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Kennedy Space Center + Rocket Launch


Pug Mom
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Highly recommend avoiding KSC when a rocket launch is scheduled. Have we enjoyed the visitors center on previous visits? Yes twice. Once through the excursion offered through the ship and another time by rental car from the port. This visit was with our grandkids ages 11 and 8, I booked the excursion to keep it simple.

 

The first words out of the tour guide was did everyone use the rest rooms as a great deal of traffic is expected. The 20 minute ride took 3 hours from Port Canaveral to stepping off the bus at the Kennedy Space Center. 20 minutes on line to use the rest rooms left us with 40 minutes before the launch at 4:30 PM. The line to enter the Atlantis building looked intimidating, perhaps you could enter but we would never be back out in time to watch the rocket launch, we waited.

 

The viewing area onsite in the direction of the launch is limited and the entire standing area was packed. Yes, the rocket was visible once it was high enough in the sky. At that moment I was wishing we had stayed on the ship as all of the ships in Port Canaveral have a great view of the launch area!

 

Still optimistic we headed back towards the Atlantis building post launch. Where although the front gate had already indicated the site was closed and at full capacity we watched bus after bus unloading more visitors. The line was again out the door to enter the building. Extending the leave time to for our tour to 6:45 PM sounded like the tour service was giving you extra time as a courtesy, however it seemed more like a money grab to continue to accommodate more tours. I counted 30 + buses that arrived AFTER the rocket launch, 59 visitors per bus, at least another 2,000 guests were dropped off.

 

The tour guide was unable to offer any assistance, citing that no one expected this turnout and all of this was a perfect storm of people with a popular vacation week.

 

Should you visit the Kennedy Space Center? Yes, when it can be enjoyed. Otherwise make another choice.

 

Recently returned from a great week on Anthem of the Seas.

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We got back on Anthem and zipped up to top deck about 2 minutes before it launched. Got to see it without any problems. That’s a shame that folks that went to the space center barely got to see it at all. We amazingly had prime places to stand and see. All of us clapped and whooped!

 

 

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I've viewed several launches from Titusville and traffic was never an issue. I agree that the situation for that launch was a perfect storm.

 

Port Canaveral is also a great location to watch the booster(s) come back down if they're headed back to the landing pads for that launch.

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We got back on Anthem and zipped up to top deck about 2 minutes before it launched. Got to see it without any problems. That’s a shame that folks that went to the space center barely got to see it at all. We amazingly had prime places to stand and see. All of us clapped and whooped!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

We had a similar viewing experience in 2015 on Quantum of the Seas!

 

Local folks can also offer good suggestions for viewing areas during launches.

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