Kay2

We may be able to get to the Balloon Fiesta for the first weekend this October. I see that the special shapes rodeo is listed for Thursday and Friday. Does that mean that only the "traditional" balloons inflate and fly on the other days and the special shapes only inflate and fly on the rodeo days?

I wish we could make the second weekend to get special shapes on Friday and "traditional" on the weekend, but it may not be possible this year, so I have to choose the first weekend or wait another year.

I've sent an email question via the Fiesta website, but I know we have a couple of local experts on Fodors as well.

DebitNM

Does that mean that only the "traditional" balloons inflate and fly on the other days and the special shapes only inflate and fly on the rodeo days?


No.
The Special Shape Rodeo emphasizes the specials, but they go up every day. So you will be able to see them no matter what day you attend [weather permitting].

Kay2

Thanks for the info.
It's an event I've always wanted to see and now that my husband is adding a balloon pilot rating to his many aviation qualifications, it just seems like the time to go as it will mean more with his knowledge.

Now to see if I can still get those Continental sale seats to fit our work schedules.

Kay2

More sale seats opened up, so we are now going on the second weekend, arriving Thursday night and leaving Monday morning. Although I know we will only want to go to the fiesta 1 or 2 days and head up north of town the rest of the time, I am thinking because of the uncertainty of weather that we should just book a room in town for all nights to at the ready for the early a.m. rather than planning a night up north at the beginning or ending of the weekend.

Any other Fiesta tips are welcome.

I know to use the park-n-ride and will look online for how to book in advance. Although I'm not sure how you get to use that admission on a different day if weather causes cancellation if the number of park-n-ride slots is limited each day....I will investigate.

floridakathleen

We were there two years ago and are going again this year. It is amazing, weather permitting!
I don't remember the name but there is a Casino up in the hills where you can get a great view of the assents if you don't want to be on the field one day.
I am crossing my fingers for both of us for good weather because my husband decided to book an assent for the both of us on the first Saturday! Weather permitting. Hopefulling one more item off the bucket list!
Bring lots of layers of clothing. It can be very cold (for us from Florida) before dawn and then can warm up quickly or stay cool. Be prepared for some pretty big temperature swings.

Kay2

Thanks for the tips, Kathleen.
It might be interesting to see the assent from the field one day and from up in the hills one day.
I'll get my assent one day here in Georgia with my husband and his instructor if he gets back on the schedule.

Kay2

We are back from ABQ Balloon Fiesta. We had a great time. Some experiences and thoughts:

We went Friday morning and evening for the special shapes. We parked and rode from Coronado Mall as suggested. I think we would have been fine parking at Cliff's Amusement Park--our afternoon bus went past it, so it would have been less out of our way/quicker--but mall was OK.

We booked online the day before and printed our tickets, so proceeded directly to the bus while others paid the attendant. It did not save us time, but did save $4 per person. Our morning driver drove slowly up the interstates and took forever. Return trips and afternoon driver via city streets went faster. One hot afternoon school bus.

We went to hear the pilot's briefing (6:45am or so?), which my husband the pilot enjoyed, and which gave us insight into what would be happening--winds too strong for mass ascent, but balloonists encouraged to inflate to give a show and fly at pilot's discretion. We grabbed a burrito (no problem eating the chilies) and waited. Lots of balloons did inflate. It's difficult for me to describe the fun of guessing what a shape will be once it "rises" and how they made me smile. I didn't see/hear a single fussy child--they were mesmerized like me. Key snatch competition was canceled.
We headed to the bus around 9 or 9:30am, I think.

Return that afternoon around 4:30pm. Too early and earlier than I had planned, but we had been shifting plans all day--some work I had to do delayed my nap, then lunch, then too late for the dance demonstrations I wanted to see at the Pueblo Cultural Center so Petroglyphs, which is hot in afternoon and crowded so did not spend as long as might, so back to mall park/ride.
We walked the row of vendors (not impressed) until husband was going to pass out in heat. We got a lemonade and found some shade cast by a truck.
Once again winds were a problem, so uncertainty about the glow. The winds died down and a number of balloons did inflate and glow. We did not stay for the fireworks.

Saturday morning we tried to drive to the area around Sandia Casino and park on the side of the road with lots of others to watch the balloons lift off--easier said than done because of the people waiting in lines to get to the park. We did sit for awhile and watch. Then returned to hotel, which happened to be direction of wind, so we watched balloons soaring over town, landing between buildings, etc. We did make it to the Cultural Center, dancers, and jewelry/craft sale.

We headed up along highway 4 to the Caldera, Los Alamos, and Bandalier, returning via Turquoise Highway the next day.

Overall thoughts:
Great fun to see.
Plan several days in case events are canceled.
I loved the special shapes--so glad I was there when they were featured.
For me, 1-2 mornings and 1 evening would be enough. I thought the glow was fine, but I enjoyed the morning more. Maybe it would be different if there was a mass ascension.
Take lots of film/memory, drinks, light jacket, hat--backpacks OK.
Announcements difficult to hear/understand in many places so you may not know what is happening--sometimes volunteers know what is going on.
Take the park and ride or else go 3 hours before the start--we saw cars stopped for miles on the interstate at 6am on Saturday.
If you want to see the balloons from outside the park (not nearly the same as at the park), drive around Tramway or other streets from the east; do not try to access from I-25 because cars will be backed up for miles at the 3 closest exits to the park.
Know where your park and ride is -- I was sort of surprised there were not any directional signs.

Petroglyphs is still a favorite stop for me. So close.

Pueblo Cultural Center is an informative, if short, visit. Pottery/jewelry OK. Dance demonstrations for Fiesta (check schedule in advance). Buffet lunch for Fiesta just OK, but uncrowded, so relaxing.

Elk Festival at the Caldera very minimal.
Arts/crafts at Jemez OK.
Bradbury museum in Los Alamos minimal, but film and photographs interesting.
Hike in the more remote section of Bandalier gave solitude, but less excavation and recreation than the main site. Main site seemed crowded to us (couple of tour buses).
Turquoise Trail more relaxing but longer route than Interstate. We are not browsers/shoppers, so we did not stop in Madrid.