Urban Air takes flight in Hamlin

Following years of anticipation, Urban Air Adventure Park finally opened its Hamlin doors to customers during its soft opening Thursday, June 15.

Urban Air, located at 5758 Hamlin Groves Trail, Winter Garden, broke ground in July 2022. The 60,000-square-foot adventure park includes more than 20 attractions, such as bumper cars, wipeout, go-karts, skyrider, trampolines, a slam dunk zone, climbing walls, virtual reality, a warrior course and a ropes course.

The location also houses nine party rooms and a cafe. 

The Hamlin location is owned by Harold Mills and Kent Cisewski, Windermere and Winter Park residents, respectively. The business is run with the help of General Manager Tim Finnerty and Assistant General Manager Sid Jordan.

“We make memories where families can disconnect from a busy outside world and cherish the joy of laughter and giggles through play,” Mills said. 

ANXIOUSLY AWAITED

The highly anticipated soft opening of the park was delayed about a week.

“It is very important that we are committed to safety above all else,” Cisewski told customers in a prepared statement. “We know without a doubt that this park is 100% ready to go. … We thank you for your patience and we know you’re excited to explore at Urban Air.”

The delay did not stop children and families traveling from near and far from packing the park. Nearly 800 people attended the soft opening alone.

Urban Air will host a grand opening event for everyone to attend at the beginning of July. 

The tickets for the park will have three different levels: platinum, ultimate and deluxe. Each level dictates which attractions guests can enjoy. Urban Air also will sell memberships with different levels and perks.

The location will host celebrations such as children’s birthday parties, group events, field trips and team-building days. 

COMMUNITY HUB

For parents, Urban Air will provide myriad opportunities for their families.

Jessica Viglianti and her son Adam, 7, have lived in the Horizon West area for about six years. 

“This is a place that has most of the attractions that (Adam) loves,” Jessica Viglianti said. “We usually have to drive like 40 minutes away, 30 minutes away to go to something like this. They also have more stuff here all in one place. … I feel like this is amazing for kids because they are not looking at a device all day long to keep exercising.” 

Jenn Hilstrom, who lives in the Winter Garden Village area, attended the soft opening with her two sons, Caden and Landon. 

“It’s a great place for them to have fun exercising and working on their physical fitness,” Hilstrom said. “It’s almost like a gym. It’s also a safe place for them to come and hang out with their friends.”

Windermere residents Mariah, Saniya, Isaiah and Josiah Parke all attended the soft opening event as a family with their mother.

“I am most excited to play the virtual reality games — but really everything,” Josiah Parke said.

The mother said the park offers a unique experience for her children without having to travel to larger theme parks and pay an enormous price.

“It’s closer to our home, and the membership helps out a ton, especially if you have a larger family,” she said. 

Horizon West resident Jaime Whitley said she thinks the park will bring a lot of people together. 

“You’ll get to meet a lot of new people, especially if you just moved here, that may be living in your neighborhood you don’t even know,” she said. “It’s nice to have something for the kids to do, even on rainy days. It’s the summer, and we are in hurricane season. If it rains, here the rides won’t close down like at the major outdoor theme parks.”

Her daughter, Peyton Whitley, 8, said she is most excited for the go-karts because she loves going fast and hopes to come to the park often with her family. 

Yakub Ali and his son, Ayoub, 5, were thrilled with the adventure park. 

Ayoub rode the Spin Zone Bumper Cars multiple times throughout the day. 

“It’s nice and close, and you can do more than just jump on the trampoline,” Yakub Ali said. “There’s more attractions in one spot, and the key point is that it’s indoors, away from the heat and summer storms. (My son) has a lot of energy, so he can run around and do a lot of activities to get his energy out.”