Check out our most frequently asked questions below. If there’s a question that hasn’t been answered, don’t hesitate to contact us with your question!
Check out our ride website, www.midwestballoonrides.com.
With our Easy Access Basket (it has a door) anyone can ride in the balloon. The door is clear, so small kids can see out without being lifted up and, those in wheel chairs can see out with no problem. With wheelchairs and walkers we do watch for lower wind speeds. Each participant (or parent/guardian for those under 18 years of age) must sign an Agreement to Participate / Waiver of Responsibility for tethered ride passengers provided by Midwest Balloon Rides before being allowed to take a ride. The pilot and crew always reserves the right to limit who or how many can get into the balloon basket.
Up to 8 people at a time can ride depending on their combined weight. During a normal tethered balloon event each balloon we can take up between 50 and 70 people an hour. If you will have more than 240 people at your event we can schedule a second balloon. We are limited to two standing people when a wheelchair goes up for a ride.
Tethered flights usually fly between 50 feet and 80 feet. The exact height is determined by a number of factors including wind, terrain, location, anchor points, number of passengers, etc. The pilot will determine the exact height according to conditions at the time of the event. The top of the balloon will be as high as 180 feet!
The amount of time for tether is based on the number of those that will ride in the balloon. We can do a one hour tether for a small group or up to 4 hours for large group of over 200 using one balloon, we can use multiple balloons for even larger groups.
A hot air balloon tether requires a minimum area of at least a 150’ x 150’ space that is clear of debris, trees, light poles, bushes, and power lines. More space is better, a baseball diamond size area is ideal. We will need four points to tie the balloon to the ground. These points can be large trees, certain light pole bases and vehicles. We always bring one large vehicle with us. We use a plate system so our ropes are not actually tied to the vehicle. Need a place for your tether event? We can help!
The safest time of day to do tethered rides is within 2 1/2 hours of sunrise or two hours prior to sunset, though we can operate after the sun sets. This is because winds should be at their calmest during these times.
We can do a tethered event year-round, weather permitting. We inflate only when the winds are around 8 mph or less. When the winds are any faster the balloon becomes difficult to control and can be quite unsafe. There cannot be any thunderstorm type activity within 50 miles of the tether location. The pilot will make all final weather decisions.
A tethered balloon ride is when the balloon is tied to the ground with four very strong ropes to keep the balloon from flying away. This allows the balloon to lift and “fly” a large group of people of all ages at a specific location.
Working with BalloonTether.com has been an absolute pleasure! Tony and his team have always been responsive and on point with everything from start to finish. I was especially impressed with how they go above and beyond to ensure that our client is happy and the attendees have a great time. We’ve exclusively booked with BalloonTether.com specifically because of their excellent service and the hot air balloon experience that they bring to any event. Their hot air balloons are the best in the area and are a overwhelming hit at any event. We look forward to working with them again for future events that we plan.
Do you want customer satisfaction? Professionalism? Cooperation with your event plans and times? A GREAT addition to your event? Then book Tony and his crew!!!!!. Tony and his crew are the hardest working vendors at our Balloon Event. In our inaugural year people stood in line 4 hours to ride with Tony, and his crew worked until midnight to assure all those in line were provided rides. The following year we made some adjustments to cut down on waiting times, and Tony worked with us 100% on these changes, and the crowds were once again thrilled with their rides. Year three of Balloons over Vermilion will once again feature Tony and BalloonTether.com. We would be crazy not to. A true crowd pleaser!!!
