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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
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Book any of our packages online, use the promo code…
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- 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
120 reviews for iFly SF Bay
This business is a Yelp Sponsor
6/23/2008
10/12/2009
10/6/2009
9/23/2009
9/2/2009
9/20/2009
Updated - 9/9/2009
8/15/2009
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10/21/2008
One of iFly SF Bay's 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.
People thought this was:
- Useful (17)
- Funny (14)
- Cool (14)
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.
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!
People thought this was:
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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.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
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.
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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.
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. :(
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
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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 »
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!
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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
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.
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- Useful (5)
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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!
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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.
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- Useful (33)
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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!
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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...
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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!!
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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!!!
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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We had family in from out of town that included a seven year old and two thirteen year olds. We bought a family pack of ten flights for near $300. It was more with the DVD and still photos, so it was a pretty costly hour and a half. But, we had a blast and it was a great last night in town for the family. It also helped to establish that we could do "cool" things together (the U-Pick farm suggestion fell flat with the teens). Overall, it was a great time.
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.
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"Teambuilding"
To hear this usually sends a shiver down my spine. Fall backwards blindfolded to learn to trust your co-workers? Weird puzzle scavenger hunts? Ropes course? Meditating while trying to come up with the "Next Big Idea".
Then my boss said "Skydiving" and my ears perked up. "Can I throw my annoying co-worker off the plane?" I wondered, but then I did a double take. "You said *Indoor* Skydiving?" "Yeah, they have this vertical wind-tunnel"
We rented a block of time for our group and after watching a short video, practicing some body positions on a bench, and learning some handsignals from the instructor off we went. We didn't learn any flips or spins or anything, but just the basics and the feeling of being in freefall (while staying stationary) was exhilarating!!
If you get the hang of it, the guy manning the wind-tunnel will kick it up a notch and vary the windspeed a bit so you start going up and up into the tunnel!! Woo hoo!!!
The instructor was really great. Informative and patient with folks that didn't "get it" immediately. It's pretty cool because they can stand next to you in the tunnel (since they're vertical, the wind just blows by them) and make corrections in your body position and give you hand-signal instructions real-time.
We each had 2 "flights" of a few minutes to fly around, but a couple of folks were done after one so I got a bonus flight! Score!!
This was hella fun! (Yes, I said "hella" so shoot me!) I highly recommend it. We even had a person who was afraid of heights and she said this didn't freak her out. She started pounding vodka shots afterwords, but I'm sure it was unrelated. ;-)
Tip: If you have long hair put it in a braid. The wind ripped apart my ponytail (even with it tucked into my helmet) and I have never had more knots in my life. My g/f had to cut out small chunks of knots when I got home later that night. Ouch!! :*(
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As an experienced skydiver, I came to the tunnel with friends for a birthday party. They have extensive training time here, but I was a tunnel "rookie"
The staff were AWESOME getting me in there and working on progressing my skills beyond belly flying. Relaxed, patient, and able to train without saying a word!
Great job, we'll be back
Side note: Once you've tried this, come do the real thing at Skydive Monterey Bay!
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Loved it! I could get completely hooked on this if it was a bit less expensive and a lot closer to where I live. The thrill seeker in me was definitely sated.
Great fun, an amazing and unique experience. Fun for novices or for jaded skydivers. The tunnel is a marvel of good engineering, smooth clean airflow and efficient entry and exit points. The staff is friendly and helpful. I have made hundreds of freefall jumps and this is just like skydiving, but without the plane, fear of heights etc. If you can fly stable in the tunnel, you can fly stable in freefall.
It is expensive, but before you trash the owners for price gouging look at the cost of the facility and the ELECTRIC POWER CONSUMPTION. Those turbine motors are drawing over 600 KW at full power!!! When they slow it down it still bumps 400 KW. I highly recommend the place. You will experience freefall without having to jump from a plane. How cool is that?
Give it a try. You will be glad you did.
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Bought the christmas special offer for my boyfriend and he finally used it this summer. I can't remember what I paid for it but I know it wasn't exactly cheap.
I guess the only negative thing I can say about the place is that for whatever I paid my boyfriend got to go into the wind tunnel twice for exactly one minute each time. And while he enjoyed it and thought it was cool I'm not 100% sure it was worth the money I spent.
I did see a sign for ladies nights for cheaper which is cool, so if you don't have boobs sorry about it.
The instructors do put on a little performance at the end which is cool but probably more for their own personal enjoyment and our envy.
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Definitely a place to try once!
Fear of skydiving or heights, but still want to fly...then this is your place.
With giant jet turbines faced upward, you experience flying in an inverted windtunnel.
Instructors are really nice, and it's a ton of fun. Remember to close your mouth or your salvia will go everywhere.
I think when reviewing, people have reviewed the exhilarating experience of flying but not the business. Of course, flying in the air without having to jump out of an airplane was awesome...but I wasn't too happy with iFly.
We went for our first flight on our anniversary on friday. I had booked a video recording along with the flight. We were nicely greeted and asked to go up and wait for our name to be called.
The trainer was a nice guy and gave us instructions.. keep chin up..stay relaxed and keep legs and armed folded and some signs that he will use during the flight to correct our postures.
Everything was great, except we were combined with another couple who I am guessing were more experienced and had booked longer durations. So between my wife and I he would give them their turn, which if he had explained earlier.. it would be less confusing.
And then we find out (upon questioning about the DVD) that their system is down and they can't give DVD NOR the pics !!! Why couldn't they say when we checked in.
Then next day I get an email to go look online and I can order pics there. I was kinda excited to check it out, only to find out that they haven't updated the pics since 09/09/2008 !!!!! Not sure how others haven't complained about this.
Neway... I am hoping I will get my DVDs which they have promised to send as soon as possible...keeping my fingers crossed.
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My wife gave me and my daughter gift certificates to I Fly and it was a total blast!. My 12 year old daughter took to the wind tunnel like a natural. She relaxed and was in her flight position within a minute. It took me just a bit longer, but I got there.
You are with the instructor in this vertical wind tunnel and it is noisy, but they give you ear plugs. You've got a flight suit and helmet to wear also.
In the introductory lesson you get two flights. You get a pre-flight orientation and then proceed as a group to the wind tunnel. During the first flight you get your position oriented and get through any adjustments.
Both my daughter and me found that your more relaxed during the second flight. The instructor is with you all the time. During the second flight you and the instructor do a dual whirlybird up the wind tunnel. Howling good fun!
The price is $50 for your first go around, but you can get return discounts after your inititiation flight. They will take pix or video of you in flight so that 's additional revenue generation for them.
Overall this was one hella good time give it my 5 stars!
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