Although it's not in Orlando, lots of people--like us--take a day trip to Kennedy Space Center. I had done this as a kid, and had fond memories of it. However, after having done it last week, I can recommend it only to the most rabid of space fanatics. It takes about an hour from the WDW area to drive there. The lines for tickets were extremely slow-moving, probably because the ticket options were expensive and difficult to understand.
The main feature of the Center is a bus tour that takes you to three different locations--a launch gantry, a building housing a Saturn V rocket, and a building devoted to the International Space Station. When you first get on the bus, and at each of the other locations, you will wait in a long line outdoors in the heat--we waited about 20 minutes each time. In the buildings, there are excellent exhibits and presentations. You can see parts of the Space Station being constructed, for example. But there is also relentless commercialization everywhere--photographers, pressed penny machines, gift shops, etc. On the bus, there is a video presentation that give you info about the sights you are going by, but it also includes pitches for the gift shop.
We ate lunch in the Moon Rock Cafe in the Saturn V building. It was, hands down, the worst food we had on our entire vacation.
I was actually offended that such an important historic and scientific site was so brazenly commercialized--if they are going to commercialize it, they should turn it over to Disney, who would at least do a good job, and train the employees better.
Despite all of that, my 9-year-old really enjoyed it, so I don't regret going. I'm just giving a word to the wise, so you'll know what to expect if you decide to go.
The main feature of the Center is a bus tour that takes you to three different locations--a launch gantry, a building housing a Saturn V rocket, and a building devoted to the International Space Station. When you first get on the bus, and at each of the other locations, you will wait in a long line outdoors in the heat--we waited about 20 minutes each time. In the buildings, there are excellent exhibits and presentations. You can see parts of the Space Station being constructed, for example. But there is also relentless commercialization everywhere--photographers, pressed penny machines, gift shops, etc. On the bus, there is a video presentation that give you info about the sights you are going by, but it also includes pitches for the gift shop.
We ate lunch in the Moon Rock Cafe in the Saturn V building. It was, hands down, the worst food we had on our entire vacation.
I was actually offended that such an important historic and scientific site was so brazenly commercialized--if they are going to commercialize it, they should turn it over to Disney, who would at least do a good job, and train the employees better.
Despite all of that, my 9-year-old really enjoyed it, so I don't regret going. I'm just giving a word to the wise, so you'll know what to expect if you decide to go.
