Space Shuttle Launches Viewing Tips? Etc?

[krbq]

This is a photo of the launch of Discovery in October 2007 as seen from the boat dock at the Grand Floridian (it looks like it's shooting out of the roof of the Contemporary). The vapor trail at the top of the photo is from the NASA spotter plane that had just passed over Disney World.

 

[krbq]

Are there any other good places to see the launch from WDW. There is one scheduled for the week we are going.

But we won't be able to make it over to the Cape.

Has anyone viewed it from the Contemporary or WL? We'll be staying at the Lodge. What about the train station at MK.

I'm having a hard time trying to figure out which direction to look. Any help is appreciated.

KSC is about 60 miles east of WDW. If you think of the castle as the north point on a compass, then look to the east and you'll be able to see the launch as long as you can see the sky. The beach at the CR would probably be a great spot and I imagine there would be a good place at the WL. Ask CM's when you get there -- several will also be planning to watch the launch themselves and will know the vantage points for wherever you might be at launch time.

 

[LoveMickey]

Thank you everyone. You folks are so great. I love to come here and get my questions answered.

 

[bouncycat]

Lovemickey, don't be upset if it gets delayed, more and more of them are getting delayed because of either weather, or technical glitches, Discovery for may has already been pushed back 5 days because of the external fuel tank being delayed coming in because of weather, there are MANY factors that can delay the shuttle. If you are in the area when it comes in, the sounds that creates are astounding. The whole shuttle program has awed me since the start. I LOVE living on the space coast, but will probably never get used to the sonic booms it creates when landing, scares me every single time, shakes the house, scares the dog, etc. But, if you can see a launch and never have, be prepared to be amazed. Right now, it's slated to go up on May 31st, at 5ish in the afternoon, if I see any updates, I'll post them, they have stuff in the paper here every day on the shuttle program.

 

[krbq]

Lovemickey, don't be upset if it gets delayed, more and more of them are getting delayed because of either weather, or technical glitches, Discovery for may has already been pushed back 5 days because of the external fuel tank being delayed coming in because of weather, there are MANY factors that can delay the shuttle. If you are in the area when it comes in, the sounds that creates are astounding. The whole shuttle program has awed me since the start. I LOVE living on the space coast, but will probably never get used to the sonic booms it creates when landing, scares me every single time, shakes the house, scares the dog, etc. But, if you can see a launch and never have, be prepared to be amazed. Right now, it's slated to go up on May 31st, at 5ish in the afternoon, if I see any updates, I'll post them, they have stuff in the paper here every day on the shuttle program.

Yes, please post here about the launches.

We're determined to see one on the coast someday and there aren't going to be many more shuttle launches. We had planned to drive over from WDW for the October 2007 launch. Got up about 5 am for an 11:38 am launch, but a CM told us that driving in to work she had already seen the roads headed east JAMMED with others headed for the Space Coast so we didn't even try.

 

[bouncycat]

Yes, they do get jammed quick!! Traffic coming back has to be a nightmare also, my dh is in the coast guard, we go over to his ship to see it, when he's inport, and the normal 20 minute drive home can take 2 hours!! But, I do have to say if you've never seen it, it would definedly be worth it to take the trip and fight the crowds once. Anywhere along US1 in titusville/Port St John area is right across the river, and you can see everything, as long as it's not cloudy. When it gets closer to the next launch, I can also post some alternate routes you can take, besides 528, to get to the area, as long as you make it to US1, you can see clearly.

 

[patink]

Does anyone know when the tickets for a specific launch go on sale? We will be at WDW for the May 31st launch and we are thinking about taking a shot at getting tickets if it is even still possible.
Also are the tickets transferable for the same launch? If the launch did get moved to later in June could we sell them to someone to get our money back and give someone else a chance to see it up close?

 

[BPCooper]

Sign up here to get an email alert:

http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/eventSignUp.asp

They have not gone on sale yet nor been announced.

 

[nkjzmom]

It's been so fun reading this thread. I grew up in Titusville with my Dad and both grandfathers working for NASA or one of its contractors. My Dad often took us out to KSC for family days. We'd tour the VAB and the control rooms...I remember walking through rooms filled with HUGE computers!! Now we live near the Space and Rocket center in Huntsville so we visit there. My DD will be going to Space Camp in a few weeks.

I haven't seen a launch in person since we moved to Alabama in 89 (the years after Challenger were difficult) so we're taking the kids in May.

I'm so excited...I feel like the WDW commercial where no one can sleep! Thanks for all the great reminders and new information.

(Secretly wishing I could climb up on the monkeybars at my old house and watch the launch from there!)

 

[BPCooper]

Well ironically, they announced today that STS-124 tickets go on sale this Monday, April 7, at 9am.

 

[BPCooper]

If the launch did get moved to later in June could we sell them to someone to get our money back and give someone else a chance to see it up close?

I see people sell them all the time on ebay and on space forums if they can't use them anymore because of delays. Never heard of any problems. They don't have any names on them so they are like any other ticket.

 

[krbq]

When we tried to gets tickets for the October 2007 launch, my friend called KSC and was told they sell out in about 2 minutes. She asked what happens if the launch was postponed after the ticket was purchased and was told the ticket wouldn't be valid for the new date and wouldn't be refundable either. She tried calling anyway on the morning they went on sale but the tickets had already sold out in less than 2 minutes.

It didn't sound right that they would take our money then leave us holding useless tickets if they changed the launch date, but that's what she was told. Perhaps that particular KSC employee was giving out wrong information. I'd be interested to hear what other people are being told.

 

[BPCooper]

That's not true, they are valid for that launch whenever it goes. Only if it is scrubbed at the last minute after you have gone out to the causeway do they sell new tickets.

If it is delayed beforehand, it is by launch not by date.

 

[patink]

Well ironically, they announced today that STS-124 tickets go on sale this Monday, April 7, at 9am.

I got my email this morning!! Looks like I started asking just in time! Thanks!

I see people sell them all the time on ebay and on space forums if they can't use them anymore because of delays. Never heard of any problems. They don't have any names on them so they are like any other ticket.

That would be great! I don't want to make extra $$ I would just like to get my $$ back if I can't use them. Also if the tickets really do sell out in 2 minutes it would be a shame to get some and have them go to waste.

That's not true, they are valid for that launch whenever it goes. Only if it is scrubbed at the last minute after you have gone out to the causeway do they sell new tickets.

If it is delayed beforehand, it is by launch not by date.

That is what I read on the Kennedy Space Center web page.

Thanks Again for all the helpful info. I think I will give it a try on Monday. It looks like you can order online as well as on the phone. What do you think would give me a better chance?
I guess I could log on and call and see if I get in one way or the other.


I am very excited!!

 

[krbq]

That's not true, they are valid for that launch whenever it goes. Only if it is scrubbed at the last minute after you have gone out to the causeway do they sell new tickets.

If it is delayed beforehand, it is by launch not by date.

Now that makes sense. Thanks!

 

[BPCooper]

What do you think would give me a better chance?
I guess I could log on and call and see if I get in one way or the other.

I would say both ;-) Set up the page at 8:58 and hope for the best, and also have a phone in your other hand. Perhaps have someone else in the house try on their cell too.

 

[krbq]

I think I will give it a try on Monday. It looks like you can order online as well as on the phone. What do you think would give me a better chance?
I guess I could log on and call and see if I get in one way or the other.


I am very excited!!

My friend tried to reserve by phone. She started dialing early and still missed out on getting tickets. You might want to consider getting family, friends, & co-workers involved on the chance that maybe one of them will get through if you don't. Let us know what happens. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

 

[patink]

My friend tried to reserve by phone. She started dialing early and still missed out on getting tickets. You might want to consider getting family, friends, & co-workers involved on the chance that maybe one of them will get through if you don't. Let us know what happens. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

That is a good idea!!
My family in CO (Dad and 3 Brothers) OWE me. When CO Rockies made it to the World Series I was the only one to get through! I got 4 seats a section over from home plate and no one else got any tickets. AND I did not even go to the game! I think they had a bunch of people trying.

If I am this excited about the possibility of getting tickets I don't know what I will do if I actually get them.
Thanks for the good thoughts.

Maybe my luck will still be with me.

Or maybe I used it up.

Guess we will have to wait and see!

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

The band and orchestra from my daughter's school is supposed perform the National Anthem at KSC on June 1st and spend the rest of the morning there. Now that they heard about the launch they are considering going on May 31 instead. Would they be able to arrange to see the launch? If they would have to buy tickets that sell out in just minutes they would be out of luck. Anyone have any info on something like this?

Also we are not travelling on the buses with the group so we would have to find our own way to KSC. Does Mears or anyone else go there from WDW?
Thanks

 

[goin2fl]

What I have learned over the last several weeks is that it's really only the tickets to take the special busses out to the causeway that sellout so quickly (and the ones for dining with an astronaut). You can probably get tickets to see the lauch from the Kennedy Space Center Complex right up until the day of launch.

We were there (the visitor center) for the last launch a couple of weeks ago. We had purchased our tickets online ahead of time and they were UPS'ed to our house. We were told they had to be UPS'ed for security reasons (they had to be trackable). We got a whole packet of stuff including a card that had to be in our car window and a specific time that we were supposed to arrive. But there were people buying tickets to be in the visitor center complex for the launch right on site the night of the launch. Security was tight, but not as tight as we had been led to believe in the paperwork we got.

The tickets are good for a specific launch. So if the launch were to be scrubbed, you can still use the same tickets for the same launch. Or, if you are unable to be there for the rescheduled launch, you can still use the tickets to just visit the KSC Visitor Complex and do all the fun stuff there. That's what made it a no-brainer for us -- the visitor center launch tickets cost the same as no-launch tickets so we weren't going to be out any money at all if we missed the launch because we were going to visit KSC anyway.

The visitor center is a good place to see the launch, you just can't see the actual launch pad from there. You have to wait for it to come up above a tree line.

If you go the Photography board here, there is a link for "Disney Pictures and Video". Then there is a link to a youtube video of the March 11 launch. Whoever took the video must have been standing within a few feet of where we were because his video looks exactly like our still pictures. We thought it was pretty cool to see the launch from there.