Short answer: buy the Elf Inflatable Hot Air Balloon Ride for the big arrival moment — it is the centerpiece of the store's 2026 Elf Kit, it is designed in the USA, and at 36 inches tall with its basket it is the bigger display. Buy the Elf Inflatable Blimp Ride if you need a ride now: $16.95, $3 less, shipping now, while the balloon is still listed as a pre-order reading "*** Pre-Order: Release October 2026 ***". Both rides come from elfkitshop, and both baskets fit up to four standard-sized elves. For the full breakdown of the ride we recommend, read our full Elf Inflatable Hot Air Balloon Ride review.
We have not hands-on tested either ride; facts below come from Elf Kit Shop's own product pages, checked November 1, 2026, prices in USD. Elf Kit Shop is an independent props shop — not the official Elf on the Shelf brand, and not affiliated with or endorsed by The Lumistella Company. Elves are not included with either ride.
The price and the wait
Short answer: the balloon costs $19.95 and is a pre-order for October 2026; the blimp costs $16.95 and is in stock now — the $3 gap is a choice between waiting and hanging one today.
The Elf Inflatable Hot Air Balloon Ride is $19.95 USD for a single variant, its page headed "*** Pre-Order: Release October 2026 ***" with "(Shipping Oct '26)" in the title. The Elf Inflatable Blimp Ride is $16.95 USD for a single variant, no pre-order note, availability listed as in stock.
That timing matters more than the $3. Today is November 1, 2026, so the balloon's stated October 2026 release month has just passed — and the page still carries the pre-order label. If you are buying for a specific date, do not assume the balloon has shipped: check the shipping status on the product page first. Neither page states a shipping price — both say only "Shipping calculated at checkout."
What the hot air balloon ride is
Short answer: a red and green inflatable hot air balloon with snowflake accents, designed in the USA, with a hanging basket that fits up to four standard-sized elves — made for arrivals, departures, and daily scenes.
The Elf Inflatable Hot Air Balloon Ride is the new arrival in the store's 2026 line-up: its main photo carries a "NEW ARRIVAL" stamp, and the store's 2026 Elf Kit is sold as "28 Days with Hot Air Balloon, Props and Games" — built around this balloon. The maker calls it the way for an elf "to make a magical arrival, create unforgettable daily scenes, or make a grand departure back to the North Pole," and says it is "Designed in USA."
Red and green panels with delicate snowflake accents, and a hanging basket in a green-and-white check pattern. The maker says the basket "comfortably fits up to four standard-sized elves." The balloon hangs "from a ceiling, doorway, staircase, chandelier, or Christmas tree" — more places than the blimp. The maker calls it "easy to inflate, assemble, and hang" and "lightweight and reusable year after year." Inflated, the balloon measures about 22 inches wide by 24 inches high, and 22 inches wide by 36 inches high with the basket: a full three feet tall. The page does not say how it inflates.
What the blimp ride is
Short answer: a white and red inflatable blimp with green "NORTH POLE" lettering and a hanging basket for up to four elves, made for arrival and departure scenes — and the cheaper ride that ships now.
The Elf Inflatable Blimp Ride is the store's earlier flying ride. The maker says it is "perfect for creating memorable arrival and departure scenes." Its basket "can accommodate up to four whimsical elves," and it hangs "from Christmas trees, ceiling fixtures, or cabinet doors."
The photos show a white blimp with red trim, red fins, and "NORTH POLE" in green across the side, with small red snowflakes — a departure vehicle heading back to the North Pole. Its basket uses the same green-and-white check pattern as the balloon's. The blimp is smaller: about 22 inches long by 10 inches high on its own, and about 22 inches long by 20 inches high with the basket — a foot and a half shorter than the balloon with its basket, an advantage on a crowded tree or a low fixture. No "Designed in USA" claim, no pre-order note; availability is listed as in stock.
Side by side: the numbers
Short answer: same four-elf basket, but the balloon is taller, $3 more, and a pre-order, while the blimp is shorter, cheaper, and in stock.
| Hot Air Balloon Ride | Blimp Ride | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (USD) | $19.95 | $16.95 |
| Availability | Pre-order: "*** Pre-Order: Release October 2026 ***" | In stock, ships now |
| Basket capacity | Up to 4 standard-sized elves | Up to 4 elves |
| Inflated size | Balloon 22" W x 24" H; with basket 22" W x 36" H | Blimp 22" L x 10" H; with basket 22" L x 20" H |
| Colors and design | Red and green with snowflake accents; checkered basket | White and red with green "NORTH POLE" lettering; checkered basket |
| How it hangs | Ceiling, doorway, staircase, chandelier, or Christmas tree | Christmas tree, ceiling fixture, or cabinet door |
| Designed in USA | Yes, stated on the page | Not stated on the page |
| Best use | The big arrival moment and the 2026 kit centerpiece | A ride you can hang today, or a departure scene |
Same four-elf basket and the same job — the balloon is the taller, newer showpiece; the blimp is the smaller, cheaper, ready-now alternative.
Why the balloon is the pick for the big moment
Short answer: the balloon is the 2026 kit's centerpiece, designed in the USA, and at 36 inches tall the bigger display — which is what an arrival scene is for.
Three facts from the maker's own pages: the store sells a "2026 Elf Kit – 28 Days with Hot Air Balloon, Props and Games," named after this balloon, and the balloon's photo is stamped "NEW ARRIVAL." It is also the only one the maker says is "Designed in USA." And it is bigger: 36 inches tall with the basket against the blimp's 20, and it hangs in more places — a doorway, a staircase, or a chandelier.
That size and that role make it the pick for the big arrival moment: the elf appears overnight, and a three-foot red-and-green balloon floating over the living room is hard to miss — one prop for the arrival, the daily scenes, and the grand departure. See the current price in our review — read our full Elf Inflatable Hot Air Balloon Ride review before you order.
The honest limit is the wait: a pre-order, the release month has passed, and the page still says pre-order. If your arrival date is fixed, check the shipping status first — with no firm ship date, the blimp is the safe buy.
When the blimp wins
Short answer: the blimp wins when you need a ride now, when $3 matters, or when the scene is a departure — in stock, cheaper, and its "NORTH POLE" lettering says goodbye best.
It costs $16.95, $3 less than the balloon, and it is in stock now: no pre-order, no release month to watch, and no risk the ride arrives after its scene. For a family starting its elf season this week, that alone settles it.
The blimp also has the clearer story for a departure: it wears its destination on its side, "NORTH POLE" in big green letters. On the last morning of the season, a blimp that literally says where it is going is the more evocative prop. Its smaller size helps in tight spots, too: at 20 inches tall with the basket, it fits on a cabinet door or a crowded tree branch where a 36-inch balloon would crowd everything around it.
Which one should you buy?
Short answer: the balloon if the arrival moment is the point and you can wait for a ship date; the blimp if the elf needs to fly this week or the budget is tight.
Choose the Elf Inflatable Hot Air Balloon Ride ($19.95) if:
- The big arrival morning matters most, and you want the tallest, most visible prop.
- You are buying the store's 2026 Elf Kit — the balloon is its centerpiece.
- You value the "Designed in USA" note and have time to confirm a ship date.
Choose the Elf Inflatable Blimp Ride ($16.95) if:
- The elf needs to arrive this week and you cannot wait on a pre-order.
- You want to spend $3 less on the same four-elf basket.
- The scene is a departure, where the "NORTH POLE" lettering tells the story.
- The spot is tight — a cabinet door or crowded tree — where 20 inches fits and 36 does not.
For most families planning the big arrival, the balloon is the buy. But a prop that arrives after its scene is no prop at all, so check the balloon's shipping status first, and take the blimp if the date is fixed. For the full verdict, read our full Elf Inflatable Hot Air Balloon Ride review.
Frequently asked questions
Short answer: what each ride costs, when the balloon ships, how many elves fit, and which ride to pick.
How much does each Elf Kit Shop ride cost?
Short answer: the balloon costs $19.95 and the blimp $16.95, both in US dollars.
Both are single variants at those prices, listed November 1, 2026. The blimp is $3 cheaper; neither page states a shipping price.
When will the Elf Inflatable Hot Air Balloon Ride ship?
Short answer: the product page still says "*** Pre-Order: Release October 2026 ***" as of November 1, 2026 — so check the current shipping status before ordering.
The title adds "(Shipping Oct '26)," and the page heading reads "*** Pre-Order: Release October 2026 ***." October has passed, but the label is still there, so we cannot confirm it has started shipping.
How many elves fit in the basket?
Short answer: up to four elves in either basket.
Both pages state the same capacity, and both baskets share the green-and-white check pattern. Elves are not included: the balloon page says "Elves NOT included," the blimp page "Elf NOT included."
Which ride should I buy — the hot air balloon or the blimp?
Short answer: the balloon for the big arrival and the 2026 kit; the blimp if you need it now, want to save $3, or are staging a departure.
The balloon is the taller, newer, USA-designed centerpiece of the 2026 Elf Kit at 36 inches. The blimp is $3 cheaper, in stock now, and its "NORTH POLE" lettering suits a farewell. If your arrival date is fixed and the balloon has no firm ship date, buy the blimp.
Sources: Elf Inflatable Hot Air Balloon Ride product page and Elf Inflatable Blimp Ride product page, checked November 1, 2026. Prices in USD. We have not hands-on tested either product.