Apr 13, 2009

Characters in Flight Takes off at Downtown Disney

If you’re heading over to Downtown Disney anytime soon you will see a new shape on the horizon – a huge tethered balloon to be exact. The new Disney Characters in Flight attraction takes guests on ascents of up to 400 feet above the waterfront.

The 72-foot-diameter balloon has a whimsical design featuring silhouettes of a dozen of Disney’s “flying characters” – such as Mary Poppins, Peter Pan and Dumbo. The vibrantly colored balloon can lift up to 30 guests at a time on a six-minute trip – thanks to its enclosed volume of 210,000 cubic feet of lighter-than-air gas. The ascents, by day or night, provide guests with an unparalleled, 360-degree view of up to 10 miles.

If you fancy a ride head over to the Downtown Disney West Side where you’ll board a gondola beneath the 105-foot-high balloon from a landing platform on Village Lake. Riders can catch flights seven days a week (weather permitting). Operating hours Sunday-Thursday are 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m. while ascents Friday-Saturday are 10:30 a.m.-midnight. Tickets ($16 for ages 10-up and $10 for ages 3-9) can be purchased on site. Availability is on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Will you be taking flight?

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