Wine Tasting - Coast Starlight

[trainfanmom]

OK, the more I read this board, the more questions I seem to come up with, LOL.

One thing that I would like to try during our upcoming trip on the CS is the wine tasting. Are children allowed to be in the PPC when the event is going on? If they are not allowed at the event, will they be allowed downstairs with a movie playing? My Mom and I would like to take advantage of the event but I am not comfortable leaving the kids in our sleeper car unattended (my oldest is 11 and I would be OK letting her watch her younger brother downstairs in the same car watching a movie though).

Thanks again.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

They try and show some sort of family movie in the lower level during the wine tasting to give kiddies something to do.

 

[the_traveler]

At first, I was going to say I don't know - because coach passengers can only enter the PPC if they have a ticket for the wine tasting and only during the wine tasting. But I forgot you will have a sleeper.

One of the perks of having a sleeper on the CS is that all sleeper passengers can enter the PPC at any time! You could (if you want) stay in the PPC for your entire ride and never use your sleeper!

So there will be no problem!

 

[AKA]

At first, I was going to say I don't know - because coach passengers can only enter the PPC if they have a ticket for the wine tasting and only during the wine tasting. But I forgot you will have a sleeper.
One of the perks of having a sleeper on the CS is that all sleeper passengers can enter the PPC at any time! You could (if you want) stay in the PPC for your entire ride and never use your sleeper!

So there will be no problem!

Are you saying that you could stay in the PPC overnight ?

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

At first, I was going to say I don't know - because coach passengers can only enter the PPC if they have a ticket for the wine tasting and only during the wine tasting. But I forgot you will have a sleeper.
One of the perks of having a sleeper on the CS is that all sleeper passengers can enter the PPC at any time! You could (if you want) stay in the PPC for your entire ride and never use your sleeper!

So there will be no problem!

Are you saying that you could stay in the PPC overnight ?

Technically, yes you could. It's just like the SSL in which you can stay all night in there-- I was up until midnight reading in the PPC and probably could have stayed there all night. The AC and a couple SAs walked by and didn't give a hoot.

Of course you have a sleeper in order to get into, so I don't know about sleeping in there...

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

... but I am not comfortable leaving the kids in our sleeper car unattended (my oldest is 11 and I would be OK letting her watch her younger brother downstairs in the same car watching a movie though).

I am a pretty paranoid parent myself, but I have always felt comfortable and safe with my kid when onboard a sleeper car. I mean, I would not leave the train, but I do walk to other parts of the train at night, while he is asleep in the room.

 

[sunchaser]

OK, the more I read this board, the more questions I seem to come up with, LOL.
One thing that I would like to try during our upcoming trip on the CS is the wine tasting. Are children allowed to be in the PPC when the event is going on? If they are not allowed at the event, will they be allowed downstairs with a movie playing? My Mom and I would like to take advantage of the event but I am not comfortable leaving the kids in our sleeper car unattended (my oldest is 11 and I would be OK letting her watch her younger brother downstairs in the same car watching a movie though).

Thanks again.

They ask the kids which movie they want to watch if there's a choice (the choices were pink panther or harry potter), then the kids go downstairs while the grown ups are upstairs. On July 1st, two girls didn't last long downstairs, but then again they looked like they were at most 4 & 6. They came back up and hung out w/mom & dad. There was no effort to get them to go back by staff, the dad tried to get them to go back downstairs. He did get them to go back. There were other kids down there, but a bit older. There's really no need to leave them in the sleeper. Relax!!! You will have fun, so will your kids! There's also some games available, if you ask the attendant they could possibly stay upstairs & play a game if they are quiet. They may allow that. Doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[trainfanmom]

They ask the kids which movie they want to watch if there's a choice (the choices were pink panther or harry potter), then the kids go downstairs while the grown ups are upstairs. On July 1st, two girls didn't last long downstairs, but then again they looked like they were at most 4 & 6. They came back up and hung out w/mom & dad. There was no effort to get them to go back by staff, the dad tried to get them to go back downstairs. He did get them to go back. There were other kids down there, but a bit older. There's really no need to leave them in the sleeper. Relax!!! You will have fun, so will your kids! There's also some games available, if you ask the attendant they could possibly stay upstairs & play a game if they are quiet. They may allow that. Doesn't hurt to ask.

Awesome! Thanks everyone. LOL - relax....that isn't something I am very good at but am hoping to accomplish on this adventure. This trip has been planned for months but as it is finally getting close (next week) and more so since I have been reading all of your adventures, I am finding myself more excited about it than my kids are We live just down the street from a very active freight line and while I have always loved the sound of the train whistle and bell, it is now a constant reminder of our upcoming trip :lol:

 

[AAARGH!]

At first, I was going to say I don't know - because coach passengers can only enter the PPC if they have a ticket for the wine tasting and only during the wine tasting. But I forgot you will have a sleeper.
One of the perks of having a sleeper on the CS is that all sleeper passengers can enter the PPC at any time! You could (if you want) stay in the PPC for your entire ride and never use your sleeper!

So there will be no problem!

Actually, on two CS legs last year that I was on, they asked sleeper passengers who did not 'buy' the wine tasting to exit the PPC to make room for those who did. I have also heard that if the train is not crowded, they don't ask people to leave.

 

[trainfanmom]

At first, I was going to say I don't know - because coach passengers can only enter the PPC if they have a ticket for the wine tasting and only during the wine tasting. But I forgot you will have a sleeper.
One of the perks of having a sleeper on the CS is that all sleeper passengers can enter the PPC at any time! You could (if you want) stay in the PPC for your entire ride and never use your sleeper!

So there will be no problem!

Actually, on two CS legs last year that I was on, they asked sleeper passengers who did not 'buy' the wine tasting to exit the PPC to make room for those who did. I have also heard that if the train is not crowded, they don't ask people to leave.

That will still work for us if they let the kids go downstairs to watch a movie. My Mom and I would like to attend the wine tasting event and I completely understand not having my kids take up a space that could be used for other people that want to attend the wine tasting.

I will update after my trip and let you know how it worked out

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

At first, I was going to say I don't know - because coach passengers can only enter the PPC if they have a ticket for the wine tasting and only during the wine tasting. But I forgot you will have a sleeper.
One of the perks of having a sleeper on the CS is that all sleeper passengers can enter the PPC at any time! You could (if you want) stay in the PPC for your entire ride and never use your sleeper!

So there will be no problem!

Actually, on two CS legs last year that I was on, they asked sleeper passengers who did not 'buy' the wine tasting to exit the PPC to make room for those who did. I have also heard that if the train is not crowded, they don't ask people to leave.

When I was on the CS the wine tasting filled the booths, the seats and two of the big chairs leaving only six seats for anybody else.

But there were hardly any sleepers on board the train, in fact we had to sell tickets to a number of coach pax to fill it--