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iFly SF Bay
Rating Details »
Categories: Amusement Parks, Venues & Event Spaces [Edit]
31310 Alvarado Niles Rd(between Marcia Dr & Santa Maria Dr)
Union City, CA 94587
(510) 489-4359
- Hours:
Wed-Thu. 2:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 2:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
129 reviews for iFly SF Bay
This business is a Yelp Sponsor
6/23/2008
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Updated - 9/9/2009
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7/24/2008
One of the Business' Favorite Reviews What's This?
When was the last time i had so much fun..took hours for the thing to settle, yes i did fly!!! what a great experience. You should always do appointments on this one coz the place seem always full even with walk-ins.
Being a control-freak, its worth it letting go and letting science control you up and above, spinning in circles hoping no faulty technology failure comes up like banging your head on the wall or stuff. They have you suited up in flying gears with handles on the sides, a 30 minute class, you come in with a group, you can have your flying video for 29$ and a total 2 minute fly time for $50. Thats how much you pay to have a two-minute facial massage and positive-pressure ventilation which I highly recommend for sleep apnea patients..j/k. IT WAS REALLY FUN.
Very friendly staff and one cute instructor.
Whheeeeeee. Sure they had to pump up the fan once they saw our fatasses (compared to the 6 year olds in our group) and it costs almost 30 bux a minute but it is worth it at least once.
I took my bf here for his birthday and we didnt really know what to expect until we were actually in the air tunnel. You feel awesome! the air pressure against your face, the feeling of weighlessness, but i had no idea how hard it was to control yourself during the freefall.
If you can afford it! Do it! I got the coupon for the place on http://groupon.com which made it worthwhile...but it is pretty expensive.
Finally tried it out and I am happy I did.
It wasn't super exciting but certainly was fun enough. The staff was friendly and helpful, and I liked my goofy instructor. I think it is all about expectation. If you expected something extraordinary just like the real skydiving or some over-the-top roller coaster ride, you are going to be disappointed. After all, it is indoor in that not so big tunnel. If you are afraid of height, it shouldn't be a problem because you have to keep your chin up the whole time anyway.
It is kind of pricey for what it is, but they do give a discount for return fliers. I am not sure if I would go back again, but it is something that you should at least try once for the experience.
Went here for part of a bachelor party. It was a lot of fun. I thought it would be too fast, but I didn't feel like it was. I am acrophobic, but at no time did I feel unsafe. After all, I couldn't fall any more if I tried! I had a blast, and I think the rest of the group did as well. Everyone was real nice here, and knew what they were doing.
The Yelp coupon didn't work on the website for me, but when I called they honored it. They also give a discount for return fliers once you've done the basics.
I have to restrain myself from writing a very long review...... I am still so amped up from this experience, so bear with me!
I suppose I should preface my review by saying that I am a 41 year old soccer Mom. I have a reputation with my kids for being a "fradey cat" (...I won't go on Tower of Terror at Disneyland, and many of the other rides for that matter)
I took my son and two of his friends here as a birthday gift for his 12th birthday. When I initially called to find out how to make reservations and other basic information, I probably asked around 100 questions, which probably drew the guy who answered the phone insane. But no, he was very courteous, professional,friendly and did not rush me one bit! He even teased and joked with me. If I were him, I probably would've hung up on me!
When we got here, we were greeted by the people at the front desk. Being the Mom that I am (taking advantage of every possible opportunity to embarrass my son --- hey, it's my job) I told the workers at the front desk that it was my son's birthday, they all wished him a happy birthday and one of them even gave him a high five!!! I know my son was trying to look cool in front of his friends, but I saw the smile it brought to his face when he got that high five.
I was a nervous wreck coming in to this place, hearing the whirring of the big fan... but the staff were so friendly and courteous it really put me at ease. This place is also very futuristic looking! They have a lot of cool merchandise and flat screen tv's all over the place. Lots of eye candy.
We went upstairs and met with our instructor Justin. He seemed to have more energy than all of the people in our group, and I know we were all already pumped full of adrenaline! We got out to the wind tunnel and one-by-one, in we went!
The look on my son's face when he was in that tunnel, and the smile on his face as he walked out of it - is priceless, and is something that I will never forget and will cherish forever!
Then it was my turn!!! (Mom's get to have fun too, sometimes..) I think I forgot most of the hand signals that they taught us..... and I'm sure the instructor was getting a bit frustrated (I don't think I was doing it right) .. but I still had a blast!
I don't think I've done something as fun as this in my whole entire life!
The energy of our instructor and his enthusiasm made it such an amazing experience! I'm sure it would have still been an amazing experience had we an instructor who was maybe not so enthusiastic - - but it was great to have someone who is so passionate about their job! Really great with kids also. After each person was done with their time in the tunnel, he clapped for them and so did everyone else who was waiting to go in.
This was such a fun experience. I heard some people complaining about the price......You can't put a price on an experience like this, the experience of a lifetime. I will definitely be coming back! Maybe next time I will bring my husband, if he isn't too chicken.
When you go (and you MUST go!), try and get Justin as your instructor. and don't be afraid! flying is not as scary as it looks!
(The only thing I didn't like is how the wind makes your face flab fly up when you are flying!!! My son said I looked like a chipmunk storing food for the winter! )
I can't wait to go back!
Keep in mind that this is a wind tunnel, even if they call it indoor skydiving, it's very different from actual skydiving. Anyways, a very fun experience, especially if you go with friends! For those who are afraid of heights - there's nothing to be afraid of, there isn't that vertical "drop" you feel in roller coasters or actual skydiving, it's more like the wind you would feel in a tornado or major storm. The tunnel itself isn't that wide - taller fliers may tend to bump the walls a little more. The staff are very friendly and laid back, and you totally feel safe. There's a discount for returning flyers, and it's a little cheaper if you buy in bulk. They offer a dvd and pictures to memorialize your experience for an additional cost. Remember to smile for the camera!
I flew! It was a bit overpriced so I don't think I will fly again. I purchased a video and the sound effects were pretty tight. The pictures were not available on the website as forementioned.
I brought my husband here as a surprise "date" for his bday and later on we were joined with good friends to complete the surprise and he was surprised indeed, so that was a great success. We were first time flyers.
The instructor was great - 5 stars. ( I forgot his name, it sounded so unique)
The flying experience wasn't so great for me - I was expecting an exhilirating experience but blah, no, nothing. I didn't feel any excitement when I was in the tunnel. I really didnt know what to feel - what should I feel? Maybe I was expecting like the thrilling vertical drop like in theme parks, or so. It definitely wasn't that. As per my husband, he had a great experience, he was thrilled and his dream of flying came true. I told him that I didnt feel anything when I was in the tunnel, and he said, maybe that's because I was "struggling" at first. I'm giving 3 stars.
AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME EXPERIENCE!!!!
My family and I went for my 25th birthday and we had the time of our lives. I was a little nervous at first but they take you through a mini 'training session' and clearly explain what to do. Our instructor was really nice and very good about being hands-on enough that we were able to 'stabilize' while 'falling' (rather than flailing around like an idiot) but still gave you enough space to try it on your own and know you could do it by yourself. On the second fall he even does a some tandem 'tricks' with you that are SUPER FUN!
If you are interested in skydiving/free fall, DEFINITELY give iFly a try! It's so much fun and not too pricey either. I think it was about $50 per person and once you fly, you are considered a return flier and its much cheaper the next time around.
Thanks iFly for such an awesome time!
Good fun for the whole family. The experience of flight is truly memorable and even my four year old had a blast. They slow the turbines down for lighter flyers but you still need the goggles on. The instructor held him safely the whole time and he soared like a kite...
absolutely awesome experience!
We took our two 6-yr-old kids and they had just as much fun as we did. The place is secure, safe, clean and the staff is very professional (except the reception lady that told me there were no discounts available and then I found a 50% off coupon within an hour). We had Tom, the flight instructor who was just great with the grownups and the kids.
I flew twice, each for a couple minutes. It cost $45 and totally worth it. I got to spin and fly and felt just awesome.
I have jumped out of planes before and this is so similar to the freefall feeling of real skydiving.
I would absolutely recommend this place, and Tom in particular.
Went here as one of the events for a bachelor party. The staff was great, friendly and skilled. The price is fair for such an unique experience. The time in the wind tunnel was tough! It just looks easier than it is. I had a hard time controlling my position in mid-air but I had fun while I tried.
Wow! Such a great experience! The teacher was great and so was the energy of our group. We were the 1st group of the morning!
Anyways, my only gripe would be the end. We were sitting around like dumb dumbs waiting for our dvd to be ready and it never came cuz they thought we didn't order one. GREAT. Anyways, that was fixed right away and we left smiling because we got our DVD like we asked and were anticipating our arrival home to see the pics we ordered emailed to us.
YEAH, everything was great til we realized we didn't receive any email!! My mom called them and they said they have no record of us ordering pics. GREAT. Then, they asked us to drive over there and pick out the pics over again. YEAH RIGHT. To drive all the way from San Jose to Union City because they made a mistake? RIIIIIGHT. I told my mom to suggest they send us all the pics thru email since they made a mistake. They agreed. I think if we never suggested that, we still wouldn't have any pics.
All in all, we had a great experience "flying," but make sure you get your DVD and pics settled before you leave.
The Bomb!
Time is short and its not cheap, but if you are half way coordinated you will have your fill of flying. Went there for a birthday and it was just great.
The 17-19 y/o staff hasent learned how to deal with the public yet (too cool for school), but the Operators are professional.
Pretty darn cool! and maybe the closest I'll come to the real thing.
We got the group package which brought the cost down to about $45/person. It's funner this way b/c then everyone in the room with you are your friends.
I wasn't too fond of the fact that it's an open gallery so ANYONE can watch you do your "jump." Our trainer was really nice and patient with us. That's a definite plus for scaredy-cats like myself.
So you haven't tried iFly yet? Well get your butt off the computer and hurry yourself over there right now! I'm serious- stop reading this review! You need to call iFly, see if they have availability RIGHT NOW, and GO! GO!! GO!!!
Alright well if you want to keep reading this review(since you're probably calling iFly right now to book your flight time) I'll give you an idea of the fun you're about to experience...
When you first enter iFly you're greeted at the front desk and required to fill out a liability waiver. You'll receive your wristband and then head up to the second floor where you'll begin your 'Flight School'. The flight school is a quick 5 minute video and another 5 minutes of instructor face time where you'll learn hand signals and body posture for the wind chamber. After this, you'll head back out and get fitted for a flight suit, helmet, goggles, and ear plugs.This whole process takes about 45 minutes so you'll need to arrive early before your scheduled flight time.
During this entire time your adrenaline is pumping and your anticipation is building. You've been walking by watching other people in the flight simulator and you know your time is about to come soon...! Once you step into the wind tunnel waiting area your heart is pumping and it finally hits you that you're about to FLY! They crank the wind up to a deafening volume and there is no turning back!
When you step into the wind tunnel your instructor will become your new best friend(Mine was Chuck, THANK YOU!). He or she will hold you, help you, guide you, and FLY you! All of the instructors and workers here showed nothing but incredible enthusiasm, professionalism, and not to mention great customer service. The flying itself is so exhilarating- nothing like you've ever felt before. Your mouth is open, your nose is flared, your saliva is spilling out, and you're having the time of your life. Your body is being lifted by this force of wind and it is just a feeling you've never had before! Afterward you receive your 'flight certificate' and can purchase photos to be emailed to you.
If you're on the fence about trying iFly- let me ease your mind. The price does sound a bit steep at first... Between $45-$60 for 2 minutes of flying sounds like a joke, but it really isn't. You're there for close to an hour and a half, and I feel like you're really paying for the whole experience! From the flight class, the multiple adrenaline rushes, the instructor safety... If you have any qualms about the price you will immediately forget them AND feel like it was all WELL WORTH IT after you fly! Also, if you are AFRAID to iFly, don't be! I'll let you in on a personal secret, I'm afraid of roller coasters AND waterslides! Yeah, so what! I did iFly! And there wasn't a thing to be afraid of! It may be intimidating to some people I'm sure, but there was nothing scary about flying here.
By now you should have booked your flight with iFly. If they didn't have availability for tonight, I'm not surprised. This place is so awesome and I cannot wait to come back! Try your luck booking for next week, you'll probably see me there!
iFly, you disappoint me with your level of customer service. My previous review stated I purchased a beginner package, which includes a DVD of our flight. We were assured there would be footage of this memory for us, so we did not bother to bring our own camera.
At the end of the session, they stated their DVD burner was broken, but that they would send us the DVDs by mail. I waited, and never received anything, so I tried to call them, but could not reach a live person. I wrote them an email, and they said they would send it again. I asked for the tracking number, but never received a response. I waited, still nothing. So I contacted them AGAIN....and now they say they no longer have footage of that day because they only keep footage for 30 days.
How did they compensate for this? By refunding $27, what they felt the video was worth. Are you serious? No thanks guys. Now we have no footage of our "date night" flight. :(
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/22/2009
Part 4/6 of $200 Date Day:
iFly was supposed to come after brunch, so we could relax our muscles at… Read more »
Me: I'm gonna do what in a where????
Ok, so the idea behind iFly is that you step into this huge wind silo and try to steady your body in a "superman" (as in core exercise) pose in order to skydive. I don't know who thought of this but it's literally mind-blowing!
I went yesterday with a bunch of friends. We purchased the family pack for the five of us, and it basically came out to about $40. Good deal I think for learning how to indoor skydive, getting a nifty flight suit, headgear and goggles, and getting a grand total of two minutes in the wind silo.
Our instructor, Tom, was super nice, except for the fact that he kept calling us "you guys." (I hate this phrase because it's gendered and we weren't all guys but anyway I'm not going to overreact about it.) He set up a video for us to watch that went through the four basic hand signals used to communicate while in the silo. You're wearing earplugs and the wind is blowing over 100 mph so you can't really talk to convey anything. Then he came back into the room to review the basics. There was a younger girl in my group who within the first minute raised her hand to ask if she could "do tricks." Great, I hope I wasn't going to be in one of those over achieving sky-diving groups because I hate it when those sky-diving nerds show us all up. (**sarcasm alert folks**)
After the video we suited up with our gear and entered into the wind chamber. Benches surround the wind silo so not only do you get to fly about in the silo, your teammates get to watch all the flab on your face ripple and flutter as you do your best superman impression. I was beginning to feel a bit ambivalent about what I was about to do and I was especially beginning to regret the glass of sparkling water I drank at home right before I left. I suddenly had to go pee. I also made the mistake of being the last one in.
Tom followed behind then stepped into the wind silo. He then gave the controller behind the window a thumbs up, which signaled the start of the 100+ mph wind. He turned to look at me and gave the "ok" sign. I signed "ok" back to him and nodded. He continued standing there and then suddenly I realized he was waiting for me to get up. I pointed at myself: "me?" Even with earplugs on, I could hear my teammates laughing. Tom nodded. Oh well, I thought, time to pop my indoor skydiving cherry!
With arms tucked in and knuckles under my chin I fell forward into the rush of air. I could feel Tom's arms steadying me and I tried to relax my body into superman position. This is when I made my second mistake: I went in with my mouth open. All the spit that was in my mouth seeped out and slowly ran up the sides of my face, which made me crack up and produce more spit to leak out the side of my face. This was all too distracting for me as I tried to hold the superman pose and relax and respond to Tom's hand signals.
When you don't keep your arms out like superman, you basically drop onto the wire fence that separates you and the wind tunnel below. So as I reached up to wipe the spit off my face, which by now was inching up into my nose, I dropped onto the wire fence. Tom would continue to try to hold me up and he shook his head at me and gestured for me to keep my arms out.
Being in the wind silo is a pretty weird feeling because my tendency was to put my leg or arm down in order to try to steady myself. Being used to the effects of gravity will do that to you. So the wind silo makes you think about your body in a different way and in order to stay completely steady and floating, you have to concentrate on being horizontal instead of vertical.
The first minute went by fast. Each of us went through and returned through the exit doorway welcomed back with a round of applause. It was entertaining watching the other folks struggle to fly. We got a second chance to go in after a full rotation. I didn't want to go out like a gimpy superman so I made mental notes of all the corrections I wanted to make and entered the wind silo again. This time it was glorious. Tom spun me around a couple of times and grabbed my left arm and leg. He lifted his legs and then floated me up the silo. I wasn't ready for that but quickly regained my composure after catching a glimpse at everything below. Dang I was flying high.
That's how I left iFly. Feeling high and itching to do it again. I highly recommend trying this place out at least once in your life. I like how there wasn't a total hard sell on the video and pictures of our "flight" in the end too. We ended up buying one copy of the DVD, which I think cost $24. If I was floating in the wind silo, I'd give iFly the hang loose sign to indicate that this place was not only good, but awesome.
I went to iFly with a group of friends and had a blast! The staff was helpful, our instructor was fantastic (thanks Randy!) and the crowd was cheerful and excited.
Our group package came out to $40 per person, which felt like a fine price.
We each got a few chances to "fly", and with good coaching we each practiced basic stabilization and then got to fly high up in the tube.
Great fun, and I would say go for it!
I purched 4 tickets off of "http://watchhalfoff.com" for my sons 18th birthday. When I called to find out how all this worked they informed that this is a hour and half event.
So let me break it down to you how our hour and half event happened...
15 minute instructions
45 mintutes to get dressed and wait for the other group to finish their session
About 15 people in the group. The instructor takes each person 2 times for a total of one minute each flight time.
total flight time 2 minutes..
Yeah it was fun.. but could of had a much longer flight time if we didn't have to wait for the other group.
Not going to do this anytime soon would much rather spend my money somewhere else
Who thought fake falling could be fun.
Hey look, I'm FLYING!!
While I've yet to jump out of a plane and sky dive, this was the next best thing, and what a thrill!! My guy and I did the "Earn Your Wings" package with each of us getting two 1-minute flights in the vertical wind tunnel. It also included a short instructional session.
Not to toot my own horn, but the second I went inside that chamber, I was flying with ease. I noticed that it took a few people some time to get used to getting into the correct position. It's quite simple actually -- just make sure your chin is up, look straight ahead, curve your body into a "U," have your arms bent and at eye level and most importantly, remember to RELAX.
During my 2nd flight, they pumped up the air and I got to go up above the window on my own. I was kinda bummed that my instructor didn't spin me around or take me super high up though. I was ready to do some fun tricks. Which by the way, they don't really teach you until you've flown a few times.
We got to watch our instructor, and the one before our group's, do some fancy flying at the end. What a cool job!
This is definitely a fun activity if you're looking for something different -- say for a birthday, team offsite or even a date -- because it is pretty pricey. You're basically paying $25/minute of flying. However, they do have specials every now and then, like Ladies Night for $20. Check out their website for different rates. And don't forget to check out your photos, which you can get for $4, and a DVD of your flight for $25. We have yet to watch our DVD -- it'll be great for laughs.
I had seen the iFly in Las Vegas and had always wanted to try it.
I decided to book a group package for my birthday. We arrived on the day of and the staff quickly checked us in and we went upstairs to wait for our round. While we were waiting we got to watch other groups in the tube. We then got to watch a brief safety video and learned the signals before suiting up...Then it was our turn.
All I can say is FUN!
Our group of 8 all went up, and even were able to spin up the tunnel and run and jump in.
Overall the experience was great and well worth every penny. Even with very different personalities and ages in our group I have had 5 of the 8 already planning their next trip back. Definitely a MUST DO!
This place is amazingly fun and is a unique way to spend your afternoon.
Just did 4 minutes with the GF and the wind tunnel was AMAZING.
I will go back to practice how to spin and flip over next time.
Ladies, May 13 is ladies night so you can go for $20 initial $10 per session afterwards (that is a steal!)
I learned that you can pay for personal time for just couples so you can fly without a group to wait for. That's what I'm going to do next time.
Highly recommended for a good time if you got the dough!
The only reason I gave it four stars is the crappy Horror movie that had the girls screaming and the boys saying "OMG STFU". Anyways, onto iFly. As you enter the giant tube filled with rushing air and your instructor, your knees get weak and your neck stiffens. You lift your chin, fold your arms, and steady your breath. As you fall into the charging wind you feel yourself buoyed up by its force. You experience free-fall and lose sight of this world.
The instructor helps guide you just enough to keep you safe and on track. All the fun of jumping out of an airplane without the morbid splat. Two Thumbs (and everything else... not like that you dirty little monkey) up for this great experience. Now back to the horror movie. We were still so exhilarated from iFly that we didn't want to leave, and the only thing to do there was to go to the movies. Unfortunately, the only movie at the right time was "The Uninvited". After the thrill of iFly, it was a real comedown. Not their fault... I guess...
This place is the BOMB! :D I seriously never use that phrase, but it's the best word for it...!!
Went here this past Wednesday and got there at 6 for the 7pm flight. All the staff here were super friendly and looked as though they were enjoying themselves. As a first-time flyer, I had to watch an instructional video to become familiar with the hand signals that the instructors use to communicate with you in the wind tunnel. Then got up on the doctor's-looking table to practice the correct flying position. Seemed easy enough.
Then suited up, put on the matching goggles, ear plugs and the helmet (making sure it's not on backwards :P).
While waiting, there were some advanced level flyers that were doing some crazy stunts in the tunnel...!! If you're here when this is going on, it's really cool to watch!!
I was the last to get into the little chamber, and so the first to go. My instructor Travis just threw me into wind tunnel and it was NOT as easy as it looked!! I kept flipping myself and moving around too much so ended up banging against the walls quite a bit. But nonetheless it was a rush!! And it was a HUGE workout - my arms were still sore two days later.
You get to select your favourite pic afterwards to print out. Yay... Maybe the dorkiest looking picture in the world to those who haven't been before, but for those who have, it's really just a signal of how cool you are :D
This is something EVERYONE must try once in their lives... It's too fun not to :) I'm hoping to go again soon!! If you've driven by and wondered what it was, do yourself a favour and GO IN!!!
I took my boyfriend here for his birthday since we couldn't go real skydiving, and I'm so glad I did! This was an awesome experience and I cant wait to do it again! We will definitely be going back!!
So, I had a date take me to this as our first date. Pretty interesting. She was way more nervous than me, but she got over it pretty quickly. Staff is very nice, and Randy was our instructor. He was really helpful in trying to get you up to speed.
I have to say my shoulders are a bit sore this morning. I did do a lot of sports yesterday, but I think it shows that you have to just let go when inside the wind tunnel. There really isn't anything to fear, but it is a good challenge about letting yourself go.
Dress comfortably.. they have little lockers to store wallet, jewelry, etc. Parking is very tight at the facility.
Wish you could bring your camera inside the booth and take pictures of your friends. The glass is like hockey rink glass, so it has scratches and nicks, but seems like people were getting great shots of people.
I was forced to come here for a friend's bday and since I'm scared of just about everything, I was terrified. We had to pay in advance so there was no way I was backing out, and thank God, because omg it was sooooooo fun!!!! And really really easy to catch on. Everyone gets two turns so by the second round, if you haven't gotten the hang of it, well you pretty much suck. If you don't suck, the instructor will spin you around or fly you up high, do tricks with you, etc. Oh and remember to smile b/c they are taking pics the whole time!
The only reason I am deducting a star is for price. It's $55, or $50/person with a large group. If you want to fly again after your turn, it's another $15. If you want to buy any photos, they are $4/each for digital or $7.99 for the print! $8 for a freaking PICTURE!?!?!?! wow. You can also order a dvd of your group for $30.
So, while I'm not sure I'll have the opportunity for indoor skydiving again, I would highly recommend Ifly to anyone looking for something fun and different to do!
Pretty cool place, but it is pricey. Actual flight time is like 2 min total. We had a family package deal for an off time which made it cost about 50 bucks for each of us with a dvd thrown in. (2 min flight time)
Go on a special night, such as ladies night or some promotion when its 20 for the first and 10 bucks for each additional flights.
I came here with my boo and a group of her friends. She had already gone to the ifly in hollywood and wanted me to experience the joy of flight too.
Before meeting everyone up, we went to in n out which is located next door and got our eat on. Then we came into ifly registered, and came upstairs where we waited to get called on. The main room where everyone waits is kinda small, but there are seats that allow you to sit there and watch the people in the air chamber.
One of the members in our group had just recovered from some shoulder surgery and he wanted to sit out because ifly warned that anyone with any prior shoulder injuries shouldnt go. We asked if we could get a refund for him but they wouldn't oblige. They offered to allow the other members in our group to take his turns, but after seeing so many people having fun flying around and floating around, our friend just said eff the shoulder and let's reach for the sky!
So they put us in a room and make us watch a video of the hand signals and safety info, and then they outfit us with the jumpsuits, earplugs, goggles, and helmets.
Once all of us go into the chamber, we all went in a queue going 1 at a time, with the flight instructor correcting us and giving us tips on how to float in the air without crashing into the wall. After 1 min, next!
I had a great time, but 1 min does seem really, really short. The 2nd time was better when the instructor, if he thinks you can handle it I guess will grab onto you and position his body so you fly up and down and spin really fast. I didn't see a reason why he did this for some folks and not for others, but it looked like some people were hopeless in the freefall.
I would have given it 5 stars, but the customer service does suck. They wouldn't return phone calls, and arent helpful in that regard. and they wouldn't cut us any slack for refunds when our friend wanted to back out because he wass concerned about his shoulder getting injured in flight. The flight instructor we had was pretty good though. I'm sure they love their jobs.
All in all, I had a blast. My boo taking me, and really being the wind beneath my wings made it extra special.
Things didn't start out great, but ended on a high note.
When I first confirmed my son's party, they told me I could add on an additional child and later denied they had told me this. She could have cared less that one child would be left out and offered no solutions. Hours later, we ended up booking a later single flyer session online for my son a couple of hours after the others, so he wasn't left out. The person on the phone should have suggested this instead of us having to figure it out. Very lame. If that was all there was to it, we'd be fine.
Worse, the person I talked to was severely impatient, she sighed constantly when I asked questions trying to confirm his party time and was down right sarcastic from the second she answered the phone. This was unacceptable.
Would sincerely hope management takes a moment with their staff and ensure they understand that one bad experience over the phone can poison any future relationships with a customer.
Given that call, I had low expectations for our actual visit. Once I arrived the the staff we dealt with, especially the instructors, were universally helpful, nice, and energetic. Everyone had a great time and is looking forward to going back.
iFly is exhilarating and fun! I think you only get a total of a minute maybe 2 minutes in the actual wind tunnel, but it feels like it's longer. When you make reservations, make sure you know that you are supposed to be there 45 minutes BEFORE the reservation time! A single "flight" for one person came out to $56 with tax. Total time you're in there to suit up, get a quickie instructions, and wait around for your turn is about 90 minutes. There is a lot of waiting, but you're having fun watching other people as they get their turn in the wind tunnel. There was a little kid probably 4 years old and it seemed like he had a blast so this would be great for little kids too!
I went for the first time last night and the experience blew me away (no pun intended). I definitely was not expecting too much because I am a skeptic of the whole fake-flying experience and the fact that each person only gets a few minutes for a high cost, but I was pleasantly surprised.
I feel like I learned a lot as a first-timer, and the instructor we had took me for a spin with him at the end--that made it all worth it. But probably the best thing I got from it is that, despite my fear of heights, I'm actually considering some real skydiving now!
Loved it! Loved it! Loved it! I went there last weekend to celebrate my birthday with my girlfriends and we had a blast. It's so exhilarating and my only gripe is that you can't fly longer than what's scheduled (trust me, you just want to do it again and again). The place is pretty cool and the staff overall is nice and our instructor was awesome. The reason why I gave it four instead of five stars is that the staff is like organized in a disorganized way. I wish they were just a bit more clear with direction when you need to check in, go upstairs and wait, etc. A nice overview of the whole process when you come in would be great.
However, The actual flight experience is totally kick ass. So much in fact, I will be going back. I now more than ever I want to learn how to really skydive. Thanks iFly! You guys rock!
I believe I can fly... I believe I can touch the sky... I think about it every night and day... spread my wings and fly away...
OK, that's not what you really get at iFly... especially as a beginner. You basically get 1 minute of floating in air... with lots of help from the instructor.
Is it fun? it's interesting and I think with more experience and learning to do those moves you see in the videos it would be a lot more fun.
Notes:
- You WILL drool if you are a beginner... but DON'T try to wipe... it disrupts the air flow and you will spin out of control.
- DON'T RAM your head against the wall. Yes, your helmet will protect you. But the SHAME of it all will be unbearable. And NO, it wasn't me. REALLY!
- Your deltoid muscles and your quads may be a bit sore the next day if you don't do this often. Your limbs basically help to prop your body up in the air.
- Oh yeah... you'll never see more "thumbs up" gestures used in one place.
- In-N-Out Burger is right next door. Yum Yum after the fly session.
Fun! Unique experience. The entire class, training and fly session was well run. Mt family and I are great fans. Would do it again. If you are a daring soul-right up your alley!
I had my first iFly experience this weekend and it was awesome!!!!
A group of friends met up to celebrate a b-day. They make you watch an brief training video explaining all the hand signals you will get from the instructor inside the tunnel. Then the instructor did a quick clarification and we were off to get suited up. It's such a crazy feeling when you lean into the wind and feel your feet lift off the ground behind you. Since we were there celebrating a b-day they took the birthday boy to the top of the tunnel. The instructors took the rest of the group up to the top too.
At the end the instructors did a couple solo flight tricks. One instructor did this crazy solo it was like watching a super hero. He flew up and down and ran around the top of the tunnel!!! It was great fun to watch.
I will definitely be back.
iFly rocks! I went for my boyfriend's surprise birthday party..it was SO MUCH FUN! The pictures look so cool, they made cute Christmas card pictures... After watching Nitious Circus on MTV it makes me want to go back and become a pro...Jillian Travis and that IFly guy killed it with the new Guinness World Record.
The instructors were really nice, and knowledgeable and made the experience so much fun!!
The owner of iFly came into my work to buy some presents for his wife ( shout out to lululemon athletica -Santana Row!)..he is one of the coolest guys ever!
So come to iFly..and have a grand ol time!
I just got back from my first I-Fly experience, and it was so much fun! I went with a bunch of co-workers, and they totally accomodated us.
The group before us was a bunch of little kids, and they were so cute, not afraid at all! The instructors are really nice, and before the actual flying experience they do a quick run-down of how to position your body and show you some hand signals they will use to help you re-position yourself.
The actual flying experience was awesome, you go in with one of the instructors and he let's you just float around and will direct you to change your position if you start wandering away. The feeling of having wind lift you up is awesome. This is great for someone who thinks they might want to try sky-diving (even though its not the same thing, it does help you learn how to position your body and get used to the feeling of floating).
A few words of advice if you plan on doing this: Wear shoes with laces, or else you have to wear their shoes. Put your hair in a braid if its long. DO NOT wear a collared shirt under the jumpsuit or else the collars will flap up against your neck and leave welts!! And remember to breathe and relax!! :-)
Totally awesome experience.
IFly = iFlew. I went to iFly to check out the business mixer they were having & get the discounted rate of $30 for 2 minutes. It's expensive, but half off since the regular price is $60 for 2 min! Yikes.
So, you have to register on one of their 2 computers & click, click, click, a waiver that if you die or something you won't sue. I said ok, but then thought "you can die?, wtf".
Next, wait a short video on hand signals the instructor will give you. Chin up, arms out slightly bent, bend the knees or straight legs.
Next, gear up. Wear comfortable clothes & tennis shoes. Take of your shoes then put on your jumper suit. Straps under your foot, not your shoes. Then earplugs, safety glasses, & helmet. You will look like a freak but so what.
Then get in the waiting area & sit on the bench. If you get to the end of the bench you'll be last to go. 1 min per person (they have a timer they can watch).
It's hilarious! I couldn't stop smiling, then drooling, & laughing my ass off. So funny!! Then, wait on the bench again.
Second minute wasn't that fun. I kept getting too close to the glass. Then he spins me & I closed my eyes. Don't like that. You can tell him beforehand. Can't hear nothing when you're in there so no good then.
One person at a time w/ an instructor always nearby.
Then it's over. You can buy DVD or photos. We didn't.
Bathrooms downstairs around the corner.
Recommended at least once if you want to try it.
This is in front of In-N-Out on Alvarado-Niles Blvd.
