CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER - Each year, more than 55 million visitors flock to Central Florida to relax and reconnect with families and friends in a destination filled with thrills, chills and excitement.

Now more than ever before, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is a must-add to every Orlando vacation itinerary with real rockets, real astronaut heroes, real working space flight operations, and NASA's real Atlantis orbiter. At the $100 million Space Shuttle AtlantisSM, it's the world's most comprehensive attraction devoted to the 30-year Space Shuttle Program. This year promises to be a record launch year with 24 rockets scheduled to liftoff from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in 2015. Kennedy Space Center offers viewing opportunities on most launches. Visit KennedySpaceCenter.com for more information.

A unique experience where guests can explore and be inspired, discover and learn, and have fun together, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex defies categorization with a mix of attractions, interactive experiences and simulators, historically based behind-the-scenes tours, multimedia shows, exclusive exhibits and out-of-this-world 3D space films. In short, it's a vacation destination like no place else on Earth.

The epicenter of mankind's greatest adventures – past and future – Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is located just 45 minutes east of Orlando International Airport. Together with the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, which is included in Visitor Complex admission, the destination offers more than a day of exploration for visitors of all generations. Whether they are students keen on learning about the future of manned space flight, Gen Xers who have grown up over the course of the 30-year Space Shuttle Program or Baby Boomers who still remember the days of the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs when mankind's greatest goal was to ferry a man safely to the moon and back, guests of all ages and interest levels are certain be entertained, amazed and inspired.

Here is what's new at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex:

• Space Shuttle Atlantis - At this $100 million attraction, guests will come nose to nose with the priceless spacecraft that successfully flew 33 missions and still bears the scorch marks and space dust of more than 126 million miles and 307 days in space. They'll also get to see the majestic orbiter in a way that only astronauts have seen it before – tilted at 43.21 degrees with its payload bay doors open and robotic Canadarm extended as if it were floating in space. More than 60 interactive, hands-on experiences bring to life the people, passion and patriotism of the 30-year Space Shuttle Program and its most significant achievements – the International Space Station (ISS) and the Hubble Space Telescope. Combining top-of-the-line audio/visual and show systems, cutting-edge theme park technology, seldom seen NASA images and footage, and reality-based astronaut training simulations, this totally immersive attraction is arguably the closest guests can get to living and working in space, short of applying to the astronaut corps.

• KSC Up-Close Tours - Kennedy Space Center's remarkable collection of rockets, launch pads, NASA aerospace technology components and launch viewing opportunities offer behind-the-scenes access and authenticity unlike any other destination.

• KSC Up-Close Explore Tour – This new tour offers visitors an insider's view of the U.S. Space Program, from the launch sites of today at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to the past and future of space exploration at Kennedy Space Center. See the massive, 525-foot-high Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), the Shuttle Landing Facility's nearly 3-mile-long runway and rocket launch pads supporting launches by NASA, SpaceX and the United Launch Alliance. Price is $25 for adults and $19 for children ages 3-11 plus tax, in addition to admission. 

• KSC Up-Close Launch Control Center (LCC) Tour - For the first time in 30 years, visitors can tour the legendary Launch Control Center and Firing Room 4, from which all 21 space shuttle launches since 2006 were controlled. Inside Firing Room 4, visitors will pass by the computer consoles at which engineers monitored the computerized launch control system's thousands of checks every minute leading up to launch. They'll see the main launch countdown clock and large video monitors on the walls, and enter the “bubble room,” with its wall of interior windows through which the Kennedy Space Center management team viewed the proceedings below. Price is $25 for adults and $19 for children ages 3-11 plus tax, in addition to admission. 

• KSC Up-Close Cape Canaveral: Then & Now Guided Tour:  This narrated, in-depth journey guides visitors through the Cape's 50-year history of space exploration. Highlights include Launch Complex 5/6, site of the first two Mercury launches and the birthplace of NASA's manned space program; the Air Force Space and Missile Museum, the Mercury Memorial, and Launch Complex 19, site of 10 manned missions in two years. The tour stops at Launch Complex 34, site of the 1967 Apollo 1 tragedy in which astronauts Gus Grissom, Edward White, and Roger Chaffee perished in a fire during a launch test. The tour culminates at the Apollo/Saturn V Center. Photo ID is required for guests age 18 and older. International guests must present a valid passport to participate. Photography and video are limited to designated tour stops. Price is $25 for adults and $19 for children (ages 3-11) plus tax, in addition to admission. 

Meanwhile, these attractions remain popular at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex:

• Shuttle Launch Experience® - This launch replication, designed under the guidance of veteran space shuttle astronauts, immerses guests in the sights, sounds and sensations of a space shuttle launch. The journey begins as crew members enter the heart of space shuttle operations for the pre-launch briefing then enter the custom-designed crew cabin where they'll strap in and “go vertical,” traveling simulated speeds up to 17,500 miles per hour. Upon reaching orbit, the payload bay doors open to reveal a breathtaking view of Earth from space. 

Opened in 2007, the Shuttle Launch Experience is now a part of the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction. 

• Apollo/Saturn V Center – Visitors can travel back in time with astronaut Jim Lovell to experience the launch of Apollo 8 from within the controlled chaos of the “firing room,” touch a moon rock, walk beneath a fully restored massive 363-foot Saturn V moon rocket, one of only three in existence today, and relive the harrowing first moon landing, Apollo 11. Within the Apollo/Saturn V Center, guests may appreciate the Apollo Treasures Gallery which houses artifacts from many of the Apollo moon missions, including Apollo 14 Commander Alan Shepard's spacesuit and his Command Module, Kitty Hawk.

• 3D Space Films - Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is home to not one but two, five-and-a-half-story IMAX screens. Now playing, Journey to Space captures the spirit of human exploration and describes how it is at the core of human DNA. Narrated by film and television legend Sir Patrick Stewart, Journey to Space highlights the enormous risks associated with human spaceflight, accentuating the bravery of all space travelers. Also playing is Hubble 3D, narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio. The film brings the furthest depths of the universe to life, transporting audiences to distant galaxies to explore the mysteries of deep space. Hubble 3D offers an inspiring and unique look into the Hubble Space Telescope's legacy and its profound impact on the way we view the universe and ourselves.

• Astronaut Training Experience® (ATX®) – Guests are invited to take “one giant leap” toward the dream of being an astronaut or a crew member in the ATX –Astronaut Training Experienceat Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. ATXoffers participants an exciting program of training and preparation for the rigors of spaceflight. The hands-on program includes true-to-training simulator exercises and a space shuttle mission simulation aboard a full-scale orbiter mock-up. Reservations are required for half-day adult ATXCore program or Family ATXprogram.

• Live Space Launches - The noise, the vibrations – and the view! From countdown to lift off, there's nothing quite like an authentic space launch. An ongoing schedule of space launches from adjacent Cape Canaveral Air Force Station keep eyes glued to the skies above Kennedy Space Center throughout the year. Nearly 24 launches are slated for the Space Coast in 2015.

• Rocket Garden - The history of America's space program comes to life in the Rocket Garden, where a collection of real and replica rockets show how manned space flight progressed through the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo eras. Climb aboard capsules, walk the real gantry used by the crew of Apollo 11 and re-enact the heart-pumping moments of countdown and launch. Free guided tours of the Rocket Garden are given several times per day.

• Exploration Space: Explorers Wanted® - Step into the center of space travel and become part of the future of exciting possibilities at Exploration Space: Explorers Wanted. The 10,000-foot exhibit immerses visitors into an environment of discovery and exploration beyond our home planet. Live theater, interactive experiences and large-scale multimedia presentations display what the future of space travel may look like, emphasizing that space exploration is not just about the hardware, but about the people behind the technology who make it all possible.

• Astronaut Encounter - Come face to face with one of more than 500 people who have experienced space travel and hear first-hand how astronauts eat, sleep and live in space at Astronaut Encounter. Held daily at the Astronaut Encounter Theater, the half-hour interactive program features a question-and-answer session and an opportunity to take a picture with the astronaut.  An impressive roster of astronauts has appeared since the program's inception in 2001, including Apollo astronauts Al Worden, Walt Cunningham and Charlie Duke; and space shuttle astronauts Wendy Lawrence, Susan Kilrain, Jack Lousma and Jon McBride.  

• Lunch With An Astronaut - Lunch With An Astronaut offers guests a unique opportunity to dine with a true space hero. Sit down to a delicious hot meal as one of NASA's veteran astronauts shares personal recollections of his or her time in space. Ask questions and have a photo taken with the astronaut. Seating is limited.

• U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame® - Although much of the story at Kennedy Space Center is about state-of-the-future technology, the Astronaut Hall of Fame is about the brave men and women who have flown in space. The Hall of Fame features the world's largest collection of astronaut memorabilia, plus stimulating displays, exhibits and tributes to the heroes of the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle programs. A historic collection includes the Mercury Sigma 7 capsule and a Gemini training capsule. Science on a Sphere, a global display, takes visitors on a three-dimensional journey around the world and throughout the solar system via dynamic, animated images of the atmosphere, oceans and planets.

• Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge - Kennedy Space Center is an ecological sanctuary encompassed by the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, home to more state and federally protected wildlife than any other national refuge. Throughout 140,000 acres of estuaries, marshes and coastal dunes are seven distinct habitat types and more than 500 species, from manatees to alligators, bald eagles to ospreys, and butterflies to sea turtles. Look for five hiking trails from ¼ mile to five miles long, a seven-mile driving tour and countless photo opportunities.

About Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex brings to life the epic story of the U.S. space program, offering a full day or more of fun and educational activities, including the Kennedy Space Center Tour featuring the Apollo/Saturn V Center with an actual Saturn V moon rocket, the new Space Shuttle AtlantisSM, Shuttle Launch Experience®, IMAX® Hubble 3D and Journey to Space films, Astronaut Encounter,Exploration Space®: Explorers Wanted, Rocket Garden and many other interactive exhibits. Admission also includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, featuring historic spacecraft and the world's largest collection of personal astronaut memorabilia, which opens daily at noon and closing times vary by season. Only 45 minutes from Orlando, Fla., Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex opens daily at 9 a.m. with closing times varying by season.  Admission is $50 + tax for adults and $40 + tax for children ages 3-11. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers annual passes starting at $75 + tax for adults and $60 + tax for children ages 3-11. For more information, call 877-313-2610 or visit www.KennedySpaceCenter.com.

Follow Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Google+ and Pinterest

About Delaware North
Delaware North is one of the largest and most admired privately-held hospitality companies in the world. Founded and owned by the Jacobs family for nearly 100 years, it is a global leader in hospitality and food service with subsidiary and affiliate operations in the sports, travel hospitality, restaurants and catering, parks, resorts, gaming and specialty retail industries. Its portfolio includes high-profile venues ranging from sports stadiums, entertainment complexes, national parks, restaurants, airports, and some of the top regional casinos in the country. The company also owns a selection of award-winning destination resorts, as well as a series of premium restaurants and catering services that are leaders in the industry. Delaware North has annual revenue exceeding $3 billion with 60,000 employee associates serving half a billion guests in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. “Delaware North” is a reference to Delaware North Companies Inc. and its affiliates and subsidiaries, including location-specific operating entities.

Editors Note: For images of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, visit:

http://media.kennedyspacecenter.com/kennedy/multimedia/photos/

-kscvc-

Media Contacts:

Andrea Farmer, 321-449-4318, afarmer@delawarenorth.com

Nancy Glasgow, 407-375-2433, nancy@bitner.com