On Sunday we took the kids to check out the Balloon Story exhibition at MCEC. Inside, everything is made from balloons, animals, sea creatures, buildings and all kinds of shapes. We have to say, when you first walk in, it’s actually pretty impressive. It really is all balloons.
As soon as you enter, you’ll see the Australian flag, and behind the flag gate are lots of photo spots. It’s definitely a place where you can get great photos. Since we went on a Sunday, it was super crowded and everyone was lining up to take photos. Our kids weren’t very cooperative, so we didn’t stay long or take many photos.
As you walk further in, it becomes the animal-themed area. We didn’t manage to photograph everything, there are lots of animals. In the middle, there’s a huge ball pit. The kids jumped right in and didn’t want to come out. The ball pit is quite deep, about one metre, so smaller kids definitely need an adult with them, otherwise they can easily get stepped on. You need to take your shoes off before going into the ball pit. It’s a good idea to leave your shoes somewhere far from the edge so they don’t fall in.
After that is the ocean-themed area. This part is basically a walkway filled with photo spots. It’s really beautiful and honestly feels a bit like being in an aquarium. After this walkway, there’s a rest area with a small café that sells snacks and drinks, but no proper meals. It’s best to bring your own lunch box or some snacks. There’s also a ball game area next to it, which the kids really enjoyed.
After the ocean theme, you enter the polar area, with penguins, polar bears, Santa, snowmen and so on. It’s mostly for taking photo, nothing much to play with.
Further along, there’s a small maze featuring iconic American landmarks. Once you come out of the maze, you’re almost at the end, which is a building-themed area with things like the Eiffel Tower and hot air balloons.
After exiting the exhibition, you can buy balloons made on the spot into different shapes. Prices are $25 for large and $15 for medium, which is pretty reasonable. Kids can even help make them and choose their own designs. However, the wait time was about an hour, so we skipped it.
It’s quite nice for taking small kids to take photos, play in the ball pit, and have a look around. But for older kids who don’t like taking photos, it might feel a bit boring. Looking around, most of the kids there were under five years old.
It’s recommended to park at DFO South Wharf, because the exhibition exit leads straight into DFO. If you have the energy, you can go shopping after — the whole exhibition takes about 1.5 hours to walk through.