Advice please for first trip to Kennedy Space Center this May (2 adults)
April 2, 2017 10:34 AM Subscribe
My wife and I will be at Disney World the first week of May (driving down) and intend to visit Kennedy Space Center (Sun May 7th & Mon May 8th) on the way back home. I have reviewed the advice at these 2013 and 2010 AskMeFIs, but was hoping for more recent advice (passage of years, new administration). More details follow.
Facts that may help you provide advice for our trip:
- We are in our early 60s and will have just walked all over Disney, so we're willing to spend money to ride around KSC
- We plan to stay in a hotel after leaving Disney late on Saturday, so we could get to KSC first thing Sunday, but is there any rush?
Pure questions:
1- We gather that the Then and Now tour is well regarded, the VAB tour seems to get mixed reviews...do you agree?
2- Is there enough to see to make it worth a 2 day visit (else we could visit somewhere else on the way home)
3- It seems like the parking/admission/tour + discount situation is a bit complex (and ties in with my previous question of 1 or 2 days), so do you have any cost saving tips (AAA,AARP)?
4- Is lunch with an astronaut worth scheduling around?
Of course, all other advice welcome. Thanks in advance.
Facts that may help you provide advice for our trip:
- We are in our early 60s and will have just walked all over Disney, so we're willing to spend money to ride around KSC
- We plan to stay in a hotel after leaving Disney late on Saturday, so we could get to KSC first thing Sunday, but is there any rush?
Pure questions:
1- We gather that the Then and Now tour is well regarded, the VAB tour seems to get mixed reviews...do you agree?
2- Is there enough to see to make it worth a 2 day visit (else we could visit somewhere else on the way home)
3- It seems like the parking/admission/tour + discount situation is a bit complex (and ties in with my previous question of 1 or 2 days), so do you have any cost saving tips (AAA,AARP)?
4- Is lunch with an astronaut worth scheduling around?
Of course, all other advice welcome. Thanks in advance.
Best answer: Don't schedule a trip around a rocket launch. They get delayed routinely, especially SpaceX, historically. Atlas dates used to be super reliable, but even they suffer from delays lately, witness the current standdown on the OA-7 launch. Keep up with this schedule, updated daily.
But once you are a few days away, if there is a remote chance that you can bend your plans to see a launch, absolutely do everything you can to do it. This is especially the case if you do happen to be there for the CRS-11 launch, because that one will have an RTLS landing -- 8 minutes after launch, the first stage will COME BACK. Sonic booms, rocket moving backwards, it's pretty insane.
If the SpaceX launch has the first stage landing on the barge ("ASDS") 100+ miles out in the ocean, then about 3-4 days after landing, that barge will be towed into Port Canaveral to be berthed and unloaded. If you miss a SpaceX launch by a couple days, you could still try to see that. Go to the Fishlips restaurant for the best view (and likely a crowd of F9 watchers).
It sounds like KSC renamed the bus tours. What was "Now and Then" may now be the "Early Space" tour. Absolutely go on that one, and *ANY* extra bus tour that you can.
Note that much of the KSC grounds are closed off (for security and safety) on SpaceX launch days, and also 2-3 days prior to launch for "static fire" day. But the Canaveral tours should still be operating.
Jargon: "KSC" is not the same as Cape Canaveral.
posted by intermod at 1:33 PM on April 2, 2017
But once you are a few days away, if there is a remote chance that you can bend your plans to see a launch, absolutely do everything you can to do it. This is especially the case if you do happen to be there for the CRS-11 launch, because that one will have an RTLS landing -- 8 minutes after launch, the first stage will COME BACK. Sonic booms, rocket moving backwards, it's pretty insane.
If the SpaceX launch has the first stage landing on the barge ("ASDS") 100+ miles out in the ocean, then about 3-4 days after landing, that barge will be towed into Port Canaveral to be berthed and unloaded. If you miss a SpaceX launch by a couple days, you could still try to see that. Go to the Fishlips restaurant for the best view (and likely a crowd of F9 watchers).
It sounds like KSC renamed the bus tours. What was "Now and Then" may now be the "Early Space" tour. Absolutely go on that one, and *ANY* extra bus tour that you can.
Note that much of the KSC grounds are closed off (for security and safety) on SpaceX launch days, and also 2-3 days prior to launch for "static fire" day. But the Canaveral tours should still be operating.
Jargon: "KSC" is not the same as Cape Canaveral.
posted by intermod at 1:33 PM on April 2, 2017
If you can, carve out some time to visit the canaveral national seashore. It's nearby and a a really spectacular drive out to the Atlantic ocean. It's one of the few places you can see scrub jays if you like birds.
posted by photoslob at 2:39 PM on April 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by photoslob at 2:39 PM on April 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: 1. I didn't take either of the tours that you mentioned, but I have taken the Launch Control Center Tour, and it was amazing. Highly recommended!
2. I would definitely recommend two days, especially if you're coming right off of long days of walking at Disney and/or looking to take a tour (and you should take a tour!). There is SO MUCH to see and do! I spent one really intense day there last summer from something like 8 or 9 am until closing, and didn't get to experience everything that I wanted to. Two days would allow you to spend a couple of hours exploring each day without getting exhausted.
3. Paying for things was very straightforward. You can buy tickets for everything online, via a kiosk when you arrive, or with the help of customer service folks at the visitor's center by the gates. You could also just call the 1-800 number. The website advises you about multi-day admission tickets, which are cheaper than buying two daily admissions and which include a parking discount. They are also good for a year's worth of visits, in case you envision yourselves returning. My advice? Just call the 1-800 number and let them walk you through building your itinerary and buying your tickets. I was extremely impressed with the customer service of literally everyone I interacted with from the vendor that runs the KSC Visitor's Complex, and I bet they would be happy to plan your visit.
4. I highly recommend lunch with an astronaut. If you can't do that, definitely attend one of the astronaut-led presentations. The presentation I went to was excellent; the astronaut was smart, funny, thoughtful, articulate, and I walked away from the encounter feeling both entertained and informed. Talking with, shaking hands with, and taking a selfie with an astronaut is simply not an opportunity you should let pass.
I hope you have a great time! I loved my visit and would go back in a heartbeat.
posted by the thought-fox at 2:43 PM on April 2, 2017
2. I would definitely recommend two days, especially if you're coming right off of long days of walking at Disney and/or looking to take a tour (and you should take a tour!). There is SO MUCH to see and do! I spent one really intense day there last summer from something like 8 or 9 am until closing, and didn't get to experience everything that I wanted to. Two days would allow you to spend a couple of hours exploring each day without getting exhausted.
3. Paying for things was very straightforward. You can buy tickets for everything online, via a kiosk when you arrive, or with the help of customer service folks at the visitor's center by the gates. You could also just call the 1-800 number. The website advises you about multi-day admission tickets, which are cheaper than buying two daily admissions and which include a parking discount. They are also good for a year's worth of visits, in case you envision yourselves returning. My advice? Just call the 1-800 number and let them walk you through building your itinerary and buying your tickets. I was extremely impressed with the customer service of literally everyone I interacted with from the vendor that runs the KSC Visitor's Complex, and I bet they would be happy to plan your visit.
4. I highly recommend lunch with an astronaut. If you can't do that, definitely attend one of the astronaut-led presentations. The presentation I went to was excellent; the astronaut was smart, funny, thoughtful, articulate, and I walked away from the encounter feeling both entertained and informed. Talking with, shaking hands with, and taking a selfie with an astronaut is simply not an opportunity you should let pass.
I hope you have a great time! I loved my visit and would go back in a heartbeat.
posted by the thought-fox at 2:43 PM on April 2, 2017
Best answer: Astronaut Hall of Fame next door. get a combo ticket for both, last time i was there it was one tour for the KSC. they now have the real Space Shuttle on display & you must spend time in the Saturn5 complex......have lunch there it is very good. make the last day at disney light. One of the waterparks or just hanging at the resort. then you will be ready for a REAL adventure!
posted by patnok at 5:07 PM on April 2, 2017
posted by patnok at 5:07 PM on April 2, 2017
Response by poster: Thanks everyone for your help. I just marked 3 as "best" based on our experience, but I am sure all of these replies will help folks in the future who come to this page.
We stayed overnight in Titusville after leaving Disney, then after a quick breakfast got to KSC and parked right up near the entrance a little before 9 AM, and so were there for the National Anthem, which was quite moving.
The admission was easy-peasy, 2 adults senior citizens plus parking. The scale of everything was of course enormous. The bus tour was great. The only thing that went over our heads was that we weren't going in a circle...that when they let us off it was a different area of KSC, and we were expected to either get back on the bus to return to our starting point or else catch the next bus. No big deal, just funny that we missed that. (:->)
Actually, they rushed us onto the next bus because they said they were hearing there might be an interruption to bus service due to secret squirrel stuff (such as RobotVoodooPower alluded to above).
Everything was well run and clean, the food was good and by chance the weather was fantastic!
We especially found it interesting to hear about the differences in how SpaceX was using the Center as opposed to NASA's earlier launches (I refer to the facilities and mechanics of launch).
As mentioned, the scale of the Atlantis shuttle indoors and the booster rockets outdoors were impressive. We also saw several "gators" during the bus tour.
We made it a 1 day excursion and then headed back home. Thanks again to everyone for the advice!
posted by forthright at 6:32 PM on May 29, 2017
We stayed overnight in Titusville after leaving Disney, then after a quick breakfast got to KSC and parked right up near the entrance a little before 9 AM, and so were there for the National Anthem, which was quite moving.
The admission was easy-peasy, 2 adults senior citizens plus parking. The scale of everything was of course enormous. The bus tour was great. The only thing that went over our heads was that we weren't going in a circle...that when they let us off it was a different area of KSC, and we were expected to either get back on the bus to return to our starting point or else catch the next bus. No big deal, just funny that we missed that. (:->)
Actually, they rushed us onto the next bus because they said they were hearing there might be an interruption to bus service due to secret squirrel stuff (such as RobotVoodooPower alluded to above).
Everything was well run and clean, the food was good and by chance the weather was fantastic!
We especially found it interesting to hear about the differences in how SpaceX was using the Center as opposed to NASA's earlier launches (I refer to the facilities and mechanics of launch).
As mentioned, the scale of the Atlantis shuttle indoors and the booster rockets outdoors were impressive. We also saw several "gators" during the bus tour.
We made it a 1 day excursion and then headed back home. Thanks again to everyone for the advice!
posted by forthright at 6:32 PM on May 29, 2017
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If you could postpone your trip by a week you might see a SpaceX launch on May 14 :)
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 11:13 AM on April 2, 2017