Note: Some of this review is probably only specific to my experience. However, read on to get a general idea.
The website said to call 1 & 1/2 hour before meet time. Our meet time was 6:30am, but they didn't have the recording of "Good to Go for today..." until 5:25am. I was hoping to know at 5a.m. since I was driving up.
The crew arrived at around 6am at the V Marketplace.
I signed a document.
The organizer told us that Napa is now a "No-Go" because the ceiling(clouds) had fallen too low. You will be amazed at the conditions these balloons have to head up. No wind. No clouds. Early morning before sunrise. I was informed of another location 45 minutes out was a possibility(they have 3 possible launch sights). I had the option to take that or come back another time. I decided while I was here to just take the ride.
The van took off without my friends and I, but then came back to pick us up. I was told later that usually the pilot drives us out, but they had just a crew member so he wasn't really keen on procedures. Whatever.
We arrived at Yolo Airport. We were briefed quickly on what to expect and which balloon we were to take. Our balloon was Foxtrot.
The balloon setup was rather exciting. Huge balloons lay flat on the ground are blown up by some fan and fire blowing them to bulbs. We quickly climb aboard. 3 in front, 3 in the back.
The photographer tries to round us up for a couple of photos before we are whisked away in a basket like in Wizard of Oz.
When we hit the air, it is quite peaceful. That is aside from the occasional blast of fire every now and again. Plus your head can get a bit hot from it. Feels like blow drying your hair. The view is beautiful. However my ride did not go high enough as the other balloons did. I don't know why. This was most disappointing and I would have given 4 stars if it weren't for another take off...Read on.
We flew so low, just right above the Trees. We were able to see rabbits hop in the crop fields. We saw farmers' horses, pigs, roosters. We were so low we could even hear people call out "Good morning!" One lady offered us coffee and breakfast! One biker stopped his bike to wave.
I believe this company doesn't really, really have a permanent landing site. They just land anywhere that is not crops, and OK with the farmers to land in their field and debunk. We could see our van chase us around the street corners to find the perfect landing spot. At one point, we did land. Landing is rough! It's like in an airplane when the wheels hit the ground, you Jerk forward, but then there is a bounce, bounce, bounce until it flattens. We don't get out yet. Instead we waver back and forth by a tree wondering if the van saw us. They didn't.
We are whisked away upward again! (Five stars), but risk limb with the tree. Leaves and branches fight us until we are up and above away flying about 10-15 minutes more to our landing site.
Another very rough landing, but this time, the basket tips over. We crawl out. Yay we survived our Hot Air Balloon Ride!
The whole actual ride lasts about 45 minutes. We traveled from Yolo Airport to Woodland. It was also explained to us later that we flew under "windy" conditions, and made the most of it when actually we weren't suppose to fly at all. They had to cancel flights recently due to weather, but it was sunny here in Napa. Anyway, they know best and were very accomodating and polite, speaking to us afterwards. We didn't do brunch with the pilot.