I’m in Orlando on a work trip and I have all of Saturday and up to around 4pm on Sunday to go have some fun.

I’m a bit of a space geek so was thinking of heading over to the space centre on Saturday. I also have a work colleague with me who isn’t so much of a space geek as I am but he seems kinda in to it, would he like it too or will be a bit boring for him.

I’ll be popping back again to Orlando at some point in the future so if I don’t visit the space centre this trip I will get another opportunity at some point. Would rather not make my colleague spend money and be bored all day when we could be both having fun at theme park.

Thinking of going to one of the theme parks on Sunday either Universal or Sea world and see if can squeeze some rides in before catching a flight back later that evening?

God yes! Best attraction we did in Orlando. None of us are space geeks and it was amazing. Seeing the shuttle and Saturn rocket up close the sheer size of them was mind blowing! Just gutted the rocket launch was cancelled with 20s to go 🙁

Was there a couple of weeks ago it’s great but allow yourself a full day to do everything. It’s split over a couple of sites and the bus tours take up a lot of time.really enjoyed seeing space shuttle Atlantis. Well worth a trip.

If it’s a week Saturday, you’re in luck:

https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/events/events-calendar/2017/october/rocket-launch-spacex-falcon-9-echostar-105-ses-11

It’s amazing, they know how to present this stuff. A fantastic day out.

Knocked out by Saturn V rocket and space shuttle, incredible machines.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes…

Yes.

If nothing else just take a look at it’s location and where the pods for the launches are located.. it’s an amazing area, NASA do a good job of looking after the peninsula and all it’s natural habitat. Couple that with the mass of 70’s engineering and underlying propensity to build a tub of junk and chuck it into space.
Outstanding area, go just for the Wow factor..

Just awsome.

By far the best thing to see. Amazing how rubbish the Redstones etc look – those guys really had The Right Stuff.

I went when I was 13 and nearly exploded with joy, if that helps?

PM your address and I’ll lend you my copy of Riding Rockets

Riding Rockets

add some further context.

That ^^ Is a great book. Take him up on his offer.

The Space Shuttle exhibition was the best thing I did in Florida. Truely jaw-dropping. The Americans do ‘big’ very well and the whole thing is huge.

YES. Saw a shuttle launch in the evening after a day of touring the place in October 07 – phenomenal. Even the kids (7&10 at the time) said it was the best day of a three week Disney fest.

+1, very good indeed.

Yes it is brilliant, really enjoyed my visit there

Saw a shuttle launch in the evening

I was fortunate enough to catch a rocket launch once. It was literally awesome, if you get the chance then grab it with both hands.

Go. It’s excellent. We timed it luckily and got to see a launch from Playalinda Beach during our trip, the viewing positions on Kennedy sell out really quickly.

I’ve sat on the beach just down from CC when the last of the Saturn 5’s went up in the early 70’s… I can’t remember much obvz but my Mother says I stopped digging holes in the sand and gawped upwards..
My Father was a massive fan of space travel (more the engineering and computer tech) and always took us to the latest jaunt into space.

I never got to see a shuttle, and I feel very sad about that.

Oh, and, of course,

+n for just go. KSC is fantastic. Even if you’re not into spacey things it’s hard not to be fascinated. I’m an Apollo geek, the place was a wet dream for me. You walk around the rocket garden marvelling at the sheer size of the things, they’ve a Saturn 1B that’s so big they had to lie it down. And then you go into the Apollo exhibition and it’s literally jaw-dropping.

The tour is well worth doing. The extended tour takes you right up to the launch pads and into the VAB for a mooch around (unless it’s changed since I was there last).

They didn’t have the Shuttle exhibition when I was there, though one time we did the ATX “astronaut experience” and got to crawl around inside a mock-up, which was interesting but didn’t really live up to my expectations if I’m honest.

I’ve also done the “lunch with an astronaut” thing, which didn’t appeal to me at all but turned out to be absolutely fascinating. The guest speaker was the appropriately named Story Musgrave, he was brilliant.

Universal’s cool, you should go there too.

Definitely go. You cant appreciate the scale until you get there.

I went probably 20 yrs ago ish. We were just walking around the visitors centre, and female astronaut who had not long been up in the Shuttle was just stood there chatting to people !

Definitely check if there is a launch happening. We were just out for food one evening and a rocket went up, only a small one but boy was it impressive!

Only thing I would say is that the area around KSC is anything but nice.

Thank you all. So from everyone’s reactions I’m not sure but sounds like you all had a really good time? 😆
I wasn’t expecting such a unanimous reaction. So thats settled Saturday will be Space Centre trip!

If it’s a week Saturday, you’re in luck

Booo! Unfortunately its this sat, I’ll be missing it by a week. Hopefully there will be more opportunities for trips to Orlando in the future so fingers crossed I can align my self with another launch.

PM your address and I’ll lend you my copy of Riding Rockets

Thank you very much theotherjonv, thats very kind of you. I’ll send over a message when I’m back home in the UK.

Love to go one day.
Let’s see some pictures.

Hell yes! I drove there from FtL on my first day on a work visit (jet-lag and all) so I could go round it.

Do it. DOOOOOOO IIIIIIIT!

Another Yes from me, was the best part of my visit to Florida. Even if you don’t like space you can’t fail to be impressed.

We got there the first week Atlantis was on display. I’m a huge space nerd, family less so.

I wont spoil that bit of the exhibition for you but I’ll just say that the way they move you from outside the Atlantis hall to inside is genius.

And there it was- slightly space-scarred, but just hanging there in the dome, like a huge Airfix model.

However, I couldn’t work out why it seemed so blurry and indistinct, until my eldest says: Dad, why are you crying?

I think I sobbed all the way round. Hugely moving. But even if you dont like rockets you’ll still be impressed.