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#1020 by Keyman on 30 Jun, 2011 21:47
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Hey Chris -
With all the traffic concerns, and the projected early AM arrival requirements, can you make the NSF pre-launch dinner, meet & greet, somehwere within stumbling distance of the KSCVC? Then we can all just walk over together. -
#1021 by shuttlefanatic on 30 Jun, 2011 22:01
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Hey Chris -
I'm sure it will be somewhere in Titusville. There's nothing actually within stumbling distance of the VC, unless you count the cafeteria at the VC. (Hey, why not a 4AM snack run meet and greet at the VC?)
With all the traffic concerns, and the projected early AM arrival requirements, can you make the NSF pre-launch dinner, meet & greet, somehwere within stumbling distance of the KSCVC? Then we can all just walk over together.
Also, keep in mind those of us with tour bus tickets will have to stumble back to Orlando just to get on a bus to come back... not that I'm complaining
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#1022 by gchockry on 30 Jun, 2011 22:11
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Hey Chris -
I'm sure it will be somewhere in Titusville. There's nothing actually within stumbling distance of the VC, unless you count the cafeteria at the VC. (Hey, why not a 4AM snack run meet and greet at the VC?)
With all the traffic concerns, and the projected early AM arrival requirements, can you make the NSF pre-launch dinner, meet & greet, somehwere within stumbling distance of the KSCVC? Then we can all just walk over together.
Also, keep in mind those of us with tour bus tickets will have to stumble back to Orlando just to get on a bus to come back... not that I'm complaining
STS-135 NSF pre-launch dinner info is on a different thread:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=25713.0 -
#1023 by OneFish on 30 Jun, 2011 22:11
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The Gator Tours seem to really have messed up on timing shipping the tickets this time.
Have you tried calling GL to see if they can provide you with any further info? It was only because I called both FedEx and GL on Monday after noticing no changes on the tracking status all weekend that I figured out that FedEx had not even received the package from GL yet. It's worth a try.
I finally did get my tickets this afternoon, but did not have the happy feeling I had initially anticipated
Not that I am trying to rant and rave, as I am a very patient person and treated everyone who I spoke to through the last 4 days with courtesy and respect.
But in all honesty: my tickets were not shipped, missed my stepsons graduation, received the wrong tickets, lost countless hours at work waiting for package to arrive, incurred unknown amounts of long distance charges (GL toll free doesn't work in Canada for some reason).
And today....no movement on my package from the early morning hours although package is only 15 minutes drive away, phoned FedEx, package stuck at customs although online it shows it cleared, phone customs (after not hearing back for 2 or so hours), package not at customs, call FedEx, package at customs, online tracking says in shipping warehouse.
Now the kicker: receive email notification my package is now in transit to RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA, phone FedEx again.
Anyways, it goes on and on. As it turns out, my package was in the warehouse (only 20 minutes away) all day but didn't get on the delivery truck this morning for some unkown reason.
I hopped in the car during rush hour to drive to the warehouse to get the package and spent an hour at FedEx waiting.
I guess you can say I'm not exactly happy now, and very, very tired.
Still debating whose elevator musak I find more annoying, GL or FedEX.
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#1024 by Albireo on 30 Jun, 2011 22:32
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@ OneFish: Oh my, what a day... anyway - you finally got the tickets!
We got ours today, too! Really happy now! But all in all it seems to be really some kind of adventure to get these tickets...The Gator Tours seem to really have messed up on timing shipping the tickets this time.
Have you tried calling GL to see if they can provide you with any further info? It was only because I called both FedEx and GL on Monday after noticing no changes on the tracking status all weekend that I figured out that FedEx had not even received the package from GL yet. It's worth a try.
I finally did get my tickets this afternoon, but did not have the happy feeling I had initially anticipated
Not that I am trying to rant and rave, as I am a very patient person and treated everyone who I spoke to through the last 4 days with courtesy and respect.
But in all honesty: my tickets were not shipped, missed my stepsons graduation, received the wrong tickets, lost countless hours at work waiting for package to arrive, incurred unknown amounts of long distance charges (GL toll free doesn't work in Canada for some reason).
And today....no movement on my package from the early morning hours although package is only 15 minutes drive away, phoned FedEx, package stuck at customs although online it shows it cleared, phone customs (after not hearing back for 2 or so hours), package not at customs, call FedEx, package at customs, online tracking says in shipping warehouse.
Now the kicker: receive email notification my package is now in transit to RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA, phone FedEx again.
Anyways, it goes on and on. As it turns out, my package was in the warehouse (only 20 minutes away) all day but didn't get on the delivery truck this morning for some unkown reason.
I hopped in the car during rush hour to drive to the warehouse to get the package and spent an hour at FedEx waiting.
I guess you can say I'm not exactly happy now, and very, very tired.
Still debating whose elevator musak I find more annoying, GL or FedEX. -
#1025 by danduc on 30 Jun, 2011 22:55
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I have one extra Causeway ticket with Gator. Pick-Up on Merritt Island. Face value. PM me if interested. Have to board with me. No time to ship it.
Dan -
#1026 by dougie69 on 30 Jun, 2011 22:55
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I guess you can say I'm not exactly happy now, and very, very tired.
Wow what a nightmare. I can understand why you're not happy but I hope you are relieved.
I was 'fortunate' to have Thursday off due to a cold/flu and was able to sign for the tickets when they arrived. If I was at work I would have had literally hours on Friday to pick them up. And if they did arrive on Friday I would have missed them completely due to work, flights and time zones. -
#1027 by Furner on 30 Jun, 2011 23:57
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I think FDT did the right thing to not ship tickets this time. Too many variables on a very short timeline.
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#1028 by OneFish on 01 Jul, 2011 01:42
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Thanks to everyone who sympathized with me. It was a tough situation to go through all week, and I did everything I could to remain calm, although I am sure my blood was boiling at some points.
I'm no stranger to the space coast as I have been going there since I was a pre-teen in the late 80's. We loved the area so much that my parents purchased property in the early 90's and another a property a couple years later. My father has since passed, and the properties have been left to my brother and I. Some of my fondest memories of my father were of him helping me do my grade six science fair project about the shuttle program. Wish I still had the shuttle we built out of carboard and wood.
I have seen countless launches (shuttle and rocket) through the years, although never from the causeway, as I have never planned a trip around a launch.
With the shuttle program coming to an end, I felt it was not only important for me, but also for my 14 year old stepson to be there for the final launch. At this point, he doesn't exactly understand why I feel this is so important for him, but I am sure in a few years he will. Oddly enough, the first shuttle launch I saw was also Atlantis and now will be my last.
MadameConcorde, I still hold hope that you will receive your tickets.
See you all at the causeway, I will be the one with tears of joy and happiness in her eyes.
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#1029 by beef5stew on 01 Jul, 2011 01:58
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For those with congressipnal passes...the info went out today. Not surprisingly, i am on the causeway...but i am just happy to have the chance to see one more launch.
Beef5stew -
#1030 by stuart_wildcat on 01 Jul, 2011 02:46
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Here is an odd turn of ticket events. I had 6 adult tickets to AHOF to sell at face value and found someone who wanted them. When he received them, he noticed 4 are for STS-135 and and say AHOF ONLY LVO STS-135 CH and one is for STS-134 and says AHOF ONLY LVO STS-134 AD. We assumed that I received 5 CHild tickets for 135 and one ADult for 134. The sixth ticket that I kept says AHOF ONLY LVO STS-135 CH. I sent it off to him FEDEX thinking at worst, he could pay the $4 difference and I could settle with KSC. Then I went to ebay and found three people selling AHOF ticket with pictures. Two postings were selling 4 adult tickets and showed three CH tickets for 135 and one AD for 134. One even had a note pointing out the 134 AD ticket and said that KSC admitted sending them in error and would honor them for 135.
Has anyone else dealt with this issue? I will be calling KSC tomorrow to clarify.
I hear ya. I received Dine With An Astronaut 4:45am tickets shipped directly from KSC via winning the first lottery round, and they are dated for use on 7/7. I called KSC (this was last Friday) and the customer service rep did not seem to find this odd (I did), didn't offer to explain what happened, but did say my tickets would be honored on 7/8.
Be prepared for a long wait time on hold, I was waiting quite awhile, and this was almost a week ago.
I only had to hold for 20 minutes. The operator at KSC did not even wait for me to finish saying that I had ordered Adult tickets for AHOF before interupting to say they were aware of the issue and honoring CH tickets for 135 and AD tickets for 134.
On another note, my wife's sister and her husband live in Delray Beach and STS-135 will be the third launch we will have attended together.
Just wanted to say publicly a thanks to DrGuano for following up on this. I am the one that bought tickets from him and since I'm on a business trip in Canada this week couldn't really find out what was going on.
I think one thing that would be good to think about is that if there have been so many issues with tickets what do you think traffic is going to be like?... I think everyone should probably plan on the conservative side and then add more time to that. After all, would you rather have an extra hour at the VC or get turned away because they shut the gates? I watched STS-133 and STS-134 from the AHOF and saw that happen both times although it might have just been people thinking they could just drive out there.
Also, the weather, as several have mentioned has the possibility to really throw some curveballs at us. I live in the Orlando area and even though I have been away this week I will say that the general pattern last few weeks has been storms moving some variation of West to East. That doesn't mean we will be in the clear but maybe with a morning launch they will be marching accross Florida but not yet violate any launch criteria.
Here's hoping that the clouds will part and let Atlantis roar through one final time! -
#1031 by ShuttleShel on 01 Jul, 2011 02:47
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For those with congressipnal passes...the info went out today. Not surprisingly, i am on the causeway...but i am just happy to have the chance to see one more launch.
Beef5stew
I got my email today too. Causeway as well. I'll be in the A-K line. I am hoping that splitting the crowd in half will expedite the process. The line was ridiculously long and slow for STS-134's 4/29 attempt. -
#1032 by gchockry on 01 Jul, 2011 03:16
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FYI, a suggestion for those of you who are renting cars from MCO.
The rental companies try and sell you the "full tank option" of gas (aka petrol). On my last visit for STS-134, they often mentioned that stations have prices as much as $5.00/gallon versus their $3.90/gallon.
I declined the option, so needed to tank-up before returning the car.
Going north from the MCO terminals on Semoran Blvd, the first gas station appears to be Sun Coast Energy (cross street Butler National Drive). I was suspicious because there was no signs visible from Semoran Blvd posted with their gas prices. The price was indeed about $5.00/gallon! I noticed only at the pump just before using my credit card. I exited immediately without purchasing. I think this is the first station one finds after exiting 528 and searching northward on Semoran Blvd. Hmmm. I wonder if there's a connection between the rental companies and this station?
I suggest going 1.25 miles further (northward) for more stations and better prices ($3.89/gallon at the time). Specifically, I went to Racetrac Petroleum (cross street Turnbull Drive).
Happy and safe travels!
P.S. I have to give a shout-out and recommend that you subscribe to NASASpaceflight.com L2. http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/l2/
It is really neat! I am checking out a lot of info for STS-135. My favorite so far is the Beta NSF - MCC (Media Control Center).
Since you are already committing the effort and expense for STS-135, enhance the experience. Go for a the annual subscription!
There's a lot more sections to explore when there is more time after this mission. Did I mention the videos? -
#1033 by Champ7AC on 01 Jul, 2011 03:53
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FYI, a suggestion for those of you who are renting cars from MCO.
The rental companies try and sell you the "full tank option" of gas (aka petrol). On my last visit for STS-134, they often mentioned that stations have prices as much as $5.00/gallon versus their $3.90/gallon.
I declined the option, so needed to tank-up before returning the car.
http://www.orlandogasprices.com/
Know It. Use It. Love It.
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#1034 by shuttlefanatic on 01 Jul, 2011 04:11
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Going north from the MCO terminals on Semoran Blvd, the first gas station appears to be Sun Coast Energy (cross street Butler National Drive). I was suspicious because there was no signs visible from Semoran Blvd posted with their gas prices.
I caught a local news report about these first two stations north of the airport when I was there for STS-133. Their prices are anywhere from $1/gal to $2/gal more than other places. They've been fined for not properly displaying their prices, but it's only $250/day. I imagine they make more than that by gouging...
You can drive further north on Semoran to find cheaper gas, or I've taken to using the BP at the Narcoossee exit off the 528 a few miles east of the airport exit. (The same exit that the Enterprise/National lot is.) They're not the absolute cheapest (I recall maybe 20 cents more than gas in Titusville), but pretty easy to get to, so it's a good compromise for me.
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#1035 by shuttlefanatic on 01 Jul, 2011 04:32
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http://www.orlandogasprices.com/
Awesome. Even more awesome is when I got to this digging around the site:
http://www.orlandogasprices.com/MetroGasTemperatureMap.aspx?z=3&lat=28.460632&long=-81.309753&ft=A&tl=48
The aforementioned price gouging station is a full $2.40 (70%!) over the competition. -
#1036 by MadameConcorde on 01 Jul, 2011 06:26
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I knew they had not shipped the tickets or they would have been here by now.
An email from Gator Gray line came during night time.
If you are receiving this email it is to notify you that your space shuttle launch tour tickets are ready for pick up in our office. We realize that you requested shipping for the tickets however the mailing office have notified us that they do not believe they will reach you in time, therefore we are holding your tickets in our office and we will credit you for the $20 shipping and handling.
I will need to figure out how to get to the place by public bus. I will not have a car during my stay.
At least there is no more need that I wait for the mail man with the package. -
#1037 by solaria on 01 Jul, 2011 08:39
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If they are only telling people this at this stage, they are going to have to make some sort of arrangements for people to be allowed to pick up on 7th or I would have thought even at the pickup point. Some might have asked for them to be shipped who are flying in late on 7th and be told this. Given its their problem, I would ask if you can pick them up at the pickup meeting point (though perhaps for peace of mind you would rather have them in advance).
I'm not staying far from the Gator office 5-7th and will probably have a hire car, if you need assistance (though Orlando driving terrifies me a bit), I should be around on 6th (heading to space coast early on 7th). Where are you staying? Perhaps someone else collecting tickets anyway would be allowed to get yours and drop them off with you.I knew they had not shipped the tickets or they would have been here by now.
An email from Gator Gray line came during night time. -
#1038 by MadameConcorde on 01 Jul, 2011 09:23
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I'm not staying far from the Gator office 5-7th and will probably have a hire car, if you need assistance
YGPM :-) -
#1039 by debrarr on 01 Jul, 2011 10:17
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http://www.orlandogasprices.com/
Awesome. Even more awesome is when I got to this digging around the site:
http://www.orlandogasprices.com/MetroGasTemperatureMap.aspx?z=3&lat=28.460632&long=-81.309753&ft=A&tl=48
The aforementioned price gouging station is a full $2.40 (70%!) over the competition.
Awesome! Thanks for the link, we only filled up once when we were in Orlando last, and it was in Titusville so it seemed like a bargain, but we'll probably opt for the fullt ank option from MCO anyways.
(It all seems cheap compared to the £6.20 (about $10) per gallon here in the UK.. )
