Any DVCers been to WDW during a space shuttle launch?

[MarieA]

Has anyone been to the world during a space shuttle launch? We are going to be at BCV from 8/6 - 8/13. As of now the shuttle is scheduled to launch at 7:02 on 8/7. Is it possible to see it from WDW? If so, where is the best area to see it?

Thanks.

[mom2rb]

We saw it from CSR in Dec. It was a night launch and it was amazing.

[El&Asmom]

We were on the road right outside DTD last year when we saw a shuttle go up. It was not a planned sighting. We were driving when we saw it and were both kinda like "was that a shuttle going up?" Sure enough, we heard later on the news that one had gone up that day. It was fun to see.

[WDWLVR]

We saw the shuttle launch last December as well. We were at the Poly and went out to the dock. A shuttle launch, the Electrical Water Pagent and Wishes....what a great night!

[brentm3]

Also very visible from the international gateway side of the lagoon in Epcot.

[WebmasterDoc]

We've seen about a half dozen shuttle launches over the years. By far, the nighttime launches are the most spectacular, but all are truly special.

You can see the lauch from almost any outdoor WDW location - just look toward the east. The local TV stations usually carry a live feed of these launches - so if you're in your room you can follow the video and then look out your door once the shuttle has cleared the launch pad.

We saw the most recent launch in June from our OKW balcony:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/photopost/data/500/9488ShuttleLaunch_003-med.jpg

[DisneyJen]

We've watched it from the beach at the Poly as well from the ferry dock area at MK. Both were day launches.

I bet the evening launches are amazing.

[ScottakaMickey]

That is the only advantage about FL being flat. You can see things like the shuttle from anywhere in the state, just about. We live in Tampa and watch it all the time. From Disney you just need to find an un-obstructed view, as much as possible, looking East and slightly south, then look up and you'll see it. If your in town I would recommend hopping on the East-West Toll way or one of the now many roads that head over to the East coast and get at least to I-95 and find a spot. The experience is much much better over there as you can feel the power. The only challenge is that the probability of delay is always High so you could spend valuable vacation time, but if you are into give it a try.

[Jerseygirl63]

Several years ago we went to the California Grill for dinner and by shear luck the shuttle went off about a half hour after we arrived and we watched it from the observation deck opposite of Magic Kingdom. It was very cool. We then went inside,ate a wonderful meal(don't miss the beef filet and California roll), and then we watched the fireworks off the other deck. What a perfect night:thumbsup2

[MarieA]

Thanks everyone. I hope that the launch is not postponed and we get a chance to see it.

[DisZip]

A while back we were at WDW when a launch was scheduled, but it was scrubbed and re-scheduled for the day we left.

We were actually in the air flying home when the shuttle launched, and the pilot got ATC clearance to make a course change so we could clear some clouds and see it.

[Inkmahm]

We were there last December and were just getting on our pontoon boat to go watch Illuminations when the shuttle launched. We had a great view of it! My DH was so excited, it was something he never thought he'd see in person in his lifetime.

[helenabear]

Almost 7 years ago we watched a shuttle launch from 'Ohana. It looked like a little rocket going off in the far distance. I would imagine anywhere you don't have a lot of foliage would be good to watch from :)

[gracelrm]

We stood on the bridge over the canal leading to the International Gateway on our June trip. We enjoyed it from there. Not quite as exciting as the time we were staying at VB and drove up to Titusville and watched it, but still really cool!

[fishermouse]

We saw it once on a day trip to Daaytona Beach, had no idea you could see it from WDW. Won't be ther on the 8th but I'll be on the look out in the future. :wizard:

[Deb & Bill]

We saw the one in early June from the MK. We were at the flagpole, I noticed it was about time and asked a CM which direction was east. I finally found one who told us to look between Tony's Restaurant and the Confectionary. A few minutes later, there it was. Took pictures of it, too. Now that brought tears to my eyes.

We also saw a night one from the bus between Epcot and OKW. Just as we were driving over the bridge toward OKW, there it was. Bright as day.

[CarnotaurDad]

Deb & Bill, we saw that one as well (in June of this year). DD and I were at DS for SWW and were able to see the launch. Fantastic. Got some great pictures as well. The entrail smoke lasted for a long, long time.

[jaurban]

We saw last December's night launch from MK (it was scrubbed from the Thursday and happend on the Saturday). We were near the castle hub and watched Spectro - then turned and looked toward space mountain about 15 minutes later - and the shuttle rose looking like it was coming right out of the mountain. We had a great perspective. The area around the mountain glowed white, then orange then you could see the "flame" come up and then it angled left as you look at it and the light became more of a white glow - for quite a while. After that - we turned toward the castle once more, and Wishes started. Timing could not have been better.

[CarolA]

If you have a car and want to spend the time, it's fun to go watch closer. I have seen several from various places in Florida but a few years ago when I was a Disney they were launching one and I drove over to Cocoa Beach and spent the day on the beach.

The row and lights are truly much more amazing that close!

[jimmytammy]

We just saw the most recent one in June. It was amazing! We ate at Ohana and saw it from the parking lot of the Poly. Just look slightly Northeast of wherever you are at WDW and you should be able to see it with no problem. Try to get a view where you see as much of the horizon as possible. It will last about 5 mins. to the point where you dont see the shuttle anymore. The trail of smoke will last a long time though. Hope all goes well and you get to see it. Mostly, its a huge fireball, but then becomes a dot across the sky.

[loveswdw]

We are SO hoping to see our first shuttle launch in October! We have friends who live on Merritt Island (where the Space Center is located) so they always have a great view (and a shaking house according to them when the launch goes!). We will be staying with them the Sat. the shuttle is supposed to launch. We are so keeping our fingers crossed that it will launch. We always seem to be in Florida during a launch that gets scrubbed so we don't get to see it. We've been coming to FL since 1998 and STILL haven't seen an actual launch yet!

We will be heading to OKW on Sunday 10/21 so even if the Sat. launch gets scrubbed we'll hopefully get to see one from WDW sometime that week.

[jekjones1558]

This photo is from last Dec. taken from BC. It doesn't really do justice. We were excited to see it:
http://home.comcast.net/~jekjones1558/shuttle.jpg

[mickey mouse lover]

We saw one from Magic Kingdom a couple of years ago. We were out front and to the side of the castle. It was real neat to be able to see it.

[flexsmom]

We were at the OKW pool on July 26, 2005, when Discovery launched - it was the first launch after the Columbia crash, and it was phenomenal. Every single person was out of the pool and a CM was reciting the countdown over a loudspeaker and made sure everyone knew where to look. Once the launch happened and you could see the smoke plume and the flame firing behind the engines, you could hear people urging it on "go, go, go".....in a couple of different lanuages. It was my first launch and truly spectacular!

[javamom]

Actually, I have not seen a shuttle launch from Disney. I did travel to Florida in '91, I think it was. To see the first shuttle launch post-Challenger. I stayed off-site, and watched the launch squatting in a marsh on the other side of the "bay." I could see the launch pad perfectly, all the ships in the "bay," and all the planes keeping the airspace clear.

It was thrilling doing the countdown with the radio. The whole time, i just kept saying, "Climb, climb, climb, please don't blow or anything." It was a thrilling thing to witness and I can still hear and feel the roar, even from that distance, after all this time.

I spent a whirl-wind day at WDW that trip as well. It was my first.

[DebbieB]

On my first trip to OKW in 2000, I saw a sunrise launch from building 26, looking down the fairway towards Downtown Disney.

[La2kw]

We saw it from Tomorrowland a couple years ago, from OKW last year, and from Cape Canaveral about 10 years ago. It's always an impressive site. We've also seen it land here in California a few times, which is also pretty cool to watch.

[Don12]

We were at the Magic Kingdom earlier this year in June during the last shuttle launch. We weren't even thinking about the launch, had just gotten off of Splash Mountain and noticed everyone looking to the East. We had no problem seeing the shuttle fly by and were even able to take some descent pictures...

[DISNEY FIX]

We were there last December and were just getting on our pontoon boat to go watch Illuminations when the shuttle launched. We had a great view of it! My DH was so excited, it was something he never thought he'd see in person in his lifetime.

We saw last December's night launch from MK (it was scrubbed from the Thursday and happend on the Saturday). We were near the castle hub and watched Spectro - then turned and looked toward space mountain about 15 minutes later - and the shuttle rose looking like it was coming right out of the mountain. We had a great perspective. The area around the mountain glowed white, then orange then you could see the "flame" come up and then it angled left as you look at it and the light became more of a white glow - for quite a while. After that - we turned toward the castle once more, and Wishes started. Timing could not have been better.

This photo is from last Dec. taken from BC. It doesn't really do justice. We were excited to see it:
http://home.comcast.net/~jekjones1558/shuttle.jpg


We were there too! Just as the Spectromagic parade ended in frontier town someone shouted "hey look it's the shuttle". The crowd went crazy with cheering and clapping. I caught it on my 80x camcorder, I could see the fuel cells fall away. What a moment.
Chris

[LOLA2]

:confused3 We will be getting on the Disney cruise on October 20 the day of a launch, I just hope we are up on board by time it take off at 12:50. I wonder how loud it is since we will be like right next to it?

[henri + katie's mum]

I was at POFQ last year in mid-July when the shuttle landed. I had the TV on and the door open and I kept running outside, but I didn't see anything. I don't even remember if I heard anything. :confused3

I guess launches are better for viewing. :cool2:

[La2kw]

I was at POFQ last year in mid-July when the shuttle landed. I had the TV on and the door open and I kept running outside, but I didn't see anything. I don't even remember if I heard anything. :confused3

I guess launches are better for viewing. :cool2:

You really need to be up close to see the landing. POFQ would not be close enough. I work about 30 miles from Edwards AFB where the shuttle used to land (and still does when it can't land in Florida). We always hear the sonic boom and feel the windows rattle. If you can get close enough to see it land, it pretty much appears to drop out of the sky very quickly. Launches are more spectacular because of the roar of the engines and the speed in which it launches. The fact that it's easy to see the plume of exhaust from a great distance, makes it much easier to spot than the landing, which doesn't have that plume of exhaust. You can see the plume from WDW but you can't really see the actual shuttle with the naked eye. I recommend anyone who's in Florida during a shuttle launch to head over to Canaveral and see it up close.