Our flights are flown daily at sunrise.
We start our program around 6am each day. (keep in mind this is weather permitting) Plan on three to four hours outside.
We will start our adventure with a pre-flight briefing at our meeting spot, Here we will introduce you to your pilot and ground support team. We will talk about your mornings adventure and answer any questions you may have about the flight.
We have found that people enjoy the whole program even more when they know what to expect each step along the way.
After our pre-flight briefing we will launch a small helium balloon to determine the wind direction and speeds aloft. Each flight is different and completely unique. The choice of launch sites is a very important choice since balloons float with the wind and we want to make sure we have landing fields (down wind) in the direction we are going. Once we have selected a launch site we will climb aboard our vehicle and head to the launch site.
Many passengers are fascinated with the navigation process of a hot air balloon. We will explain how we navigate a balloon is by using wind layers at different altitudes. The only control we have in a Hot Air Balloon is Up and Down. The process of navigation in a hot air balloon is called the art of "Aerostation" and it truly is an art! We are happy to spend time to explain this all along the way.
At the launch site you may become a member of the ground team as we inflate the balloon and prepare for flight. Many people love our hands on approach. To help or not is your choice. Once the balloon is inflated and ready for flight you will climb aboard and lift off into the heavens.
Our flight will last approximately an hour. During the flight we will point out all of the spectacular sites this area has to offer. Make sure your batteries are charged on your camera and maybe an extra set of batteries or another memory card just to be safe. The area we fly has a great variety of things to see. The entire area is a great mix from swamps and forests to resorts and residential. Theme parks and wildlife. You may see a 4 foot alligator or even a 4 foot tall mouse.
As we mentioned above we plan our flight using the layers of wind in the atmosphere. We do our best to create a flight plan where we can both fly up high and have a look around and also come down to the tree tops and view the swamps and forest up close where you can actually see the wildlife!
At our landing site our ground support team will be waiting for us. Once the balloon has been stored away we will have the traditional champagne toast. We will explain some of the history of balloon flight as well as how the tradition of champagne upon landing came about. You will also be presented with your custom champagne cup! For MORE information view our FAQ PAGE
Plan on about 3 to 4 hours for the entire trip.
Don't want to fly but want to come along? We can accommodate a follower too!
Included in our program.
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Pre-Flight briefing with our pilots & ground teams.
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Pre-Flight Navigation demonstration. (Explaining the Corona Effect)
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Transportation from our meeting location to one of our many launch sites.
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You are allowed to Participate in the inflation of your Balloon. (voluntary)
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Approximately one hour of flight in the Disney World area.
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Champagne ceremony after the flight with a brief history of balloon flight.
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Custom souvenir Champagne cup.
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Transportation back to the meeting location from landing site.
Pricing
- Private Flights are $750 per couple.
- Shared Balloon Flights are $300 per person
Greater Orlando Balloon Rides offers two types of balloon flights.
- Premier Private flights where you have the balloon completely to yourself with a pilot. We require a $250.00 deposit to secure a flight date (for a Private Flight) on our booking calendar.
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- A Shared Balloon Flight where there will be other passengers on board. The Shared balloon size will depend on the number of passengers who have also reserved for that day. We require a $75.00 deposit (per person) to secure a flight date (for a Shared Flight) on our booking calendar.