iFly Hollywood

 

2

2

George S.

Long Beach, CA

10/8/2009

I'm nearly 200 pounds, and to think I was floating!

A good friend and I took a trip to iFLY Hollywood.  FYI: I've had no training, too afraid to try a free fall.

We bought the $99 flight package.  It was two flights, totaling over 4 minutes and a DVD of the two of us.  You could also buy snap shots, but we opted not to.  

Jason was our flight instructor.  He gets an "A" on my report card.  With just a few hand signals, he showed us how to float, move forward/backward, up/down, and rotate.  WHAT A BLAST!  
http://www.youtube.com...

At the end of our session, he gave a quick demo of what he can do.  WOW!

Just a few logistic notes:

I wore running shorts and T-shirt.  They provide a one-piece flight suit.

We had a Friday, 1:00pm reservation. Traffic from the LAX area was horrible.  It took us about an hour to get there and probably more to get back.  I didn't plan for such a long commute.

Valet Parking at the Jurassic Parking Structure - Free for 2 hours (with iFLY validation).  The valet made it very convenient.

I've seen half-price offers on http://Goldstar.com and their website, http://iflyhollywood.com, occasionally has special offers.

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17

205

Joshua G.

Los Angeles, CA

9/14/2009

Cool experience.
One guy unprofessional.
Sang to my woman.

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Elite '09

21

103

Stephanie L.

Los Angeles, CA

8/20/2009

You would think you could just walk into a monster wind tunnel and just float like a feather.  But, there is actually a technique in doing it gracefully so you don't ram head first into the sides of the tunnel.

I spoke with Eddie on the phone about organizing a group together for my birthday at iFly.  I think you can arrive on the day of and fly as well, however, you do need to give at least 45 minutes beforehand to register, go through orientation, and suit up.

When we first arrived at iFly, there was a group in the wind tunnel already.  This one guy kept on flapping around and flying into the sides of the tunnel with pretty intense force.  The instructor seemed to be really frustrated with the guy, which made me a little nervous.

We got a different instructor, and he was really cool.  I forget his name.  But you get about 2 minutes each, depending on the type of package you purchase.  The first time you get in the wind tunnel you're just kind of like WTF.  Your body's flapping around and you're attempting to keep some sort of form so you can float the way you should.  If you're able to do that well, the instructor will usually let go of you and allow you to fly all the way to the top!!

One word of caution, be careful when you smile.  Once you open your mouth, the saliva just seems to fly all over your face and because you're trying to keep the sky diving body formation, you can't really wipe the drool off your face.  It's quite a sexy sight, if you ask me!

Anywho, I had a blast!  Because we purchased a package, we also got a DVD of all our flights in the tunnel.  This is a great alternative to actual skydiving, since I'm terrified of heights and would never do the real thing.

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34

508

James B.

San Rafael, CA

9/27/2009

The most fun you can have falling. Significantly better than you would expect. Look for coupons to save. AHHHHHH.

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11

13

Sara B.

Glendale, CA

6/2/2009

Oh iFly, how I love thee! And for more than one reason too, which I will explain below.

Let's start with the entertainment value (because it's free to watch). Being able to go up anytime and watch people fly is a good way to get some laughs. The the itty bitty kids with wide eyes and smiles are probably my favorite to see, though I always get a good giggle from the overconfident teenage boys flying out of control. It's always a real treat when the instructors take their turn too. I'm an experienced skydiver, and seeing what these guys can do is mind-blowing. Knowing how hard it is makes me appreciate their skill that much more.

Then there is the actual experience (not free, but well worth it!). I have luckily been able get a couple of flights in at iFly, and I loved them. I have been in another wind tunnel where I normally skydive, and it is like a dinosaur compared to this tunnel. Definitely a different feel and vibe.

The people who work here are all friendly and easy to talk to. The instructors were able to gauge my skill level and give me enough room to do my own thing, but also gave good suggestions on how to improve.

The last time I visited, there was a group of 11 year olds there for a birthday, and they looked like they were having the time of their life. I wish something like this had been around when I still had birthday parties and parents to pay for them.

At any rate, if you're thinking of going, don't hesitate - just go. You'll love it, I can almost promise that. I have never seen an unhappy person walk out of that place and I doubt you'll be the first.

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Elite '09

27

87

Lili K.

Oakland, CA

4/19/2009

So what do you do when you're too scared to do some actual sky diving?  Haha, I-Fly it is!  I first saw this while I was chilling at City Walk (haven't been since I was in high school) with my one and only on New Year's Eve, and the workers were just doing stunts for a long while just to advertise and have some fun.  Well, it worked and did the trick-we've been wanting to try it out ever since.

So I got the family package deal with 6 people (1 add in) and had to change it last minute from an 8 package deal (but they were fine with it, didn't charge me extra or anything. NOTE: the bay area one in Union City is not as great with customer service-they won't change fees like they did for me in Hollywood, plus they don't return your phone calls) and we saw a quick film on what it's all about.  Our instructor was super chill and easygoing, we went with another cute family.  We got two flights (1 min each), our photos taken (you can just get photos from the millions of people staring out the tube for ya), and a free DVD of the entire experience for $50 each.  I think that's a fair price for all that, especially since one single person can get two flights for $60.  So if you're going, go with a group!

Once inside, you work on the basics, going up and down pretty much, and making left/right turns (though only a couple of us got that checked off of our flight certificate).  As you get more experienced you learn more moves, so I think I'll be going to the one in the bay area.  I've got to learn to do some flips in the air, right??

Overall, a fun and random outing!  Haha.  The only con is that people will be staring and taking pictures of you, which caused a couple of other people in our group to drop out.  It's okay, once there, the wind is so strong, that once you smile you'll stay smiling (I tried moving my lips but no can do).  Good times.

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Elite '09

92

219

Dave C.

Los Angeles, CA

9/1/2008

iFly is one of those things that you just "have to try" at least once that doesn't end up being anything close to a let down. Since I'm thinking about jumping out of a plane for my birthday (what better way to celebrate?), I figured I'd give it a shot with one of my best ladyfriends.

After a very short training video, you're ready to go. In total, an iFly experience will last about 40-60 minutes. For $39.95, you'll get some gear and a little over a minute inside the flying tube. The minute seems short when you're watching from the outside, but when you're actually inside flying, it's a blast!

I thought I would panic with the feeling of weightlessness, but it was actually a lot of fun! I leaned forward into the tube and I was flying! A lot of people will get self-conscious about doing it in the middle of CityWalk, where a pretty huge crowd gathers to watch you, but I think it's actually a lot more fun that way. You have strangers waving at you and taking your picture while they're smiling and debating whether they should do it themselves. It's definitely an experience that I think anyone should do if they want to get over being self-conscious in public places. Flying is super fun! It's definitely something that I'll take friends to do when they come visit.

Some tips and notes:
- Wear sneakers so you don't have to use their free shoes (which aren't half bad)
- Your experience depends on your instructor, some are more adventurous than others (mine wasn't as crazy, which was a bit of a bummer)
- If you have a short, product-heavy hairstyle, it's going to get messed up from wearing the helmet, so either wear a hat or just be ready to look like you just woke up after you get out of the tube.
- Remember to keep your chin up when you're flying, it'll help stablize you.

And have tons of fun! iFly Hollywood is a really great experience and I can't wait to go back.

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21

44

Janay R.

Los Feliz, CA

9/16/2008

Addictive?  What an understatement!  No wonder they only give you 1 minute - I just wanted to keep going and going and going...yeah, I'm about to spend way too much money floating around in a tube!

This is an impressive date place.  It's also good for those of us who are too chicken to do the real thing...!  My suggestion is to buy a double flight your first time going - you'll flip and flop for 55 seconds your first time and then once you "get it", your time is up.  The second go is much better because you know what to expect.

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1

5

Lorenzo G.

Marina del Rey, CA

1/24/2008

Indoor Skydiving!!!!

My incredibly super-wonderful-best-ever Girlfriend treated my brother and I to our first "skydiving" experience. She's actually jumped before (that is, out of an airplane), but for my bro and I, this "simulated skydive" was our introduction.

For $89 each ($10 discount on their website), we each got 4 minutes of tunnel time. That's a heck of a lot more cost-effective than a real skydive (1 minute of freefall = $$$), and other than the fear-of-splattering-on-the-ground factor, it's just like the real thing!

Our instructor (named "Rock"! too cool!) was really awesome - energetic, informative, helpful, encouraging. After a brief "training session"  that consisted of a short video, a chat about hand signals, and a quick belly-down on the bench to practice the proper flight position, we suited up with their nice jumpsuits, goggles, helmets - and headed out to the wind tunnel.

Turns out a two-minute block is NOT as short as it sounds, as this experience is pretty demanding both physically and mentally. But by the time we each stepped into the tunnel for our second flight, we were ready, relaxed, and rarin' for more! Rock gave us all a "bit extra" flight time, but basically, in under 5 minutes, taught us how to control elevation, pitch, and yaw in the basic belly-down flight position.

After our session was finished, the operator cranked up the fan, and Rock took off for a short demonstration of outrageous acrobatics and flight maneuvers - absolutely awe-inspiring!

Our package came with DVDs, which they had a bit of trouble producing due to some glitches in the automated shoot/edit/burn system they've got rigged up. But Rock and the operator girl went out of their way to make sure we got our discs. And though they're a little weird (lot's of empty downtime, several repeated sections, and we got multiple discs that all seem the same), we all really appreciated their efforts, ALL our flight time is on there, and I can edit the video anyway...

Conclusion? WHAT A BLAST! We can't wait to go again, and maybe even (eventually) acquire a level of skill that lets us flop and flip around in the air like the pros!

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5

56

Timmy G.

Redondo Beach, CA

2/11/2009

Amazing!!! Went for my birthday and can't wait to go back!

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5

144

Foo F.

Glendale, CA

2/14/2008

THE DEAL: $99
Quad Valentine package
        4 flights
        2 certificates
        1 video
        & chocolates

To men out their everywhere:
          - chocolates & flowers are nice
          - but give a woman a completely unforgettable experience & she'll
            appreciate it alot more
          - Thanks sweets for being so original

YIPPEEE:
Skydiving without the fear of death
       - but my heart was totally racing like a super coffee high
       - Good practice for the real thing
Instructors are very friendly & helpful
Get the video
         - didn't want to see my face blown like wavy jello
         - but loved watching it afterwards, super funny

BOOO:
2 flights each wasn't enough
         you barely feel like your getting the hang of it & it's over
WARNING:  This stuff is addicting

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11

28

michael g.

Rowland Heights, CA

11/6/2008

these guys are great!

i came here for work, and all the employees are wonderful. ive never tried this before but plan to do so in the near future.

oh, and by the way........... madd props to the one they call "SPIDERMAN"

keep up the good work guys

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