Fun Facts & Statistics
Balloon Statistics
- Height: 98 feet from ground to top of ears
- Weight: Estimate 410 lbs.
- Circumference: 168 feet
- Diameter: 53 feet
- Volume: 90,000 cubic feet (body) – 113,000 total
- Lift capacity: 1800 lb. max gross lift
- Thread Used: Approximately 9 miles of thread!
- Fabric for Mouse Ears: Approximately 750 sq. yards
- Total fabric: Approximately 4,744 sq. yards
Fun Facts
- Mickey’s nose is 5.5 feet in diameter….. a child could easily stand up inside it.
- If Mickey’s body were added to the balloon he would stand over 200 feet tall!
- The pupils of Mickey’s eyes are over 6 feet in diameter.
- The Happiest Balloon on Earth can fit into a bag which is 1,400 times smaller than the fully inflated balloon.
- On a good weather day, The Happiest Balloon on Earth can fly two miles high!
- Laurie Spencer is the first female pilot of a Disney hot air balloon (her husband Scott is co-pilot).
General Hot Air Balloon Info
- Launch locations are variable and dependant on weather, balloon safety and FAA restrictions
- Weather permitting, the balloon can potentially be utilized for thirty minutes to an hour maximum in the early morning (Sunrise to 10am on a perfect day) or prior to sunset in the summer and potentially mid-day in the fall. In most cases, mid day weather is completely unpredictable due to the heat of the atmosphere.
- Once the balloon is inflated, there are three ways to operate it:
- Static inflation (ground)
- Tethered (Just off the ground)
- Free flight
- Inflation and tethering of The Happiest Balloon on Earth balloon requires a 150′ x 150′ unobstructed footprint, preferably grass.
- Two vehicles and a trailer are required to the support tour:
- Chase vehicle and balloon trailer
- Motor home to use for all ground support, radio and TV remote backdrop etc.
- Manufacturer: Cameron Balloons US (Ann Arbor Michigan)
- Balloon Pilots: Scott and Laurie Spencer, Lighter Than Air America, Inc.
