Balloon Race (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.
Car designs
Twelve balloons with cars hold up to 4 passengers each. The 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 installations, 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 1991 from Kennywood where it lasted only one year.
- 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, Canada.
The kiddie version
A smaller version of this ride 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.