LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida — The balloon ride known as ‘Characters in Flight’ which was manufactured and operated by the French company Aérophile, S.A. at Downtown Disney near Orlando, Florida has been removed due to an incident with a similar balloon in Hong Kong.
The balloon at Ocean Park in Hong Kong suffered a rupture and quickly descended from 20 meters (65.6 feet) in the air to the ground below according to Hong Kong news organization The Standard. Five people were injured, but none seriously.
The balloon at Downtown Disney pictured above is adorned with silhouettes of Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Dumbo, Mary Poppins and other well-know flying Disney characters. It would take passenger 400 feet into the air depending on wind and weather conditions for a 360 degree panoramic view of the Walt Disney World Resort.
