Can you see the shuttle lift off from WDW?

[dkis4nu]

I understand that there is a lift off on Dec 7 when we are there. Has anyone ever seen it from the parks or their resort?

dk

 

[BeckWhy]

I have never seen it personally. But I have heard from several cast members that you can see lift offs from WDW. Supposedly NASA launched something the day we had arrived (I don't know if it was a shuttle, I'm assuming not, or a rocket or something) and heard reports of the launch. BUT my assumption is that you really can't tell what it is... it just looked like a big jet stream.

 

[alfredromero1975]

I saw it take off once when I was in Adventureland.

 

[judi]

We watched it from POR one year, pretty cool.

 

[alfredromero1975]

However, the Dec 7 launch will be at night which means chances are you won't be able to see if from WDW. This link says it will launch at 9:38pm.

http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/launches/index.asp

 

[zoey9989]

I Was There Just This Past September And I Saw It. I Was Having Breakfast At The Crystal Palace And Everyone Came Running Over To Our Table. (it Was Pretty Funny Seeing Eeyore Leaning Over Us Staring Out The Window) But Yeah It Was The Shuttle Lift Off Right Over Space Mountain.. Pretty Cool...i Fly Into Orlando On The 7th Of Dec So I Will Prob Miss This One Though.oh Well When I Saw It I Said That I Would Prob Never See Anything Like This Ever Again Anyways.

 

[bekkiz]

Actually, seeing it at night is much better, because you can't really see the shuttle, but you see the afterburners (?) or something that's all glowy and orange. Someone else posted pictures of a launch he took from WDW. I'll see if I can find them!

ETA: here's the thread with the pictures and info on where to see it best

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1276907&page=2&pp=15&highlight=shuttle+launch"

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

oh i hope u find them! i would love to see so that i know what to look for!

 

[Lives4Disney]

We saw the the shuttle in the sky all glowy and orange this past July 4th. We were just getting on the boat at the YC when the captain pointed it out. It was just so awesome to see.

Lives4Disney

 

[chrisn]

We saw a shuttle liftoff from Fantasyland at the MK one year. It was just before dusk and was amazing. I got the coolest pics of it. I'd post them if it wasn't for the short between my chair and keyboard!

 

[Jhuff8181]

We saw one take off a few years ago. If you are facing the castle, on the main street side, it will be to your right.

 

[mckinley]

Over this past summer in the first week in july we saw it from pop century

 

[Gary M]

I saw it from MGM during February a few yeras ago. It was about 6:00 pm.

 

[STEAMBOAT209]

This will be a added plus to this trip, so looking forward to seeing the launch. Now all I have to do is remember .

 

[TinkerBelle2992]

We saw the Columbia take off from just inside MGM.

 

[boBQuincy]

You can easily see a night launch from the beach at Jacksonville, over 100 miles away. Oh yes, you will see it from WDW alright!

 

[Dan Murphy]

I saw it one year, just as Tink was sliding down before the start of Fantasy in the Sky (pre Wishes) at MK. Talk about a magic moment!!

 

[flyinglizard]

Yeah, you can see night launches real well- but you'll need to know which direction to look from where you are... look to the east! If you are looking, it will not be hard to see at all!

Night launches are cool!

 

[CDSTapisRouge]

With a night launch you really don't need to know what direction to look in, the whole sky glows, it will draw your attention in the right direction, all though having a sense of direction and knowing which way is east will definetly help. Night launches are THE BEST! Just keep in mind that you will not see it right away. It is set to launch at 9:36pm so give it a few minutes to get up high enough. Also they do scrub the launches frequently, so if you do not have a radio or a TV to know that it did launch, if you don't see it by 9:45pm chances are it didn't go!

Here is another thread (different from the previous one posted) that someone had posted asking the same question about the launch in July. It has some great places listed to watch from WDW and pics. It also has pics (on the last page) up close from when hubby and I went out to the Cape to watch the launch of Atlantis.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1144755

 

[Conan the Librarian]

I understand that there is a lift off on Dec 7 when we are there. Has anyone ever seen it from the parks or their resort?

dk

I have seen it from as far North as St. George SC. When we see night lauches from Tybee Island, you can see the light from the ignition and the horizon lights up. And this is 200+ miles north of KSC.

Just rememeber that it goes up 9:36pm, but the date and time could change.