Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

[KBfiredog]

We are wanting to make reservations for next year, is the Presidents compound worth the money? Is it better the first or second weekend (for reservations, events, etc.). Thanks, KB
2011 Cameo 37RESLS
2012 Ford F350 PSD Lariet DRW

[John_S_]

We just booked the presidents lot too. Same arrival date.

[2gypsies1]

Wow! Our Dutch Star motorhome is in the last picture on the far right....a great spot!!

[captbru]

Great pictures. We just booked for Oct 2015, Presidents lot for five nights arriving Sept 30th. This is the first weekend anyone else sign up. We have wanted to go for the last several years but never made it. A lot of health problems this year, life is to short and were playing next year.

[John_S_]

Here is the hill overlooking the field shot from the field.



This is what you will see from the ridge in the morning early or if you go to the field when you are across the street.



This is why you want to walk down on the field






And why I like to cap across the road







And they land among us



So I would stay across the street I think.

[John_S_]

I think I would stay in the VIP for some of the time and the regular lot across the street for part of the time. They land there and that is nice to see. Was just there this month.

[2gypsies1]

klm wrote:
We went several years ago, and dry camped. We went in with full fresh and empty black/gray tanks, we stayed for 4 nights. We faced the landing field, even helped a balloon by grabbing ropes to secure it. Great time. If you are set up to dry camp, don't worry about what type of site you can get - whatever is available and whatever your budget can handle. We did arrive the day before the fiesta started, and VERY glad we did - the check in lines on opening day were massive!!! We used the free shuttle bus to get to the launch field. If you can squeeze in a day or two beyond the weekend, try to do that. There are day(s) that the weather prevents launches.

X2. We stayed 12 nights in this spot and signed up to crew. By doing so we got free entry passes for the whole time - day and night. We also got a free 1-1/2 hr. ride by our pilot.

The Fiesta is weather-dependent so you never know what days will be cancelled so stay as long as you can. This year it was too windy on the last day - Sunday and there were many disappointed folks who were only there for that day.

[klm]

We went several years ago, and dry camped. We went in with full fresh and empty black/gray tanks, we stayed for 4 nights. We faced the landing field, even helped a balloon by grabbing ropes to secure it. Great time. If you are set up to dry camp, don't worry about what type of site you can get - whatever is available and whatever your budget can handle. We did arrive the day before the fiesta started, and VERY glad we did - the check in lines on opening day were massive!!! We used the free shuttle bus to get to the launch field. If you can squeeze in a day or two beyond the weekend, try to do that. There are day(s) that the weather prevents launches.

[NCWriter]

We went in 2013 and the Presidents sites sold out almost immediately, so I didn't have that option in early November a year out.

We were very happy in the "VIP" section, though, at $85 a night with passes included. The location was ideal right next to the Balloon Museum, a very short stroll to the field. Dry camping, generator fumes, paved but not level. I liked being close to "home" ...you can see fireworks from your RV, and sometimes the balloons are right overhead depending on wind.

The passes allow unlimited coming and going, both morning and evening. No waiting in lines. If you don't have passes, you need two tickets a day now, one for morning and one for evening.

It won't be hot ( which is when hookups really seem worth it sometimes) but it will be really cold in the morning, so you'll want your furnace working.

I'd probably go for the first weekend with reservations next time, again in VIP. Then if the weather is bad and the balloons don't fly, we could stay on longer since standard dry camping with shuttle would still be an option without needing reservations.

[Golden_HVAC]

I was there mid-week in 2010. It was a lot of fun to be centrally located, but really they wanted $150 per NIGHT - don't know if it is worth that much. However the RV owner did not mind paying so that is where we stayed. Because we bought the reservations late, we stayed in the dry camping for a couple of days, then moved to Presidents area, then back to dry camping for the last few days of the event. It was going to be windy on Sunday, so we left around noon on Saturday. Had a great time, and spent Saturday night in Laughlin NV, before going home on Sunday.

You do get a free "Dump" in the Presidents compound. Basically the honey wagons come by early - around 8 am. You leave a ticket on your windshield, and unlock the sewer compartment. They will dump it for you, and close the compartment. I think they had water hookups, and 30 amp electric.

Other locations have a generator to supply 30 or 20 amp power to the sites. It is a quiet generator - but I would not want to camp near it. It is diesel. . . And you would need to get the honey wagon to stop by your site too!

What I did in 92 and 93 is drive to a dump station in my camper. I drove it almost daily to go to the store, or sightseeing. In 2000, my current RV has 42 grey and 59 black tank, so I did not need to dump in a week. I stopped in Laughlin to dump and take on a little water and was home the next night. I had a dune buggy toad, and that was fun to take out sightseeing!

Did you go this year?

Have fun!

Fred.