You might even see Catalina Island from this 10-story monster!
Featured image credit: Destination Irvine
Yes, we know Irvine isn’t Los Angeles but if we can consider Disneyland a local attraction, we can consider Great Park too. Today, we’re specifically interested in Great Park’s star attraction: the Great Park Balloon. This orange balloon is so gargantuan that you’d be forgiven for mistaking it for the orange that gave Orange County its name. You can literally see it from miles away; a tangerine titan looming over Irvine. And if that wasn’t enough, you can ride it 400 feet into the air.
What Makes Great Park So Great
Unfamiliar with Great Park? It’s relatively new, at least compared to the historic sites we frequently discuss on this blog. Initially, the Great Park’s grounds were part of Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. But when the base shuttered in 1999, it set off a prolonged political debate that finally settled on the construction of a public park and recreation area on a portion of the former base’s land. However, Great Park wouldn’t open to the public until 2013.
Believe it or not, aspects of Great Park are still crawling through development. But it’s already a popular cultural hub in Irvine with agricultural interests like food labs and farmers markets, art shows, and plenty of fields and courts for playing all manner of sports. And since July 14, 2007, Great Park has also offered the Great Park Balloon… its first and literally biggest attraction.
The Great Park Balloon Isn’t Like Other Immense Inflatables
At first, you could easily mistake the Great Park Balloon for a mammoth hot air balloon. But it’s actually the first balloon of its size to be filled with helium in the United States, making it a rare pioneer in modern ballooning. Designed by French tethered balloon company Aerophile, the Great Park Balloon is outfitted with a steel gondola.
While it could accommodate up to 30 individuals, it’s been reduced to a 16-passenger maximum capacity in recent years. And, depending on weather conditions, that number can be dramatically reduced by ride operators. But once passengers are loaded in, the Great Park Balloon does its thing, lifting riders 400 feet in the air for a unique bird’s eye view of Irvine and the surrounding areas.
The use of helium isn’t the only way that the Great Park Balloon distinguishes itself from its colossal air balloon brethren. When we say this is a gargantuan globe, we’re probably underselling it. The Great Park Balloon looms at over 118 feet tall (roughly the size of a 10-story building) with a volume of 210,000 cubic feet. Thanks to its helium operation, it’s more eco-friendly and completely silent; a jarring contrast to the roar associated with hot air balloons. And every Halloween, it wears a “costume” as a jumbo jack-o’-lantern.
Riding the Big Balloon
What can you expect to see from 400 feet above Irvine? It all depends on the air clarity on the day, but the Great Park Balloon promises up to 40-mile panoramic vision on the clearest of days. That means you could feasibly see Catalina Island. Or the San Gabriel Mountains. Maybe even Space Mountain.
You’ll be in the air for a solid 15 to 20 minutes, so you can expect to see something. Even if it’s the guests at Great Park becoming the size of ants. If you’re concerned about a stiff breeze blowing the sizable sphere, rest assured that the Great Park Balloon is always tethered. And not by just any tether. By a steel cable with 99,000-pound strength. There’s no way you’re going an inch above 400 feet upward.
Planning Your Great Park Balloon Ride
But if you’re expecting to waltz up to the Great Park Balloon and just casually hop onto the gondola, you’re going to be disappointed. Securing your spot on the balloon ride takes planning. While you can see the balloon every day, you can only ride it Thursday through Sunday, from 10 am to 3 pm, and then again from 7 until 10 pm. Rides are on a first-come, first-served basis, with the signup sheet filling up quickly. Advance reservations are not accepted. Your best bet for securing a spot is to show up early and make a beeline for the visitor center to check in.
Balloon rides are free for children under 19 but $10 for adults, with only cashless payment options accepted. And children under 13 are not admitted without adult accompaniment. Each adult rider is required to sign an online waiver prior to boarding the Great Park Balloon. A legal guardian must sign the waiver for children under the age of 18. Once you’re on the list, you’re free to wander Great Park, enjoying its other attractions. But check-in for your ride begins 30 minutes prior to takeoff. Those visiting Great Park from Los Angeles should prepare for the culture shock of free parking.
Since the Great Park Balloon has become something of a local icon in
Irvine, we doubt it’s going to be deflating anytime soon. Add in the
fact that it’s owned and operated by the community itself, plus the
popularity among riders well over a decade after opening, and it’s easy
to see that this super sphere has staying power.
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