Balloon Race (ride)

This article is about the amusement ride. For the balloon competition, see Balloon flight contest.

Globos Amigos at Parque Espana-Shima Spain Village (Japan), model Balloon Race

Model Samba balloon, a children's Samba Balloon ride.

The Zamperla Balloon Race is a tilting, circular motion amusement park ride manufactured by Antonio Zamperla S.P.A. The ride makes its way up a structure, and at a certain height, it starts tilting.

Gondola designs

Twelve balloons with gondolas hold up to 4 passengers each. This ride also comes in 8 balloon and 12 balloon versions. There is also an essentially identical ride with pirate ships instead of balloons. Seat belts and locking doors provide safety. At some installations, a rider may exit themselves, while in other ones, an operator must let them out.

Similar designs

The Chance Morgan company manufacture a version of the Balloon Race, which is similar except the balloons are much bigger.

Some locations

Number of balloons or pirate ships is in parentheses.

• Big Easy Balloons (12) - Six Flags Great America.
• Ballons (8 Samba) - Storybook Land in Egg Harbor Township, NJ.
• Balloon Race (8) - Idlewild and Soak Zone moved in 1995 from Kennywood where it lasted for four years.
• Balloon Race (8) - Great Escape in Queensbury, NY.
• Balloon Race (8) - Knott's Berry Farm's Camp Snoopy in Buena Park, CA.
• Balloon Race (8) - Six Flags New England Agawam, MA.
• Flying Ace Balloon Race (8) - Carowinds
• The Pirate's Flight (12) - Geauga Lake in Ohio (themed to pirate ships instead of balloons.)
• Samba Balloons (8) - Victorian Gardens at Wollman Rink in Central Park, NYC.
• Up, Up, and Away (8) - Six Flags Over Georgia.
• Weather Balloons (8 Samba) - Darien Lake Darien Center, NY. (1996–Present)
• Balloon Race (8) - Santa's Village AZoosment Park East Dundee, IL (1992–Present)
• Up, Up, and Away (10) - Enchanted Kingdom Santa Rosa, Laguna, Philippines (1995–Present)
• Balloon Race (12) - Mega Parc Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
• Balloon Race (8) - The Flambards Experience Helston, Cornwall, UK.
• Balloon Race (12) - Flamingo Land Resort Malton, Yorkshire, UK.

The kiddie version

A smaller version of this ride called Samba Balloons is also in existence. The ride does a similar motion, but the 'balloons' can be spun by the riders. This version of the ride is often found in areas of amusement parks, and at traveling carnivals.

External links

• Zamperla Rides