If you’re heading to Walt Disney World today, you’ll see some amazing things — but nothing like this. This morning, photographer Kent Phillips captured Space Shuttle Discovery as it soared over Cinderella Castle on its mission to the space station. After the shuttle’s climb to orbit, Kent also photographed Discovery’s exhaust trail catching the first rays of sunlight.
Kent said he snapped the images near Country Bear Jamboree in Frontierland and that seeing the liftoff and amazing light show were definitely worth getting up early for.
« Previous 1 2
72 Comments 1 Reply
Ina on April 5th, 2010 at 9:43 pm
My daughter and I were visiting Epcot in the year 2000. To our amazement there was a night launch right above us. We were so excited and never did we think we would ever see anything like that again. Well, a few years later………..at Epcot, standing in the same exact spot was another launch! All unplanned!! Disney Magic all over again! I still think of those times with my daughter as pure DISNEY MAGIC!
Nick on April 5th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
The first time I visited Walt Disney World with my family in 1993 when I was 6 years old, we saw the space shuttle Endeavour lifting off in the distance while on the parking lot tram to The Magic Kingdom.
Kristen from MA on April 5th, 2010 at 10:17 pm
Stunning pictures! It looks like the castle caught one of the rings in the sky.
Nicole on April 5th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
Will these photos be available to purchase anywhere? I would love to have them framed and add them to my various Castle photos I have!
Amanda from IN on April 5th, 2010 at 11:41 pm
Beautiful!!! was just at Disney last week and already miss it would have been awesome to see that.
David on April 6th, 2010 at 12:07 am
THAT IS AWESOME!
william from NJ on April 6th, 2010 at 9:17 am
Absolutely Gorgeous
Tammy from FL on April 6th, 2010 at 9:33 am
We were at the Cape for this specific lift off and it was incredibly beautiful. This is picture is just the icing on the cake. Great photo!
Keith on April 6th, 2010 at 9:56 am
This is a beautiful photo, and very clear. Kind of looks like something we might see in Epic Mickey…
Wendy from CA on April 6th, 2010 at 10:27 am
All I can say is “Wow!”
Hilda on April 6th, 2010 at 11:06 am
Simply…..MAGICAL!
Shellie from FL on April 6th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
I had a chance to see the Shuttle Discovery launch from Main Street on March 15, 2009, my birthday last year. My pictures from that launch are not near as spectacular as this one. I grew up watching most of the shuttle launches and my dad still works at the Space Center and I still get goose bumps.
Amy on April 6th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
INCREDIBLE!
Danyiel from FL on April 6th, 2010 at 6:25 pm
OMG I wish that I could’ve seen this myself… My husband and I forgot to set our alarm clock to watch it take off. I don’t know if we would’ve seen it because we aren’t facing the right direction. But this is awesome!!!!
Christine on April 6th, 2010 at 6:59 pm
Any chance you might release higher resolution versions of these two images?
They would make great scrapbook images…..
Mitchell from IL on April 6th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
We just returned from Disney last weekend. Sorry that we missed this spectacular sight. It reminds me of driving into Disney with my family when I was young and seeing one of the last Apollo missions taking off.
Gina on April 7th, 2010 at 10:24 am
The photos are great! But did you watch the featured video? That was awesome!!!
Summer on April 7th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
in this photo the far right smoke in the sky looks to be a hidden mickey:) just a beautiful photo!!!
Orville from SC on April 9th, 2010 at 12:01 am
This is an amazing picture. I’ll definitely tell my friends about this. Let’s just hope Tink doesn’t get jealous…
Simon from MI on April 9th, 2010 at 10:02 am
Without doubt, these are some of the best photos I’ve ever seen connected with a Shuttle launch. Terrific photography, Kent!
Donna from PA on April 12th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
Thank you for such magical pictures:) I can see the hidden Mickey and the hidden Donnald, only in Walt Disney World do the clouds look like the cast members:)
Tamara on April 13th, 2010 at 9:27 am
Love this wish my family could have see it in person keep all the info comeing Thomas.
« Previous 1 2
72 Comments