Kennedy space centre trip

[MrsBianca]

Hi

We are staying on site at wdw next year. My DH would like to do a Kennedy trip, we won't have a hire car so how can we arrange this?

We booked our trip directly with Disney

Thanks for any advice.

 

[consumermonkey]

Hiya, try Dolphin tours. I went to Kennedy with them earlier this year, but I bought my ticket through Expedia. I don't know which way is the cheaper option.

I did the standard package for about £55 - £60 I think which includes return mini-van and admission They have other (more expensive) options too if you want something special. They pick up from either your hotel or at least somewhere on property (on my trip someone was dropped off at DTD on the way home. Our driver/Guide was very good and really enthusiastic about the centre.

I am not going to Kennedy this upcoming trip, but if I were to visit there again, Dolphin Tours would be my first option.

I have not put the website in this post as I have mentioned them and sung their praises before and don't want to be accused of any undue association with them. As always, google is your friend!

 

[wayneg]

I find travel republic are usually good prices. Do a search on Google see if you can find cheaper then post and ask if anyone has used them.

http://www.travelrepublic.co.uk/Attractions/ProductView.aspx?PIV=5

Welcome to DISboards.

 

[MarkF0wle]

We travelled there via Dolphin Tours as well. You can purchase the Kennedy tickets with travel included on the Attraction Tickets Direct website. I believe those tickets use Dolphin Tours.

I have no negatives things to say about the driver, as she was fantastic & very knowledgeable about Kennedy & Florida in general.

The only draw back to having transport there & back is that you are restricted to their schedule. There is an hour/2 hour stop at the Hall of Fame before going into Kennedy itself. I am a big NASA fan & still I would rather have skipped this & gone straight into KSC. When we did get there we felt rushed.

That said; the tickets with transport are about £25 per person more expensive than just a KSC admission pass. If you have the capability; I would rent a car for 1 day for around $45+gas. So long as 2+ people are going it would probably be cheaper & then you can operate on your own schedule. The drive is fairly simply I believe.

 

[chmurf]

The drive is fairly simply I believe.[/SIZE]

the drive is more than simple.
from WDW take I4 east.
Exit and take 528 (toll) east, go past MCO and stay on 528
branch off on 407 north (challenger memorial pkway)
then turn right on 405 S (columbia bld)
just before the bridge you'll see the hall of fame, and past the bridge you get to the KSC visitor's center.

that's as simple as simple can get.

 

[wayneg]

Not looked at all the detail but looks as though the Travel Republic offer could be exactly the same trip as Dolphin tours direct, same collection points, same Hall of fame stop etc. I guess they are UK agents selling Dolphin tours at a discount. £62+ direct, £47 via TR.

If at all possible I would also say get a car, you can spend as much time there as you want then, the drive is really simple but if you don't drive tour will be next best option.

 

[Reb101]

we want to go there too when we go in 3 weeks but I couldn't find where they picked you up. It just came up on the Dolphin Tour site times and dates then they wanted card details so wasn't sure what to do

 

[chmurf]

but I couldn't find where they picked you up.

travel republic (just a click away from the link Wayne gave a few posts up : http://www.travelrepublic.co.uk/Attractions/ProductDetail.aspx?PI=968

right on that page :

2012 Pickup Schedule

7:20am Lake Buena Vista Resort
15591 Apopka Vineland Road. Orlando, FL 32821
7:30amHotel Beds Homes Office
6565 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy. Kissimmee, Fl 34747
7:40am Maingate Lakeside Resort
7769 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy. Kissimmee, Fl 34747
7:50am Disney All Star Music
1801 West Buena Vista Dr. Orlando, Fl 32830
8:00am Cirque du Soleil
1478 East Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista, Fl 32830 Curbside Parking Lot L (Downtown Disney)
8:20am Quality Inn International
7600 International Drive. Orlando, Fl 32819
8:25am Sizzler
9142 International Drive. Orlando, FL 32819
8:30am Double Tree Resort
10100 International Drive. Orlando, Fl 32821

dolphin tours : http://floridadolphintours.com/sightseeing-tours/kennedy-space-center-ksc-tour

just click on "book now"
on the page just below the dates, it's written (bolded) : "Where would you like to be picked up?"

and you have a dropdown menu with the same locations as with travelrepublic

 

[starrysky]

We booked ours through floridatix and they pick up from the front of cirque at DTD it's the full tour plus lunch with astronaut and the up close tour.

 

[MrsBianca]

Thanks everyone.

Appreciate hiring a car gives you more freedom to spend how much time you want at Kennedy but DH is adamant he doesn't want to drive at all on holiday and as I don't a coach trip will be best for us.

Thanks again for the advice. x

 

[starrysky]

Thanks everyone.

Appreciate hiring a car gives you more freedom to spend how much time you want at Kennedy but DH is adamant he doesn't want to drive at all on holiday and as I don't a coach trip will be best for us.

Thanks again for the advice. x

We are the same (well I do drive) but to us we would rather let others do the driving.It saves the agrgument over who gets to have a drink and who has to drive.

Hope you manage to get a tour sorted out.

 

[darthtatty]

Im not sure what Dolphin tours are like the past year.
we used them a couple of years ago, we got picked up around 6.30am at Cirque @DTD. We had to book a cab as no Disney transport at that time-although the cab was late We then spent at least an hour picking up people from other hotels along the way.
We didnt get dropped off at DTD until around 7pm,, so its a very long day.
Like I said it was a couple of years ago, not sure if theyve improved it at all.
just wanted to warn you, in case youre planning on making ADR's for that evening .

 

[Reb101]

we have decided to rent a car from the swan and dolphin hotel. The cheapest was about £30 for 24 hours and got $10 off the tickets through the Kennedy Space Centre site. Its an hour and half though so hope we dont get lost and miss the launch

 

[wayneg]

we have decided to rent a car from the swan and dolphin hotel. The cheapest was about £30 for 24 hours and got $10 off the tickets through the Kennedy Space Centre site. Its an hour and half though so hope we dont get lost and miss the launch

What size car? does that include tank of gas?

See this thread for best prices I know, post #2. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2988735

 

[Reb101]

for the cheapest you had to pay $8 for a full tank but if you got a dearer one it came with the price. You could also get extras like a sat nav for $12.99 which we have got as I am no good with a map. The only problem was we needed the car at 6am and it wasn't open so we've had to get the car the day before so it cuts our day short having to give it back for 4pm

 

[disneyholic family]

i'm going to be at WDW for 2 days on my own, and after reading this post, i suddenly got an itch to spend one of them at KSC.
Isn't that weird????

i haven't been there in years.

off to check out the details.

 

[wayneg]

for the cheapest you had to pay $8 for a full tank but if you got a dearer one it came with the price. You could also get extras like a sat nav for $12.99 which we have got as I am no good with a map. The only problem was we needed the car at 6am and it wasn't open so we've had to get the car the day before so it cuts our day short having to give it back for 4pm

Not sure what site you are looking at, UK sites usually quote in £'s, if you book on a US site you need to be very careful you have all the insurances included, often the price quoted is for basic car rental then when you get to the desk they sting you. Use a UK agent who include all fees required.
The Dolphin desk has limited opening hours. you would probably be better using the Disney Care Car Centre which is open 6am to 8pm, they will collect you and drop you off at your hotel. quote via my link for a rental for those hours came up at £17.85 + any extras less Quidco.

 

[Reb101]

We did it on the official website through Alamo as I haven't heard of the other Disney one as the hours would have been better. It says insurance is incuded in the paperwork we have printed so hopefully all will be ok