Hot Air Balloon ride?

[Lamb]

Is it worth $200 (USD) to go on a one hour hot air balloon ride? Not that I have the money to spend right now. I'm just curious how those rides get sold out as is the claim on a site I'm looking at!

 

[psalms 91]

​

I certainly could not afford it but I think it would be well worth it if I could

 

[Tigger]

I'd love to also but at $200 per person it would be hard to fork up the cash.

 

[hotrhymez]

Heck yeah..that would be so dope (that means really cool)

Not many people can say theyve been in a hot air balloon. And the view must be amazing.

 

[~Jo~]

Friends of ours did that years ago over here, but the day it was due the wind was to high so they had to do it another time months later as they both worked, but they said it was a bit scary but absolutely amazing and would do it again... but they are the type of people that did a bunjee jump of a high bridge in australia, madness lol....

 

[Cassia]

I'd be reluctant to spend $200 for an hr ride in a balloon. If it was for an afternoon then ya maybe .. the view would be worth it. :lick:

 

[Lamb]

An hour does seem short...especially if you factor into going up into the air and then coming back down...that doesn't happen quickly!

 

[Cassia]

An hour does seem short...especially if you factor into going up into the air and then coming back down...that doesn't happen quickly!

I hadn't thought about the time spent on just getting into the air! Yes that would shorten the ride considerably.

 

[Lamb]

I looked this up:

The good balloonist will try to limit the vertical speed to 2 - 3 m/s (400-600 ft/minute) to make it easier for the passengers to accommodate to the pressure change and avoid ear barotrauma. This is the main factor; technically the balloon is capable of higher vertical speeds.
https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/10008/how-quickly-can-a-hot-air-balloon-climb

 

[tango]

I looked this up:

The good balloonist will try to limit the vertical speed to 2 - 3 m/s (400-600 ft/minute) to make it easier for the passengers to accommodate to the pressure change and avoid ear barotrauma. This is the main factor; technically the balloon is capable of higher vertical speeds.
https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/10008/how-quickly-can-a-hot-air-balloon-climb

How high would you expect the balloon to go? $200 per person for an hour-long ride does seem expensive but without knowing what it costs to operate a hot air balloon I can't say whether it's the operator covering their costs and turning a modest profit or coining it in from people who want a ride.

ETA at 600ft/min you'd still be at 6000 feet within 10 minutes. Personally I'd want to enjoy the view rather than be so high up that the view just became a bit same-y.

 

[JRT]

For her 50th birthday I took my wife on a hot air balloon ride. It was amazing and worth every cent

 

[Lamb]

For her 50th birthday I took my wife on a hot air balloon ride. It was amazing and worth every cent

How long was the ride? What did you see?

 

[JRT]

How long was the ride? What did you see?

The ride itself was about an hour near Dundas Ontario Canada. It was over the Niagara escarpment in the fall when the leaves were turning so the landscape and colours were dramatic. At one point he took us up to 4000 feet and we could see Lake Ontario in the distance. It was followed by a champagne breakfast in the farmer's field where we landed.

 

[Lamb]

The ride itself was about an hour near Dundas Ontario Canada. It was over the Niagara escarpment in the fall when the leaves were turning so the landscape and colours were dramatic. At one point he took us up to 4000 feet and we could see Lake Ontario in the distance. It was followed by a champagne breakfast in the farmer's field where we landed.

That sounds really nice. Did you take photographs?