How far away is Kennedy Space Center?

[aristocatz]

How far away is Kennedy Space Center from WDW?

Is it closer to Universal Studios?

How do you get there? Will Mears Shuttles take you?

We are planning to spend 2 weeks in WDW for our HM. We want to go to Universal Studios for 1 or 2 days and we are also thinking about going to Kennedy Space Center for a day. Is it worth the trip?

 

[PrincessInOz]

We hired a car and it took us about 1 hour to drive to KSC. From my perspective, we (DH, DS and myself) thought it was well worth the day trip out. I'm sure you'll get the full range of opinions on this.

It took up close on 45 minutes to drive up I-Drive to get to Universal. As we hired a car, I don't know how long Mears will take to get you there.

Have fun on your HM!

 

[goofyernmost]

Just from memory, I'd say that Universal is probably a little closer but not enough to be concerned about. It is well worth going to KSC if for no other reason then to see other parts of Florida. (yes, there are other parts of Florida)

KSC is very well put together and even has a sort of theme park feel to it, but it is all reality. There are many interactive shows, meets with astronauts, incredible I-max films taken from space, a building that houses a Saturn Rocket suspended over head in different sections. You will be shocked by how big that rocket is. It looks like a candle watching lift offs on TV, but it is huge. There are reenactments (audio) of the moon landing lift off from the original control room and so much more.

I'd recommend renting a car and driving over if it is possible for you to do that. Otherwise check with the hotel you are staying at and see if they can contact or put you in contact with the gazillion transportation options available in the area.

 

[Katie & Glen]

I went to KSC a few years ago. My dad and brothers all wanted to go and at the time I could have cared less, until I got there. It is an amazing experience and I can't wait until our next trip in May 2011 to take my stepson, husband, father in law & brother in law.

 

[jraymond503]

We are driving out to Port Canaveral for a cruise after Disney and Mapquest says about an hour....

 

[aristocatz]

Thank you! We are now thinking of renting a car.


Is it on the way to Universal? meaning, would it make sense to do Universal & KSC in a row?

How long did you stay at KSC? Was it an all day trip?

 

[MHSweb79]

Universal is quite close to Disney. I can't figure out how it took the PP 45 minutes to get there. I'd guess it was only 5 or 10 miles from most Disney resorts. Kennedy Space Center, on the other hand, is about 50 miles east, on the coast.
We went to KSC on March 3, just a couple of weeks ago, then drove straight to our hotel outside Disney so we could go to AK the next day. It was just about an hour's drive.
We've been to KSC many times, and while it's starting to show its age, it's quite a good day. Especially if anyone in your party is into space, or is old enough to remember the first moon landing (like us!) The food there, however, is not very good. Unfortunately, you're on an island with no other choices, so you're stuck. My DD said we'd have been better off if they fed us the stuff they fed astronauts, in tubes, but that's debatable...

Edited to add: If you buy the tickets with the bus tour to the outlying buildings, yes, it's an all-day attraction. And yes, the bus tour is definitely worth the extra money- there's TONS of other stuff to see that's not right at the Visitor Center.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I used to live about a mile North of Universal, and it was about 18 miles from my apartment to parked at Epcot.

You can get a shuttle from Mears at a reasonable price; taxi would be about $40 each way.

Using a start point of the Contemporary Reort, it is almost 70 miles to KSC. Taxi would be over $150 each way. It is definitely worth going to KSC, but really you would need to rent a car. Note that National or Alamo will pick you up at your Resort and take you to the Car Care Center for the rental and when you return the car they will take you to any location on WDW you want.

You might want to look into a three or four day rental and do Universal and KSC both within those days.

 

[Glencora]

When I went to KSC last year, I did the lunch with an astronaut, and just loved it. He gave a quick speech, and then took questions from the audience. The price was very reasonable, although again, you're not going for the food. There's also a simulator that re-creates a shuttle launch that was really fun - whoever wrote the pre-launch material had a great sense of humor.

 

[aristocatz]

I used to live about a mile North of Universal, and it was about 18 miles from my apartment to parked at Epcot.

You can get a shuttle from Mears at a reasonable price; taxi would be about $40 each way.

Using a start point of the Contemporary Reort, it is almost 70 miles to KSC. Taxi would be over $150 each way. It is definitely worth going to KSC, but really you would need to rent a car. Note that National or Alamo will pick you up at your Resort and take you to the Car Care Center for the rental and when you return the car they will take you to any location on WDW you want.

You might want to look into a three or four day rental and do Universal and KSC both within those days.

Thank you all for your info so far!

If we did decide to rent the car and do Universal & KSC in two consecutive days, where would you suggest we stay for a hotel??

 

[lugnut33]

See if NASA will send their "shuttle" over to get you, it'll take about a minute.

 

[tink22]

Universal is very close to Disney. Maybe 15 min or so on I-4. If you are staying near Disney, you wouldn't need to get a separate hotel for Universal. If you have a rental car for a few days, use one to drive and do Universal, then drive and make a day trip to Cape Canaveral to see NASA. There isn't much more to do on the coast than that or the beach..maybe some restaurants.
It's about an hour and 15 give or take to Kennedy Space Center from Disney.

 

[fsu65]

The spacecenter is only 45 minutes from disney property, at the visitor's center there is a rocket garden to visit, lunch with astronauts, a shuttle simulator, 3d imax show about the space program, moon life demonstration, not sure if the mars simulator/adventure is still being used, along with a bus tour to a couple of other locations to get a good view of the current launchpads from where the crew's families get to watch the launch. The site is full of great things to see. I worked at the visitor's center in highschool so to me it is all everyday but if you have not seen it before the visitor's center is definitely worth a trip.

 

[Feralpeg]

Universal is much closer to WDW than Kennedy Space Center.

For those taking I-4 to Universal or even I-Drive, there is a much better way to get there.

Leaving from Disney property, take Apopka-Vineland (CR536) (near the Crossroads) to Sand Lake. Take a right on Sand Lake. From Sand Lake, turn left onto Turkey Lake. It will take you to the entrance of Universal property. Just follow the signs to the park.

OR

Take Palm Parkway (Olive Garden on the corner near the Crossroads. Palm Parkway turns into Turkey Lake. Continue on Turkey Lake (you'll pass Sand Lake) to the entrance of Universal property.

From I-Drive, turn right onto Sand Lake. Take Sand Lake to Turkey Lake. Turn right onto Turkey Lake. Continue to the entrance to Universal Property.

You'll avoid an incredible amount of traffic this way.