Adult space camp living quarters

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sleepyjae
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Adult space camp living quarters

Post by sleepyjae »

Hi all,

My spouse and I are looking forward to Adult Space Camp this summer, and are leaning towards bunking in the Hab rather than getting a room at the Marriott. Are the adult campers divided by gender? What are the rooming arrangements/bathroom sharing arrangements? Thanks!
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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by p51 »

They usually put married couples together in rooms by themselves. The beds are pretty small and not overly comfortable, but anyone who's used to military barracks living would do just fine with them. They house 7 kids, but that must be tight quarters. Last year, I was in a room with three adults and we did just fine.
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Each gender has their own restroom, with showers, on each floor.
The Marriott is clearly more comfy, but you miss out on the after hours and early morning stuff that I feel helps bond a team together. It's also way too expensive for what you get. I roomed there the night before my first Space Academy experience and was not impressed for how much it cost.
Hey, it's only either 2 or three nights. Stay in the HAB, save a lot of bucks, and be better for the experience!
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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by majtom7 »

The Marriott is also much quieter than the Hab, partly due to the difference in design and construction, partly due to the fewer number of people in both your room and the halls. If you are a member of Marriott Rewards, AAA, or eligible for the government or military rate, the price per night is alright on the weekends, not so much during the week. No doubt, the Hab is cheaper as that is included in your cost for camp, but you get what you pay for (remember to bring your own towels & washcloths). It is much easier to go back and forth to the Hab than the Marriott if you need to get something, take a quick shower, etc.

I slept OK in the Hab at my last camp but then again, I live close enough (and had experienced the Hab before) so I brought my own pillows and blanket, among other comforts. I never slept through the night due to the noise and temperature control has always been a problem in the rooms. You could also be assigned to a room with a smoker which could present a problem if you're a non-smoker.

The last camp I attended had a married couple. They were allowed to bunk together over the weekend yet had to separate during the week when children were staying in the Hab. (Braids, please correct me if I have this wrong. Thanks!)
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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by SpaceCanada »

majtom7 wrote:The last camp I attended had a married couple. They were allowed to bunk together over the weekend yet had to separate during the week when children were staying in the Hab. (Braids, please correct me if I have this wrong. Thanks!)
That is correct. Next time, we will opt to split on the first night to get more team bonding in. I loved sharing a room with Tink, and Goose enjoyed spending the extra time with his roomies as well.
Last edited by SpaceCanada on Fri Jun 13, 2014 12:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by p51 »

majtom7 wrote:The Marriott is also much quieter than the Hab, partly due to the difference in design and construction, partly due to the fewer number of people in both your room and the halls.
That depends on how many people are there at the time.
In 2012, Only the two adult program teams were there, you could have heard a pin drop in the HAB at night (which drove me slightly nuts the first night, I sleep better with some background noise).
Last September, it was a madhouse, plenty of kid groups around and they did make a lot of noise, but even then it was mostly quiet by about 11PM or so. I went to the restroom one night before midnight and I heard nothing other than the air conditioning running.
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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by Hotdog »

Ah, you guys are bringing back memories of Hab life :) To get the complete "Space Camp Experience", ya gotta stay in the Hab, at least for your first time at Camp. Every minute with your teammates is critical, and the time you have together is so short. Looking back, you'll be glad you didn't exclude yourself from this element of your adventure. Just remember to pack some flannel pajamas or long johns because you WILL freeze without 'em!

All that being said, as an adult who has already been a few times, I might be able to make a case for staying at the Marriott, given some circumstances. If most of my team members were also staying at the Marriott, then the team experience should carry on over for the most part. It is indeed quieter and more comfortable there. Plus, the Marriott has a bar, and I do sometimes enjoy relaxing with a drink at the end of the day. It's not uncommon to find adult campers hanging out at the bar after hours, putting the finishing touches on their patch drawings and studying up for their missions. So, perhaps with the proper prior planning, the Marriott could be organized with your group as "Adult Hab Deluxe"! 8)
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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by Phoenix PK »

I always stay at the Marriott the day before and the day after Camp. And I've been known to "close"
Otter's every night for a week, watching the games and talking to the bartenders, a couple of whom
became good friends over the years. We'd even exchange gifts...

Alas, Otter's is no more. Now it's a modern, brightly-lit place. Still, it'll work. After Camp, you'll
find me there, nursing a beer or a Maker's Mark, flirting with the girls, ever watchful for Hoot...

And there's always the pool, for capsule egress practice. I've always taken advantage of that
training resource!
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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by SpaceCanada »

Oh yes, the Marriott pool! Love that pool.

Still, I'd rather stay in the Hab for the full camp experience and the ability to walk around Rocket Park in the middle of the night - nothing quite like it. It's not that noisy at night, really, even for a light sleeper like myself. Counsellors keep the kids under control most of the time, and their quiet time is 10 or 11 PM. Except that team from New Jersey... those kids were exceptionally horrible. I felt bad for their counsellors. Warm pyjamas are a must, definitely!
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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by Hotdog »

I'm still going to call the bar Otter's. If enough of us do that, then maybe the hotel will "get it" about the landmark they have in their possession. And perhaps eventually we can convince them to turn down the [darn] lights. After all, it's a bar, not an office!
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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by majtom7 »

SpaceCanada wrote:I loved sharing a room with Tink and Goose
The Right Stuff, indeed! ;)

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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by majtom7 »

SpaceCanada wrote:the ability to walk around Rocket Park in the middle of the night - nothing quite like it.
Yes, that is a definite plus!

If they could only fix the doors in the Hab... People let them swing close and the sound carries.
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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by Conan »

It is true that the door slamming can be quite annoying. But the last few times I have been there I brought along a white noise generator which works well whether you are bothered by the noise or by the quiet later on. My roommates seemed to enjoy having it there too.
Like others, I often stay at the Marriott the night before and the night after. Especially if I am there with for a Parent/Child program as the kids enjoy the pool and it helps a little with their post-camp depression. But I always stay in the Hab during camp to bond with my team. And I will be doing so again in August when I return for the 4-day camp. (No Marriott this time, my days off work only allow me to fly in the day of and leave right after graduation) I will have my heavy sweatsuit pajamas and white noise with me! I am an early sleeper and on Eastern time so I enjoy the early morning hours when I can have the bathroom to myself and can wander around the Rocket Park in silent awe!
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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by SpaceCanada »

majtom7 wrote:
SpaceCanada wrote:I loved sharing a room with Tink and Goose
The Right Stuff, indeed! ;)

Forgive me, it's Friday 8)
I'll just go add that comma in there... yes, punctuation!
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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by Phoenix PK »

My Carol will never go to Space Camp with us. She'd get us all killed on the Pad!!!
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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by Steve »

I will have my heavy sweatsuit pajamas and white noise with me! I am an early sleeper and on Eastern time so I enjoy the early morning hours when I can have the bathroom to myself and can wander around the Rocket Park in silent awe![/quote]

I think all campers need to experience the Hab. Yes is sometimes it is can be noisy,but becoming a team is important for the mission & fun time had by all. I think no one is never prepared for a bed that is hard & iceberg cold in every room. But at the end of the day, once the SC experience is over, you will look back & say it was well worth it. One last thing, there is nothing compares just walking around the rocket park taking it all in on your own time!!
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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by sleepyjae »

Thanks for all the info! You guys have definitely convinced us to give the Hab a go. Can't wait for camp to start :) :D :D :D
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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by p51 »

People talk about how cold the HAB is. Frankly, I just don't see it. I've never felt cold in there before. It's not boiling, I'll give you all that, but maybe I run on a slightly different thermometer (then again, I live where it very rarely gets even to 80 degrees outside, even in the middle of summer). I think it has to do with the difference between the inside and outside of the HAB. I was born and raised in the Deep south, but living in the opposite corner of North America since the late 90s, I now feel that the HAB isn't so cold as the outside is so flipping hot!
sleepyjae wrote:Can't wait for camp to start
Welcome to the club. There's a lot of us. I'm in my mid 40s now and I still feel like a kid waiting for Christmas to arrive when it comes to camp. Hadn't had that feeling for many years before i started going to Space Camp and it never seems to go away! :mrgreen:
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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by majtom7 »

The Hab is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.
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Re: Adult space camp living quarters

Post by street »

FYI, married adults will not be roomed together in the Hab, unless you are attending Parent/Child; then the entire family is housed in one room. For adult camp, males and females are housed separately, regardless of marital status. Exceptions were made in the past, but are no longer allowed.
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