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Is Aerophile a hot air balloon?

Soar sky-high during an 8-minute tethered adventure in the world's largest hand-painted helium balloon.



Technically, Aerophile (the giant balloon at Disney Springs) is not a "hot air" balloon, but a tethered helium balloon. While a traditional hot air balloon uses a propane burner to heat the air inside the envelope to create lift, Aerophile is filled with 210,000 cubic feet of helium, which is naturally lighter than air and provides constant buoyancy. Because it is tethered to the ground by a high-strength steel cable and controlled by a sophisticated electric winch, it can only move vertically and does not "fly" freely across the landscape. This allows it to operate safely in a relatively small footprint while carrying up to 29 passengers at a time to an altitude of 400 feet. The experience provides 360-degree views of the Walt Disney World Resort and the surrounding Orlando area. Flights are highly dependent on weather conditions; even if it is a sunny day, high winds at the 400-foot level can cause the attraction to close for safety. Because it is a "lighter-than-air" craft, it is often confused with a hot air balloon, but the mechanics of using helium and a tether make it much more stable and predictable for a tourist environment.

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Passengers do stand during flight and need some agility to get in and out of the balloon basket. A bumpy landing is a possibility, so safety is always our number one priority.

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There are three main types of balloons, the first is the Montgolfier type which uses fire to heat the air inside the balloon to gain lift. The second is the hybrid balloon which uses hot air in the same way, but also has a compartment of helium or hydrogen gas in the top.

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You should not have recently undergone any surgeries. You should not fly if you have back or leg problems. You cannot fly if you have a cast on. You cannot fly if you are on oxygen.

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Usually a balloon flight lasts about an hour. At an average wind speed of about 5 mph, a balloon will fly 2 – 8 miles. Ground crews follow the balloon, talking on the radio with the pilot.

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Luckily, no one was hurt. And, fortunately, hot air balloon accidents are rare. Going back to 1964, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has only recorded a total of 775 such accidents in the United States.

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You can take a ride on the water in an amphicar, go bowling, and more! But, soon one of the attractions will close for a short refurbishment. According to Disney World's refurbishment calendar, the Aerophile Balloon will be closed for refurbishment from October 17th to 27th, 2021.

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Is Disney Skyliner Free? Disney Skyliner is completely free. Disney World advertises this as a service for resort guests, but it's also available for folks who want to connect between EPCOT and Hollywood Studios and those that just feel like an overhead view of Disney World.

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