Space shuttle launch viewing

[markpenske]

Hi,
We will be at WDW during the next Shuttle launch. We would like to drive, park & view the launch & return to WDW if it doesnt take too much time.
Does anyone have any suggestions on a good place to drive for viewing? I have no idea on crowds, parking, traffic.....
Thanks in advance.

 

[DVCconvert]

It will take you about an hour to drive over to the cape area. You will want to plan to be there at least 2-3 hrs in advance of the launch time. You may want to consider the Bennet Causeway. I'd park on the west bound side as that's the direction you'll need to head to get back to WDW. Traffic, Parking will be aweful...but worth it.
HTH

 

[TmlndSpdwy03]

How close do you want to be? There are quite a few parks and beach area's in Titusville where you can get a pretty clear view of the shuttle launch. You could also go to Cocoa Beach and get a decent view, you will just have a few seconds of an 'obstructed' view when it first launches. Google space shuttle viewing and you will see tons of directions and locations. Not sure if ticekts have gone on sale, but you can also try to buy tickets to go watch the launch from Kennedy Space Center or on the Causway tour that they offer.

It will be an all day activity though. I live about 20 minutes or so from Titusville and have seen my share of launches from the coast. I generally go over more like 4-5 hours early and hang out and then it can take 1 -3 hours to get home b/c of traffic (add another 45min - 1 hour to get back to Disney).

I definately think its worth it, just be prepared to sit and wait a lot.

 

[safetymom]

The last shuttle launch is took us 5 hours to get back to Orlando using Route 50. Expect your drive back to be at least 2 1/2 hours.

 

[chaoscent]

If you go to the far end of the parking lot, any parking lot and look toward the shuttle launch and you will see it. but you have to go to the end of the parking lot.
Sorry, I just listened to an old podcast where Bob was giving someone advice on how they could see the shuttle launch from Orlando. Couldn't resist adding it here. Never met Bob, but feel like I know him from the pod casts.

I did see a launch many years ago when I was in the MK. It was very cool. You couldn't make out details, but knew it was the launch.Penny

 

[happycamps]

We stayed one year at the CR and saw it from the balcony (more like the spiral clouds from it), there was a whole crowd out by the boat dock watching it as well. I'm sure it is nowhere near seeing all of it in person, but it was still pretty cool!!!

 

[whatsup]

I sure hope you are fortunate to be able to view the launch. They are amazing! However they tend to be very unpredictable as to the launch times sometimes by days depends on the weather too. Not uncommon for NASA to scrap launches. So make sure the day of you watch the news as to if they are on schedule or not. No use wasting time driving to find out it is a "no go"

 

[msmama]

If you start googling "Space Shuttle Viewing" you'll read that anywhere along Route 1 in Titusville is a good place to watch. That's true. There are lots of little (really little) parks along the side of the road and people set up camp there.

It's free though there are some businesses and stuff that charge for parking (though there was ample parking on side streets).

What others said, traffic is HORRIBLE after a launch. I think it took us a good hour just to make it back to 50 and we were probably little more than a mile away.

The launch we saw was at 2 and we got there at about 11:30 (a small park on the side of Rt 1). There were people camped out there since 6 am.

That said, it was TOTALLY worth it and I'd go to another launch in a second...if only I could convince the hubby.

 

[anlashokna]

Watched a November launch last year from the mission space area just in front of the monorail track at Epcot. The shuttle will appear right above the point above the red swoopy design. Clouds can obscure though so we were lucky to have an almost clear day.