Thank you Piper and Wade (best guide and captain combo ever!) for an experience my wife and I will…read morenever forget! Amazing! We learned so much and got to go face to face with a big old male. Piper's encouragement and direction kept us calm when things got exciting! Would recommend to everyone who loves nature. Also the office staff were gracious and made great recommendation for lunch at a local deli. 100% glad we chose these guys.

Garrett was a blast! We are just coming into the warm season and most manatees are back in the…read moregulf, he still got us to 7 manatees, 2 gators, and we caught a dolphin in kings bay towards the end. He gave us plenty of time to look for things to come up out of the water which was great for my 2 year old. Boat was shaded and was enjoyable even with a small child. Other tours wouldn't let me book because she was under 3- we brought our own lifevest but they did also have some on board that were her size.

I've paddled the Emerald Cut a few times now. Initially I didn't like the idea of paying to launch…read moremy own paddleboard. However, it's only $10 now that I have my own life jacket (saving me additional cost of $5 to use one of theirs, as required). Well worth the low cost for some soul-enriching, communing with nature. I have never made a reservation. I normally arrive around 10:30, most recently on a Friday. Parked for free on Baptist Camp Rd. Just a bit of a walk from there with my inflated paddleboard, but I don't mind the extra exercise. You can unload your stuff closer, if preferable. There are port-a-potties available. You can count on there being a line in the check-in office. Various recreation supplies are available there for purchase. The process moves reasonably enough. A reservation will guarantee your entrance, however, and possibly aide quicker personal info collection. I always plan to do the Emerald Cut in roughly 3 hours round-trip, allowing myself several stops to enjoy the surroundings. You do run into (quite literally at times) novice paddlers along the way, which can be a bit tricky, yet not a real nuisance for me. In general, there's friendliness along the waterway. Slighty rowdy, party vibes in some spots, but also opportunities for solace and zen in various nooks. Encountering wildlife, fragrant elderberry, and other captivating flora along this stretch is always gratifying. It's a popular recreation destination for good reason.

Many tourists don't realize Florida is home to stunning crystal-clear spring rivers--perfect for…read moreswimming, kayaking, and tubing aka "hidden gems". My Hubby and I love kayaking, so we booked an excursion months in advance for Rock Springs through TripAdvisor. Our Tour Operator was Get Up And Go Kayaking located at Kings Landing in Apopka, FL. I LOVE saying Apopka ;) The good news: Apopka is a quick 1 hour drive from Orlando. Make sure you don't miss the turn to King's Landing, because the entrance is located on a narrow dirt road. You must drive past Kelly Park (which fills up fast). There is a Park Ranger located here who will guide you to King's Landing. As you get closer and if you see a parking spot, grab it! Check in is located in the Cabin like office where you will have to sign a waiver. If you do not want to take a clear bottom, guided Kayak tour, you can either rent or BYO Kayak versus taking a semi private, clear, guided kayak tour. NOTE: ONLY use their Sunscreen/lotion which is provided at no cost. It protects the wildlife and the Springs. We wanted the full experience as we have previously enjoyed renting clear Kayaks. Our guide for the morning was: Megan, who was fantastic! Full of energy, information and helpful tidbits about the Springs and its human and wildlife inhabitants. Our group was small and capped at 10. We paddled through both narrow and open stretches, and stopped to swim in the warm, crystal-clear water. One highlight was a banyan tree with an 8-foot natural "jump hole"--such a cool experience! It was a serene, memorable day, and fun fact: this is the very spring featured in the Visit Orlando commercials! Yeah, definitely take a day away from crowded Orlando to relax and enjoy Mother Nature! You will Thank Me ;)

This was totally Awesome Experience. To be able to float in the air in a hot air balloon and be…read moreable to see nature. Our tour guide was trust worthy and would fly with him again. You have to try this sunrise ride. To be able to see this and experience it, THERE IS NOTHING LIKE IT!

Bob and his crew were so great! My husband surprised me with this balloon ride for our anniversary,…read moreand the whole thing was just beautiful! They clearly knew what they were doing as our flight was so smooth. Even the landing! My husband is afraid of heights and even he had a spectacular time!

Establishment for enjoyment while vacation in Florida. See the sun rise in a totally different…read moreprospective. Upon moving to this area there are so many things and places to visit. Fortunately it's exciting to see these massive balloons blowing up & lifting up for take off. Even from a distance it's nice to just watch. However, the experience of being inside one over looking more beauty that is offered from inside. Will differently do this again.

Someone is going to die!!! My husband and I had the misfortune of using Orlando Balloon Rides…read more12/16/2019, that resulted in bad fractures to both of my ankles!!! It appears our pilot was a subcontractor for the day. Our Pilot bragged about having many years of experience to give us a false sense of security. On our ride for takeoff, our pilot was asking the van driver about the surrounding area as though he was unfamiliar with the terrain. Once we arrived, there were already 3 balloons prepping for takeoff. There were 2 balloons with our company. Our balloon was #5 on takeoff. Shortly after takeoff, our pilot was on his 2 way radio with the other balloon. At the end of his conversation he said "I'll follow you." The other 3 balloons were far ahead of the 2 from Orlando Balloons. The other pilot appeared to be showing off for his passengers, by flying very high. Our pilot was flying so low, we actually spoke to homeowners below us, as if he was scared. Soon after we came across a field with horses so our pilot stated he had to go higher so we didn't scare them. Shortly after that we noticed the other balloon descending. The two pilots communicated by radio, then our pilot turned to us stating, "He ran out of propane and had to land early, but don't worry we have enough propane to make it to our destination called "Green acre." At this point none of the other balloon were visible for him to obviously "follow". Shortly after his statement as we were almost upon the other balloon, our pilot stated "I changed my mind, I'm going to try to land to the left of him, I'm coming in too fast, I need to hit these tree tops to slow us down, get down!" We all immediately got in the landing position. We were slammed into the tress with such force, everyone in the basket let out a loud yell from the force, then suddenly experienced another extreme impact from below us upon our crash landing. It was at this moment I heard the snap and felt the intense pain to both of my ankles and fell to the bottom of the basket. As I'm laying helpless in the bottom of the basket, I hear panicked screams "Get out of the basket, get out of the basket!" After the basket was secure, they asked us to climb out. Still in excruciating pain I was unable to stand. At this point I said I think I broke both of my ankles and asked to remain in the bottom of the basket. The pilot appeared genuinely concerned. We landed on private property so there seemed to be a rush to get out of there. It took the van crew about 20-30 minutes to arrive at our location. During that time, I had the pilot and my husband help me to a standing position. I was still unable to place any weight on my feet without extreme pain. As I hung over the edge of the basket, I noticed a large tree branch approximately 10" in diameter below the basket, where I was positioned. Next they assisted me to the floor of the basket to tip it on its side while I sat inside. Soon after, the ground crew arrived in the vans. As the pilot and my husband were carrying me to the van that was when we witnessed the crew member having to forcibly pull the large tree branch out of the bottom of the basket. He was even joking to the pilot he could now go into tree cutting business. I was in so much pain I completely shut down, but was reportedly asked if I needed them to call 911 and declined. As a Nurse Practitioner, I was not experiencing any acute blood loss, chest pain or difficulty breathing, and suspected longer wait for them to get there. As I waited for them to load the two vans they brought out the champagne for the other passengers. One of the passengers luckily had a ziplock bag with them and filled it with ice for me to place it on my left ankle. Our Driver did bring me a first aid kit that was clearly lacking supplies. It had no additional ice packs, but told me he would find an additional bag and fill it with ice for my other ankle. He never returned. Both he and our pilot rode in the other van to transport us back to our vehicles. Upon returning, I was carried to our car. At this point I was given the pilot's business card and asked to call him after I was evaluated at the hospital. The van driver asked my husband for the spelling of our last name for their "insurance company." To make a long medical story short, I was diagnosed with complete Talar neck fracture of my left ankle, and partial Talar neck fracture of my right ankle with a tibia head fracture from the high altitude impact from our fall. I was unable to walk or work for 3 months, had over $50,000 in medical bills, $13,000 out of pocket expenses, $25,000 loss wages! NTSB was involved due to my serious injuries. They violated multiple FAA safety rules and still refused to pay my expense, despite reported insurance coverage for these expenses one year from the accident per their policy. Despite their negligence, they hid behind their waiver. NEVER use this company!!! I'm praying this post saves future lives.

AMAZING TRIP! These guys are actual competition balloon pilots. They are really good and a ton of…read morefun. Very safe and knowledgeable. My wife and I were skeptical but now would go back any time. One of the best trips we ever made, and I am a private aircraft pilot in Michigan!!!!!

From the owner: With over 50 years of experience we are the hot air balloon company you are looking for. If you…read moreare looking for a private romantic flight or a flight with your family or friends we can accomodate you. We provide Wedding Proposal flights and more. Offering hot air balloon rides in the Disney World area of Central Florida 7 days a week at sunrise. (weather permitting) Book online in minutes with a deposit. Choose any flight date you wish. Check out our website for flight reviews or give us a call or send an email and we are happy to answer any questions you may have. Our Frequently Asked Questions page has answers to questions people have asked us over 40 years. Your Answer is on that page somewhere. If you have a question that is NOT found on our FAQ page please send it to us and we will answer it for you and add your question to our page. Thank you in advance and let us make memories for you and your family that you can share for years to come!

I volunteered for the 'Disney Give a Day, Get a Day' program, and painted a house with Hands On…read moreOrlando. I used to volunteer a lot, then got out of it as I got older, and was happy to have volunteering put in the forefront of the news with Disney. I knew the volume of people signing up for events, and was pleasantly surprised when I painted a house with Hands On Orlando. The day consisted of painting four houses, with 100 volunteer expected. The HOO coordinator was very organized, arrived early and was very friendly. There was a HOO coordinator for each house, and one who monitored the whole project. They were very clear in their directions, and made a very humid day painting a house in not a great neighbor hood a great experience. Being an annual passholder for Disney, I wasn't worried about the processing time for the receipt of the Disney voucher, and yet it was in my email by Tuesday. Its kind of sad, the coordinator said that the month before, for the same event they had only twenty volunteers, and now all their events are full. While we appreciate all the Disney is doing to help communities, I sure wish more people would volunteer without having to be bribed, and I can't wait til we do it again!

Amazing organization! I love the Hands On network!…read more When I lived in Nashville, I frequently volunteered with Hands on Nashville to sort and create bags of groceries for those in the area living with AIDS. I was also a captain for Hands on Nashville Day, where we painted and spruced up a local high school, and even helped out at the animal shelter a few times. When I moved back to O-town I was super excited to find a local Hands On chapter. There is truly something for everyone here. Whether you like to work with your hands and get dirty, or just sit and hang out with some at-risk kids, or play with the puppies and kitties at the local shelter, Hands on Orlando has a huge network of opportunities, linking you with others who share your passions and organizations that run on the support of volunteers. To sing up, they keep things super simple. Log on to www.handsonorlando.com, create an account, then click on the calendar, and click on the event you wish to volunteer for. A quick sign up and print off of the waiver (or your coordinator can give you one at the time of the event), and you are good to go! The volunteer coordinators are super fun and work well with the organizations to ensure a smooth-flowing but fun volunteer experience. Since I've been back in Orlando, I have had the pleasure of volunteering with Coalition for the Homeless, Clean the World, and even the City of Casselberry through Hands on Orlando. This is a great way to get to know all the awesome local groups that take care of our community. I encourage everyone to find at least one Saturday morning a month to give back in 2015!

We booked the Winter Park restaurant tasting tour for an afternoon company outing and loved it! It…read morewas a unique experience and the food was tasty (received more than expected). We had 18 people in our group, but this type of tour would also be conducive to smaller groups as well. The tour guides were knowledgeable but not intrusive, and they kept things on track throughout to ensure we got the most out of each of our 3 stops.

Savor our City was awesome this week in setting up a client event for me in Orlando. The service…read morewas responsive. Very easy to work with Denise. She will take the time to understand your needs and tailor a plan that meets your needs depending on the headcount, location constraints and make it real fun. Will definitely do business again with Denise next time in Orlando