Amtrak to The Happiest Place On Earth.

[Park Hopper Dad]

Hello. I returned a few weeks ago from my recent Amtrak trip to WDW. The trip down was great. We lost about a half hour going around a stalled freight train in V.A. And we were never able to make it up. We were 25 minutes late into Orlando. Not bad for 1050 miles. The food was good but the menu is a little limited for the dining car. the chefs specials were great. I met alot of people going to WDW and had the pleasure of running into a very nice couple I met on the train at EPCOT and Anminal Kingdom. The trip home was interesting. Amtrak now puts their sleeper cars at the back of the train. It is much quietier and alot less diesel smell. I slept alot better in my Roomette with this arangement. I hope they keep it this way. We had a great trip at WDW and were very sad about leaving, and I had pressing issue at home so the trip seemed longer than normal. I'm looking foward to doing this trip again. I'm thinking of doing part of the return leg of my next trip in coach to save some money. I met alot nice people in coach class and they said they were happy with their travels from Flordia to New York. Though I did notice alot of sleepy and tired looking coach passengers in the lounge car. I may do a half day trip to Montreal to see how I handle this.

Hi RR Mike,
Glad to hear that your train trip to WDW was pleasant.Remember my previous post?

[RRMike]

One thing I really like about being a DVC member is I already started planning our 2010 trip to WDW. Amtrak lets you book a train ten months in advance. I already booked my travel and got the center roomrette (quietest and smoother ride). Rates are good so booking early saves a good amount of money Let the countdown begin.

[MagicMom]

When I was 18 I took an Amtrak trip from Philadelphia to Ft. Lauderdale for a sports event. Myself and 2 friends sat in coach for the entire trip. That was ok because 1) I was 18 and cared about nothing! 2) There were 3 of us, so we sat 3 across and didn't really have to deal with too many other people.

I have to say I can't even dream of ever doing anything like that again. I love to travel by train. I am one of those "flying impaired" and the drugs are no match for my anxiety! The valium I took to China didn't work!

Anyway, I would absolutely love going to WDW on Amtrak, but like the others said, a roomette would be a must. I would not consider going even 1 mile without the ability to withdraw from public space. An Amtrak trip is not going to happen for me until my 2 year olds are a little more grown up.

Has anyone done the roomettes with really little kids?

[RRMike]

Hi Mgicmom. On my trip this past November I met two sisters that were traveling with their daughter/niece from Phillidelphia to Orlando, for their trip to WDW. They were staying in a roomette. I asked them if they were comfortable and they said it was working out fine. The lower berth should sleep two little kids fine. The back chair may be wide enough for them. There is a sink and toilet in the roomette. If it gets to stuffy in there you can go to the lounge car and stretch out. Try that on an airplane.

[grumpy of ohio]

I'm new to this board, but have used Amtrak alot of our trips, 43 to WDW and over 20 but train. We leave out of Ohio, train to DC and board another for Kissimmee, Florida. We rarely prebook a roomette but ask after we board in Dc is any are available, if there are you get conductors special rate, usually half price but you play the odds of none being available. We rather detrain in Kissimmee, Orlando station is a mad house, and boarding there to return home is worse. Kissimmee is the next stop after Orlando, 20 minutes more, small station and only a handful get off and board there. So much easier, less hassle and closer to WDW. We have a car service pick us up and they include a 30 minute grocery stop, so convenient. We've done all those trips without using or renting a car and it's one of the reasons we keep returning to WDW, no car needed, Disney transportation suits us just fine, and it's free. We did do the Auto Train, 30 years ago, 9+ hour drive to Lorton but we didn't know Disney back then but discovered after the trip, no car is needed to stay in WDW.

I have flown twice, not to my liking and won't even consider it anymore and driving at our age is just too tedious, stressful and too far. Amtrak has been doing the driving for us the past 20 years, we've had good trips and bad, nothing we couldn't cope with. Our fares average, from northeast Ohio to Kissimmee Florida, 450.00 round trip for the both of us in coach and like I stated, if we ask for a roomette after boarding in DC south, it's usually 150.00 for the both of us and all meals are included. We board in Ohio at 3:15 am so coach is fine to DC but we sort of like the roomette from DC to Kissimmee, we board that train around 6pm and have dinner and sack out, breakfast in the morning and we're in WDW. Roomettes are nice, expensive but we have done the entire trip in coach, it's very doable for one night.

We used to use the cabs from Kissimmee until we found a car service that picks up there and have been using the for the past 5 years. Their price is alittle above cab fare but they are professionals, Americans, super clean SUV's and that 30 minute grocery/alcohol stop is worth the extra. Eighty-eight dollars round trip, they monitor the train arrivals and are always there, waiting with sign in hand is an assurance we gladly are happy to pay for. We're headed in this Thursday night 3:15am train to WDW for our 43 trip, Wilderness Lodge again and using the same service. Happy vacations to all.

[grumpy of ohio]

We're back from our 43 trip, Amtrak again. Got to say this was the best trip. We usually get picked up in Alliance Ohio at 3:15 am and it is always late, usually 1-2 hours but this time it was right on the money, 3:15 am and off we went. We were gone 9/18-9/28. We lost no time to DC, we even were able to catch the earlier train out of DC. Beats sitting in the DC station for 6 hours getting out in 1 hour and getting into WDW earlier. Behold the WDW Gods, our train getting into Kissimmee was early, by 15 minutes, and we were in WDW by 11am. After a week of fun we reverse the process and again, both train were on time. Fantastic experience, over 15 trips to WDW via Amtrak and after arriving 6-9 hours late, getting picked up late and mishaps along the way, to finally see Amtrak getting it all together make me a better train traveler. We even got a roomette coming home, asked for one on board and got it for 175.00, meals included. I must say, the flat iron steak was one of the better meals I had all week, breakfast was top notched too. The only gripe is they ought to control the A/C alittle better, freezing is not cool air. Needing a blanket to keep from freezing in not fun. when the sun goes down, cut the A/C alittle bit, would make everyone alot happier.

[RRMike]

Hello all. I returned from a recent trip to WDW. It was a little different this time. I drove down from Connecticut this time and took AMTRAK back to New York. While drivivg down I 95 we went through some of the towns and cities Amtrak goes through. There were several times I wished I could have switched to the train. My time at WDW was brief but I was able to enjoy the food and wine festival. I was there in the beginning of October during a heat wave. I got a car service to pick me up at Saratoga Springs resort and take me to the Amtrak station in Orlando. My train was on time, and I arrived in N.Y. on time. The food was good and I slept well in my little roomette. The car attendant was very nice and appreciative of my use of Amtrak. He showed me the family bedroom. It will sleep three or more and had alot of room. It has its own bathroom with a shower. He also showed me an accessable bedroom able to sleep two people. There is a toilet but no shower. There is enough room to maneuver wheeled devices in there. There is easy acess from the room to the train exit. I'm looking foward to my upcoming trip this April. I will be using amtrak round trip this time.

[grumpy of ohio]

Hello all. I returned from a recent trip to WDW. It was a little different this time. I drove down from Connecticut this time and took AMTRAK back to New York. While drivivg down I 95 we went through some of the towns and cities Amtrak goes through. There were several times I wished I could have switched to the train. My time at WDW was brief but I was able to enjoy the food and wine festival. I was there in the beginning of October during a heat wave. I got a car service to pick me up at Saratoga Springs resort and take me to the Amtrak station in Orlando. My train was on time, and I arrived in N.Y. on time. The food was good and I slept well in my little roomette. The car attendant was very nice and appreciative of my use of Amtrak. He showed me the family bedroom. It will sleep three or more and had alot of room. It has its own bathroom with a shower. He also showed me an accessable bedroom able to sleep two people. There is a toilet and shower. There is enough room to maneuver wheeled devices in there. There is easy acess from the room to the train exit. I'm looking foward to my upcoming trip this April. I will be using amtrak round trip this time.

Ah, another train person. We've done alot of train trips to WDW over the years, at least 15 by train and the rest, 43 trips so far, by plane and driving. My only wish for our trip is that big lay over in DC, they got to shrink this some how. This past trip we made it into DC on time and were able to catch the first train out to Kissimmee, instead of getting into Kissimmee at 1:30pm we got in at 10:30am, like gaining a whole day, it was magic. Since our trips are on 2 different trains and the first we board at 3:15 am, we ride coach, and then when boarding in DC was always book coach and then ask on board for available sleepers and most always get one at half price, conductors special, can't beat it but you play the odds of none being available. We noticed this past trip, sleepers were at the rear of the train, more of them too. and just another tip, if boarding at a station that has Red Cap service, use them, they take you too your train and car before all the others board and you're seated and settled before the procession even begins all for the price of a tip, $1 or $2 per bag, we always use them in DC to board heading south, been in our seat 30 minutes before normal boarding, love the service. Here's my thoughts on the roomette, we've used them quite a few times from DC to Kissimmee and Kissimmee to DC and they are small, quite small to the point where I'm getting claustrophobic at night, but it's easier sleeping there than in a coach seat but have longed for that seat sometime in the night. Wife sleeps up top, no way could I manage that, antsy enough on the bottom, must be the old age but in coach, there is tons of room around the pair of seats, too bad the leg rest don't come up higher and the back goes alittle lower. No matter, it's all good, not a flyer at all, wish I could but too much anxiety isn't worth it for me.

[samartin]

I have seen many people say they use a car service from the train station to WDW, but which car service do you use? Have a family of four, two adults, one child, one baby. want to use Amtrak but not too sure of transportation from station to ASM and back. Need advice and referrals if possible. Thanks!

[grumpy of ohio]

I have seen many people say they use a car service from the train station to WDW, but which car service do you use? Have a family of four, two adults, one child, one baby. want to use Amtrak but not too sure of transportation from station to ASM and back. Need advice and referrals if possible. Thanks!

Hey there........If you've read all my posts, we're avid train travelers. We use Sunray Transportation from the Kissimmee station to WDW. They include a 30 minute grocery stop, a God send, and have used them for the past 6 years, and at least that many trips with never a problem. they monitor the train status, and if you're running late, are always there to meet you. They have an ad on mouseforless.com web site, believe if you mention that site you get a few bucks off, last trip ran us 100.00 round trip. It's nice to travel by train knowing that you have a reputable company waiting. Hope this helps, have a safe trip.

[RRMike]

Hi all. I recently returned from a wonderful vacation to WDW. Of course I took Amtrak from New York to Orlando again. Both trains were on time and the return train was even 45 minutes early. The food was good and the new arrangement with the sleeper cars at the back of the train makes for a quieter restful night. I slept very well in my roomette. The car service worked out very well. Both trains were delayed for some crossing issues , but were able to make up time. I'm looking foward to taking Amtrak on my next trip to WDW.

[grumpy of ohio]

We've also noticed that the trains are running more on schedule but there's always that bummer that makes you late. Glad RRmike had a great time....we also like the sleepers at the rear.

[GIOny]

If you have kids (ages 2-15) and take the auto train to Florida, Amtrack is offering a $19.00 ticket for kids (meals are included) if purchased by June 5. Travel dates must be between June 1-August 30th. That's a great deal
Amtrak - Deals - Advertised Specials - Take the Kids on Auto Train for Just $19 This Summer

[prickle]

With all of the train riding, do you still ride the train in Disney World?

[ohiodisneydad]

If you have kids (ages 2-15) and take the auto train to Florida, Amtrack is offering a $19.00 ticket for kids (meals are included) if purchased by June 5. Travel dates must be between June 1-August 30th. That's a great deal
Amtrak - Deals - Advertised Specials - Take the Kids on Auto Train for Just $19 This Summer

That is a heck of a deal. Maybe they'll do something in 2012 for our next trip