1) Yes, Orlando Balloon Rides do get booked up quickly, especially during holidays. This attraction is entirely weather and wind dependent, and you may find yourself dealing with last minute cancellations and having to re-book subject to availability. It would be probably best to book at the beginning of your holiday in case this happens to you. We were very fortunate to be able to go up on our first booking but after talking to many other participants this is indeed not the norm! As Orlando Balloon Rides pass over our villa, I was able to track how often they were able to fly. Very Frequently (1-4x per week), the weather would not cooperate and none of the balloon companies would be flying! PS We were in Orlando for February, March and into April!
2) If your children have any problems with heights or enclosed spaces, this is not the attraction for them. The main basket is partitioned into 8 sections, the balloonist is in a larger section in the middle. They must be able to stand still in very close quarters, as there is not an area to move around in!...Unfortunately, the woman next to me had a major panic attack and spent the 45 minutes in the air, shaking on the floor of the balloon! Not a pleasant experience for her or the other participants! We had a very rough landing and bounced several times after the balloonist tried to slow us down by hitting the tops of the trees in the landing area! As we hit the trees, the pine branches were slapping at us as we stood in the balloon! Don't get me wrong, it was a beautiful and magical experience, especially seeing all the balloons take off from the ground as the sun rises, but my husband and I have crossed it off our bucket list and won't be doing it again.....there is a chance that either you or someone on your flight could get injuried! Myself, I wouldn't expose my young children to this attraction! Wait until they are at least teenagers and can make an informed decision with your assistance.
