Cape Canaveral from Disney

[bookgirl]

Hey Guys,

I'm planning a Christmas trip (three full days) for my folks and we are going Park Lite (probably only one day in an actual park).

We are thinking about going to Celebration to see the lights one evening and to Kennedy Space Center for a day.

Right now I'm arriving before my folks and doing a solo trip and staying at a Moderate. Once they arrive I'll switch over to either a Deluxe or a Family Suite at AoA.

I'd be interested in any advice about the lights/Festivities in Celebration.


I also need to figure out how Kennedy fits best.

Choice #1
On their arrival day (probably around 5pm) we go straight from the airport to Titusville/Cape Canaveral area and spend the night then do Kennedy the next day and head back to WDW after we finish.

Choice #2
We stay at WDW that night drive to Kennedy the next morning, spend the day at Kennedy and spend the night in Titusville/Cape Canaveral area then commute back to WDW the next morning.

Choice #3
We stay at Disney and just head out one morning, do Kennedy and then return to WDW the same day.

For those of you who have made the trek to the coast a couple of questions:

My parents are not going to be able to do excessive walking so we will probably do a tour and maybe wander around the visitors center/museum but it will be only one day.

Is it better to commute to Kennedy as a day trip or should we plan to spend the night (either before or after Kennedy)?

If it's better to stay the night, do you have any hotel recommendations (We tend to do mid range Hampton/Holiday Inn/La Quinta on road trips so nothing below those levels of stay)

Sorry for the ramble but I appreciate the help.

Thanks!

 

[candaceg]

We did it as a day trip last week. There was an accident on the highway so we got detoured and it ended up taking extra time to get there, but it was fine to do as a day trip. It was a lot less walking than a day at Disney. The buildings are pretty close together. I think I only had 6000 steps on my fitbit when we left. We did an extra bus tour and we all thought it was worthwhile. Just be prepared to pay lots of tolls to get there and back!

 

[bookgirl]

We did it as a day trip last week. There was an accident on the highway so we got detoured and it ended up taking extra time to get there, but it was fine to do as a day trip. It was a lot less walking than a day at Disney. The buildings are pretty close together. I think I only had 6000 steps on my fitbit when we left. We did an extra bus tour and we all thought it was worthwhile. Just be prepared to pay lots of tolls to get there and back!

Were they manual tolls or did you have to have a sunpass?

 

[The Hunchback]

Tolls were both last time we went but I would carry a roll of quarters in case they are exact change after a certain time of the day. The

In Titusville, consider a meal at Dixie Crossroads. They are a very good shell fish place. Plates are large so consider a shared plate with seniors. You do get a small plate share charge but better not to waste food as it is a touch pricy.

Have not been to CC in years but loved the bus tour that time. Such wildlife along the roads to the rockets.

 

[writerguyfl]

My parents are not going to be able to do excessive walking so we will probably do a tour and maybe wander around the visitors center/museum but it will be only one day.

Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is quite compact when compared to the Disney theme parks. At the main visitor complex, everything is easily walkable. It's a short walk from the entrance to the various exhibit buildings, IMAX theatre, and loading/unloading for the bus tour. Be certain to visit the Atlantis Building at the main complex. The pre-show you watch before entering the area where the Space Shuttle is located is Disney-level good.

For comparison sake, here are aerial images from Google Maps using the exact same scale. Here's the main visitor complex at Kennedy Space Center.

The Main Entrance is at the bottom left and the furthest point of the main complex is at the top of the image. The curved structure is the loading/unloading area for the bus tour to other parts of KSC. The Saturn V Center is the other large area at KSC. It's the last stop on the bus tour. It's a large building, but there's not a ton of walking required.

Here's an image of Epcot using the same scale. Essentially, the main visitor center complex of KSC would fit into the core of Future World.

Is it better to commute to Kennedy as a day trip or should we plan to spend the night (either before or after Kennedy)?

I don't think there's a correct answer. Either way should be fine. The drive from the Walt Disney World area to Kennedy Space Center is painless. It's a divided highway that's rarely that busy, in my experience.

Edited to add:
You wrote that you "will probably do a tour" while visiting KSC. There sometimes is confusion regarding the different options. For first-time visitors, you should take the standard bus tour that is included in the daily admission fee of $50 ($46 for 55+).

KSC does offer specialty tours that cost an additional $25. Personally, I've done both the KSC Launch Control Center tour and the Cape Canaveral Early Space tour. The Early Space tour was phenomenal if anyone has an interest in the beginning era of NASA. Still, for a first-time visitor, all you need is to take the tour that is included in the regular admission price.

 

[bookgirl]

Thanks for the info!

 

[lindsey]

We got on 417 at exit 6 in Orlando, I believe it costed $5 each way for us in February.

 

[LtRazor]

Last time we went we just got up early, did day trip, came back that evening and still may illuminations.