Hot Air Balloons

[_19disnA]

Would never ride in one. They have limited ability to steer where it goes. Used to live someplace where balloons would often launch from a nearby open area. They mostly steer by finding the altitude where the air currents are going the same direction they want to go. I don't care how many years of experience they have, just seems like a very dangerous thing to do.

 

[easyas123]

I'd be up for it, it's just never occurred to me to do it.
Sounds like a unique experience and fun.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

The FAA does not require any sort of pilot certificate to operate a tethered balloon, but I really thought (even though it’s not a Disney outfit), that Disney would insist on qualified balloon pilots to operate the tether at DS.
I’m not balloon rated, so perhaps that is far from advantages… but, just for PR purposes…

I was shocked when talking to one of the balloon “pilots” at DS. They are really a ride operator, not a pilot.

 

[clh2]

We did this for my DH’s 50th. Had a blast. Ironically, we landed in a court, in front of a former coworker’s house!

 

[mumto3girls]

Yes, I have done both the tethered one at Disney and a local untethered one that was a 30th birthday gift from my DH. It was fun. We waited until fall to see the trees changing and it was stunning. I was definitely nervous—my comfort with heights is shaky at best—but I am glad I got to experience it. We launched with 4 or 5 other balloons at the same time. Landing was fine, but I can see where they could go awry.

 

[design_mom]

I have never done it. I am not afraid of heights, but it's kind of "low on my list" of things I'd want to do. If it was free, then sure, I'd try it... but I'd rather spend money on other things. (And, it makes me nervous that they can't really steer, I like a plan.)

I have been to several balloon launches, and they are very beautiful. And when I was young, we had several balloons land in our yard (my parents had several acres in grass -- no trees, just an open grassy field.)

This year, there was a balloon festival in our local park. It ended up being too windy to launch any... so at twilight, they did a "balloon glow" where all the balloons would fire their burners and make the balloons light up. That was pretty cool, too... since you don't normally see hot air balloons at night.