The little astronauts...

[moericus]

So my son is throwing a wrench in our wdw planning. He is so crazy for space right now thanks to Tomorrowland's Miles and his own granddad. I decided to add Kennedy Space Center to our 9 night stay this January.

We are BLT and BWV owners on our 4th trip. And we come from Maryland so we typically take all Disney transportation. This will be our first journey out of the world.

So what's the preferred method to get there?
I read about rental cars available at the dolphin and downtown Disney. Are there any shuttles/tours that are good?

Should we pack lunches?

What are the best kid's imax movies and exhibits there? Also heard about an airboat ride, suitable for a 4 year old?

Anything there specifically for my young daughter to see?

Are there any noteworthy deals for tickets/food? The lunch with an astronaut looks awesome.

Are the parks or DVC doing much for Miles right now? He also likes Star Wars. But he really enjoys space, planets, rockets, shuttles, etc..​

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I cannot help with the recommendations for best kid's touring at Kennedy but it is an enjoyable visit. We've always driven over ourselves. They have dining available which I'd find more fun to eat at, although it's nothing to write home about, but I'd skip the packed lunches unless it's a budget item. There are various tours you can take that do change a bit but definitely go to the Apollo/Saturn V center which is included with your admission. They have a Saturn V rocket on display which he ought to find very fascinating. I'm not aware of the airboat ride at Kennedy either. It's usually a pretty full day with the travel and if you go around to the various exhibits even without adding any additional tour and I'm not certain how much time you'd have for the airboat.

 

[rlovew]

If you enjoy thrill rides you definitely want to take the time for the launch experience (allowing you to see what a launch feels like) which is included in admission. I would say that the journey to space movie would be more interesting to children than the Hubble telescope one (although you can plan to do both if you wish). I am going to see my uncle tomorrow that works as a tour guide at KSC and I will ask him what he would recommend for that age as well as what he has heard from people about lunch with an astronaut- while I have been there, he will be a much better source of information.

I don't know if it is still there but they have had an outdoor playground with space shaped things to play on in the past that children of your ages would probably enjoy unless it is really cold out.

If your daughter enjoys wildlife then she may really enjoy seeing various things as they go on the buses between parts of the center.

They also have a nice store with lots of small as well as larger souvenirs that you might plan on letting him get something at.

 

[keishashadow]

Highly recommend a visit!!! Lots to see and do, something for everybody there. It truly does make learning about the space program fun.

I'd rent a car or van onsite @ WDW. Suggest being @ KSC when it opens for maximum time and to beat the crowd.

 

[moericus]

I am going to see my uncle tomorrow that works as a tour guide at KSC and I will ask him what he would recommend for that age as well as what he has heard from people about lunch with an astronaut- while I have been there, he will be a much better source of information.

That sounds great!

If your daughter enjoys wildlife then she may really enjoy seeing various things as they go on the buses between parts of the center.

I was also wondering if there are any women in space exhibits.

I'd rent a car or van onsite @ WDW. Suggest being @ KSC when it opens for maximum time and to beat the crowd.

What's the easiest way for DVC members to get a rental car at BWV these days? I heard the Dolphin had a rental car place within walking distance.

 

[carlbarry]

Watching. I visited in 2006, and hope to go back January.

 

[bumbershoot]

I read about rental cars available at the dolphin and downtown Disney.

There are rental cars at the Swan and the Dolphin. One is Alamo and one is National (though those are the same company LOL). There aren't rentals at DTD, but there is the Car Care Center over near MK. CCC has shuttles (they are both Alamo and National). Give them at least an hour of lead time while they are open and they'll come pick you up for you to get your rental. And they'll take you where you need to be on WDW property once you turn in the car.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

There are rental cars at the Swan and the Dolphin. One is Alamo and one is National (though those are the same company LOL). There aren't rentals at DTD, but there is the Car Care Center over near MK. CCC has shuttles (they are both Alamo and National). Give them at least an hour of lead time while they are open and they'll come pick you up for you to get your rental. And they'll take you where you need to be on WDW property once you turn in the car.

I believe that Dollar and one other, perhaps Enterprise, have rentals across the street from DTD which is what is usually being referred to.

 

[rlovew]

I talked with my u,cle a couple of days ago. Lunch with an astronaut is a buffet with upwards of 50 people, not anything private like Dine with an Imagineer. He also mentioned they have a ask an astronaut program that is free where you sit in a theatre and after the astronaut shares the audience asks questions.

About females, there are not specfic female only spots but since there have been female astronauts there contributions are in the areas about the missions they were a part of.

 

[Brancaneve]

We absolutely LOVED our visit to the KSS, more than I thought. It was a fascinating tout of something that seems even more "magical" than the Disney experience. We drove there with a rental car and it was a very easy, pleasant drive.

Did you know that free tickets are available through your local congressman (unless it's changed in the past few years)? That was an extra bonus for me.

 

[keishashadow]

op - sorry for the delay but info above is solid the dolphin pickup is convenient but their early closure usually equates to a 2 day rental. with some plugging away, using codes & coupons (or priceline/hotwire if all else fails), I usually can rent a vehicle for same $ ballpark as the rates i've found @ Dolphin.

 

[a742246]

When you go to Kennedy Space Museum, you also get free admission to the astronauts hall of fame museum just a few miles away. I think you can go the next day (It is good for a couple of hours).

 

[carlbarry]

When you go to Kennedy Space Museum, you also get free admission to the astronauts hall of fame museum just a few miles away. I think you can go the next day (It is good for a couple of hours).

You have 7 days to go to the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.

 

[schoen]

If you are going to rent a car for one day, I highly reccomend getting it for your whole stay. Having a car has made our trips so much more enjoyable. MCO rentals are very affordable/competitive.

 

[mom2cgj]

Did you know that free tickets are available through your local congressman (unless it's changed in the past few years)? That was an extra bonus for me.

Unfortunately this did change, at least according to our congressman's office. We did this back in 2013 and it was great. Looked into it again for our January trip, and we are going to have to pay for tickets this time. Still definitely worth it with space nuts in the family, especially since we were there before the shuttle exhibit opened last time!

I would plan to be there when it opens, and know that you will most like be there all day. I can't help with transportation - we go either at the beginning or end of our trip and stay in Cocoa Beach with a rental car. As far as food goes, there are a couple of places to eat onsite, but we found the food to be pretty awful. That said, it could very well have improved since we were there. The Saturn V center (free bus tour with admission) is absolutely a must do. We also enjoy the visit with an astronaut - an astronaut talks for a few minutes and then lets you ask questions and you can get a picture with them afterwards. My son loved that. The launch experience is cool, but you have to be a certain height to do it, just so you are prepared for that. We are planning to do one of the additional tours this time, but I'm not sure I would on the first visit - there is so much other stuff to see there. Try and get in on a walking tour of the rocket garden, too. The guides know a lot about the different rockets and you will learn a lot of interesting facts.

 

[a742246]

The food is still awful as of November 2014.

 

[moericus]

Where does the time go? I spent a week at the beach and the next thing I know I can barely remember making this thread. But this is all EXTERMELY HELPFUL!!!

My boy has watched Apollo 13 more times then I can count now. He wants to be Gene Kranz for Halloween now (which my wife isn't crazy about but I think we can pull it off). With LEGOs he has built a space shuttle with operating cargo bay doors, a Saturn V rocket that splits into modules and carries astronaut lego men, a launch tower, a mars rover, etc....

Meanwhile my daughter is still in love with Miles and like a devoted girlfriend/wife will listen to my son rant away about the gas clouds of Venus.

Is Miles from Tomorrowland showing up in the parks anywhere?

I talked with my u,cle a couple of days ago. Lunch with an astronaut is a buffet with upwards of 50 people, not anything private like Dine with an Imagineer. He also mentioned they have a ask an astronaut program that is free where you sit in a theatre and after the astronaut shares the audience asks questions.

About females, there are not specfic female only spots but since there have been female astronauts there contributions are in the areas about the missions they were a part of.

The Ask an Astronaut program sounds like a winner! I know my little guy will excite them with his passion for learning about space.

op - sorry for the delay but info above is solid the dolphin pickup is convenient but their early closure usually equates to a 2 day rental. with some plugging away, using codes & coupons (or priceline/hotwire if all else fails), I usually can rent a vehicle for same $ ballpark as the rates i've found @ Dolphin.

I think we are going to rent a car from the Dolphin for the day. I heard they had a key night drop off box to avoid the "2-day" rental. So I think that's our best option. We'll be staying at Boardwalk during that part of the week so it should be close enough.

The food is still awful as of November 2014.

NOTED! Maybe we can pack lunches.

 

[Micca]

We took our twin DDs to KSS as an off-shoot of a WDW trip when they were around the age of your children. The DDs are all grown up now, but there's something DW and I will always remember. In the gift shop at Kennedy they had some pajama sets that looked like astronaut suits. OMG they were so cute in those, and they liked them so much they wore them as their Halloween costumes. Dunno if they still have them, I'd like to find them for our granddaughters.

 

[Flight]

My boy has watched Apollo 13 more times then I can count now. He wants to be Gene Kranz for Halloween now (which my wife isn't crazy about but I think we can pull it off). With LEGOs he has built a space shuttle with operating cargo bay doors, a Saturn V rocket that splits into modules and carries astronaut lego men, a launch tower, a mars rover, etc....

Thank you for that! There is still hope for this country with youngsters still interested in exploration, adventure, and the search for knowledge.

We have made several trips to the Kennedy Space Center. For us, it is at least a day and a half that includes the Astronaut Hall of Fame which is part of your admission. It is located on the mainland separate from the Kennedy Space Center. Not far away and you will drive past it when going to the Space Center.

I am in awe when going to the Saturn V Center and being that close to that marvel of technology. Be sure to take the bus tour which is included in your admission that takes you there.

On many of our trips we found the food quality to be marginal and expensive, but on our lat wee found it to be greatly improved.

The Ask an Astronaut program is worth attending. Make sure your son has a question for the astronaut.

I don't know what is currently playing, but the IMAX theater has some great shows on the space program.

When we go, we are the first to enter in the morning and the last to leave in the evening. Lots to see and enjoy with your level of interest in the space program.

 

[moericus]

Last Saturday we took the kids to the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. It's a Smithsonian Annex right next to Dulles Airport in Washington, DC. It's free except a $15 charge for parking. There is a huge McDonald's on site for lunch. A 5 story tall IMAX that shows educational and blockbuster movies. The entire place is temperature contolled and immaculate (you could spend all day just looking for dust). And, they have some of the most knowledgeable tour guides I've ever witnessed. I highly recommend going there!


The Space Shuttle Discovery is there. That was our main attraction. There are also several Gemini and Mercury capsules, satellite models, the canadarm, and neat Apollo-era artifacts. Including the Apollo 11 camera my father built parts for way back when. The Shuttle is amazing when you stand next to it. It's hard to believe how small it is compared to some of the Boeing planes. Yet, just it’s presence is inspiring.


Other noteworthy planes housed there are: The Concord, a Blackbird, Soviet MiG, the Enola Gay, and a F-14.


My son was beside himself pretty much the whole trip. The docents loved him as well. In addition to frequent free tours there were several learning stations set up. Honestly, I couldn't believe how much was offered there for free. We spent an entire day there and still missed a few things.


My daughter is becoming less interested in space now mostly out of jealousy. She is considering it "boy stuff" which breaks my heart. She did snap out of it when we went took the elevator up to the suspended walkway. There are lots of planes suspended from the rafters and you can get a much better view up there. There was something about how cool it was to be high up in the air looking down on the planes. Maybe it was how her actual perspective changed. It must be tough to appreciate airplanes when you’re 3 feet tall.