Shuttle Launch Feb 07

[jenteague]

Hi, all!! Just booked our stay at Hilton Grand Vacations on I-Drive starting Feb 20 for 2 weeks - so excited!! It's my hubby's first trip to Florida!!
Well, hubby is a super nerd (and I love him for it!) and he saw that there is a scheduled shuttle launch at Cape Canaveral on Feb 22. Can anyone give me any details about how much you can see and if it is worth the drive? Any info would be wonderful!!

Thanks,
Jenny

 

[spiceycat]

you can see the shuttle from Orlando. but the KSC is about an hour away. I won't see my plans is rock. they haven't been too good about kepting to their schedule - so be flexibility.

 

[CDSTapisRouge]

Agree with SpiceyCat, be flexible, the shuttle rarely goes up on the first attempt. We have gone out the KSC for the last 2 launches and had a bunch of "days at the visitor complex" because the launch was scrubbed. We ended up seeing the launch of Atlantis from the NASA causeway and it was amazing to be that close. You have to pay for that location, but a good place to look into, if you decide to head out there would be Space View Park. The pictures I saw from there were as good if not better than mine from the NASA causeway and Space View Park is free!!!!

http://www.nbbd.com/godo/spaceviewpark/index.html
http://spacelaunchinfo.com/spaceview.html

I would get there a few hours early, maybe get some lunch along the way and just hang out in the park, it can get kinda crowded depending on the day of the week. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to get out there depending on traffic. Also, depending on traffic it could take up to 4 hours to get back. When we went out for Discovery it took 45 minutes to get out there and 4 hours to get home. When we went for Atlantis, it took 50 minutes to get out there and an hour to get home, so it is really just hit or miss, as long as you are prepared for the possibilites, it is manageable.

I highly recommend going out for a launch if you get the opportunity, it is an amazing experience... Check out this thread as well, there are pics from Space View Park on Page 3 (scroll all the way to the bottom, there are small ones in the middle but the really good ones are at the bottom) as well as some of mine on Page 4 from Atlantis... http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1144755&page=3&pp=15

 

[runner26.2]

Nerd ??? Does planning our WDW trips to coincide with shuttle launches make me a nerd. I'll have you know I buy designer pocket protectors and only use tape bought at boutique to fix my glasses.

anyway, it is very frustrating to make plans to attend a launch only to have it scrubbed. it's happened more than I care to recall. It's great to make plans and go but don't set your heart on actually seeing a launch.

 

[jenteague]

Lol... I meant nerd in the nicest way - I call him a nerd because he constantly amazes me with all the 'stuff' he knows!! When I suggested going to Orlando for holiday, I was thinking Disney! Universal! Outlet Malls! His first thought? NASA!

We've only been married 3 months - we have a lot to learn about each other - lol.

Thanks for all the feedback and ideas!!

 

[jimmytammy]

We have always thought it would be cool to see a launch. There is one scheduled for the night of Dec. 7, the day we get back home. If we had scheduled for a just a few more days, we might have seen it. Oh well, I told DW it probably would get scrubbed anyway. If not we will see it on TV.