I found D&D Ballooning through a Living Social deal and decided a hot air balloon ride would be a fun, once-in-a-lifetime type of experience...and it did not disappoint! Now, let me start by warning others that you need to be patient in scheduling your balloon ride and expecting that it may be rescheduled due to weather. The conditions need to be perfect for a safe ride, so don't despair - I promise it will be worth the wait. We rescheduled twice, and we were finally able to take our flight on the third try (8 months after we first scheduled it). Daryl and Debbie (the husband and wife owners) were very easy to work with, although they weren't proactive about contacting us due to weather concerns. I had to take the initiative to call 1-2 days before the ride to check with them on whether we'd be going.
We met them at the Wal-Mart parking lot in Woodstock, where they had a big Suburban with a trailer containing the balloon and supplies. There was some ground wind, and they spent a good 30 minutes checking to make sure it was safe to go up. They even let a few small helium balloons go and tracked their ascent into the sky. Once they determined we were good to go, we drove to a nearby field and they started setting up. Seeing the balloon fill with air was really spectacular. They even had us help out by holding the mouth open while it inflated - I really appreciated the opportunity to be so involved and close to the action!
Once we hopped in the basket, I was a little apprehensive because it seemed small to me. We did a private flight for two, so it was just us and the balloon pilot (Daryl) in a triangular-shaped basket. If you want a larger square basket, it's best to do a flight with more people (5-6 or more). Once we got off the ground, the balloon ascended really quickly. It felt like floating, which was unnerving at first, but I got used to it. We didn't go too high, which was just fine for me. We could see farms, cows, and even a few deer running through the woods. Daryl made friendly chit chat and told us a little about the balloon and answered questions. It was extremely relaxing and pleasant, and the sunset was spectacular. We stayed up for about 40 minutes.
The landing was by far the least smooth part of the experience. We came down a little fast, and Daryl warned us that the balloon would bump off the ground. He instructed us to bend our knees and hold on. I didn't expect the bump to be so forceful - but it did make the experience that much more exciting. Putting the balloon away took a while, and it required the help of several people (including my boyfriend). Afterward, we had a nice sparkling grape juice toast back at the Wal-Mart.
All in all, D&D Ballooning is a nice family business and they have a ton of experience in hot air balloons. They are very laid back and relaxed about everything, which some people may find a little worrisome, but I chalk it up to their experience. I felt safe even when we came in for the rough landing. I highly recommend this hot air balloon ride to adventure seekers. It is truly a unique experience! read more