load, but hoping its a little quicker to unload.

[DISNEY03]

I have been asking everyone the same question because we have never done this but are planning on it next year. I have asked a lot of questions from people I know and they ALL said there car was off right away.
Thank you for posting this because it answered a lot of questions for us too!
Have a great trip and please let us know how it works out I'm very curious!

[NJMama]

Our longest wait was about 1/2 hour. It is random though and has nothing to do with when you get your car there for loading so it's all just luck.

[Mike_Rannie]

Thanks again for all the info. I'll post a synopsis of our auto-train experience upon our return.

[kadterp]

When you get to the station, they will assign your car a number. Yes when you arrive, your car goes right on the train but just because you are first on does not mean you are first off. One time we took it, our car was there right away, another time, we were one of the last cars off. Lorton's station is wayyy nicer than Sanford, they just did a refurb on it a few years back...not sure on the condition of Sanford now though. Last time we took it, it was a little hole in the wall so to say that offered the bare minimum. In Lorton, when you get off the exit, take a right instead of a left to the station and up the road is a gas station and a few stores so you can stock up on snacks if you dont already have some. You can bring your cooler on board which is nice for if you dont want what they are offering and dont want to pay, you have what you want when you want it.

The meals...well....its mass produced...what can I say? We had the steak and it wasnt that bad, I had the chicken once and I didnt care for the salsa stuff that was over it. Kids had "Choo choo chewies" aka chicken nuggets and mac and cheese and again it was par for mass production. I would suggest to bring on breakfast foods and avoid the dining car if you can, it is way over crowded and isnt worth it for a continental breakfast.

The coolness thing on the train goes with the climate. One year we took it in Nov and in Lorton it was cool but as the more down south we got, the temp made the adjustment. If you have flown, its like that. I would suggest to bring a light sweater or something if you are prone to getting chilly on things like that. I am so I always bring it just to be safe than sorry. My husband likes it cool so he didnt need an extra layer.

Again with the cars unloading issue. They do a darn good job on getting those cars off the train. My only other advice for you would be that when you get your car, just get in it and then pull it to the side a bit away from where they are parking the unloaded cars. Some people when they got their cars were taking FOREVER to get themselves re-settled ie....taking off their sweater....opening the trunk to check their stuff......getting their sunglasses and so on. All this stuff can be done 20 feet away from where you got your car. If you take forever getting into your car, it's only delaying them from bringing out more cars for everyone to be on their way.

Besides that, relax! Youre taking the Auto-Train to sit back and watch the world go by! Take that time and enjoy it!!!