Anyone have Kennedy Space Center tips?

[PRINCESS VIJA]

A good friend from the Dis, that you all know over here on this board ~ Wovenwonder~ suggested I come to you for help! We are planning to visit KSC next year, and I am having a hard time finding out information. I received their pamphlet, but it is really vague. And I was a little confused from their web site. I am looking for ino on the different tours and what it includes. How do you like it and how do you know which tour is best for your family? Has anyone done the astonout dining encounter? It looks like fun.
Any tips would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

 

[snelsonbrown]

Hello there,
my name is Shirley and I live here in Brevard County - once upon a time the center was opened at no charge and I would take my children or family or friends at all times there - simply there is so much history, so much to see and so much to learn and I recommend it to anyone that just enjoys anything that has to do with space and our future - KSC - now I co have coupons with monies off that you are most welcomed to. I no longer go to the KSC, but I understand it is not cheap - that is so sad too - anyhow if I can help in any way - just email me and will answer any questions you may have, the best way i know how.
Take care
Always
Shirley

 

[shefor24]

We really enjoyed KSC, but I didn't realize it was going to be a full day there. I planned on just maybe 3-4 hours, but man, there is a lot to see and if you have afamily member like my DH, who loves that kind of stuff and has to see everything there is to see....plan on a full day there. It IS really neat. When we were there they were bringing the shuttle that had to land in I think it was Texas because of bad weather in FL, they were bringing that in by piggyback. BOY was that ever a sight to see! It was neat, we actually got a good picture of it too. SO enjoy it, but plan on a long time there, and I highly--HIGHLY recommend taking some sandwiches or something for your lunch. Believe me- you will save a ton of money if you do that!! Sure wish we would of. It was very expensive for just hot dogs and chips.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Princess:
I had the same problem you are having....I couldn't get good info on KSC anywhere. Well, we've researched as much as we can and are headed over next Saturday so post again then and I will try to help. Also, I started a thread on the "Other Orlando Attractions" part of this board looking for info.

Here's what I found out. There is the "regular" bus tour which is unguided drops you at 3 destinations and you wander around each area (sorry, not sure which places) and then get back on a bus at your leisure and continue to the next stop. Then there is the "up close and personal" tour which is the one we are doing. This includes a guided bus tour where you are not just dropped off but are toured around the areas and it goes to different places than the "regular" tour. This ticket also includes the IMAX movies and the visitor center area and museums. The bus tour portion takes 90 minutes. The "up close" tour costs $46 for adults and $36 for children but we though it was worth it to have the guided tour and plus it includes everything (except food).

Hope I've helped somewhat.....I know their website is very unclear as to what your options are. We plan to arrive at about noon (we've already booked our tour as you need to do that early) and stay until closing at 5:30pm. We figure that should be enough time.

 

[tksbaskets]

tip #1 - take LOTS OF MONEY - it cost more to get into the KSS and take the launch pad tour than a day at Disney.

Tip #2 - there is no way to do the entire KSS in one day so plan on missing some things. We saved the IMAX movie until the end and couldn't make it in time. (we were all running to get there too)

Tip #3 - young children are bored out of their gords. You've seen one launch pad, you've seen them all. Could it be that we should have gone there BEFORE Disney?

All this said, my DH really enjoyed the space center because he remembered the launches and all.

 

[MickeyMagic]

Sonya Francisco

DD10 and I are staying at the Radisson at the Port the night before our cruise. We are considering leaving WDW early and doing a visit to KSC.

You mention you've made reservations for the guided tour. That sounds like what we'd be interested in. Did you book online or call? Can you steer me in the right direction?

Also, I would need transportation from Radisson to KSC and back. Do you know if I could arrange for a cab?

Thanks!!

 

[DisneySlave]

Here is the website to the KSC:KSC

 

[cruisnfamily]

Mickey Magic: You can order the actual tickets online but this is not what we did. I called the "group sales" phone number.(I used that one because the other numbers were all pre recorded info) and spoke to a fabulous young lady. I explained that we were not a group, just a family of 4. She told us all about the tours that are available and helped us chose this one. She then told us what times it was available on the day we would be going and made our reservations and gave me a confirmation number. When we arrive at the Center we are to go to the "will call" windows and present our confirmation number and purchase the actual tickets at this time. She said there was no point in getting the actual tickets ahead of time just the reservations. She said that if we were going to arrive early in the day (like before 10am) then we probably wouldn't need the reservations but since we plan to arrive at noon she said it might be sold out for the day already.

Remember the guided bus tour takes 1 1/2 hours but you also have to allow for the Imax movies and touring the visitor center and museums too. I would think you would need at least the whole afternoon.

I will try to post some details of our visit after our trip. If I can answer further questions let me know.

 

[Elaine Guidi]

Does the Up Close Tour include a visit to the launch pad? Is it convenient for 1 adult and 1 child to do the basic tour and 1 adult and 1 child to do the Up Close tour. We plan to go and my DH and DS are keen but DD is not so I thought I could perhaps do a shorter version with her (personnally I'm not too much into this thing anyway so it suits me). What I worry about is that we may have a longish wait for the others, and if so, how would we pass the time. TYIA

 

[cruisnfamily]

Elaine, I haven't been yet but I will try to answer. You and dd would still have to pay admission(I think about $25pp) which includes the "basic" bus tour. This one does take you around the center to about 3 different locations where you get off, check out the area and get back on the next bus at your leisure. This tour (from what I am told) comes within about 1 mile of the launch site. They do narrate while you are on the bus.

The "up close" tour does similar things but goes to more locations and the guide gets off the bus with you and explains what you are looking at, etc. This tour (again, from what they told me) stops at a much better location (about 1/2 mile away) where you can view the launch pads.

I would say that if you and dd got on the "basic" bus and DH and DS got on the other bus, you'd be spending about the same amount of time wandering around as they would so I wouldn't imagine there would be alot of waiting. Also, there is the visitor center to check out and the IMAX movies. I know the "up close" ticket includes the Imax movies but I'm not sure if the "basic" ticket does.

I personally am not as much into this stuff as DH is either but I know I would definitely prefer a guided tour as otherwise I would just look and then be done and not have learned anything. The "up close" thing is much priceier of course but for me and my group I think it will be worth it.

Hope I helped....and again....I am just basing this info on what I have been told.....we haven't been there yet.

 

[majimikate]

My family did KSC in our November 2000 trip with our 4 kids, at the time 10,4,2 and 1. My husband is VERY into that kind of stuff, but for the rest of us, me, kids and my mother, it was a very long, very expensive day. You have to pay just to get in and walk around the space gardens, which does not include any kind of tour. If it something that someone in your party is interested in, I would highly recommend it. If not, splitting up might work better. We went the day we got off the Wonder after a 3 day cruise, 4 days at WDW and a couple of days on the Atlantic coast beaches...it was a letdown after all that!!

Good luck,
Chris

 

[cruisnfamily]

Someone else was asking about KSC lately so I thought I would bump this up.

Someone responded to that thread (sorry I don't remember who) and said they had been on the "Up Close" tour lately. I would love to hear more details about how your day went as we were planning to do this next week. We have planned to arrive at noon. Will this give us enough time?

Thanks for anyone else with some opinions/advice about Kennedy Space Center!

 

[obsessed]

We are considering leaving WDW for a day to go to KSC. Has anyone done this? How did you get to KSC? I should have taken a later flight home after the cruise. Oh well, live and learn..

 

[magic cruiser]

Is the Imax show worth seeing, and how long is it ? What kind of eatting facilities are at the KSC ?

 

[Wishing on a star]

It has been a few years now, but I saw two of the IMAX shows while we were there. One in particular was awesome! You really felt the thundering vibrations and the roar of the rocket engines when the shuttle takes off. And, the whole presentation was just beautiful. Just wish I could remember which show was the best! Maybe someone else can give specifics. May have all new shows now? Ohhhh, seems they are like 30 minutes long?

We did not have advance tickets. And, we did have to arrive fairly early and stand in lines! But we did get the tour and the IMAX shows we wanted. If you do not arrive early then that may not be the case.

PS: Post 9/11, I wonder if there is more security and if tours/access is more limited?

 

[Doctor P]

Thanks for all the info. We plan on spending the Saturday we get back at the Space Center.