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#480 by Furner on 29 Apr, 2010 19:28
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So Furner.you are definitely going to see Beautiful Atlantis launch? I know you were fightin' for those tickets. I hope you are going.
Going with Dolphin tickets unless the ebay tickets all of a sudden drop to reasonable prices. Staying at the Clarion, have reservations 13-17 and an additional reservation 17-19. -
#481 by Yegor on 29 Apr, 2010 22:13
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I have to admit, that I've never attended a launch but if I'm thinking about the process this is what's going on in my mind:I have heard from a few people that have attended launches that you can get in line and purchase a new LTT if the launch is scrubbed after they have boarded a bus. I am not sure on the Florida Dolphin Tours procedure but I will be asking when I board the bus on the 14th. What I don't know is that if people who already had LTT were given first crack at the next launch LTT or if those at the VC also have a shot at them.
People posted in this thread that people at VC can also buy LTT tickets for the next launch attempt and they have even better chances because KSC starts to sell ticket almost right away.
About Florida Dolphin Tours procedure I think that it works in the following way: In some very special rare circumstances (I do not know which ones) KSC will not offer LTT tickets for the next launch attempt to anyone. Otherwise everyone (including those who are with bus tours) on KSC grounds gets a chance to buy an LTT ticket for for the next launch attempt. From what I spoke with Florida Dolphin Tour - they will provide the transportation for the next attempt to VC and if KSC will offer LTT tickets, to NASA Causeway.
So I think that we are in equal conditions here with whose who got direct LTT tickets.
Best chances of getting new LTTs in case of a scrub is for those
who are at VC at time of announcement of the scrub.
If you didn't enter the bus to the causeway, you didn't loose your LTT and as far as I understood my travel agency (Gator) my LTT isn't lost.
But everybody will try to get new LTTs - even if his own one is still valid - to be on the safe side for former launch attempts (or even only to make money with reselling). So it's the question if there are any LTTs left to buy, if you've been on the bus - or right there at the causeway.
(or do they sell new LTTs at the causeway?)
For the people travelling with a tour bus there will be an additional problem. Will they return to VC after the scrub from the causeway or not? (my little help for this problem might be an additional VC-Ticket with PP I own - but as quoted in other comments this will not work).
So my strategy will be:
Using the LTT from gator on the first attempt and praying.
If I left VC to go to causeway and scrub will be announced:
hoping for new LTTs from Gator.
If this doesn't work;
Use the VC-Ticket for the next attempt (with a bit of hoping for scrub).
In the case of scrub: Running to the ticket booth as fast as I can
buying 1, 2, 3... LTTs to be on the safe side for all later attempts.
That's all I can do.
Do you think this a good strategy?
1. LTT Tickets are sold at VC.
2. My impression is if there is a last minutes scrub and KSC decides to sell LTT tickets to the next attempt everyone on the NASA grounds at that day should be able to get them (since some of the people are not willing to come for the next attempt).
3. Since you have a VC Ticket for the launch day (with vehicle placard) you may ask the bus driver to stop by the visitor center and buy a direct LTT ticket for the next attempt by yourself and then come by the car.
4. My impression is it does not make sense for the tour buses to leave NASA grounds for the next 3 hours after the launch since there will be a heavy traffic around space coast. -
#482 by subisnack on 29 Apr, 2010 22:48
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Finally crossing one off of my "bucket list". Im coming down from Ohio from the 13th thru the 20th and staying at the Royal Mansions Resort in Cape Canaveral. Has anyone stayed there?
Good look to all those coming down for a historic launch, and safe travels. -
#483 by smith5se on 29 Apr, 2010 22:57
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2. My impression is if there is a last minutes scrub and KSC decides to sell LTT tickets to the next attempt everyone on the NASA grounds at that day should be able to get them (since some of the people are not willing to come for the next attempt).
To get those LTT tickets you MUST have a little slip of paper that nice KSCVC employees hand you as you board your bus out to the causeway that read "In the event of a scrub, this piece of paper is redeemable for a LTT ticket at the cost of xx.xx" (last time I used this it was $21.95... prices may have gone up...)
Just an FYI... so for those fearing a scrub, make sure you get that piece of paper... and I believe they hand them to you tour bus folks as well (at least they did for me for STS 125 and 128) -
#484 by DirtyDeeds on 29 Apr, 2010 23:03
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So Furner.you are definitely going to see Beautiful Atlantis launch? I know you were fightin' for those tickets. I hope you are going.
Going with Dolphin tickets unless the ebay tickets all of a sudden drop to reasonable prices. Staying at the Clarion, have reservations 13-17 and an additional reservation 17-19.
So you know what the Clarion's cancelation policy is like? I'm thinking of booking a king room on the water for two weeks in the middle of November for 134 while its cheap, then canceling all but what I need as the launch date is finalized. -
#485 by Yegor on 29 Apr, 2010 23:17
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2. My impression is if there is a last minutes scrub and KSC decides to sell LTT tickets to the next attempt everyone on the NASA grounds at that day should be able to get them (since some of the people are not willing to come for the next attempt).
To get those LTT tickets you MUST have a little slip of paper that nice KSCVC employees hand you as you board your bus out to the causeway that read "In the event of a scrub, this piece of paper is redeemable for a LTT ticket at the cost of xx.xx" (last time I used this it was $21.95... prices may have gone up...)
Just an FYI... so for those fearing a scrub, make sure you get that piece of paper... and I believe they hand them to you tour bus folks as well (at least they did for me for STS 125 and 128)
Thank you for the info!
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#486 by jthodges on 29 Apr, 2010 23:32
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To get those LTT tickets you MUST have a little slip of paper that nice KSCVC employees hand you as you board your bus out to the causeway that read "In the event of a scrub, this piece of paper is redeemable for a LTT ticket at the cost of xx.xx" (last time I used this it was $21.95... prices may have gone up...)
Just an FYI... so for those fearing a scrub, make sure you get that piece of paper... and I believe they hand them to you tour bus folks as well (at least they did for me for STS 125 and 128)
While I would certainly prefer having the voucher to not (for peace of mind), I've never had to provide a voucher when buying post-scrub replacement LTTs. On one occasion, I bought a set of 3 LTTs with zero vouchers, and on another I bought 5 LTTs with 4 vouchers. Of course, rules seem to change constantly out there, so your mileage may vary
. I could also see the rising demand playing a part here.
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#487 by smith5se on 29 Apr, 2010 23:39
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To get those LTT tickets you MUST have a little slip of paper that nice KSCVC employees hand you as you board your bus out to the causeway that read "In the event of a scrub, this piece of paper is redeemable for a LTT ticket at the cost of xx.xx" (last time I used this it was $21.95... prices may have gone up...)
Just an FYI... so for those fearing a scrub, make sure you get that piece of paper... and I believe they hand them to you tour bus folks as well (at least they did for me for STS 125 and 128)
While I would certainly prefer having the voucher to not (for peace of mind), I've never had to provide a voucher when buying post-scrub replacement LTTs. On one occasion, I bought a set of 3 LTTs with zero vouchers, and on another I bought 5 LTTs with 4 vouchers. Of course, rules seem to change constantly out there, so your mileage may vary. I could also see the rising demand playing a part here.
You are correct; for STS 125 they were rather relaxed about the vouchers (though this didnt scrub, but woman was like "eh if you loose it, shouldn't be a problem") For STS 128 on the other hand... yeah, not so much, since apparently they had issues with people who only have VC tickets trying to obtain LTT tickets. I guess it is their way of weeding out who has the LTT tickets and who just has VC tickets.
But don't fret, those of you worrying about a scrub just need to relax... there's still plenty of time before you all board your bus; worry about it then and ask questions. LOL -
#488 by Furner on 29 Apr, 2010 23:40
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So Furner.you are definitely going to see Beautiful Atlantis launch? I know you were fightin' for those tickets. I hope you are going.
Going with Dolphin tickets unless the ebay tickets all of a sudden drop to reasonable prices. Staying at the Clarion, have reservations 13-17 and an additional reservation 17-19.
So you know what the Clarion's cancelation policy is like? I'm thinking of booking a king room on the water for two weeks in the middle of November for 134 while its cheap, then canceling all but what I need as the launch date is finalized.
You can usually modify/cancel something like 2 days before the reservation starts. During the reservation process it tells you the day that you need to cancel by. -
#489 by STS134 on 29 Apr, 2010 23:51
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So Furner.you are definitely going to see Beautiful Atlantis launch? I know you were fightin' for those tickets. I hope you are going.
Going with Dolphin tickets unless the ebay tickets all of a sudden drop to reasonable prices. Staying at the Clarion, have reservations 13-17 and an additional reservation 17-19.
So you know what the Clarion's cancelation policy is like? I'm thinking of booking a king room on the water for two weeks in the middle of November for 134 while its cheap, then canceling all but what I need as the launch date is finalized.
That is just brilliant planning. Wonder how much of a break you could get for the room-except for Launch dates of course.
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#490 by Furner on 30 Apr, 2010 00:28
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So Furner.you are definitely going to see Beautiful Atlantis launch? I know you were fightin' for those tickets. I hope you are going.
Going with Dolphin tickets unless the ebay tickets all of a sudden drop to reasonable prices. Staying at the Clarion, have reservations 13-17 and an additional reservation 17-19.
So you know what the Clarion's cancelation policy is like? I'm thinking of booking a king room on the water for two weeks in the middle of November for 134 while its cheap, then canceling all but what I need as the launch date is finalized.
That is just brilliant planning. Wonder how much of a break you could get for the room-except for Launch dates of course.
Normal rate is $79USD per night. May 13, 14, 15 it is $189 per night (plus taxes). Might be up for May 11 and 12 as well. Goes back down to $79 per night on May 16. -
#491 by himom on 30 Apr, 2010 00:45
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Does anyone know if I could use my VC ticket to visit KSC before the launch to take the tour? I was hoping to see the shuttle on the pad before the launch.
From the discussion above, it seems that, in the event of a last minute scrub and a sale of new LTTs, VC ticket holders will not have a chance to buy LTTs. Is this correct?
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#492 by spacedog71 on 30 Apr, 2010 00:53
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To get those LTT tickets you MUST have a little slip of paper that nice KSCVC employees hand you as you board your bus out to the causeway that read "In the event of a scrub, this piece of paper is redeemable for a LTT ticket at the cost of xx.xx" (last time I used this it was $21.95... prices may have gone up...)
Just an FYI... so for those fearing a scrub, make sure you get that piece of paper... and I believe they hand them to you tour bus folks as well (at least they did for me for STS 125 and 128)
While I would certainly prefer having the voucher to not (for peace of mind), I've never had to provide a voucher when buying post-scrub replacement LTTs. On one occasion, I bought a set of 3 LTTs with zero vouchers, and on another I bought 5 LTTs with 4 vouchers. Of course, rules seem to change constantly out there, so your mileage may vary. I could also see the rising demand playing a part here.
i'm curious -- how long ago were those launches? i see from ysuindy's post in the STS-128 viewing thread that they were enforcing the one-ticket-per-voucher policy at the box office as far back as STS-127's many, many scrubs, and only selling the leftovers to the public the next morning.
and in comparison, STS-128 had already had so many delays by its weather scrub on monday the 24th the KSCVC web site was advertising LTTs for walk-up sales at the box office on tuesday the 25th.
but i seem to recall that after STS-130's scrub, the KSCVC box office was only selling VC viewing tickets the next day. a friend of mine with LTTs missed the replacement LTT sale at the box office after the buses returned that night and wasn't able to get any closer than the VC for the launch the following evening.
given that there's only been one scrub since august (happy sigh
) and only three scheduled launches left (frowny sigh 
) and the only scrub this year didn't seem to have extra LTTs for sale at all afterwards, i'd expect these last launches to be extremely low on attrition (especially buttressed up against the start of weekends) and high on policy enforcement -- voucher-only replacement LTT sales the same day of a scrub and few if any extra LTTs available to the public thereafter.
[even with the KSCVC box office meltdown last week, i was AMAZED that gator tours sold out so quickly -- which may be the greatest indication that all of this prognostication may be way off of the mark for these last launches. gator seemed to have tickets for sale for STS-131 as late as the last week of march. even assuming that one sold-out launch should only be about as crowded as another sold-out launch, we may be looking at unprecedented everything as pertains to lines, crowds, traffic, etc.]
and talking a tour bus driver into stopping by the KSCVC box office to buy LTTs on the way home seems extremely unlikely -- speaking from my experience on gator at STS-128's weather scrub and on a congressional bus at STS-130's weather scrub, non-KSCVC buses don't return to the KSCVC after leaving the causeway -- they head straight back to the pick-up/drop-off points. it's always seemed to me that they only sell replacement LTTs to those with vouchers after a scrub, and probably don't even have an estimate as to how many, if any, "extra" LTTs they might have to work with until those sales are complete.
[also, protip, gang: LTT stands for "launch transportation ticket". calling it an "LTT ticket" is like calling that thing stuck in the wall at the bank where the $20s come out an "ATM machine".]
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#493 by smith5se on 30 Apr, 2010 01:19
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and talking a tour bus driver into stopping by the KSCVC box office to buy LTTs on the way home seems extremely unlikely -- speaking from my experience on gator at STS-128's weather scrub and on a congressional bus at STS-130's weather scrub, non-KSCVC buses don't return to the KSCVC after leaving the causeway -- they head straight back to the pick-up/drop-off points. it's always seemed to me that they only sell replacement LTTs to those with vouchers after a scrub, and probably don't even have an estimate as to how many, if any, "extra" LTTs they might have to work with until those sales are complete.
[also, protip, gang: LTT stands for "launch transportation ticket". calling it an "LTT ticket" is like calling that thing stuck in the wall at the bank where the $20s come out an "ATM machine".]
Spacedog is correct, from experience, for STS 125 (also an afternoon launch) Gator Tour busses DID NOT go to the KSCVC after the launch, we went directly back to our pick up locations.
As for that last comment... that's just begging us to continue calling it a LTT ticket FYI.
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#494 by Yegor on 30 Apr, 2010 01:29
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Well, the only thing I can do now is pray that there will be no scrub.
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#495 by robertross on 30 Apr, 2010 01:45
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Well, the only thing I can do now is pray that there will be no scrub.
I'm praying too!
BTW, to all: here's a link to a food thread that was started last year and has some good information on best spots to eat. Figured it deserved mentioning.
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=18970.0 -
#496 by himom on 30 Apr, 2010 05:10
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Does anyone know if I could use my VC ticket to visit KSC before the launch to take the tour? I was hoping to see the shuttle on the pad before the launch.
No one know the answer to this one? -
#497 by Nick on 30 Apr, 2010 08:00
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Does anyone know if I could use my VC ticket to visit KSC before the launch to take the tour? I was hoping to see the shuttle on the pad before the launch.
No one know the answer to this one?
Yes, you can. You get two days admission to the VC, obviously one intended for launch day, but you can use the other before or after the launch. I vaguely remember that you have to make both visits within 7 days.
A while back you asked what happens about the sale of LTT tickets if there's a launch scrub. On both the launches I've attended, existing holders of LTTs were given a little slip which gave them priority in purchasing tickets for the rearranged launch. The first time (STS-116), they were handed out as we left the bus having returned from the Causeway. The second time (STS-129), we were given the slips before we arrived at the Causeway.
I had to repurchase an LTT the first time and it was all very relaxed and there were plenty left over for "new purchasers". But it was 4 years ago and the middle of the night.
How its working now that there are so few launches left I wouldn't know. -
#498 by Furner on 30 Apr, 2010 11:50
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Does anyone know, in the event of a scrub and they hand out vouchers, will they only sell one replacement LTT per person, or if I have two vouchers, one for me and one for my wife, will they sell me two LTTs if my wife is not in line with me?
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#499 by dougmichel on 30 Apr, 2010 12:15
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Do the vouchers have a # on them so for instance since I am on Dolphin Tours, and I highly doubt they would stop at the center in the event of a scrub, could I call the KSC number and buy LTT and pick them up at will call the next day?
Also I was thinking that maybe after the busses drop us off back at LBV at our hotel, we could drive back to KSC before it closes and pick up LTT to come back the next launch via car. (tour people do get vechicle cards for entry by car don't they?) Of course that raises questions about how long they have tickets, for instance do they hold LTT for the priority folks until the following day and then release to the public? If not the chances I get my two tickets before anyone else in line since I would be going to LBV and then back, at least 1 hour journey in normal traffic, seems quite small.
Best case scenario for all, this thing either launches on the 14th or it gets scrubbed before we all board a bus.
. I could also see the rising demand playing a part here.
) and only three scheduled launches left (frowny sigh 
) and the only scrub this year didn't seem to have extra LTTs for sale at all afterwards, i'd expect these last launches to be extremely low on attrition (especially buttressed up against the start of weekends) and high on policy enforcement -- voucher-only replacement LTT sales the same day of a scrub and few if any extra LTTs available to the public thereafter. 