Cocoa Beach Area / Shuttle / Traffic ?

[FreeTime]

If th shuttle launch in May is not delayed or not delayed until the last minute, how bad will traffic be in the area? We were planning on staying in Sanford and driving over midmorning. Should we plan on staying closer? Or, maybe the two areas are not as close as I thought and there will be no impact at all.
Thanks for the advice!

 

[anlashokna]

I think traffic is crazy there to begin with. Came into Cocoa Beach around 5pm a week ago for my cruise and whoa. I would probably plan on shuttle launch = spring break type crowds? Especially since this one will be the return to flight. Plan for the worst would be my advise.

 

[slindamood]

In December, we drove into Cocoa Beach about an hour before a launch. There was more traffic than normal, but not all that much. There also was more traffic than normal coming off of I-95. We made it to the pier without delays, though. Going over the causeways was interesting because people were parked and sitting in lawn chairs.

I would allow a little extra time, but there are so many place to watch a launch that based on our experience, no one place will be that bad. I would not change any plans due to the launch - just allow an extra ten minutes or so.

 

[cruiseonmagic]

I think traffic is crazy there to begin with. Came into Cocoa Beach around 5pm a week ago for my cruise and whoa. I would probably plan on shuttle launch = spring break type crowds? Especially since this one will be the return to flight. Plan for the worst would be my advise.

I couldn't help but chuckle at the "whoa". Spring break crowds added maybe 10-15 minutes (as slindamood said) at peak traffic for my trips to work going from Port Canaveral to south Cocoa Beach. You're from Columbus--picture OSU football saturday minus 50,000 give or take. If you are going to watch the shuttle from grills at the port, get there 3 or 4 hrs before launch to get a decent parking spot, same with jetty park. If you are going to cocoa beach pier, maybe a little earlier, because of parking.