Kennedy Space Center visit and Shuttle Launch

[MidwestGal]

We were planning on taking a break from WDW on Aug. 18 to visit the Kennedy Space Center. I just noticed that there is a space launch scheduled for that day at 4:25 AM. It would be the highlight of my 11 yr old DS trip to see this launch. Where do you buy tickets for this? Is it worth buying tickets for this or should we just try to see it from somewhere else?

Also, we really wanted to see the Visitors Center and do the bus tour. I read somewhere that the Center might be closed on launch days. Has anyone had this experience? (even when the launch is so early in the morning?)

Thanks for your help!

 

[bearzabout]

I read that NASA will suspend future flights until they get to the bottom of the insultated foam issues. There is a good chance that they won't complete their investigation into the problem before 8/18.

If you buy a ticket, they are non-refundable, even if the launch date changes. Chances are the launch date will change (the last two were rescheduled). You can attend on the new date without buying a new ticket.

I had tickets for viewing from the visitor's center for the launch of STS 125 in May. I think they allowed bus trips in the morning when they had a 2pm launch. I'm not sure if they would allow afternoon bus tours after a launch. Chances are they will. Call them to be sure.

There are only 7 launches left before they retire the fleet and they are truely unforgettable. A 4:25am launch would be tough since it took 1.5 hours to get in the gate 5 hours before launch time on the day we were there. It would be so hard to stay awake all night.

Call the visitor's center and see if the launch will likely be postponed, then check to see if it is already sold out. They sell out of tickets well in advance.

 

[dis-happy]

We were planning on taking a break from WDW on Aug. 18 to visit the Kennedy Space Center. I just noticed that there is a space launch scheduled for that day at 4:25 AM. It would be the highlight of my 11 yr old DS trip to see this launch. Where do you buy tickets for this? Is it worth buying tickets for this or should we just try to see it from somewhere else?

Also, we really wanted to see the Visitors Center and do the bus tour. I read somewhere that the Center might be closed on launch days. Has anyone had this experience? (even when the launch is so early in the morning?)

Thanks for your help!

Three times now we've watched the launch from Titusville. We get there an hour before launch time, park, walk a block to the beach and watch from there. You can see the shuttle on the launchpad (better if you bring binoculars), then watch as they start it up and it takes off. Not so sure about 4 am though, since it will be dark and you will see a lot less. You can also see it at WDW as it passes by depending on the cloud situation.

Highly recommend getting the Sunpass Mini from Publix for the drive. You need to do it at least a day in advance and register it on your laptop. However, it makes the drive to and from much faster.

Agreed about the many postponements that take place. While we've lucked out 3 times, there have been plenty of other times when we were at WDW and we thought we'd see a launch, only to have it cancelled.