Fall, Firsts, Food And The Final Frontier TR - UPDATED 11/11 - COMPLETE!! About This Page:

[SuperDave]

Originally Posted by DMA

Wow, that was quite the experience at WDW when you were a kid. I'm sure your mom wasn't the only one complaining! They must have been giving refunds left and right!
I went with my family in 1976 and had a much better experience! Though it was still quite crowded, they were much better at handling the crowds. And if I recall, by then there were more attractions open so that would certainly help.

I'm sure more attractions a few years later! I think I was in 2nd grade at the time. Where does the time go? My dad was complaining just as much but my mom took care of it. Disney was way overwhelmed back then and we visited during the April school breaks which added to the problem! I had read a lot about these problems through various articles over the years once I started having an interest visiting Disney and falling in love with it as I still do! Unfortunately, I experienced this insanity first hand! All good now!

[lindawdw]

I can tell you really enjoyed your tours at KSC and it was a nice story that you shared of your family trip from years back.

[SuperDave]

Originally Posted by lindawdw

I can tell you really enjoyed your tours at KSC and it was a nice story that you shared of your family trip from years back.

Glad you enjoyed the stories! It's been a fun day at KSC so far and still a bit more to come.

[DoraDoug]

I love your pictures from KSC! How awesome that you saw a shuttle launch as a child. I'm glad to see the first experience of WDW didn't keep you from going back and I'm even more glad they worked out their customer experience issues before I ever went!

[SuperDave]

Originally Posted by DoraDoug

I love your pictures from KSC! How awesome that you saw a shuttle launch as a child. I'm glad to see the first experience of WDW didn't keep you from going back and I'm even more glad they worked out their customer experience issues before I ever went!

I was so young back then at WDW but I remember it so well, and nothing pleasant about it in any way! So much different now as a welcoming vacation and guest oriented experience....I don't how to say this, but I guess this is the best choice of words I can think of, unless one of you can come up with something better! Glad I found the will to return in 2002 and many more since then with so many great experiences!

Glad you are enjoying the KSC photos as I think I have covered it well up to this point!

It wasn't a Space Shuttle launch I saw but the Apollo 16 launch, which is so memorable even after so many years!

Many people including my parents have been in envy of the memory I have and I love sharing it. They always said I have a gift with this! Just never know when it will come into play and probably the best trait I have!

[SuperDave]

Mark Isn’t the Only One Who Crashed the Space Shuttle!



Thursday, October 20th (Part IV)


This is a rather long update as I wanted to finish up my KSC experience.

After taking my coach driver’s suggestion, I walked to the Rocket Garden Café for lunch, which was located just past the north side of the Rocket Garden. I hope my coach driver is right about this place. It was very busy here as I was in prime lunch time and I waited a few minutes at the counter to give my order. The menu looked good for a CS offering. I ordered a coke as well as fish and chips. I paid for this and they gave me my ticket and would bring my order to my table when it was ready.

I only waited five minutes and my meal was delivered. Unfortunately, I didn’t take any food photos and one of the few times I missed this opportunity. The fish and chips certainly delivered and I enjoyed them very much. The fish tasted very fresh and being so close to the Atlantic Ocean probably helps. I’m glad I took my driver’s recommendation.

After, finishing my lunch and a break I was off to see my next thing at KSC and the Space Shuttle Atlantis. I was looking forward to this more than anything else as it was a new exhibit and from Cheryl’s positive review of this in her TR from last year!

The Atlantis exhibit was just a short walk from the Visitors Center and as soon as you arrive there, this is what you run into outside the building!






Interesting view and amazing how enormous the external fuel tank and solid rocket fuel boosters are!


Even more interesting!

I went inside and I was told to go upstairs and wait outside the theater doors for a film about the Space Shuttle. The wait wasn’t that long but there were quite a few people in line.



Once the doors opened I looked for a place to sit, but there was no seating except against the wall along the back, so I took a seat on the floor. This was done for a reason. The film was basically an overview of the shuttle program and the Atlantis. It was quite good. Once the film was over, the screen lifted and there were a couple of large sliding doors, which then revealed the Atlantis!!! This was very cool and I wasn’t expecting it. Now, off to explore the Atlantis!








Atlantis’ cargo compartment.






Like this view!




As you can see the Atlantis took a lot of abuse on its’ space missions!




Replica of Hubble Telescope. There was a lot of interesting facts on this.




Cockpit of Space Shuttle Atlantis


This is just a replica for visitors to go inside of

There was so much to see, do and explore in this hall. I wanted to make sure I got to see it all!


Yes, this is how I got down from the second floor and enjoyed this route!


I think the flags represent the countries involved in the international space station




One of the space shuttle wheels used for landing upon entry back to Earth




Van used to transport astronauts to launching pad

Next, I visited a special exhibit to those astronauts we’ve lost on the Challenger and Colombia Space Shuttles. It was quite well done, even though not a big exhibit. But some nice tributes to the astronauts located in a corridor in the hall.








Piece of Colombia Space Shuttle in memorial




Modules used to travel from the Atlantis when docked at the International Space Station. I crawled through these, just to do it. Not for the claustrophobic!



Another thing I was looking forward to was the Shuttle Launch Experience Simulator. I was hoping I would enjoy this. I went upstairs from the hall and there was quite a line for this, but there were a few theaters to experience this in, so the line moved well. First you were shown a short film about this and then into the theater for the actual attraction. It was quite the ride with the entire room shaking quite violently as you were set back quite far in your seat and looking up at the ceiling. I think it lasted a good five minutes. I enjoyed it and glad I did this.



Back downstairs there was a sim game I wanted to try my hands on. That was to land the Space Shuttle back to Earth on the runway. It’s not as easy as it sounds and I had a lot of difficulty doing so. You get a few tries and almost had it on my last one but to no avail! So, Mark isn’t the only one who crashed the Space Shuttle! Even so I enjoyed it.





Next, I went to the Journey to Mars, which was just ok. It’s geared more for kids. After this I went to check out one of the IMAX films they had playing. It wasn’t an extra charge, which is good. You were given 3-D glasses for the film, which enhanced it rather well. The film was “A Beautiful Planet” and mainly featured photos and film from space of the Earth. It was rather well done and lasted about 45 minutes. The theater was fairly crowded. I was a bit tired at this point in the day and began to doze off a bit.

It was nearly 4:45 currently and I had to meet back in the parking lot at 5:30 pm for my bus back to the Crossroads Plaza. I wanted to visit the merchandise store to see what they had as far as KSC tees. I couldn’t find a tee shirt I liked that much. The only thing I liked they had was a three-pack bundle of tees. I asked one of the clerks if they sold them separately, but unfortunately they didn’t. I eventually caved in and bought the bundle. It was a good deal for $24.99 and good quality. Most tees at WDW are more than that!

After finishing up in the store, I visited the Rocket Garden one last time before going to the parking lot to pick up my Gray Line bus back.











I liked the Rocket Garden, but there were so many better things I experienced at the KSC




Not exactly like the fountains in Epcot’s Future World!

It was 5:15 pm and time to return to the bus lot. A long day has come to an end of my visit to the Kennedy Space Center and I am so glad I finally came here! I enjoyed so much of it and learned a lot about the space program as well. The highlight was certainly the Space Shuttle Atlantis. I was probably there close to three hours as it needed it with so much to see and experience.



NEXT: I Love Experiences Like This!

[Tara O'Hara]

This was an awesome update, Dave!! I really felt like I was at the KSC with you!! Thanks fo sharing your amazing day!!

[SuperDave]

Originally Posted by Tara O'Hara

This was an awesome update, Dave!! I really felt like I was at the KSC with you!! Thanks fo sharing your amazing day!!

Glad you enjoyed the update and glad you felt that way as I'm trying to make this TR as best for everyone here to enjoy! I enjoyed my time here so much and you certainly need a whole day here now especially with the Atlantis! I think I pretty much covered it all!

[DMA]

So much to see at KSC! You really got to see and experience quite a bit!

[SuperDave]

Originally Posted by DMA

So much to see at KSC! You really got to see and experience quite a bit!

It was a great day and enjoyed every bit of it and covered it well! Just a great experience and everyone visiting the Orlando area should do this as long as they can fit it in! After some 15 trips to Orlando area I did this and why it took so long, I have no idea!

[Colexis Mom]

What a great time exploring the Atlantis exhibit! Glad you enjoyed the simulators and the movie! Great pictures!!

[Cam22]

I love the space shuttle portion of your tour best. So cool!

[SuperDave]

Originally Posted by Colexis Mom

What a great time exploring the Atlantis exhibit! Glad you enjoyed the simulators and the movie! Great pictures!!

It was a great second part of the day at KSC and enjoyed it so much and mostly the Atlantis! All was good and happy you are enjoying the photos!

Originally Posted by Cam22

I love the space shuttle portion of your tour best. So cool!

The Atlantis was most definitely the highlight of the day and enjoyed it so much and would not be complete without it! It was just a well themed exhibit, so much to experience and just done so well overall! I was very impressed with this! You need to see this!

[chezp]

Isn't that reveal of Atlantis brilliantly done? We loved that.

You certainly packed a lot into your day at the Kennedy Space Center and you were braver than me, taking that slide down to the lower level of Atlantis. I took one look at that and I was like "no way!"....

[wheezie]

Atlantis does seem like a really neat thing to see! I agree with Tara who said your TR makes it feel like I'm right there with you.