Magnolia Room in New Orleans

[ThayerATM]

(Do not forget the hurricane to-go for you departure !!!)

What's a Hurricane to go?

I can't believe someone else didn't beat me to the punch here. My knowlege is 40 years old, but back then a hurricane was an alcoholic beverage designed for tourists by Pat Obrien's, a Bourbon Street bar and restaurant. The drink came with a souvenir glass, thus the "to go".

New Orleans is fascinating. You're free to walk down the street with a drink, as long as it's in a non-breakable cup. A glass "glass" is out. While Pat O'Briens does serve Hurricanes, (yes, an alcoholic drink) most bars in the Quarter will give you a "to go" cup for any drink. Actually, outside the Quarter you can also drink on the street, but the same rule applies to the container. It can't be glass.

 

[ScottC4746]

So to, ahem, get this back on track, pardon the pun, it sounds like my non travelling friend and I should sit out then since the room sounds smaller than the number of sleeper passangers. With that, do they make announcements in the main concourse for sleeper passangers to board, or should I keep an eye on the Magnolia Room door for a mass expodus of people?

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

So to, ahem, get this back on track, pardon the pun, it sounds like my non travelling friend and I should sit out then since the room sounds smaller than the number of sleeper passangers. With that, do they make announcements in the main concourse for sleeper passangers to board, or should I keep an eye on the Magnolia Room door for a mass expodus of people?

It is all right there together, just scout out the magnolia room, it does not have a big glaring entrance so look for it. Then sit facing it and you will see the people being escorted. Have your ticket ready to show as you approach the gate. You will not normally surrender it then but you do show it to them.

 

[MikefromCrete]

If you HAVE to be at the station early and you are in a sleeper, you might as well use the Magnolia Room...but it's not much to write home about. The chairs are more comfortable by a decent margin over the cheap plastic ones in the waiting room and there are magazines to read and a TV and coffee....but that's pretty much it. There are enough seats for about 18 people total, and it's usually full or close to it.

So, is there any space available in the station to expand the Magnolia Room and make it a full-size facility? My wife and I traveled on the City of New Orleans a few years ago and it seemed like they wasn't a whole lot of room anywhere in the Amtrak part of the building. We did get a ride on a golf cart to our sleeping car, however, and that was fun.

 

[AlanB]

Well the one rumor that we've heard has stated that some office currently in use by Amtrak would be used to expand the lounge. I'm not sure how much of an expansion that would make, and of course this is not confirmed either.