Kennedy Space Center

[twinz]

OK first I am not exactly sure where to put this thread...so I decided to put it here. Does anyone know the cost to get into the center? I heard it was free as long as you don't do any of the tours. If so, is it worth it to go and look around yourself? What types of things do you see? We will be travelling with a co-worker and her three boys (9,8 and 6). This is their first time to Florida, and we were looking at something away from the parks--that is not too expensive, for a day.
Any help would be great. Thanks in advance.

 

[Minnesota]

Hi,
First my disclaimer. The info I have is from 1999 so it is a little dated but hopefully it will help you a little. If I remember right you cannot do much of anything without buying a ticket of some sort. Otherwise all you can do is drive around and you can't see much that way. As for the tickets they have different levels of tickets depending on how much you want to do. I think a mid-range ticket was about $25 and you got to shop and see most of the major sites (i.e. the Launch Towers, the museaums, the landing strip, the crawlers etc.) There were tickets higher and lower than that. According to the handout I got in 99 it was as such:
Tour only: $14 for adults $10 Kids 3-11
Imax only: $7.50/$5.50
Standard Acess:$19/$15
Maximum Acess: $26/$20
You could also go to http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com for more information that would probably be more current especially since they are an active government base when most of the military bases are still on Government lockdown.
Hope this helps, pm me if you want more.
Minnesota

 

[BlueFairy]

Check the website. I have worked at a shuttle launch before, in spring 2001. The tours were very good and allowed you to see a lot. However, the security is much tighter since 9/11. I understand from my colleagues that the public tours are much more restricted now. I have no idea how current this information is. Just keep in mind it is a military/NASA facility and has HIGH security. I do know there is a charge if you actually enter the visitors center where they have museum type exhibits, a mock space shuttle, the Challenger/lost astronauts memorial, a "rocket garden," conversations with the astronauts, etc. The IMAX and tours are additional prices (like Minnesota said). All in all, it is a very nice experience and plenty to do for a day, especially with the IMAX and tours added.
Driving around is pretty restricted access, so seeing much from a civilian car is difficult. Hopefully the website can tell you more about the tours and current security measures.
Have fun!! Allow about 1 hour each way from WDW for drive time.

 

[travelitis]

My boys want to go to NASA again this year, and I'm dreading it. We have a membership to the space center in Houston. NASA in Florida is truly an all day affair and completely exhausting. I would love to talk them into a 6th day at Disney instead of NASA, but that's a pipedream. Maybe if we tell our oldest our big surprise that we're sending him to Space Camp he'll relent. Even with more restricted access on the tour I imagine it's still an all-day affair. Definitely get there early in the morning so you can see everything you want. We made the mistake of rolling in around noon.

 

[dbond]

Did you guys see this about Space Camp FL?

http://www.space.com/news/fl_spacecamp_020806.html

 

[Sonya]

I don't have anything different to add, the other posters have given good info, just wanted to say that the time you spend there is up to you. Take the bus tour (2 hours at least, you can get off the bus at 2 stops) and do an IMAX film. Both are included in the ticket price. DH and I spent 5 hours there in June. Had a good time.

 

[Otisp]

We visited KSC the day we returned from our Disney Cruise. My wife and I loved it. My DD8 found it VERY interesting. My DS6, who is big-time into space is also unfortunately REALLY afraid of thunder, and of course we had TSs all day so he tried to stay inside as much as possible.

Basic admission is now something like $26 for adults and $16 for kids, but there are discount coupons EVERYwhere (including the Orlando Magic Card). Most of the area hotels have the discount cards, and they'll take at least $3 off per ticket. There is a more expensive tour, but we just took the basic ticket, which included both IMAX movies (only caught the new Space Station 3D, but it was totally awesome....advice: go early), admission to the Visitor's Center, and the bus tour, which takes you to the observation tower near the Shuttle launch pads and to the Saturn V exhibit. It is a must-see for anyone who was growing up in the 60's (when space travel was still an adventure).

We went on July 4th and the security was VERY tight. Extremely thorough search at the entrance, the tour bus had to dodge newly erected baracades, and there were guards with automatic weapons at each stop of the tour bus (I'm still trying to decide whether that made me feel more frightened or secure).

Oh yea, and there is no driving around on your own.

 

[emmagata]

Originally posted by twinz
OK first I am not exactly sure where to put this thread...so I decided to put it here. Does anyone know the cost to get into the center? I heard it was free as long as you don't do any of the tours. If so, is it worth it to go and look around yourself? What types of things do you see? We will be travelling with a co-worker and her three boys (9,8 and 6). This is their first time to Florida, and we were looking at something away from the parks--that is not too expensive, for a day.
Any help would be great. Thanks in advance.

I'm not sure of the current prices or if any of the accessable areas have changed since 9/11 but if the access is still the same as it was when we were there 3 years ago (we went as far as an observation tower), it's well worth the trip.

I went with my mother and father - in law, my sis - in - law and my wife. We thought that the ladies would be bored stiff but they said they really enjoyed it.

We going to WDW this Dec with our whole family and we plan to go there again.

 

[halloween1031]

Greetings—

I’m a history professor who just completed a summer at Kennedy where I wrote the history of visitor operations at KSC for NASA. While these responses provide much of the information you seem to be looking for, just let me know if you have additional questions on what you should be sure to see and what things might inspire your family.

As you do make your plans, it might be interesting to know what Walt expressed in the 1960s to the KSC Public Affairs Director while they were developing collaborations during the building the new park: “Disney can build anything bigger, better, more exciting, and put in more money. But you have something that Disney can’t have and doesn’t have. You have the real thing.”

Enjoy the fantasy at Disney where they dream it, and then enjoy the reality at KSC where they do it!

 

[erikthewise]

Was the Space Camp in Florida the only such camp? I always thought Space Camp took place in Huntsville, AL. Is there one there too?

 

[travelitis]

There is Space Camp at Huntsville, AL and Titusville, FL. We're closer to AL, but are thinking about sending our son to FL.