babieemelly
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2004
- Messages
- 2,972
The parking lot was pretty crowded so we found a spot in the back, and made our way up to the entrance. My dad and Mike went ahead to buy tickets, while my mom and I ran into the bathroom. We met up with them at the ticket gate five minutes later, and my dad bought four Maximum Access badges. The Maximum Access tickets would allow us to take a bus tour of the facilities that are farther away (and can not be accessed unless you take the tour), and would get us in to see the different IMAX films.
After entering the complex we went into a room entirely devoted to security, and security was TIGHT! They made us open our bags, camera bags, makeup bags, pockets, etc. They also had metal detectors and hand-held scans, and they were making some people take off their shoes. With everything going on these days, I couldn't blame the added security.
The next bus tour was leaving in ten minutes so we ran over to the area in which the buses leave from, and got on line. Before each group could get on the bus they took a picture of them with an astronaut-themed background. After getting our picture taken we boarded a waiting bus, went about three quarters of the way towards the back, and took our seats.
We waited for about ten minutes before the bus was full, and then we were on our way. There were a few televisions throughout the bus showing video about the Space Program, and telling us about what we would see on the tour. It was interesting, but I don't think anyone was paying much attention. We drove through restricted areas and offices, and everyone was busy taking pictures.
There were tons and tons of tour groups at the Kennedy Space Center that day, and all of them were Brazilian kids who didn't speak English. Now, I dont have anything against foreigners. Not at all. However, these were a bunch of kids who had no respect, class, or maturity, and I DID have a problem. There were two girls sitting in front of us with really long hair, and they kept flipping their hair over the back of their seats, and then would look back to see if their hair hit us and smirk at each other. And yes, each time their hair did hit us. After five minutes I couldnt take it anymore, so I leaned over the seat and told them to stop. They were taken aback, and just looked at me with blank stares, but they didnt do it again after that. Mission accomplished.
My dad and Mike on the bus
Restricted NASA offices
A crawler, the mechanism that moves space shuttles from the building facilities over to the launch site. It takes a Crawler over 24 hours to move the shuttle a little less than a mile!
The building in which space shuttles are assembled
Driving through the marshlands
The first stop on the tour was the viewing facility for the space launches. The tour worked in a way in which you could get off at each stop and look around for as long as you wanted, and then just get on any waiting bus to get to the next stop. It wasn't a set-in-stone tour with a guide or anything.
We got off at the viewing facility and went into a building that housed a replica of the Discovery, and information on how it would be launched. There was also information on the technical aspects of past launches.
A replica of the launch facility
A replica of the Discovery on its launch pad
When we were done looking around we went up to the actual viewing tower. It was about five stories high, and it was really, really hot out, so Mike and my dad walked, while my mom and I took the elevator. What can I say, were lazy. We all met at the top and the view was amazing. We could see the launch pad that was used to send the first spaceship to the moon, the Discovery on its own launch pad, the surrounding nature preserves, and the ocean. Very, very nice!
The Discovery on its launch pad, it was very cool to see!
The crawler that was used to move the Discovery
The launch pad that sent Neil Armstrong to the moon
The nature preserve surrounding the space center
We then went back downstairs, and in the middle of the staircase was a big replica of one of the engines usually used in space shuttles. The thing was HUGE, and most space shuttles have about twenty of these, which really shows you the sheer power of space launches.
Done with the viewing tower, we went over to the line for the buses and waited for the next one to arrive. Two buses came within ten minutes, and we got on the second one. We were then on our way to the NASA History Museum.
Coming Up Next - Lots of Presentations

After entering the complex we went into a room entirely devoted to security, and security was TIGHT! They made us open our bags, camera bags, makeup bags, pockets, etc. They also had metal detectors and hand-held scans, and they were making some people take off their shoes. With everything going on these days, I couldn't blame the added security.
The next bus tour was leaving in ten minutes so we ran over to the area in which the buses leave from, and got on line. Before each group could get on the bus they took a picture of them with an astronaut-themed background. After getting our picture taken we boarded a waiting bus, went about three quarters of the way towards the back, and took our seats.
We waited for about ten minutes before the bus was full, and then we were on our way. There were a few televisions throughout the bus showing video about the Space Program, and telling us about what we would see on the tour. It was interesting, but I don't think anyone was paying much attention. We drove through restricted areas and offices, and everyone was busy taking pictures.
There were tons and tons of tour groups at the Kennedy Space Center that day, and all of them were Brazilian kids who didn't speak English. Now, I dont have anything against foreigners. Not at all. However, these were a bunch of kids who had no respect, class, or maturity, and I DID have a problem. There were two girls sitting in front of us with really long hair, and they kept flipping their hair over the back of their seats, and then would look back to see if their hair hit us and smirk at each other. And yes, each time their hair did hit us. After five minutes I couldnt take it anymore, so I leaned over the seat and told them to stop. They were taken aback, and just looked at me with blank stares, but they didnt do it again after that. Mission accomplished.

My dad and Mike on the bus


Restricted NASA offices

A crawler, the mechanism that moves space shuttles from the building facilities over to the launch site. It takes a Crawler over 24 hours to move the shuttle a little less than a mile!

The building in which space shuttles are assembled

Driving through the marshlands
The first stop on the tour was the viewing facility for the space launches. The tour worked in a way in which you could get off at each stop and look around for as long as you wanted, and then just get on any waiting bus to get to the next stop. It wasn't a set-in-stone tour with a guide or anything.
We got off at the viewing facility and went into a building that housed a replica of the Discovery, and information on how it would be launched. There was also information on the technical aspects of past launches.

A replica of the launch facility

A replica of the Discovery on its launch pad
When we were done looking around we went up to the actual viewing tower. It was about five stories high, and it was really, really hot out, so Mike and my dad walked, while my mom and I took the elevator. What can I say, were lazy. We all met at the top and the view was amazing. We could see the launch pad that was used to send the first spaceship to the moon, the Discovery on its own launch pad, the surrounding nature preserves, and the ocean. Very, very nice!

The Discovery on its launch pad, it was very cool to see!

The crawler that was used to move the Discovery

The launch pad that sent Neil Armstrong to the moon

The nature preserve surrounding the space center
We then went back downstairs, and in the middle of the staircase was a big replica of one of the engines usually used in space shuttles. The thing was HUGE, and most space shuttles have about twenty of these, which really shows you the sheer power of space launches.

Done with the viewing tower, we went over to the line for the buses and waited for the next one to arrive. Two buses came within ten minutes, and we got on the second one. We were then on our way to the NASA History Museum.


Coming Up Next - Lots of Presentations