Walt Disney World to ORL or KIS

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Actually I'm not surprised that the cost is the same from Kis or Orl. Amtrak's not stupid, since both stations are close to Disney they are going to maximize their profits. Plus remember that the stations are only about 20 miles apart, so that's not really much of a difference in distance.

As for which train is cheaper, it's really going to depend on the demand at that time. I just ran a price check for a date in March, in my test it turned out to be the Meteor that cost more than the Star.

Now personally I'd probably recomend switching at NY, that way you'll get more in the way of free meals on a Silver Service train. Also should you ride the Acela Express, it would probably cost less from NYP to Bos as opposed to WAS-BOS. Besides the AE ride is more impressive NYP-BOS.
 
I also feel sometimes that Amtrak will keep prices high until a month before departure then drop them to fill up remaining space. This way they get the most they can out of revenues and then sell what's left. This also has been bugging me. Are the meals in the diner actually "free" or does Amtrak secretly add the price into the ticket and saying meals are "complimentary".
 
Amfleet said:
I also feel sometimes that Amtrak will keep prices high until a month before departure then drop them to fill up remaining space.
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While I would never say never, unlike James Bond, I've have never seen a sleeper priced for less money during the final month before departure. Coach seats yes, but sleepers never. I've always gotten the best prices by booking at least 2 to 3 months in advance. Plus I always go back to keep checking just to see what's up.

Amtrak probably should have variable pricing, just like the airlines, and it's been talked about before. However, last I knew they were still using the over 50% full raise the price method.

Are the meals in the diner actually "free" or does Amtrak secretly add the price into the ticket and saying meals are "complimentary".
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That's kind of hard to answer and I'm not really sure that in the long run it really matters, you are going to pay for it one way or another. However, the official policy is that you are paying for the sleeper only. The meals are thrown in for free. This is something that some have criticized Amtrak for, and they say that Amtrak could improve its bottom line by stopping this practice. Remember that the sleeper passengers are fully half to three-fourths the business in the dining car. So that's a hefty expense to incur.

Finally one further piece of evidence that supports the fact that meals are free is the fact that the price of the room does not change regardless of how many people are riding in the room.

I would suspect however that the free meals do at least influence the prices that Amtrak sets for the rooms.

One final thought is that this makes it far more convenient for the first class passengers, by just including the meals. So even if Amtrak charges you a little more for the room up front, it still makes your life easier along with the crew.
 
With the age issue, I do not believe that you will have too much of a problem. Some stations post a policy in this regard, I believe Sacramento does and I'll look tomorrow for you. The only thing that would cause me to wonder is that at some stations they check ID's for certain services. I am not 100% sure if at NYP they do this for all services but they do on the international trains. Also, if you personally pick up tickets they will want you to show ID. If your state allows 16 year olds to have learner's permits this is a good incentive to get one as State issued ID is preferred, plus if on the off chance something happens to you in Florida the authorities will appreciate it.
 
I will have my drivers liscence by April and my friend will have his permit. Last year when my Mom picked up tickets at West Palm Beach she was asked for an ID. I think to be on the "safe" side I will just have the tickets mailed to my house.
 
Amfleet said:
I think to be on the "safe" side I will just have the tickets mailed to my house.
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That would be my recommendation. :)

It's easier and it avoids all questions. However, since as I showed you via the link, Amtrak has no policy with regard to someone your age they can't refuse you travel as long as you can provide some ID. Since you say that you'll have your license by then, that would be more than sufficient. However, Amtrak would probably also accept a school ID especially if it has a picture.

Besides just look at Battalion, he took all those trips this summer without a chaperone. Granted that he didn't have a sleeper, but still no one ever bothered him. Plus my instincts tell me based upon my communications with you, that you are far too smart to act up and do something stupid to attract attention to yourself. B) You already know what to expect from train travel, you know what you can and can’t do, and you understand that train travel can be serious and dangerous as well as a lot of fun.

I think everything will work out just fine for you on this trip, assuming that you can get permission from the parents. Hope it all works out for you. :)
 
Plus my instincts tell me based upon my communications with you, that you are far too smart to act up and do something stupid to attract attention to yourself.
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If I'm with a freind we can tend to have a few laughs and act up a little bit, but other wise I'm (we) are pretty calm. I don't do drugs, smoke, drink, or do anyting illegal so I should be fine. The school ID thing has worked for me before, but do too budget cuts they won't be issuing new ID's and the picture and the info on the card will be 2 years old come April. Thanks for the help. B)
 
AlanB said:
Viewliner said:
Remember though, he has a Florida Rail Pass.
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Which doesn't change the fact that he's still a minor and was traveling unchaperoned.
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I remember him saying that he did have problems puchasing a new one without a parent a while back.
 
Amfleet said:
Plus my instincts tell me based upon my communications with you, that you are far too smart to act up and do something stupid to attract attention to yourself.
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If I'm with a freind we can tend to have a few laughs and act up a little bit, but other wise I'm (we) are pretty calm. I don't do drugs, smoke, drink, or do anyting illegal so I should be fine. The school ID thing has worked for me before, but do too budget cuts they won't be issuing new ID's and the picture and the info on the card will be 2 years old come April. Thanks for the help. B)
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This reminds me of an incident that I experienced many years ago. I was an Operations Manager for Greyhound at the time; I believe it was in the late 1970's.

Mom and Dad were attempting to send their young son, about 12, solo on a 2000 mile trip with 3 intermediate transfers involved. My first reaction was, "No way, Jose!" His parents reassured me that the kid knew what he was doing.

After interviewing the boy for a few minutes, I learned that he had his entire itinerary memorized. Very few mature adult passengers could top this!

I let him ride with the admonition, "Get on the bus, Gus!" (This was the title of a popular song at the time.)

I recall running into the driver of his first leg of the trip a few days later. He told me that the kid talked "shop" with him the whole way. I can imagine that there are a whole bunch of retired Greyhound drivers with stories to tell about their experiences with this young traveler.
 
Allen Dee said:
Amfleet said:
Plus my instincts tell me based upon my communications with you, that you are far too smart to act up and do something stupid to attract attention to yourself.
Click to expand...
If I'm with a freind we can tend to have a few laughs and act up a little bit, but other wise I'm (we) are pretty calm. I don't do drugs, smoke, drink, or do anyting illegal so I should be fine. The school ID thing has worked for me before, but do too budget cuts they won't be issuing new ID's and the picture and the info on the card will be 2 years old come April. Thanks for the help. B)
Click to expand...
This reminds me of an incident that I experienced many years ago. I was an Operations Manager for Greyhound at the time; I believe it was in the late 1970's.

Mom and Dad were attempting to send their young son, about 12, solo on a 2000 mile trip with 3 intermediate transfers involved. My first reaction was, "No way, Jose!" His parents reassured me that the kid knew what he was doing.

After interviewing the boy for a few minutes, I learned that he had his entire itinerary memorized. Very few mature adult passengers could top this!

I let him ride with the admonition, "Get on the bus, Gus!" (This was the title of a popular song at the time.)

I recall running into the driver of his first leg of the trip a few days later. He told me that the kid talked "shop" with him the whole way. I can imagine that there a whole bunch of retired Greyhound drivers with stories to tell about their experiences with this young traveler.
Click to expand...
Its very unfortunate how sometimes we're looked at as less compitent or intelligent than adults, when in actuallity, we are as compitent or intelligent or more than some who say we are.
 
Two things to the 2 guys traveling to Florida:

1) official Amtrak policy regarding "children" traveling alone allows for anyone 12 and up to travel unaccompanied. Since you are 16, you should face no difficulty when booking and purchasing your adult-fare ticket. Additionally, since your friend is 15, he will qualify for the child's half-fare so long as he is traveling with you at all times. (A paid adult fare is required to 'unlock' the half-fare for accompanying children. A Student Advantage discount applied to your adult fare does not change this.)

2) the Coach USA shuttles operate from Orlando's Amtrak station to numerous attractions and hotels. To book the shuttle, use a destination city-code of 'ORX' -- or have your booking agent use that code. return trips are also booked using 'ORX' as the origin point. The city code for the Orlando Amtrak station is 'ORL', so the shuttle tickets will show ORL to ORX or ORX to ORL.
 
cbaker said:
2) the Coach USA shuttles operate from Orlando's Amtrak station to numerous attractions and hotels. To book the shuttle, use a destination city-code of 'ORX' -- or have your booking agent use that code. return trips are also booked using 'ORX' as the origin point. The city code for the Orlando Amtrak station is 'ORL', so the shuttle tickets will show ORL to ORX or ORX to ORL.
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I just tried the code "ORX" using the online system. The reservation system won't accept that station code. So I think you still have to either do it in person, via the phone, or through a travel agent.
 
Amfleet said:
Regarding the Student advantage discount. How come online it will not let me use it with another traveler?
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Probably because your using it in a mixed travel mode. Some discounts apply only to the person booking a trip, while some like AAA apply to all on the same reservation. As an example, when I went with my mom back in Dec of 2000 to Florida as a treat for her birthday, I needed to split the discounts. I only qualified for a AAA discount of 10%, she however qualified for senior citizen discount. So I couldn't book it online unless I only wanted the same 10% discount for her railfare.

By calling up the 800 number, I was still able to get the 10% AAA for me, while getting my mom the 15% discount as a senior.

You are having trouble because only you have a student advantage number, unless you have a student advantage number for your friend it won't work. Your discount won't apply to him. He would need to have his own number to get a discount. Otherwise you will get your discount, but he will pay full price.

Also note that you can't use a AAA for him while using student A for you, at least not online.
 
I would definitely recommend KIS station for anyone travelling to disney on board a Silver Service Train (not an option for sunset or AT passengers). KIS station is much smaller, and therefore greatly simplifies the boarding process, usually 20 at KIS, while 120-160 a ORL. While the employees at KIS are known as incomptent when it comes to forcing people with overweight bags to check, they do a fair job. KIS station also has a semaphore (signal) on it which permanently displays a Stop Signal, letting trains know this is the station (because at one time there was another new station down the road, which never was used and has been demolished). KIS station is also I believe five miles from the house of the Mouse. The closest point CSX tracks get to Disney is at the Lougham curve 3 miles south of KIS station. (One idea being kicked around is that when/if Orlando Light Rail is started is a spur off the main line at the Lougham curve to the Disney Transportation Center. ) So I would definitely recommend KIS station to all passengers going to Disney, Universal however is ORL territory.
 
Yes, maybe the Cheif is right. But Kissimmee seemed to be a little more run down (not that Orlando is a prize itself, but to me its "the lesser of two evils").
 
Plus, at least until that possible light rail goes through, transportation options are much better at Orlando.
 
My parents gave the no on that trip. As ussual they don't trust me alone overnight and are worreid of the train being derailed or "hijacked". Unless some miricle hits them in the back of their head I'm not going. Oh well there's still parts of the Northeast to ponder. B)

Thanks for the help though. :)
 
Sorry to hear about it. Have you pointed out how ridiculous someone highjacking the train is. I'd like to take a trip on my own sometime, my parents would probably let me go visit my grandparents in Florida, I'd have an even better chance if I save up for it.
 
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