Flight Reviews

From: Andrew Kordalski
Contact Email abko*******@****.com

We are from: Orlando, FL
We flew on: 2024-06-15

We give this a 5 STAR
I would do this again tomorrow!

I Don’t Think There Is A Wrong Choice When It Comes To Hot Air Ballooning In Orlando - The Sport Is Fundamentally Captivating - But There Is Definitely A *BEST* Choice. Jeff And Kim Are Perfect Ambassadors For Lighter-Than-Air Flight, Showcasing Incredible Knowledge And Skill As They Bring You Into Their World. Their Mastery Is On Display Often Throughout The Experience, But Perhaps Most Strongly Underscored By The Way The Rest Of The Ballooning Community Interacts With Them. And they don’t just do tours - they travel to ballooning competitions to flex their muscles.

These Guys Have Some Serious Talent. And Yet, What Sets Them Apart Is Their Contagious Passion. Their love of flying is reflected in everything they do - everything, down to the bag the envelope is packed into, is treated with a certain reverence that absolutely spills over to the passengers. They’re not chasing a thrill, they’re living it and they’re sharing it. They know the history, they know the science, they know the area - and they’re eager to tell you all about it. You’re also getting the best possible experience in practical terms.

You’re signing up for an experience with two wise, affable, and highly charismatic guys. Safety is not only a priority, it’s a point of honor (Jeff has an award for 40 consecutive accident-free years - soon to be 50).

Our gondola was just us - my wife, my toddler, and our pilot Kim, with Jeff in hot pursuit as the ground crew. A magical private experience. I’d also like to make a *HUGE* note on how they included my toddler. He’s three, and not everyone wants to accommodate someone so young. Kim and Jeff flawlessly incorporated him in the whole process, and he loved absolutely every minute. He helped, he observed, he interacted, and he wasn’t bored for a single second. Perfect. And “perfect” really is the word for our experience.

We pulled in 15 minutes ahead of our 5:30 rendezvous time, and Jeff was already waiting. Setup was flawless - we were the last of three balloons to the launch site and the first off the ground. Jeff got great drone footage of that, too. We took off so smoothly you’d swear the earth just let us go. Kim showed off his skills by bringing us down in a clearing - a mere 4-5 feet above the swampy water below - and then brought us close enough to a pine tree to grab a few souvenir cones. I grabbed some needles, too, which came in handy as I observed the changing wind layers by dropping them over the side. We changed altitude early and often, but always so smooth as to be almost imperceptible. On the low stretches, we encountered several observers. I tried desperately pleading with them to blow air upward or begging for a lighter, but I don’t think they got the jokes. And our landing was a precise maneuver - Kim sailed us inches above a rooftop, over an 8ft iron fence, and set us down gently on a sidewalk between two trees. Unreal. Packing up was quick and efficient, and the customary champagne toast came with some delightful anecdotes and a smattering of Jeff’s trademark jokes. Those jokes, by the way, worked some magic in putting my wife at ease before takeoff - she’d been feeling a bit nervous. If you’re still reading, you’re only wasting time that could be spent booking this kind of experience for yourself. Get on it - you won’t regret it.

P.S. If you do go for it (and again, I really suggest you do), here are a few tips and suggestions based on our experience to help prepare for your big day:

• Prepare for warm weather. It’s Florida, and it’s hot air. Bring extra clothes if you want, but don’t start out bundled up unless you want to end up like that time I got my hair caught in my pullover in a cable car above Niagara Falls (you don’t). -
• Binoculars aren’t necessary, but might come in handy. They are lots of birds, skylights, and pools, no matter what path your flight takes. - Bring a camera and plenty of storage space. You’ll want to make your friends jealous later. - But don’t go crazy with the pictures. Enjoy the experience. Talk to your pilot, ask questions. He’s done tons of flights in all sorts of places. Ask him if he’s ever landed on a bear.
• If he brings you in for a pine cone, grab some needles, too. Watching them fall really adds some perspective to what he’s doing, and how far you are from the ground. - Or, bring some popcorn. Dropping popped kernels over the side would be a great way to test the wind.
• Bring Kim a box of popsicles. He wants more material for his joke routine (just kidding, he’s funny!) -
• Go to the bathroom before you fly. Barring that, bring a Dave Matthews Band banner to hang over the side in case of emergency. -
• Be ready for action. Helping is optional, but you really feel the experience if you hop in. - Share your experience! Everyone should know about these guys, they’re awesome!