Over the last few years, I have meet and befriended many fans of Walt Disney World. At times I have asked and received help from this wonderful group of people. Sometimes I help them. It was in this spirit I got an email from a friend who was currently at Walt Disney World the day before I was to leave for Orlando a couple of weeks ago. He had heard about a special event he thought I would be interested in while talking to a Cast Member at the Magic Kingdom. The United States Air Force Thunderbirds, a precision flying team, was going to do a flyover of the Magic Kingdom the next afternoon. While he would be leaving before the event, he knew I would be there.
I quickly sent an email to an Orlando, Florida based photographer who sometimes works for Walt Disney World to confirm the details of the Thunderbird flyover. He had not heard about it but contacted his friends at Disney and got all the details for me. Unfortunately, I would not be able to be in the Magic Kingdom during the flyover as my tickets for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party stated I could not enter the park until after 4pm. The flyover was going to occur during the afternoon party at 3:22pm. Not one to get discouraged, I decided to photograph the flyover from the Ticket and Transportation Center’s Ferryboat Dock which is right across from the Magic Kingdom.
The United States Air Force Thunderbirds flyover the Magic Kingdom on Tuesday, October 26, 2010. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/2500s, f/5.6, ISO 640, EV +0.3, 300mm focal length.
As I was doing this, my AllEars.net team member, Mike Bachand, was video taping the parade, the flyover and did interviews of Air Force personnel being honored during Air Force Week. Mike used some of my photos to get complete coverage of the event. After the Thunderbirds flew over the Magic Kingdom, they continued right over the Seven Seas Lagoon and directly over my location at the Ferryboat Dock.
The Thunderbirds' F-16 fighter jets in tight formation photographed from below as they completed their flyover of the Magic Kingdom. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/2500s, f/5.6, ISO 900, EV +0.3, 300mm focal length.
After the flyover, I took the next ferryboat over to the Magic Kingdom and meet up with my photographer friend, Bob Desmond, and he shared with me this spectacular photo.
The US Air Force Thunderbirds do a flyover of Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida. © Bob Desmond 2010.
Bob was very excited about getting a unique view of this event by including the Halloween decorations and the guests photographing the F-16 jets of the Thunderbirds. Truely a sight rarely seen in person and a challenging photographic opportunity. Thanks to my friends, Bob, Mike and Ray who first told me of the event or I would have been back at my resort room totally oblivious of the Thunderbirds flyover.
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That´s teamwork!. All of them are very fine photos, helping each other telling the story, -and what a blue blue sky. It seems that you were on the right spot; the close-up is such a perfect photo. Congratulations.
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Wow, these are fantastic. Are you sure you were on vacation? These looks like photos you could put in a magazine feature Disney’s best. Beautifully captured.
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You certainly got some unique shots here, Scott – what a view – very impressive. Having good friends is a wonderful thing 🙂
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How neat! I can’t even imagine how this was to see in person! All the shots are outstanding!
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those are splendid shots, Scott!
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Nice collaboration, Scott – clearly a great group of people. I think it’s only proper that you be rewarded with that excellent closeup. (I would try to get pictures of the Blue Angels at the Cherry Festival but when they’re around I’m always hiding under my desk with my fingers in my ears. Loud things, fighter jets.)
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It looks like you’ve made the best of the situation, the first photo is beautiful. You might have the best view there. 🙂
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