Magical Adventure Balloon Rides

My wife and I took our 1^st hot air balloon ride last week for my birthday in Del Mar, Ca. It was a sunset flight which is a little more riskier for the pilots as the winds aren’t normally as calm as the sunrise flights. It was a beautiful flight as we soared thru and above the thousands of clouds… We reached 5408 feet before we started to descend. Our Pilot (Phil) has over 26 yrs of experience and was very knowledgeable and friendly. Our landing was interesting as the wind started to pick up… But it was very fun and my wife and I loved it. We will do it again for sure! :)

Took a balloon ride on ⁰⁵⁄₀₁ and it was a great experience. It took a little longer than I expected to get to the launch site, but we were in a big group so time passed easily. No bags allowed in the basket. Magical Adventures had a lot of customers that day and launched several balloons. It was nice to see the inflation process and then once air bound there were so many other balloons in the sky. The ride itself was amazing and our pilot was happy to answer all of our questions. Once we found a safe landing area, a van arrived quickly to pack up and take us back to the starting point. Breakfast at the South Coast Winery was a lovely end to the morning. Plenty of choices from Balloon Ride menu but can can also chose from the regular menu.

We went for a ride this Saturday ⁴⁄₂₃ in Del Mar. We already left LA (mind you the gathering is at 4:45pm in Del Mar) and I5 is horrible on a Saturday. Just leaving LA around noon I got a call saying that the ride was cancelled and I can pick a date to reschedule. I had to ask why there was no explanation provided upfront. It was because of the wind advisory, I told her I will have to call back since I had to figure out what is our next available weekend. We were already on the 5 so we decided to got to Disneyland… 45mins later she called again and said she made a mistake, the wind advisory is for the day after… It was very unprofessional… We speculated that they overbooked so they were rescheduling all the willing people. I would’ve probably just asked for a refund, since nothing before August would work for us, but I can’t really prove the speculation so we left room for it to be an honest mistake.
I don’t know if it was just our ride but everything was really slow, seemed very unorganized and we took off at around 6:50pm. The balloon had to be re-​inflated, which I guess is something that happened but it made me feel very uncomfortable…
The ride itself was smooth and the view is amazing, our pilot was very nervous from the moment we met at the parking lot but I think that’s a part of his character, still romantic is not a way to describe this experience if you have somebody yelling constantly at the crew (not in a way that they can hear him better).
Never the less we landed, toasted and he told us a story about the first balloon ride while the guys were packing the balloon and everything and we got back to the parking lot around 8:30pm
It’s a nice once in a lifetime experience, I just believe it could’ve been better. Didn’t expect to be blown away but I was slightly disappointed by this particular experience. It was ok and therefore 3 stars. I would probably give them 4 if it weren’t for that ‘wind advisory’ problem.
**** after talking to the owner I decided to change my review to five stars because as a business owner myself I decided that is the right thing to do. He seemed honest and like he genuinely cares about his business and his customers and I really appreciate him taking the time to answer to my messages. So 5 stars are purely based on his replies and care. Thanks!

Nothing but great things to say about this company. I bought the exclusive engagement package and had a successful proposal to my lovely fiancé yesterday. Although I originally had wanted to do the sunset ride in Del Mar, weather was not on my side. This company helped me book the sunrise flight in Temecula. They were very responsive and refunded me the difference in price between the two locations.
The hot air balloon ride itself was amazing. Spectacular views and a relaxing ride. Our pilot Denni was funny and very nice. Halfway through, they told my girlfriend to look towards a certain «target» and when they flipped the sign around, it read «Will you marry me (her name)?» She said yes and the rest of the flight was great. When we landed, the crewmembers gave her a dozen roses and gave ample time to take pictures. Then they treated us to champagne/​mimosas and toasted our engagement. When we got back to the parking lot, they offered us breakfast, but we unfortunately had to run.
Awesome and professional service. Experienced pilots. Beautiful views. Not much more you can ask for. And my fiancé said yes, so that’s a pretty good sign!

This trip was for our engagement; out of several balloon companies that we contacted we choose Magical Adventure & it was everything we hoped it would be. Denny was helpful from day one! John our pilot did an awesome job with our flight.
Our experience overall was exceedingly beyond one. We highly recommend them & would do it all over again. Considering it for the future.

Had a wonderful anniversary balloon ride on Saturday. The crew was very friendly and took plenty of pictures for us. The pilot, Denny, was funny, informative, and landed so softly, I wasn’t sure we had even landed. We enjoyed the champagne toast afterwards and the whole experience. Thank you!

Never rode a hot air balloon before so this was an amazing experience! I got tickets for my whole family off of a Living Social deal. We did the Temecula sunrise ride. It was rough getting up that early but it was a beautiful day.
You meet at the parking lot of the South Coast Winery and sign your waivers and weigh in on a scale. You aren’t allowed to bring any bags on the balloon. Just whatever you can hold in your hands or pockets. Our group hopped on the shuttle/​van to the launch spot. There were about 4 balloons going up at the launching area. We were in one of the bigger baskets. I believe there were 15 of us total, 16 including the pilot. They brief you on how to hop into the basket. It’s about an hour ride. You don’t feel the normal sensations of flying on a plane. like butterflies, turbulence or ears plugging. It’s the smoothest ride ever. We just glided over the Temecula area for an hour and found our landing spot. They don’t usually land in the same area. The balloons go where the wind goes, so you just follow that path.
Our pilot Phil was very informative throughout the ride. He told us history, facts and side jokes. Once we landed he popped the bubbly, OJ and gave out flight certificates. We all had a blast. It was cold, but I didn’t dress for it as well as I should have. It’s warm under the balloon but the fire isn’t going the whole time.
The email confirmation asks to give gratuity. I inquired about it when I signed in because I didn’t have cash. They prefer you pay gratuity at sign in.

Fellow Elite member, Randy, hit the nail on the head — so I’m going to plagiarize some of his review…
FUN, SAFE, THRILLING, AWESOME!
My wife got the entire family a balloon ride for Christmas, which I thought was cool, and it turned out to be that and more! We were in the biggest balloon they have, the Red Dawn Raider, which has a maximum capacity of 24 passengers. On our journey we only had 16 people including our pilot. Speaking of which, our ‘fly guy’ was Phil, and we thought he was the best, super nice and full of information about everything we flew over. Phil exuded confidence and adroit skill, which you want in a balloonist. My wife has a fear of heights but said that she felt comfortable; I thought she was going to be jumpy, but it never happened.
The process is quick and simple, we meet at 5:45 am, signed waivers, got some general instructions, took a van to the launch area, and we were skyward bound by 7am, we enjoyed about an hour above the world and then landed around 8am. The morning ended with Sparkling California wine compliments of Magical Adventure Balloon Rides.
I will definitely do this again! It was romantic, fun, and a great family adventure, truly a special way to spend a sunrise in the beautiful wine country of Temecula. FYI — it is not forced in any way, but a tip (10−20%) is considered proper.

What a treat! I never thought about doing a balloon ride before, but my best friend suggested that we do it for our girl’s day out and I’m glad we did! First off, you need to get to the meeting spot VERY early in the morning. I had to wake up at 2:30 am to pick up my friend and then head to Temecula to be there before 5:45 am. Yikes! Driving through Wine Country trying to locate the correct parking lot at South Coast Winery while it was pitch black outside was a little tougher than expected. We watched as a bunch of other sleepy and confused groups made their way into the parking lot hoping they were in the right place as well. Once we saw the multiple vans pull up with balloon baskets in tow, we knew we were in the right place.
After that, the process was fairly streamlined. They make you sign a release, weigh you and then collect payment. Then they load you into the vans and take you to the departure site. It was really exciting to watch them set up the balloons. During this time they go over safety procedures and have you sign another form. Then they load you into your balloon and off you go soaring and floating through the sky!
Our pilot was very knowledgeable and made the experience really great. In fact, he was the only pilot out of 4 balloons that hit the landing site perfectly. He also had some great stories, as he races hot air balloons as well. Once we landed we were given a champagne toast and taken back to South Coast Winery where we had a decent breakfast (not continental), which was included with the balloon flight.
I would definitely recommend this experience! I would note, however, that the regular «shared» rides are way too cramped. It was uncomfortable and made it difficult to move around and take pictures with ease. In retrospect, we would have gladly paid the extra money to take a semi-​private balloon ride, as we didn’t realize how packed it would be.

This ride experience became one of the most important days of my life. My boyfriend took me on a hot air balloon ride for Valentine’s Day. We got here at 6:15 am to check in and boarded the balloon at around 8 – 9 am which was expected since we were told we would be the second flight (that was totally fine since we luckily were able to book for that weekend). The staff was amazing, professional, & very friendly. The owner made sure everything went well and we had a smooth sail, despite the fact that one of the passengers on our flight almost fainted, everything was kept professional and just great. The best thing of all for me was the wait to get on the balloon. While we waited, we took a stroll done the resort and my boyfriend proposed!!! I can’t wait to come again as fiancé’s or husband/​wife :)

This is was my first time ever going on a hot air ballon ride. WORST experience ever !!! My boyfriend and I came for valentines weekend thinking it was going to be a wonderful experience! It was awful ! Waste of money !
We arrived at 6:15 am and were put on the hot air balloon till 8:20! Not only did the email say it would be an hour long ride ! We were only up on the balloon for 35 minutes !! During our ride we only got to see houses then almost hit a street post ! And landed in residential area ! Very tacky !
I called and complained to Denny the owner and did not care!
DO NOT BOOK WITH THIS COMPANY!

Honestly, one of the coolest days of my life. I’m not a big fan of my feet leaving solid ground, but it couldn’t have felt more safe and peaceful up there in the sky. Denni was a sweetheart — informative, professional, thoughtful, and obviously loves what he does which made everything even more enjoyable.
The whole experience was amazing (and the champagne didn’t hurt either)! I couldn’t recommend it more. Thank you for such a lovely morning again. Our balloon ride was a really special experience that I’ll keep with me for a long, long time.

We had an amazing time!
I booked a ride for my girlfriend’s birthday, and honestly I was quite nervous about it: I’m a little scared of heights, but I knew she’d love the experience, so I screwed up my courage. Fellow fearers of heights: I thought that the whole experience was quite manageable. The ride is so smooth and gentle you will have nothing to worry about.
I went with this company after searching reviews and getting increasingly skeptical of the groupon or livingsocial deals that you see, and I’m glad that I did. Our pilot was clearly a professional and we had an excellent ride and gentle landing. Breakfast afterward was quite nice, and the mimosas were not stingy! We also were the only two in the balloon (it was the middle of the week in December, I suspect a good time to go) which was an awesome treat/​surprise.
All in all, it was totally worth it and a lovely experience.

The experience was Amazing. The pilot was great and very informative about the area. Must try at least once in your life time

Someone pointed out to me that the screen saver on my phone is a hot air balloon. We don’t have hot air balloons in Hawaii. I don’t know where this idea came from. .must be some sort of subliminal message. .
One of my LA Unilocal friends introduced me to
. I was looking at tickets for the Lobster Festival when I saw tickets for hot air ballooning. The price is a little high (over $ 100 each), but it’s worth it for a once in a lifetime adventure.
Besides the price obstacle, there’s the distance. I had no idea where Temecula was. We had to meet at 6:30am, so I was joking that we had to leave LA area at 4am. .it’s no joke. Plus, none of us had time for breakfast, so we were a bit hungry and sleepy.
It was a bit chilly this October morning. I wore t-​shirt, shorts, heavy jacket and sneakers. Before we boarded the basket, they offered to hold my jacket for me — good idea because it’s super hot in the balloon from the propane flames. No tote bags or backpacks allowed on the ride. We were also reminded that we are trespassing. Comments to residents below are discouraged.
We found the meeting place in the dark, using GPS and ended up at the South Coast Winery. There was a bunch of people and we just asked around. We were able to use the restroom at the winery. .This is a good thing! We stood in line, signed a waiver, got weighed, and watched them assemble the balloons and inflate them. It’s hard work. Those guys are a great team.
We were assigned to different balloons. Each have different capacities. Our balloon, «Taiyo 2» can hold 20 passengers. We had to climb up the side of the basket (about 4 feet high) and drop down into it. It’s almost a tight fit. I was clinging onto the edge so my compartment mates would have their space.
The balloon is only able to go up and down. We are at the mercy of the wind. From the meeting point, a van drove us to 3 different launch areas before one was selected due to wind speed, I believe. During the flight, our captain, Bill Baker, told us stories of his international adventures and competitions.
We had several landing attempts until the location was perfect. The van met us near the «angry farmer’s» property and the crew deflated and packed up as quickly as possible while we listened to the Balloonist Prayer while drinking orange juice, champagne, and mimosas.
The van dropped us off back at our cars safely. We received our certificate and are able to download photos from their Facebook website.
If you have never been ballooning, I recommend that you go at least once in your life. It’s smooth and safe. The views are awesome and the experience is something that words cannot express.. Thanks to my friends for keeping me company and making one of my dreams come true!

We did the Sunset ride in Delmar California last night. It was fantastic. Their professionalism is definitely noticed, as is their expertise. Well handled, beautiful balloons and what an amazing flight. The weather could not of been better. Thank you
P.s already spreading the word.

This was an excellent experience. Our balloon ride was 07÷25÷15 and our operator was Phil. We were in the «Red Raider» pirate-​themed balloon. I believe it has a capacity of 26 people, but there were about 16 people in our group + our operator. Our package was $ 129 which included a champagne toasting (directly following the flight) and breakfast at the South Coast Winery Resort & Spa (after heading back to the parking lot). I am VERY afraid of heights but this ride did not scare me at all. I was pretty nervous at the beginning when taking off, but after that it was calm, peaceful, and beautiful. Oh and HOT as well. lol Our operator was very informative, had tons of jokes, and very pleasant overall. We had a completely safe and smooth landing. I surprised my cousin for her birthday and she was extremely happy! Our group of 4 had nothing but great things to say about the experience.
THINGS TO KNOW:
*MEET at 5:30 am at South Coast Winery Resort & Spa’s event parking lot. Fill out a release form, they will weigh you, and wait to depart in a van to another location.
*PARKING is on the east side of the winery. It is not located where the actual entrance to the resort is, although you can park there if you’d like and just walk over to the other parking lot (5 min or less).
*It is HOT in the balloon, especially if you’re flying during summer. The heat from the tank is very hot + the sun was shining so plan to dress accordingly.
*The e-​mail confirmation you receive says to dress as if you’re going hiking (wear layers), but a lot of the people were just dressed casual with jeans, tennis shoes, and even flip flops. However, they do recommend you wear closed-​toe shoes.
*BRING CASH to tip the crew (they recommend $ 30 per person. I think this is because tips are shared between the crew).
*BRING CASH and/​or credit card for BREAKFAST. Only 1 entrée per person is included ($ 9 value) in the free breakfast deal. They have a set menu with about 5 options. Beverages are not included. They provide water only and you have the option of purchasing anything extra if you’d like. If you decide to go with an entrée option from the regular menu, they will deduct the $ 9 value from the total bill. Otherwise, you are only responsible for tax + tip. THE BREAKFAST BURRITO WAS REALLY GOOD. It came with hash browns and I asked for a side of sour cream. Yum! =) My cousin’s beau ordered the pancake breakfast and be aware that it is 1 pancake only. It is somewhat large but some might be expecting the usual 2 – 3 pancakes so just thought I’d mention that.
This is a GREAT company and I would recommend them to anyone. So glad I scratched this off my bucket list! =)

I ended up getting engaged, on a private Magical Adventure Balloon ride a few months ago.
They are extrremely easy to work with and we will have an amazing engagement story to tell our friends and family forever. Thank you guys.

So let’s start off by saying, take this into consideration before you book with anyone else!!!
Prior to me booking this for my first year anniversary, I was intrigued by the groupon advertisement for 2 people. I was almost sure I was going to follow through with it until I started reading ALL of the reviews about these companies. First off, the groupon deal with whoever (I forget the name) wasn’t too appealing when I saw the ratings and reviews, but I thought I may give them a shot. When I had called them, the guy who answered sounded like he was just waking up next to a jet turbine. He didn’t sound interested at all and I could barely hear him. As soon as I heard that I immediately went back on Unilocal and looked at the other reviews.
ANYWAYS, long story short, these reviews DO NOT let you down.
As soon as I called Denny for magical balloon adventures, he was so pleased other that I had decided to call them after reading their reviews. He was very patient to what I was looking for, and also very informative into what I SHOULD be looking for.
As for our pilot, Mike, a real gentlemen who has had over 20 years experience in flying these things.
Overall, I felt comfortable, safe, and appreciated as soon as I went face to face with this experience!

Excellent experience from beginning to end.
To start, I called a few times to ask questions before scheduling since I had family coming to town that I was planning around. They answered the phone every time and were very helpful.
The day of our ride, everything went smoothly. The crew was incredibly nice and our pilot was very funny and entertaining. The breakfast after the ride at the winery was fantastic, a full breakfast, not just a continental meal.
From beginning to end everyone catered to our needs; overall excellent customer service.
My only (kinda of) complain is that we were told to arrive at 6:15am and didn’t actually get in the van to drive to the launch location to at least 7am. I understand that they don’t want people to be late so they give extra time for arrival and preparation, but I could have been sleeping an extra 45 min! ;)