Can anyone tell me how long it takes to drive there from Disney property and if the drive is an easy one or not. Thanks. Would it be good for an 11 year old boy?

Scoobydooby- I HIGHLY recommend it! My boys loved it at 6 and 8 years old. I don't know if we will be able to swing it this time around, but we hope to. They still talk about all the fun they had there. :) (they are particularly :geek:-y though, so YMMV) ;) (BTW- Mom and Dad thoroughly enjoyed it too.) :D

My brain is foggy on the driving details. So I will let someone else answer that part. But it wasn't that far, and is definitely do-able. :)

It's about a 90 minute to 2 hour drive (don't remember what that is in metric time :p) and there's signs along the way that will guide you to the Space Center and Cape Canaveral. It's definitely worth the drive though. I was in my twenties when I went and my jaw was on the floor for a lot of it, so I can just imagine how cool it would be for an 11 year old to see actual rocket ships. Then again, I'm still impressed that there's a machine that tapes television shows so I can watch them later.

Just remember once you get close that Kennedy Space Center is actually on Cape Kennedy, not Cape Canaveral. (Cape Canaveral is home to a military base.)

Thanks both for your insights :)

I don't remember the ride being as long as Ohthatjeff does - I thought it was a little more than one hour. Just bear in mind that almost all of the attractions are outdoors so it can be blazing hot while looking at the displays. We managed by going to both of the IMAX movies, just to take a break. If your 11 y/o has any interest in space/astronauts, he will like it. However, it is entirely different than the Disney parks and some kids might be bored by Kennedy Space Center.

Can anyone tell me how long it takes to drive there from Disney property and if the drive is an easy one or not. Thanks. Would it be good for an 11 year old boy?

1 hour drive, give or take a few minutes.

Highly recommended for anyone, even my 12 Year old daughter enjoyed it immensely. They have bus tours on the property (I believe a couple of different ones depending on what you'd like to see), and at certain stops on the tours, you can stay and look, and hitch a ride on the another bus, so you're not pressed for time.

As a closet NASA geek, I've done this 5 times in the last 9 years, and can still find new things to see and learn about.

Personally, touring the historical sites, walking thru the old "bunk-houses" and walking the concrete pad where Shepard, Grissom, and Glenn actually launched from, gave me chills.

Absolutely Awesome.

BTW, huge gift shop as well, with a huge selection of books relating to anything space.

My favorite part was the building that houses all of the elements that are set to go up to the International Space Station. It was so fun to see something in person, and then watch it be attached to the station later on.

I don't remember the ride being as long as Ohthatjeff does - I thought it was a little more than one hour.

If I remember correctly we went on a Friday or Saturday so we may have been in beach traffic. It was a couple of years ago so my memory's a bit fuzzy on it.

I was amazed by the number of eagle nests that they pointed out on the tour. I would have thought that the first time a shuttle launches, particularly at night, that there would be a mass exodus of the local avian population.

Thank you everyone. It just doesn't ring my bells at all but sounds like DS will like it. He can kill half a day In the Epcot Innovations pavillions and still beg for more :) Does anyone know what time it opens and if you need to be there mega early to get the best day, as in the Disney parks?

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/home/index.html

There you go.

Click to your hearts content for info.

If you want to do the bus-tours, I would recommend getting there pretty close to opening time, because some of them do sell out rather quickly.

This is more for the "historical tours, if memory serves, than the regular bus tours.

We have only been once, and made a day of it. Got there at opening, and got kicked out of the gift shop at closing. We did the "Lunch with an Astronaut" which killed some time. It was pricey, and the food wasn't all that great, but it was really very interesting.

I found a great map (http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/interactive-map.aspx) online, and current operating hours (http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/buy-tickets.aspx) are 9-5:30.

newhdplayer has very quick fingers! ;)