Space Shuttle Launches Viewing Tips? Etc?

[bouncycat]

Patience!!! That's the best tip I can give you...patience!! Traffic is HORRIBLE after a launch!! it is worth it tho!! Enjoy your trip, last I heard everything is GO for launch!!!

 

[lorasmom]

Any idea how busy the Space Center usually is the day after a launch? We are planning on visiting that day.

 

[SalandJeff]

I'm so excited...we will be there on 5/31.

If we go to Titusville, how far in advance do we need to plan to arrive to get a good spot? How long will it take us to get there from WDW, given the traffic? Anywhere in the area to eat afterwards?

Thanks for all the information!

 

[BobWerner]

Space Coast is about 1 hour from WDW. Just head east, you can't miss it. Depending on flight time, I'd try and get there anywhere from 2 - 3 hours early. I have never run into that much traffic when I go. As for places to eat, I don't know of any as I normally just leave after the launch and eat at WDW.

 

[nkjzmom]

Our family of 7 will be in Titusville for the launch. I don't know if we'll watch from Space View Park but I'll make sure we sport some kind of lime green. If you spot us come over and say hello!!!

 

[bouncycat]

There is a place on US1, it's called Dogs R Us, kids eat free, and they are pretty good, they have wings, burgers, dogs, philly's...etc. They're reasonable, but only take cash. They are in Port St John. (near where I live) They are AWESOME!!! The kids eat free option is the BEST!! Anywhere along US1 there is a good spot to see the launch also, we've watched it from there, and it has a perfect view, and not AS crowded as titusville area. There's a spot in port st john called Nicol Park, that is a smaller park and fills up quick. We will be at a neighbors for a bbq that day, so we'll watch it from there!! If you get on hwy 528, and head EAST, get off at US1 and go NORTH...that'll put you in any good spot you want! There's quite a few places to eat along there also, Mc d's, burger king, KFC, all in Port St John! Any more questions, please ask, or PM me!!

 

[BPCooper]

It is a little quicker, heading on 528 east, to take the left fork towards KSC and Titusville (can't miss the fork). The left fork, Challenger Memorial Pkwy, will end on Columbia Blvd/Rt 405 in Titusville. Go right, and then exit US 1 north about half a mile later. There are areas and parks along the river for a four-mile stretch.

 

[SalandJeff]

Thanks for all the info. Can't wait

 

[dgaston]

I got a new lime green baggalini messenger bag for this trip, don't know if I'll have time to get Mickey Heads from Home Depot, so feel free to approach if you see two folks (I'm 50 something and Dh is 60). We also have a blue sun shelter we may use.

I'm starting to get excited! Maybe we'll see this one launch!

 

[BobWerner]

There's nothing like a Space Shuttle launch. Seeing it in person is amazing. The sound alone will raise the hair on your arm.

 

[amfdfireinside]

wanted to say thanks to this thread, we are going to disney may 26th-30th and while reading the boards, something kept telling me to check this sticky message out. Thats when i found out there was a shuttle launch on the 31st, so we booked another hotel room in titusville for the night and we are going to see the shuttle. Thanks again!

 

[lntsmom]

I'm glad to hear you can see it from the parks! We're doing Animal Kingdom that day and had planned to leave early to go putt-putt golfing.

Does anyone have any suggestions of where we can see it from Movies or DTD??? If we could do it from the resort we could videotape it...I won't haul the camera to the parks, tho.

That's the day that MK closes early, right? I guess we could hop over in time to see the launch from Tom Sawyer's Island, then head back to the resort.

Ideas? This is a bonus I never thought we'd get. Gotta pack the binoculars, now!!!

 

[bearlee]

I saw somewhere that you can see it from MK as well.....I'd love to know the best place to see the launch!

 

[bouncycat]

I'm not sure where to see it from any places in DW, since I haven't seen it from there, just the coast. I do know you can see it in New Smyrna also. You won't get the full effect you do on the coast, here you can actually "feel" it...my son first thought it was an earthquake!! But, as a pp mentioned, it is an awesome sight, give me chills to this day, and I've seen most of them live!! If you can see it, definedly stop to look east, so you can see it!!

 

[Endeavour105]

I saw somewhere that you can see it from MK as well.....I'd love to know the best place to see the launch!

Whether or not you will be able to see the shuttle will depend on the amount of cloud cover between WDW, MK or any where on property and the Cape some 50+ miles away at the time of the launch. You may only get a fleeting glimpse, at best, so head for the east coast to avoid being disappointed.

There are absolutely no guarantees you will see anything from WDW, so plan accoridingly.

 

[BPCooper]

I hope everyone here got to see it if they were trying to, especially those who set out to get close. It was a beautiful launch into clear skies and nice and loud for everyone out to Titusville and surrounding areas.

And for the skeptics who advise others that it's not worth braving the traffic because it's "always" canceled...well, five of the last six shuttle launches have happened on the first try now There are ten remaining now.

 

[nkjzmom]

Thanks Ben...it was a great launch!

We drove over from our campground here in Davenport to spend the day with friends in Titusville. We headed towards the river around 3:30 and parked near Sand Point Park. I hadn't been back to T'ville in over 10 years...those huge condo buildings are terrible! Blocking the view to the river all the way down Garden. We walked all the way down the causeway to the top of the bridge and waited the hour until launch.

It was a beautiful sight. Just as I remembered it. The wind was blowing pretty loudly up there so the sound from the shuttle was not as dramatic as I'd hoped or remembered. But the kids and DH thoroughly enjoyed it.

We waited at Sand Point for a few hours afterwards to let traffic thin. We even spent awhile watching a manatee calf in the marina there. Even so, when we reached 528 at 8pm it was stop and go. We didn't get back here until almost 11pm.

I hope everyone else enjoyed the launch as well. It will be bittersweet to see this program go.

 

[dgaston]

We got to see it! We parked at the Clarion -- they let us dip in the pool too, which made waiting that much better. We were so psyched to finally see a launch, although it wasn't as noisy as I had imagined it might be. It was so sweet to see the flames, clouds and trail the shuttle made, as well as watching that pinpoint of fire disappear into the distance.

Traffic was slow back into Cocoa. We left about 6 and got to the place we were staying near Ron Jon's just before 8.

Don wore a shuttle shirt to teach at school today.

 

[lorasmom]

We stayed at the Clarion, and had a fantastic view from our second floor room (except for the punks that kept trying to stand directly in front of my daughter... booo!!). It was awesome, DD9 wants to go to the next launch already !

Just a heads up, for anyone considering it, don't bother staying at the Clarion. While it was a PERFECT location for viewing the shuttle, the rooms were... less than desireable, especially considering they were charging $150+ for the rooms (we paid $199!).

 

[rolltide13]

We are going to be in town when it lands.... Any suggestions on the best place to see that?