2015 OWL-O-WEEN HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL

Amazing! Bravo! (28 October 2015)

Had a wonderful experience! Traffic and Parking could definitely be improved, but so much to do inside. The balloons were amazing. The Food in the Oktoberfest Area was great, Went on a tethered ride, and so much fun! Balloons glowing to music was an added treat, but agree that the music during these times could have been lower and better. The Kid's area stage and free inflatables kept the kids busy for hours, and then they went trick-or-treating at all the balloons, and at the sponsor booths, and came home with a bag of great candy! Will be back again next year! BRAVO!

Review by Tony

Very Disappointed! (25 October 2015)

Only go to this if you like spending money just to wait in lines. It was worse than an amusement park, without as much to do. My husband and I took our kids, 10 & 11, and left after about 30 minutes. Well, 30 minutes after we actually go in to the place, because it took us more than 30 minutes just to park, then stand in line to get in - and we'd purchased tickets in advance. It would have been well over an hour before we even got in if we hadn't done that. When we got inside, our first goal was to get something to eat. The food trucks were set up along the sidelines of the field, and the lines for all of them went well out ino the middle of the field. We stood in line for one for about 15 minutes, but barely moved at all. While waiting in line, the balloon glow show started, but all it consisted of was obnoxiously loud music and lights flashing in the balloons. I could see no pattern or point to the flashing. It seemed very random and wasn't like a choreographed show at all. It was at the point we decided to leave, but the kids wanted to go up in a balloon, so we walked over to that area. The line for that was so long it would have taken well over an hour, and the balloons only went up maybe 30 feet. It absolutely wasn't worth the wait. We paid for tickets, and $10 to park and got absolutely NOTHING out of this event except damaged hearing and sore feet from standing in lines. Even if we'd been able to actually eat or ride in one of the balloons, it would have cost even more money. There should be *something* of value included in the price of the admission. Even at a theme park, your admission allows you to ride the rides without costing you extra. This event was a complete waste of my family's time and money.

Review by Christi

Not worth your time or money very unorganized (25 October 2015)

Myself and a large group of people all prepurchased tickets to the festival and parking for my handicap mom and 3 small toddlers to be able to be close. we got there in time however they had oversold the parking lot we had purchased and told us to go to the next one down we did and was told the same thing by very unfriendly workers and officers who wouldn't answer one question .After driving around being redirected for over an hour we were directed to a parking lot 3 miles away and was told they didn't know if there was any handicap parking we just needed to go in and look then the line for the shuttle was unacceptable for my mom to stand and wait meanwhile other members of our party had got to park and was told even though they pre purchased tickets that there was a 3 hour wait to get in and by this time the main event of the balloons was going on when part of them made in the gates they said most of the stuff was gated off or closed down .We drove 2.5 hours to this event and wanted it to be a fun family experience however it was a nightmare that we wasted our time gas and money on and didn't even get to go in so had lLalit of dissapointed kid's in the group because thwy had waiTed alost a monto to go see. You would think that would be more professional for an event so large and would have been set up better .We won't be doing this again EVER!

Review by Dissapointed mom of 3