I've done this several times it's only 10 bucks to have a really nice experience and it's a great thing to do for a date

Not free anymore. $10 for adults since 2024. Children are free with a purchase of an adult ticket. Overall it's a fun experience. The balloon does not go up very high but it's enough if you are scared of heights. The park is huge but appreciate the balloon and the Merry go round is right in the front of the parking lot. And easy access! Fun times with friends! read more

See all

Such a fun lil activity to do at Irvine. It cost 10$ for an 10-12 min ride, the view up top is pretty nice. Id say the view up top is worth it, a panoramic view of the Irvine area. My friend and I arrived at 10AM and still had to wait 30 min to board. Make sure to fill out the waiver online beforehand, it's a pretty easy process that takes 2-3 min. While you wait you can walk around the park, there is a free carousel infront of the balloon it makes time go by pretty fast. Make sure to check the weather, this is a weather-depending activity. read more

Great Park Balloon - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

The admission fee is $10, and the ride lasts about 8-10 minutes. You have to sign a waiver beforehand. It's not a hot air balloon but rather a helium balloon ride. There's a safety net all around, so you don't have to worry about falling over. I highly recommend calling ahead to check if they're operating, especially in bad weather. There's plenty of parking available in the lot. read more

Great Park Balloon - $10 admission fee. The ride lasts about 8-10 min - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Irvine, California

This is a fun one time activity. Make sure to fill out the waiver before checking in at the vistors center (it'll make things easier). After paying $10 per person there, you'll head over to the hot air balloon and wait in line. They have a max number of people on each ride so the wait time can vary depending on how many people is in line. A bit wobbly going up, but not scary at all. Once up, you can walk around and enjoy the view up there. read more

Great Park Balloon - The view from the top - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

Could tell the truth sooner. We were told it was a weather delay because of overcast at 9. At about ten the overcast lifted. Flight weather sight listed visibility at 20 miles for Irvine. At 11:30 they called off all flights due to weather. Was 75 degrees, light winds and 20 mile visibility. Just tell the truth. If you can't fly in today's weather you should just remove the attraction. read more

What a fun thing to do in OC! I got there early, was put on the waitlist, then they called me up to the desk to pay $10 for an adult ride. They give you a slip of paper to take to the hot air balloon itself. The ride is only about 10 minutes long, but it's still a really cool experience. It takes you straight up about 400 feet. The operator did not interact with any of us. Parking is plentiful in the many parking lots. read more

Great Park Balloon - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

The hot air balloon used to be free of charge back in the day although the waiting line was long, and it costs $10 for adult since last year. I think it's worth exploring if you happen to be around, and probably not worth it if you have to drive far for it. read more

The Great Park Balloon and park was such a fun date! We went in June and it was great weather. We arrived I think a little before 5 pm to check it out. Started lining up not long after that. Was on the waitlist by 6:30pm and on the balloon by 7:30pm. The balloon ride was short, maybe 15 minutes. Great views. I would love to do this again at sunset. Would highly recommend you visit. Really fun, free activity. Just need to arrive EARLY! read more

See all

Went to this while I was on a trip to Irvine! The wait is pretty intense, however because I was alone, they let me jump earlier! The check in process was quite easy, you can do it online beforehand, but they also have someone standing in the line with the qr code / link for you to fill out while you wait. On the day I went, there were some delays due to the weather / wind conditions. They weren't able to provide an answer regarding when they might start taking off, so it was a bit of a gamble to either wait and hope or just call it quits. I decided to stay and after about an hour or so, they started! I sat in their area for a while before deciding to take a walk around the park. It's a cute park with a variety of sections for different sports. Overall, I would recommend! Just note that there will probably be quite a long wait and/or no guarantee it will actually be operating. read more

Great Park Balloon - Balloon - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Irvine, California

This is free ride located at Irvine's Great Park. It's hard to complain when something is free and overall the experience is pretty good. It opened at 9 am on Saturday so I got to the park around 8:30 and the visitor center just opened. I was the second person to check in to the waitlist so I was able to get a text notification that it was my turn right when they were ready around 9:10. Personally I think you would be good if you come at 9 am and should be able to get in on the first or second ride without waiting. I heard it can be packed later so I would come early. It's about a 5-10 minute experience that goes directly up and down. You get a pretty decent view of Irvine and the park. It's a cool experience worth checking out at least once if you're in the city of Irvine. read more

See all

The best way to optimize your experience: 1) Sign the waiver online the day of your visit before you head over. 2) Park in Lot 3 which is closest to carousel and balloon. 3) Head straight to the Visitors Center to get your name on the list. The balloon ride opens at 10am. Arrive at 9.30am to get your name on. 4) Use the carousel and parks to pass your time while you wait. 5) Bring food and drinks. There is a vending machine with drinks and snacks in the lobby. Balloon and carousel rides are free till the end of the year 2024. Staff are pleasant. Waiting list for the balloon can be 1-2 hours. To avoid disappointment, prepare your little ones that it may not happen due to wait times or bad weather. Enjoy this amazing OC experience! read more

Great Park Balloon - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Irvine, California

Nice activity to do in Irvine, costs $10 for adult, child is free. It's a 8-10 min ride where you cam get a 360 view of the location. You would have to sign a waiver and this is also weather dependent. Pls check with them prior to your visit and schedule it if you can. While you are waiting for your turn, there are lot play activities to do near the baloon for kids. There is always wait time here so pls be prepared to grab some snacks or play items till you wait. The park info center near the baloon ride has vending machines for hot.cofee or snacks if you are doing this on a windy evening after the sunset. Parking is free !! Have fun SYOY read more

Great Park Balloon - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Irvine, California

It was last call workers were so polite and let us get on the last balloon ride. It was absolutely breathtaking being up so high what an experiencing the whole city I highly recommend if you're in the Orange County area to check this amazing view of Southern California. read more

See all

When you get there, you'll likely wait for 20-30 minutes. The ride itself is about 10 minutes. It is worth the wait. Lovely view. Glad it's part of the irvine parks. read more

Great Park Balloon - At night - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

Super fun place to bring the kids! We stayed here all day! Kids loved it! We will be back for sure read more

Great Park Balloon - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

A fun way to catch a view of Irvine! They changed the price to $10 per person though which is something to keep in mind. But this is something you definitely have to try at least once in your life! read more

Parking: Free and Plenty! However if there's a big event/festival/fair - it'll be hard to find parking. Very kids/family/friend/dating friendly. If it's windy or rainy day or both - they typically shut down operation due to safety concern. I visited on a Sunday morning at 10:30 am and only had to wait for about 20 minutes. Register/sign up at the Office/Visitor Center behind the Carousel. DO NOT WALK UP TO THE BALLOON and wait in line for nothing unless you already signed up - OR they will make you walk back to the Visitor Center to register first. Well, you register through your phone/QR code that is inside the Visitor Center front desk and signed a waiver. Then you will get a text to return to the Balloon when it's your turn. I noticed they only take 9 people at a time. There's 1 staff onboard so that'll be 10 riders total. It's quite nice to be able to view Irvine /our Earth - so enormous - from up high. read more

See all

I've lived in Orange County since 2021 and NOW I am finally getting my first ride on the balloon! This icon can be seen from all parts of the highway and many places in Irvine. My partner surprised me with a morning ride. The process is easy, if you plan! Sign your waver online before you arrive! That will help speed up the process. Tickets are FREE... You read that right, FREE! I give it 5 stars because we went in the morning, the line was really small, the team at the welcome desk and running the balloon were nice, and it's a unique way to see the OC. When I have visitors coming to see me, this will be my first stop. read more

See all

A free helium balloon? Can't get better than that. Check in at the visitor center, sign a release form, and then you are off in the balloon. You go up and you see everything way up top. You are only in the air for a few minutes and then it's over. It's actually pretty scary if you're scared of heights. It's pretty safe though as the balloon is attached to the ground the whole time. Been a few times and it's been fun each time. It's great thing to take visitors. read more

This is a fun free thing to do in Irvine. It is a quick trip, but for free I can't complain on time. You get a beautiful view of SoCal. If you are looking for a quick activity to do in Irvine, I would recommend this activity. read more

Great Park Balloon - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

Love coming here and riding the helium inflated balloon. At different times of the day you can see nice views of OC. Once you are up there you have about 5-10 minutes to enjoy the view. Very quiet and peaceful. Must come early to sign a waiver and check in. They will text you within 30-60 minutes for the ride. read more

See all

I came here for the Diwali Festival. It's a huge park. There is ample parking and there is a lot to do here. I can't say much because I was at a specific event. There were great food vendors and there was a huge stage for the performers. This is a great place for a concert in the park. read more

See all

My group of 4 came here around 12 on a Saturday and were able to ride the balloon after waiting for an hour. You first fill out a waiver and then make your way to the visitor center to put your name down on the list. They will take your phone number and send you a text when it is your turn to ride. You then get a boarding pass from the visitor center and use it to ride the balloon. It was a fun experience with a very nice view. The visitor center had wi-fi, snacks to buy, and chess which was helpful in killing time. If you come with a large group they will probably separate you. They only loaded the balloon with around 9 people at a time. read more

Great Park Balloon - View from balloon - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Irvine, California

Needed to make a restroom break and stretch my legs from a long drive back and stopped here. I signed the wavier online and checked in to see if I could get in. Unfortunately all the day time slots were booked by the time I got there before 2pm however they made an exception since I was a solo rider. Made my way over and there were about 10 people in front of me but many small groups. They loaded two groups in at a time and it took me about 40 minutes of waiting til I finally got on. It was a relaxing experience and I would love to come back for an evening ride! Definitely come to cross it off your list! The only downside is that they load small groups in at a time which means you'll have to wait a while til it's your turn but why are you complaining when it's free lol. read more

Great Park Balloon - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

Its a nice free thing to do in irvine!! You go 400 ft above ground and able to see a nice scenery! Kids friendly!!! loved it!! Just make sure to go early and register by the visitor center because if not you can be waitlisted and never be able to ride if there is a lot of people. Must try read more

OH MAN. I've been trying to ride this thing since 2008. No lie. I've been turned away three or four times due to "inclement weather," so basically thought I'd have no chance at ever riding the balloon. Luckily I tried again a few months ago when I happened to be staying in the OC area for a concert. I signed my waiver online, checked in with a worker carrying a tablet and waited a little under an hour before boarding. That day my Great Park Balloon Dream came true! I think it's definitely worth experiencing at least once. I can't say no to free family fun! I went during the daytime which was pretty cool but I bet at night the views are even more beautiful. If you have small kids, I recommend one parent staying in line while the other takes the kids to the playground nearby. That way the kids won't flip out over the waiting time. Also most benches near the waiting line are designated for the boarders in a specific order so it's not for anyone who just wants to sit down unfortunately. The park also has a carousel with newly painted art. Tickets are available in the visitors' building. read more

See all

FREE!! Brought to you by the City of Irvine, Orange County Great Park and FivePoint, this glorious experience is Free for you and your loved ones to enjoy. My friend was visiting from New York and I wanted to take her on some meaningful adventures, so this complimentary hot air balloon ride with the bird's eye view of the city was definitely one of them. To best prepare for your experience, you can do a few things to expedite, such as filling out your waiver prior to coming here. Also PARK AT P3. I personally parked at a further parking lot and regretted during our walk back to the car. After you park, go to the visitor's center to sign up for your boarding pass. Luckily for us, we came during in October, when the hot air balloon was in the shape of a cute pumpkin. You probably get better pictures inside the hot air balloon, because once you're inside you won't get a good angle to capture the balloon. For safety reasons, please remember no jumping from the balloon, no throwing or dropping of any substances from the balloon gondola, keep all parts of your inside the balloon gondola at all times. And no food, drinks, horseplay, large bags, loose objects or smoking. My friend and I were fortunate, we were in a group with 4 other passengers, so a total of 6 passengers and our pilot George was super informative and professional. He gave us cues regarding what to expect and was extremely trustworthy. I felt very safe and secure. The view was stunning. Probably not popular opinion, but I LOVE THE COOKIE CUTTER HOMES IN IRVINE. It's my dream to own a house out there. Goals!! My friend and I had a great time. And it's FREE so no complaints here. I'm glad we weren't part of the group before us that was super crowded with a bunch of little ones. The ambiance we experienced was very peaceful and free. Definitely recommended to anyone who can make it on a Thursday or Friday to avoid crowds, but if you need to wait for the weekend, come earlier to avoid the wait. read more

See all

This has to be the best free attraction in Orange County. The views are pretty amazing at night. One suggestion I have if you visit is to not rely on their estimates of how long you will be waiting. We were quoted one hour tonight and actually ended up waiting almost 2 1/2 hours. They said that there were several parties that needed extra help to load onto the balloon. I don't know if that was true but there's a vast difference between one hour and 2 1/2 hours. I would suggest that you get checked in and everything and you go grab a meal and come back. The Great Park is great and there is plenty to do, but it really sucked waiting 2 1/2 hours without eating tonight before getting on the balloon. read more

Heh now that it's freeeee- 5/5 stars obviously. Fun note: you can bring dogs apparently and the entire balloon is cased in so don't worry about your dog falling out. Maybe just hold onto your phones? I've been twice now- sunday 9am and 6:20 pm. I loved both visits but HUGE WARNING for night visits: the balloon is open at 7:00 pm, they start check ins at 6:30 pm. My friend and I got there at 6:20 pm and got in line. IT TOOK TWO HOURS to get on the balloon and it was overall a 5-8 min short ride. Bring a jacket, maybe dinner, some music, something to do/a friend to talk to, and maybe some foldable chairs/picnic blanket (lol). Morning was about half hour wait time but it was HOTTTT out. You'll need sign a waiver before getting in. They eventually separate you into groups based on wind conditions. For example, my morning trip was not windy, so there were almost 10-12 people on that ride. At night, it was kind of windy so it was 6-7 people a ride. The view is amazing and honestly night views are so much prettier. But the wait was so long; it gets cold at night, but the people do warn you of the wait time when they do their checkins at 6:30 pm. read more

See all

Are you looking for a fun date or family friendly activity? Well look no further and check out the the Great Park Balloon ride! And the best part is that it's completely free! I have heard that it is somewhat difficult to ride the balloon due to unexpected closing of the ride if there are high winds. I went for the first time on a Sunday morning at 11AM and was told that they were likely closing the balloon ride in 30 min due to forecasted winds but my party and I decided to put our name on the waitlist anyways just to give it a shot. Luckily we did because they ended up not closing the ride and we were able to ride the balloon! I'm not sure of the passenger capacity the balloon typically holds but on that day they only took about 6-7 passengers at a time. It was such a fun experience and you really get a great view of Orange County. How to ride the balloon: 1. Go to the visitor center and complete the online waiver form 2. Go to the balloon ride entrance to put your name on the waitlist and explore the park in the meantime! (Farmers market on Sunday, farm/food lab) 4. Return to the entrance within 5-10 min once you receive text message to check in and then wait your turn 5. Enjoy your ride! read more

Great Park Balloon - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Irvine, California

We scanned a QR code to sign a waiver and then checked in at the visitor center. We waited for about an hour before receiving a text informing us it was our turn. We returned to the visitor center to get the boarding pass and then waited in line for the balloon. Each ballon ride holds 6-16 passengers. It is tethered to the ground by a steel cable and goes up 400 feet. I thought it was going to be ok, but I was a bit scared as I'm not fond of heights. The view was nice though. As we were coming down, the wind picked up. The people in line had to wait even longer because of that. It was a cool experience overall, especially because it was free. read more

It took me 3 visits before finally making it onto the Orange Balloon! I only rated three stars due to the inconvenience of reservation, ticketing, and boarding process. If you like to board the balloon in the morning or in the day time, make sure to arrive extra early, otherwise, the Balloon gets booked out fast on the weekends. If the weather is too windy, they are close for the day. Evening nights are less crowded. First you have to sign a waiver, then make a reservation. They will text you when it's your turn to go back in line. But no, you don't go to the boarding line. You have to go back to ticket office to get tickets, then go to boarding area. Not sure why they didn't stream line that process. Then, you have to wait quite a while before you can board. It's something about when it's cold, they have to take less people per time. Once up in the air, the view is lovely! And it's a very nice different kind of experience. It's great that's it's a free ride. You can take in the view of Irvine Spectrum lights and decor during the holiday season and the nearby water park. During the wait, there's an area for people to take selfies with holiday decor. Not sure what it will be after the holidays. There's also a huge park that kids love to play at and a small art gallery. There's farmers market on the weekend. read more

Beautiful park located in Irvine near the Amphitheater. I didn't realize that the hot air balloon was free admission, but you do need to make reservations in advance or you might have to wait around on the waitlist but it is really just the park. Although the park has a lot of outdoor activities such as tennis courts, soccer court, basketball, etc. read more

See all

Free ride in Irvine, California... I saw my friend, Niki, check in here on her Yelp app. I asked her about the Balloon Ride because I was intrigued! In the past, I had ridden a hot air balloon over California. We had to get a ride from where the balloon landed because the wind pushed us away from our cars. It was kind of squishy in the basket. It also was a bit spooky because it was powered by fire and hot air... Here, at The Great Park in Orange County, the Balloon goes up and down. Riders board and land at the same spot because the balloon is tethered! It's much safer and smoother than a hot air balloon! Helium makes the balloon rise gently! This was so cool! We first parked for free, then walked over to the Visitor Center. After signing a waiver on a tablet, we received a buzzer which notified us when they were ready for customers. They wanted to do a test run after the fog cleared up a bit. This was about 10:30am on a Friday morning. We got tickets at the Visitor Center when the buzzer was returned. Boarding was easy - a door to the compartment was opened and we walked right in! The compartment was like a tube cake pan - circular. The ride was fantastic! If I have time next time I'm in LA, I would visit again. The beautiful views and fresh air are priceless! read more

See all

After reading reviews that people made several attempts and got turned away due to the weather, I feel LUCKY! The only two times I made my way here, both times I got to get on the balloon ride! My first visit was when they were just open and offering free rides, it's long ago even before I started Yelping. I read on OC Register that it's again free thanks to the sponsorship from FivePoint since Nov 2019. I figure it might be fun to take out of town guest on the ride and I was also curious if OC Great Park had changed over the years. We parked and walked into Visitor Center, it's exact the same as I remembered from years ago. Sign the registration waiver on the iPads and proceed to the counter. We were told that the balloon wasn't currently in operation but we were given a pager (the range is 300 fts so stay closer to the visitor center). We walked out to the kid's playground and within 3 mins, the pager buzzed. Great! We went back to the visitor center and got our boarding passes. Walking up to the balloon, there's only a group of 3-4 ahead of us. Later more people came...We only waited a short time and staff came take our boarding passes. However, after few minutes, the wind seem picking up and the sky tuned from sunny to cloudy. We were giving our boarding passes back. Some people left but we decided to wait a bit. Soon we got a window for taking off! I looked at the time, from the time we walked into the Visitor Center to board the balloon. The total wait was about 35 mins which wasn't too bad at all! Once the balllon reaches the highest, you were allow to walk around. I love the height and I like the view from high above. (Underneath is Soccer fields, tennis courts and softball fields) and you can also see the skyline of city of Irvine ! Staffs were all very friendly! I wouldn't mind doing it again if my friends want to! However, considering it's a bit of hassle even for a Friday noon when park wasn't all that busy. I can only imagine the wait would be hours on weekend and there's no guarantee! P.S -Don't follow GPS, follow the sign. GPS took me to some residential area on the other side of Great Park. -The roads inside the park are also confusing, I first parked by Ice Rink and later realized it's too far to walk to Visitor Center. read more

See all

Real bummer that this ride that used to be free now costs admission. The price for the ride also seems exorbitant.

The Great Park Balloon is an attraction located within the great park that allows visitors to take a trip high in the sky. The balloon rises not from hot air but from helium. It is a fun ride but also garners many attention therefore a long line is associated. We came to try our luck late at night and was told that there would not be any availability. We tried our luck to see if we can wait if the waitlist opens up, and luckily it did. We were the last ride on the Balloon and it was a great experience. I was slightly nervous seeing how high we went into the sky, but all in all it was nice to see irvine from up high. read more

Great Park Balloon - The balloon - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Irvine, California

Always wanted to try the Balloon . Glad we did Do not go when its windy or the weather is bad . The Balloon will not fly 6:30 Balloon sees the sunset dogs allowed up in balloon also a cute carousel on the property balloon ride is free carousel is $4 read more

See all

A fun experience for the whole family! Arrived on a Saturday morning at 8:30am to check-in. Completed waivers earlier that morning, so check in was easy! Placed on a waitlist and got reservations for 9:10am. Got in line and in the air by 9:20ish, balloon ride was about 10 minutes start to end! Safe and incredible views! Tips: go early! Complete waivers BEFORE getting to the visitors center and you'll hasten the check in process. Lots of fun activities in the area - multiple parks for kids, bounce houses/game area, food/drink options, carousel and a hangar w/plane inside. Their website is informative and accurate and helped us prepare for what to expect. Check it out! Park in Lot 3 and it's a quick walk to all of the things mentioned above! read more