Hot Air Balloons

[jalapeno_pretzel]

Who has gone on a hot air balloon ride? The thought of that is not appealing to me at all. I got to see some of the hot air balloon festival in New Mexico several years ago (from the ground), and it's really neat and pretty, but I would never want to get in one. I don't think I could stand the height and I would be terrified I'd somehow fall out of the basket!

 

[sam_gordon]

Who has gone on a hot air balloon ride? The thought of that is not appealing to me at all. I got to see some of the hot air balloon festival in New Mexico several years ago (from the ground), and it's really neat and pretty, but I would never want to get in one. I don't think I could stand the height and I would be terrified I'd somehow fall out of the basket!

I haven't been on one but wouldn't turn it down if the opportunity came up and the cost was low enough. Of course, I love to fly (even commercial).

 

[Mysterian]

Probably not the best time for taking a balloon ride.
But we can pretend, and sing!

 

[DLgal]

I would never.

We have a tethered balloon ride in a local park. It's like the one they had in Disney Springs. I don't even trust those.

 

[sam_gordon]

I would never.

We have a tethered balloon ride in a local park. It's like the one they had in Disney Springs. I don't even trust those.

I'm curious... what do you not "trust" about them?

 

[DLgal]

I'm curious... what do you not "trust" about them?

I don't trust that the tether won't snap. Or that a sudden wind gust won't come around. We get those a lot here. It can be perfectly still and then you get a 50 mph wind gust.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

Probably not the best time for taking a balloon ride.
But we can pretend, and sing!

OMG I wasn't even thinking about recent events! IDK why this idea popped in my head to post - it probably came from all that!

 

[adkkev]

Our kids gifted us a balloon ride for our anniversary one year. We were a bit hesitant at first but so happy that we got to experience it. It was a lot of fun floating along over the countryside. They had a van with a trailer that acted as the “chase car” and helped with the landing (in someone’s backyard!) and our ride back to the small airport where we took off from.

 

[barkley]

i have a terrible fear of heights but have done a hot air balloon ride twice (it's weird-i also zipline and adore helicopter rides but airplanes, ladders, bridges, coastlines just freak me out). neither ride was tethered-we were wandering around for about 30 minutes on each ride. stunning way to see the topography of an area.

it was very stable feeling. the only issue i would have now is the loud sound of the fuel tank being turned on (ear issues).

 

[sam_gordon]

I don't trust that the tether won't snap. Or that a sudden wind gust won't come around. We get those a lot here. It can be perfectly still and then you get a 50 mph wind gust.

Oh, OK. I thought you didn't trust the balloon technology... like you were worried you would come down REALLY fast. lol

 

[DLgal]

Oh, OK. I thought you didn't trust the balloon technology... like you were worried you would come down REALLY fast. lol

Ha ha. No. But I DID once read a story about a hot air balloon operator who had a stroke and lost consciousness and the couple in the balloon had to take over and land it. That is a horrifying thought.

 

[Micca]

I've done it twice, both times the landings were a bit rough. On the first one somebody hurt their ankle when landing, the second one was just kind of bumpy--no injuries. It's a pretty interesting experience to be up that high and still be able to hear sounds from the ground. I don't know if I'd do it again, I'm good.

 

[sam_gordon]

Ha ha. No. But I DID once read a story about a hot air balloon operator who had a stroke and lost consciousness and the couple in the balloon had to take over and land it. That is a horrifying thought.

At least when you fly commercial, there's two pilots in the cockpit. lol

 

[DLgal]

At least when you fly commercial, there's two pilots in the cockpit. lol

Exactly.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I've done the tethered balloon ride at Disney Springs. We'd tried multiple times, but it was always closed for refurb or wind or whatever, and we finally got the timing right during our 2018 trip. I really enjoyed it!

 

[prairie_girl]

I’ve done it once. It was a lot of fun and we actually flew over my house so it was neat seeing my neighbourhood from a different perspective. I wouldn’t do it again, but not because of a fear of heights. I’m claustrophobic and it was a tight squeeze with me and six other people.

 

[samandryanmom]

I wouldn’t do one. I’m wary of how the entities are regulated. My in-laws did a hot air balloon ride for their anniversary. They took off in a rural area with the plan of landing at the local airport. There was a follow van and we followed as well. They were in the air about an hour maybe and when they got to the airport, they couldn’t land but I don’t remember why. They floated around and actually went down in the middle of a large lake. The basket was partially submerged but the pilot managed to get them airborne again. About ten minutes later, they crash landed in a tree in one of the neighborhoods around the lake. After it was all over, we realized how serious it actually was. It scared me to death and I told my husband that I would never get in one!!

 

[barkley]

I wouldn’t do one. I’m wary of how the entities are regulated. My in-laws did a hot air balloon ride for their anniversary. They took off in a rural area with the plan of landing at the local airport. There was a follow van and we followed as well. They were in the air about an hour maybe and when they got to the airport, they couldn’t land but I don’t remember why. They floated around and actually went down in the middle of a large lake. The basket was partially submerged but the pilot managed to get them airborne again. About ten minutes later, they crash landed in a tree in one of the neighborhoods around the lake. After it was all over, we realized how serious it actually was. It scared me to death and I told my husband that I would never get in one!!

that's horrible!!!! this is why i would only do it with an established company in a region where it's a year round business that is regulated. it's akin to my choice of going to brick and mortar amusement parks vs. traveling carnivals. the ones that are permanent are regulated much more stringently than those that move from place to place.

 

[MIGrandma]

My DH and I took a beautiful hot air balloon ride for my 50th birthday. It was amazing and I would do it again if I had the opportunity.

 

[VandVsmama]

Who has gone on a hot air balloon ride? The thought of that is not appealing to me at all. I got to see some of the hot air balloon festival in New Mexico several years ago (from the ground), and it's really neat and pretty, but I would never want to get in one. I don't think I could stand the height and I would be terrified I'd somehow fall out of the basket!

I am never getting in one. Ages ago, I worked with a guy who went on a hot air balloon ride. The balloon basket hit the ground HARD at the end of the 'ride.' Like, catastrophic sort of crash. He had to be off work for weeks because he had a horrific injury to 1 of his lower legs...had to have several surgeries to put his leg back together.

No thanks.