FLYOVER CANADA – HAWAII FROM ABOVE
We have been dreaming of flying away somewhere and FlyOver Canad recently gave us the opportunity to fly away to Hawaii with their “Hawaii From Above” experience. It’s been a while since the last time we have been on this flying ride, our youngest wasn’t even a month old yet. It has been so nice seeing places like FlyOver Canada start to open up again. With it officially being summer and summer vacation being right around the corner for many, this is a great time to start planning different activities and to soar away to Hawaii even if you can’t go there by plane just yet.
SAFETY MEASURES STILL IN PLACE
FlyOver Canada continues to follow health and safety protocols during this time. You will see markers on the ground indicating where to stand and remain 6 feet apart. Instead of waiting in lines to go aboard the ride, we were guided right on after a staff member had sanitized everything. The only time everyone was together in one room was during the pre-flight show. Each group still had a place to stand 6 feet apart on. Masks are also still required in order to fly.
TIKI TORCHES, GINGER FLOWERS, POSTCARDS, AND MORE
We love how FlyOver Canada decorates for their different flights, the usual flight over Canada is still available to be seen, but with Hawaii From Above being a new attraction everything is decorated to fit the theme. You’ll see all sorts of Hawaiian flowers, tikis, and tiki torches decorating the space. A favourite for all of us was going into the pre-show area and seeing the postcard imagery on the walls. A great little photo opportunity.
OFF TO HAWAII
When you get taken into the waiting area for the pre-flight show with wall to wall projections, you will learn a bit about what to expect during your flight. You hear a bit about Hawaii and also have a safety run down.
Once you are taken through to the flight loading area a staff member will sanitize all the seats and buckles from the previous group. You will be asked to store all loose items in the netting under your seat. We placed my cell phone and our sunglasses in here. For kids, you need to check their height on the marker of the seat, if they are under the height they need the middle strap added to their buckle. It’s very simple to slip through.
Now, we do not want to give too much away from what you see during the actual flight. As soon as the flight started I was taken right back to our trips to Maui and Honolulu. I was able to point out multiple places we’ve been to. My daughters both really want to actually go to Hawaii. For now, this is as close as we may get, but we love that it brought a little bit of Hawaii to us.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
If you’ve never been on this sort of flying ride before your row of seats will be suspended in the air and your feet will dangle (make sure if you’re wearing flip flops that they will stay snug). The ride will shift in different directions giving you the feeling of flight. You may also get splashed a time or two.
We all loved getting to experience Hawaii in this way. You will hear the different Polynesian melodies and traditional music, plus hear the ocean and so much more. The kids favourite scenes included seeing the mountains and the ocean animals. There is something special and unique about this flight, but I’m not going to tell you. You’ll have to go and experience Hawaii From Above yourself.
RIDER SWAP WHEN YOU HAVE SEPARATE FLIGHTS
This is something that can be helpful to know for those with a child who is too young to fly and does not meet the height requirements. We had two flight times booked. We divided up into two groups. A parent with a child. Evie and I went first, while Jason stayed with Addie and Orie. This way, someone was always with the baby because she can’t fly just yet. The staff members knew that we would be coming off the flight and my husband and daughter would be going on after.
This switch went really smoothly as there was enough time for us to swap who was going on the ride. If this is something you need to do, we had flight times at 12:15 and 12:45. This half-hour between the two Hawaii From Above flight times was key. If you are wanting to do both Hawaii From Above and FlyOver Canada, which is an option, make sure you have enough time for the next group in your party to make it to the ticket line. When in doubt, I suggest calling FlyOver Canada, and they will make sure you pick the best time slots for your needs.
SOUVENIERS AND MORE
When you first have your tickets scanned to line up for the flight, you will have your photo taken in front of a green screen. After your flight, you can view your photo in front of different backgrounds. There are currently two different background options for Hawaii; a sunset or a mountain scene.
The gift shop is full of all sorts of items. Be ready if you have kids who like to check out everything, you may want to prepare them ahead of time. I was thrilled to see hats from my friend’s company, Aloha Hai Apparel, in the gift shop. There are several other Hawaiian themed items available for purchase currently.
THE FLYING WHALE CAFE
Those who were waiting, while the others were on the ride, hung out in The Flying Whale Cafe and enjoyed some treats. The cafe is also decorated for the Hawaiian theme right now and they have some special treats to fit the theme too. Right now you can try a Blue Flower Latte, Ocean Water Punch, or a Blue Lemonade. Do you see a blue theme here? They definitely made me think of Blue Hawaiian drinks. Our kids really enjoyed the blue lemonade. There are some tables and chairs inside and outside, during the nice weather they have the doors wide open letting in the breeze. It a great place to sit and relax before or after a flight.
