Has anyone used the Auto Train?

[disneygirl76]

Hi All!

My DH and I were chatting today and he mentioned some of his coworkers in DC have used the auto train. A train that lets you drive on a car and it takes you to near Orlando. Has anyone used it? I did a price check - for my DH and I, it didn't make any sense. We are just two adults and stay on property so we don't need a car. I can see maybe if you are a larger family, staying off property and are in need of a car that this might be a good idea. I would like to know what peoples thoughts are though.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I have not, but I believe @Monty has.

 

[slappy magoo]

You'll definitely find more responses and older threads in the Transportation. We took it in 2008, having booked it at a time when gas was going over 4 bucks a gallon so the cost of 2 adults (with infant traveling free), private room with private bath and the car transport was about the same as airfare plus a rental car. I enjoyed it more than my wife, and that was even with a baby who was cranky pants both ways, and would only sleep if I held her alllllll...niiiiiiight...looooooongg. But having the private room, we had a valet who was available to help us out whenever we needed it; they even had our dinner sent to our room so we wouldn't bother other travelers with Cranky Pants Magoo (the cost of Autotrain - whether it's coach or in a sleeper car - included both a full dinner and a continental breakfast). The other major perk (especially if you're traveling with kids) is that you can jam your car with everything you'll need or think you'll need when at WDW. We had her own pack and play, a bigger and a smaller stroller, plenty of diapers and baby food, etc. We only lived about 4 hours away from the VA train station so we didn't get stir crazy cramped in the car, and once you're in Florida you're only about an hour away fro WDW. I would do it in a heartbeat, my wife wasn't so enamored. Our last trip we didn't do it, despite my best efforts. My wife was worried that the new baby would be too loud, she didn't like the size of the bathrooms (and that in the private car, the toilet is right below the shower, skeeved her out for some reason). But I'll tell you this much, a few days before leaving for our most recent trip, she started pulling a Gob Bluth on me ("I think I've made a horrible mistake"), and any time we got stuck in traffic or had to pull over to feed or soothe our crying infant, we both thought the AutoTrain looked sweeter and sweeter.

 

[Monty]

I've gone south twice using the Autotrain. I have mixed feelings. The roomettes would be the only way I would consider it, coach would not be comfortable IMO. In roomettes you are treated very well, there is a valet in each car and service is impeccable. The food is top notch and all around it's worth the money... If you can sleep.

I'm a very finicky sleeper and normally the first night or two in a different bed I don't sleep well, if at all. On the Autotrain that was compounded by a very rough, bumpy ride and being in the upper deck a swaying bed. Our two trips I "rested" but got no sleep at all. Made for a very tired first few days at WDW. I'm told if you book early you can request a roomette on the lower level [normally for handicapped passengers, I think] which gives a bit smoother ride. If you're the sort that can sleep anywhere, then I would highly recommend it, the experience is amazing!

I've come to the conclusion that I'll only use Autotrain if I'm going for an extended trip, more than 10 days, so I have time to recover and enjoy more of the parks. I always drive back just because I am less pressed on when I arrive, if I decide to take an extra day driving back I can call work and take an extra day without any worries.

 

[foreverbelle]

I have not, but I have known two families who have sworn by it. The family and I have looked at it, and to us it just seems really expensive and not as convenient as we would like. Though if you use it for yourself I would love to know your own thoughts because we still toy with the idea every now and then.

 

[flynnibus]

For the time it takes.. it just doesn't seem worth it vs flying. Vs driving... if you are scared of driving that far, I guess it would be of value. But generally people are driving to save money - which seems counter intuitive for the auto train.

 

[msmit002]

I looked into it but it costs just as much to take the Autotrain as it does to fly and rent a car, and it takes 8 times as long to get to the destination?

Umm, no. Not for us.

 

[flynnibus]

I looked into it but it costs just as much to take the Autotrain as it does to fly and rent a car, and it takes 8 times as long to get to the destination?

Umm, no. Not for us.

In it's defense.. you could argue it's a much more enjoyable experience then flying 'in a bus' as many see air travel today and you have less hassles over luggage. But the time delta is just too large for most people.

 

[msmit002]

In it's defense.. you could argue it's a much more enjoyable experience then flying 'in a bus' as many see air travel today and you have less hassles over luggage. But the time delta is just too large for most people.

Yeah, for us its a 2 hour flight versus 16 hours on the train. Our problem is that we just wanna GET THERE!

 

[Redsky89]

I used it once. Worst traveling experience ever. I was bored to death. Yeah you aren't paying money to fill up your gas tank if you drive but your literally stuck on the train from beginning to end. There's no escape! I always just fly down. Did the train once cause it was suggested to me but I can't recommend it. But that's just my opinion. I know other people who love it.

 

[bgraham34]

My parents though of doing this years ago. They decided against because we needed to drive from NJ to DC to catch it. So 4 hour car ride then a 20 hour train ride did not seem worth it, plus it was more expensive.

 

[JillC LI]

When I was about 8 years old, my family took the autotrain to get to WDW. I'm sure this was a one-time "perfect storm" but the trip was a nightmare. First the climate control system broke, and then train was so hot that men were taking off their shirts and kids were walking around in bathing suits - that is, until it got SOOO hot that we were literallyburning our skin on the metal edges of the seats unless we covered them with clothes or towels! Then hours later, they finally got the A/C working, and it got so cold, we had to put our winter coats on! LOL (at least I can laugh about it now). Then, in the wee hours of the morning, we realized the train was going backwards, and when my parents inquired, we learned that the head cook had gotten off at the last stop, and they accidentally left without him so they had to go back for him! After that nightmare, our family vowed never to take the autotrain again. However, like I said, I doubt all those things have ever all happened again on one trip in the past 35 years since our experience!

 

[disneygirl76]

Thanks for all of your thoughts. At this time it is not for us. And really, may never be. It was much more expensive then I thought. And since we stay on property, then we don't need a car. So for us, there is no benefit. I like the idea of it - if you need your car and if you have kids and can just pack all there crap up in the car. But for us now, its not something that makes sense. Also, if and when we do have kids, Grandma and Grandpa live on Hilton Head so we will drive there, then head to WDW and then back to see them (have to pick up the babysitter! ) hee hee