Characters in Flight Soars Over Downtown Disney

Wednesday May 27, 2009

It's not a bird... it's not a plane... it's Characters in Flight, the new tethered balloon that is soaring over Downtown Disney. The bright yellow and red balloon festooned with "flighty" Disney characters — Tinkerbell, Dumbo, Peter Pan, Aladin and more — ascends up to 400 feet above the waterfront, providing unparalleled 360-degree panoramic view of the Downtown Disney area.

Unfortunately, the 72-foot-diameter balloon, filled with 210,000 cubic feet of lighter-than-air gas, is at the mercy of the weather. The day that we visited it remained grounded because of a strong breeze. If you should be fortunate enough to go on a good weather day, the ride is located at the end of the main promenade at Downtown Disney's West Side. Tickets are $16 for ages 10 and up, and $10 for ages 3-9. The gondola can hold 30 passengers at a time for the six-minute trip. Availability is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Visiting Downtown Disney:

^{Photo © Dawn Henthorn, licensed to About.com}