-
The new WDWMAGIC iOS app is here!
Stay up to date with the latest Disney news, photos, and discussions right from your iPhone. The app is free to download and gives you quick access to news articles, forums, photo galleries, park hours, weather and Lightning Lane pricing. Learn More -
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Drive/ fly or train
- Thread starter sonyao
- Start date
Flying is the safest alternative. Driving nonstop will take a day... driving it like a sane human being will take 2 days. Amtrak... haven't done it, but I know that the Amtrak station in Orlando is quite a ways from WDW- do the autotrain if you have to do the train, that way you'll have your car with you.
photoflight
Well-Known Member
Like MKT said, it'll easily take 2 days to drive it - if you drive straight through with multiple drivers you can leave super early and get in between 1-3am the next day. Amtrak isn't a whole lot faster, but you sit back and enjoy the ride.
Can't help with the fear of flying, that's something you need to cope with - but consider this: it's only 2 hours from NY to Orlando. If you can cope with sitting in a chair reading a book for two hours then you'll be fine.
Can't help with the fear of flying, that's something you need to cope with - but consider this: it's only 2 hours from NY to Orlando. If you can cope with sitting in a chair reading a book for two hours then you'll be fine.
eagles
Active Member
i hate flying and refuse to use that mode. the last 2 trips i have used amtrak, and i love it. i have had coach seats going down, and return i have a room. i would like to have a room going down, but by the time i can afford the room, they are too expensive and i am not paying that much money.
if you want to take the train, buy your tickets as soon as possible, especially if you want a room, the room prices go up the closer to your travel date. i recommend a room also. but coach seats are ok, i just happen to have a really bad back and the seats are uncomfortable for me. but they are fine if you have no problems.
i get the train out of richmond va and i take it to orlando fl. i think it says it takes about 16 hours? there are several stops along the way, most are very short stops, although one time we arrived at jacksonville early and our stop there was pretty long.
i also don't worry about transportation to our disney hotel, i use sunrays and they are excellent. they have been on time and waiting for me at the train station. the last time my driver was picking someone else up and would be a few minutes late, but the other guy came and was there waiting for me, just so i would not be alone, he waited with me and helped me get my luggage til my driver showed up, (which was only a few minutes), but i thought that was great service.
the only real bad thing i can say about the train, is that a lot of the times it runs late, which causes delays. but if you alot for this, which we do, because it is just part of the train service, then there is no problems.
i have had no problems with the train at all (other than delays), and i have had adults, children ages 8 and even traveled with just my granddaughter age 2, no problems.
if you are afraid to fly and don't want to drive that long of a distance, i recommend the train.
we are actually thinking now about taking the train for our june trip.
if you want to take the train, buy your tickets as soon as possible, especially if you want a room, the room prices go up the closer to your travel date. i recommend a room also. but coach seats are ok, i just happen to have a really bad back and the seats are uncomfortable for me. but they are fine if you have no problems.
i get the train out of richmond va and i take it to orlando fl. i think it says it takes about 16 hours? there are several stops along the way, most are very short stops, although one time we arrived at jacksonville early and our stop there was pretty long.
i also don't worry about transportation to our disney hotel, i use sunrays and they are excellent. they have been on time and waiting for me at the train station. the last time my driver was picking someone else up and would be a few minutes late, but the other guy came and was there waiting for me, just so i would not be alone, he waited with me and helped me get my luggage til my driver showed up, (which was only a few minutes), but i thought that was great service.
the only real bad thing i can say about the train, is that a lot of the times it runs late, which causes delays. but if you alot for this, which we do, because it is just part of the train service, then there is no problems.
i have had no problems with the train at all (other than delays), and i have had adults, children ages 8 and even traveled with just my granddaughter age 2, no problems.
if you are afraid to fly and don't want to drive that long of a distance, i recommend the train.
we are actually thinking now about taking the train for our june trip.
happymom52003
Active Member
I was in your same situation just a couple of years ago. Even though I had flown countless times all over the world, I developed an intense phobia of flying. I went 6 years without stepping foot on a plane. When we decided to take our kids on their first WDW vacation a couple of years ago, we had planned to do the two day drive. But about a month before the trip, my DH talked me into flying. He convinced me that a 2 1/2 hour flight with our small kids would be alot less stressful and much safer than a two day car trip. I finally agreed, and found this free online fear of flying course.
It is free, and you do not have to give any personal info to take it. I did it twice before we left, and I really think it helped me. We went back to WDW 6 months later, and I took the course again before that trip. Now I do great on planes, and while I do admit to still getting a little nervous on take off, my fears have greatly diminished. You are MUCH safer flying than driving, and you will arrive at WDW in just a few hours, ready to start having fun. If you drive, you will arrive tired and stressed out!
You should check it out:
http://www.fearofflyinghelp.com/
I should add something though......don't feel pressured to fly. It really is a decision you have to come to on your own. I used to HATE it when people would try to talk me into fllying when I was going through my phobia! No one really understands how deep the fear can be unless they have been through it. I just wanted to let you know about this online course in case you do want to seriously consider flying, because it helped me so much.
If you do decide to not fly, personally I would drive over the train. You would be in control of things, and it is an added bonus to have a car while you are at WDW.
It is free, and you do not have to give any personal info to take it. I did it twice before we left, and I really think it helped me. We went back to WDW 6 months later, and I took the course again before that trip. Now I do great on planes, and while I do admit to still getting a little nervous on take off, my fears have greatly diminished. You are MUCH safer flying than driving, and you will arrive at WDW in just a few hours, ready to start having fun. If you drive, you will arrive tired and stressed out!
You should check it out:
http://www.fearofflyinghelp.com/
I should add something though......don't feel pressured to fly. It really is a decision you have to come to on your own. I used to HATE it when people would try to talk me into fllying when I was going through my phobia! No one really understands how deep the fear can be unless they have been through it. I just wanted to let you know about this online course in case you do want to seriously consider flying, because it helped me so much.
If you do decide to not fly, personally I would drive over the train. You would be in control of things, and it is an added bonus to have a car while you are at WDW.
JustPlainBill
Active Member
We drive from Chicago with no problems and usually roll on property by the evening of the next day, we stop overnight on the way down. We're not really afraid of flying so to speak, we just don't like to, as a whole. I don't know about trains, never having taken one that far before. If I'm going by land I'd rather do it by car. Maybe it's more about being more in control, if that's possible. Sure, you always have to worry about the next guy anyway you go. As long as you do a good job planning ahead, knowing the route and alternates, researching each states construction schedules and any stops you may need to have, it can be a good thing. We drove down the first time with the kids last summer and used the DVD player and it kept them quiet for a majority of the way. There was the occaisional melt down, but I was very happy with the way it went. Its not like it was when I was a kid, the roads are better and the cars are too. For people that are afraid to fly, the safety statistics between land vs. air travel don't really matter much. The logic might get you on the plane, but you'll be a basket of nerves all the way down and back. I'm all for facing your fears, it got me on the ToT, by the way. I've flown and driven to Florida, I like driving.
Monty
Brilliant...and Canadian
- In the Parks
- No
If you want your car with you, I recommend against taking the Autotrain. Unless you can sleep in a battle tank roaring across terrain, you'll get no sleep. We drove from Ottawa last June and took the Autotrain from Lorton, VA to Sanford, FL and it was absolutely wonderful service and an excellent meal, but trying to sleep in a bunk that's constantly trying to launch you across the room was impossible.
Until Amtrak upgrades the track and the suspension on the train cars, that ride is horrible. Which is a pity, because everything else about the trip with them was perfect! I had breakfast with an elderly couple who had taken the passenger train tour of the Rockies in Canada who said the difference between the two couldn't be more marked: The Canadian train was a five-star hotel on tracks, smooth as silk and the Autotrain was like riding an Abrams tank [thus the battle-tank reference above].
Until Amtrak upgrades the track and the suspension on the train cars, that ride is horrible. Which is a pity, because everything else about the trip with them was perfect! I had breakfast with an elderly couple who had taken the passenger train tour of the Rockies in Canada who said the difference between the two couldn't be more marked: The Canadian train was a five-star hotel on tracks, smooth as silk and the Autotrain was like riding an Abrams tank [thus the battle-tank reference above].
I hate to fly and of all things I marry a pilot. :brick:I cannot talk him into driving anywhere. I LOVE to go places though and I just tough it out on the plane and keep telling myself that I am going to Disney World and it will be over soon. I am really worried about this next trip though because we are taking our 3 year old son for the first time on a plane and first time to Disney. I hope he does not freak out. Take books to read with you and I have learned to book us on 757's because they have the TV's and that seems to help keep me calm and so does listening to music. I wish you the best of luck and just try to breathe and relax and remember you are going to Disney. Have fun. :wave:
Sheri
Sheri