Photo © Martin Gallagher
Up, up and away! The skies above Orlando, Florida now have more visitors. This isn’t at the Orlando International Airport though. The United State’s largest hot-air balloon is now located in Orlando as an amusement ride for locals and tourists to experience.
Orlando Balloon Rides recently introduced their new jumbo hot-air balloon which stands at 112 feet high — about the size of an 11-story building — and 90 feet wide when fully inflated. It holds 425,000 cubic feet of hot air. That’s more than four times the size of a standard four-person balloon. The basket alone weighs 1,600 pounds, the top part (the envelope) weighs 1,000 pounds. Then you can add around 24 passengers, and it still can fly! Although this size balloon is common in Europe, it is the first of its kind in the U.S.
The hot-air balloon rides take off from a few designated locations near Disney, so you’ll need to call or fill out their online form to get the next day’s location information. The flight is approximately one hour and you will ascend anywhere from tree tops to several thousand feet up in the sky. Once you’re airborne your pilot will point out the spectacular sites of this area, including the theme parks, orange groves, forests and swamps. Orlando Balloon Rides often partners with the Radisson Resort Orlando-Celebration for their breakfast offerings. So you know it is good!
Rides cost $175 per person, for a four-hour experience. That includes a champagne breakfast, inflation time and packing time and about an hour of air time, depending on flight conditions. Orlando Balloon Rides has been offering online coupons, including some from Groupon, Travel Zoo and others so be sure to check out their website at www.orlandoballoonrides.com or do a search on the web for discounts offered through other resources. If you have additional questions, call them at 407-894-5040. Enjoy the view!
After your morning flight, plan an evening filled with more “hot air” at Capone’s Dinner & Show! The stand-up comedy alone will keep you flying high! Then you also have the dinner buffet, live stage show, unlimited drinks and more. Save a night for Capone’s – you’ll be glad you did!
Last Updated on June 5, 2019
