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Revenue managementDynamic pricingChannel managementOTA managementBooking.com managementListing optimizationVacation rental marketingA morning hot air balloon flight—witness panoramic views of the Sonoran Desert and Phoenix skyline, with a post-flight champagne toast.
This early morning hot air balloon ride provides a unique perspective of the Sonoran Desert and the Phoenix metro area. You’ll ascend to see notable landmarks like McDowell Mountain Regional Park, Camelback Mountain, and the downtown area from above.
While you won't see the full sunrise, the launch happens at dawn, allowing for stunning views as the day starts. After the flight, enjoy a champagne toast and fresh fruit to celebrate your adventure. The experience is as much about appreciating nature as it is about the thrill of flying.
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Reviews
The hot air balloon ride itself was fantastic, but unfortunately, the pilot was disappointing. He arrived late, explaining that he was waiting for other guests, one of whom he fat-shamed, saying he was relieved they didn't show up because of the basket's weight limit. We missed the sunrise by more than an hour. When we joked about the basket's size, the pilot questioned if we wanted to cancel the trip. During our descent, he yelled on his phone at the ground crew for not being in the right spot. He was also unkind to my wife and other passengers who asked questions. While I would love to give this experience a great rating, the pilot's behavior overshadowed it, and I certainly wouldn’t fly with him again. If I could get a refund, I would.
The flight itself was enjoyable, but the pilot made it a negative experience. He reacted poorly to our lighthearted jokes about the basket's size, suggesting we cancel. We took off an hour after sunrise, despite it being advertised as a "sunrise" ride. When my wife asked questions during the flight, he was quite rude. He also fat-shamed a would-be passenger who never joined us, complaining about their weight. Near the end, he yelled at the ground crew on his phone for not being perfectly positioned under us, despite their efforts to reach us. What should have been a memorable experience was repeatedly spoiled by the pilot. I also have recordings of many of our interactions. A refund would be appreciated.
The pilot seemed to struggle with deep-seated anger issues regarding his customers, the IRS, and the government. While I can empathize, I don't need to hear about them. We didn't experience the sunrise tour as advertised because the pilot didn’t believe people would wake up early for it. Although he shortened our tour for a better landing, which was appreciated, he inaccurately told the ground crew that we were complaining. He voiced complaints about previous customers and claimed to be the best—something I believe used to be true based on his presentation, which still has no flaws. It would benefit him to stick to the script. I think his son would run the business better with his friendly demeanor. I had concerns about our safety, but not because of lack of professionalism after reading previous negative reviews and choosing to trust Shane.
I booked this as a significant adventure for my two kids and me during our first trip to Arizona. Despite my reservations due to negative reviews, I assumed if the guide was as bad as described, he wouldn't still be with the company. We were scheduled to meet at Starbucks at 6:15 am. The night before, I verified all the details before heading to bed at 10:00. With a 35-minute drive ahead, we planned to rise at 5:15 and leave promptly. However, when I woke up at 5:15, I saw a text from 11:07 pm stating the meeting time had changed to 5:40 am. I quickly replied, informing them we would arrive after 6:00. No response came, so we started our drive, expecting to arrive at 6:04. While en route, I received a call from Shane, the guide mentioned in several reviews. I explained what happened, but he insisted I had been notified earlier, which was not the case. The only messages I received were one at 10:54 pm and the text at 11:07 pm. He assured me they would wait if we hurried. We drove as fast as we could, arriving at 6:04 only to find they had already left. This was very disappointing. Later that morning, I requested a refund, and Shane was quite rude during our interaction. My children were upset about missing the hot air balloon ride, and I was frustrated about losing $635 while being mistreated by him. Fortunately, I managed to reach someone else at the company who apologized for the misunderstanding and issued a refund. That person was exceptionally nice. While I'm thankful for their assistance, we still missed our balloon ride due to their error, and the poor treatment from Shane seems to be a recurring issue based on other reviews.
Arriving just before 5 am, we waited for half an hour only to learn that the other guide was unavailable and our ride was canceled. While I understand unexpected situations can arise, it cost my wife and me about $90 in Uber fares to get to and from downtown Phoenix. When I reached out to inquire about reimbursement, I was told they typically do not process refunds, but the representative would check with a manager and follow up—never heard back. Waking up at 4 am to find out the ride is canceled was frustrating, and the lack of communication afterwards felt very disrespectful.
This adventure was truly incredible. The crew, pilot, and the views were all excellent. Everything was well-organized and handled professionally. I highly recommend it.
This activity is essential for anyone visiting Arizona. The experience was exceptional, thanks to the friendly team that ensured everything went smoothly. The beauty of the Sonoran Desert is remarkable, and I doubt we would have seen so much of it without the hot air balloon.
This was an incredibly disappointing experience. We traveled from out of town and woke up at 3am for a 4:40am departure, only to find the crew arriving 15 minutes late. The instructor, Shane, was unfriendly and had a bad attitude right from the start. We arrived at the launch site too late to see the sunrise, which was the main reason for the hot air balloon trip. Although the balloon was being prepared, we never took off. The instructor wrongly blamed us for not boarding when we were never given clear instructions. The balloon began to ascend with no one on it, and Shane held everyone accountable for the mix-up. This lack of professionalism resulted in a complete cancellation of the ride, and to make matters worse, we overheard the instructor and crew making negative comments about the customers while packing up. I will not use their services again, which is quite upsetting since this was meant to be our first experience with hot air ballooning.
I booked a sunrise hot air balloon ride with two friends, hoping for a great experience. Unfortunately, my experience with Aerogelic Ballooning was disappointing. When we arrived late to the desert launch site, the host chose to find a location closer instead of driving just ten minutes to the proper site for balloon preparation. We didn’t receive adequate information about what to expect throughout the ride. It seemed that many crew members assisting with the setup were inexperienced, which made the inflation process disorganized. When it was time to board, the pilot was yelling that the balloon was deflating and rushed us to get in. There was minimal communication from the crew, and only one person attempted to direct us, but it was very last minute. By then, the pilot appeared ready to cancel the flight. He suggested that it was our fault for not following instructions, even though most participants agreed that no one communicated effectively during takeoff and that the crew had a negative attitude. Ultimately, the pilot confirmed the cancellation and did not try to reset the balloon for another attempt. Overall, it was a terrible experience. I understand that weather can be unpredictable, but the issues stemmed from poor communication and lack of preparation. I hope to find a better hot air balloon experience in the future.
I was unable to partake in the balloon flight because the tour operator provided incorrect flight times and the wrong address. When I contacted the Office Manager for a refund, I encountered a rude and unreasonable person who was unsympathetic and only seemed interested in making me pay for a trip that I couldn't attend due to their mistakes.
Reviews are paraphrased traveller feedback sourced from Viator. Original ratings and sentiment preserved.
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