ChiIL Mama's Adventures at iFLY Lincoln Park

Check out our photo feature 

on the press opening of the latest 

Chicagoland iFLY, 

indoor skydiving location

ChiIL Mama's ChiIL Picks List 

My daughter, Sage, and her Pom Squad team mate and friend, Gaby (both 12), came with me to give indoor skydiving a try. My son and I tried it when iFLY first opened in Naperville and Rosemont a couple years back. Now we're elated to announce that they've opened a NEW location even closer to home, in Chicago's own Lincoln Park area, close to New City! 

We were some of the first to fly and the girls both loved it so much they waited around till everyone had a turn so they could go again... 3 times! By the evening's end they were hooked. They even asked how old you have to be to work there (and get free class credits) and were dismayed to hear they have to wait 6 years, till they turn 18! 

Disclosure: Thanks to iFLY for providing us with comped flight times for review purposes. We were not compensated in any other way or paid for this post. As always, all opinions are my own.

Check out our full slideshow right here:

More favorite photos are featured at the bottom of this post.

What we loved: 
This is a great activity for all ages and abilities. You don't need to be uber athletic to fly, though my pom kids/gymnasts had an edge with their core strength and flexibility. I can attest, it works for middle age moms too! 

Local press got a sweet demo on wind tunnel tech via teddy bear and bottled water.

ChiIL Mama's daughter, Sage, and her friend, Gaby (both 12) LOVED iFLY!

The instructor demos between groups of newbies were mind blowing, full of epic, super hero worthy moves!

Staff was friendly, helpful and enthusiastic! They took time to tell us their own stories and were all passionate about indoor skydiving, whether they were fairly new at it or seasoned pros who've been skydiving indoors and out for years. 



Looking for a group get together idea or a unique party plan? iFLY also books private groups and birthday parties. This is a stellar idea for the tween and teen market. Highly recommended.

Press Night:
The place was hoppin' with a live DJ and excellent food from The Warehouse Bar and Pizzeria. 






Worlds Collide Alert:
We do love it when our friends play well together. It was truly a treat to see the world’s foremost mentalist and purveyor of mind games, Marc Salem, flying and reading minds at the press opening of IFLY Chicago - Lincoln Park. His highly acclaimed and extended run of Marc Salem's Mind Over Chicago played at The Apollo from February through April 2016. 

This guy's obviously at home on stage, in his familiar set. Yet he was open to pushing the boundaries, not only mentally, but physically. He actually tried a wind tunnel at the press opening of the newest iFLY, the indoor sky diving phenomenon. We were impressed that Marc was willing to leave his comfort zone and take flight, then read minds! 

About iFLY Lincoln Park:  iFLY Lincoln Park is the 19th and newest of the iFLY operations in the USA. Featuring a 12-foot diameter wind tunnel powered by four quiet and clean running electric motors. People of all ages can fly with us with few limitations. Those folks with shoulder, back or neck injuries should consult their doctor before attempting to fly with us. There is a standard weight limit of 250 pounds for most flyers, but depending on height and body type that number may be exceeded. All instructors at iFLY Lincoln Park are I.B.A. certified as the best-trained and safest instructors in the sport of indoor skydiving. iFLY Lincoln Park is located at 800 West Scott Street off North Halstead Street.

About iFLY Indoor Skydiving: Austin-based iFLY Holdings, LLC is the world leader in design, manufacturing, sales and operations of wind tunnel systems for indoor skydiving. Under the brand names iFLY, SkyVenture, and Airkix, the Company has flown more than 7,000,000 people in a dozen countries since launching the modern vertical wind tunnel industry in 1998. iFLY has 37 facilities operating, 15 currently in construction and another 8 planned to start construction before the end of 2015. iFLY supports and utilizes the safety and training rules set out by the International Body Fight Association (IBA) to ensure safety and progression of the sport of indoor skydiving.

What is iFLY?

https://www.iflyworld.com/what-is-ifly/the-flying-experience

S.T.E.M. Education Program:

https://www.iflyworld.com/education

ChiIL Mama's iFLY Photo Favs:

Grrrl power!

ChiIL Mama ChiILin' at iFLY-Lincoln Park

So many ways to level up. The girls are counting the years till they can come work for iFLY and take classes for free!

Even the restrooms are flight themed!

Come check it out. iFLY is highly recommended for family friendly fun! 

Disclosure: Thanks to iFLY for providing us with comped flight times for review purposes. We were not compensated in any other way or paid for this post. As always, all opinions are my own.

LAST CALL: MARC SALEM’S MIND OVER CHICAGO CLOSING 4/10

MARC SALEM’S MIND OVER CHICAGO

The world’s foremost mentalist and purveyor of mind games, Marc Salem

takes Chicago audiences on a thrilling journey into the human mind

“Hide your thoughts! Marc Salem is in town!”  –The New York Times

“Jaw dropping and very funny!” –The New Yorker

Marc Salem’s Mind Over Chicago has been extended through Sunday, April 10th. 

Here at ChiIL Mama, we had the great pleasure of catching Marc Salem on opening night and we highly recommend his show. In the CGI world we live in today, it's harder and harder to believe in the seeming impossible or to truly astound an audience. Marc Salem baffles and bemuses in the best possible way. When the show was over, there was a lingering camaraderie among the crowd, as we felt like we all knew more about each other than strangers in an audience generally do, and yet we collectively knew nothing of how Marc pulled off his mentalist machinations. We left thoroughly entertained and with a childlike delight at being duped.

Worlds Collide Alert:

As if our initial encounter wasn't mind blowing enough, we had another chance to hang out with Marc Salem and he impressed me just as much. This guy's obviously at home on stage, in his familiar set. Yet he was open to pushing the boundaries, not only mentally, but physically. He actually tried a wind tunnel at the press opening of the newest iFLY, the indoor sky diving phenomenon. Marc was willing to leave his comfort zone and take flight, then read minds! 

We do love it when our friends play well together! It was truly a treat to see these two worlds collide. We highly recommend trying iFLY and catching Marc in action in Chicago and beyond. 

More About Marc Salem’s Mind Over Chicago

The newly designed and renovated Apollo Theater Chicago, 2540 N Lincoln Ave, is excited to present a special limited engagement of Marc Salem’s Mind Over Chicago, the latest interactive show in Marc Salem’s Mind Over… series, created with tasty local flavor specifically for the Windy City.

Amazing and amusing, Marc’s theatrical creations have been hailed as “NOT TO BE MISSED!” by ABC News and “A SUREFIRE ‘you-gotta-see-this-show’ SHOW!” by Variety. Both fascinating and psychological, his performances have been enjoyed by millions around the world from Broadway and the West End to the Sydney Opera House and Singapore, earning him the name “The King of the Mind-Readers” by Time Out.

Marc’s mystifying techniques and quick wit “break the lock” on the minds of randomly selected audience members. He has had the pleasure of outwitting such well-known celebrities as Sting, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Donald Trump, Arthur Miller, Paul Newman, Prince Andrew, Judi Dench, Ronald Reagan, Michael Strahan, Bruce Willis, Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, Vice President Joe Biden, New York Mayors Koch, Giuliani & Bloomberg, Chicago’s own Oprah Winfrey, and many more.

Remaining performances will be Saturdays at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Some performances may vary so call the box office or visit the website to confirm. Tickets are: $50. Student, Military and Group discounts are available. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Apollo Theater Chicago at 773.935.6100 or visit http://www.apollochicago.com/.

TICKETS:

$50 Student, Military & Group discounts available

773.935.6100 or visit http://www.apollochicago.com

Marc Salem’s Mind Over Chicago is produced by Richard Friedman and Rob Kolson. “I am delighted to be working again with my old friend Rob Kolson,” said Friedman. “We first worked together on his smash hit show Do the White Thing at the Organic Theater and then we co-produced the long-running Always….Patsy Cline during its extended run at the Apollo Theater Chicago and Victory Gardens Theaters. Marc Salem twice performed his show at my home company, Theater at the Center in Munster, IN, and I realized that, although he's performed on Broadway, the West End, and in many other countries, he’d never had a show within the Chicago city limits. That is about to change in a few short weeks and I think Chicago’s collective mind is about to be blown.”

Marc Salem (creator/performer)

As the world’s leading mentalist, Marc Salem has been featured on: Through the Wormhole (narrated by Morgan Freeman); the fascinating series Brain Games; a 60-Minutes profile; and his own upcoming series on the National Geographic Channel, Mind Games, set to premiere in May. Holding degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and New York University, Marc Salem has been an authority on non-verbal communication for over 30 years, serving on the faculty of major universities for nearly 20 years. This jaw-dropping entertainer has traveled the world, amazing audiences while exploring the fascinating potential of the human mind. Marc completed three sell-out seasons in London and has had two extended runs on Broadway. He is seen regularly on COURT TV, and was a director of research at Sesame Street for ten years. He has been featured on The O’Reilly Factor, The Howard Stern Show, Montel, Maury, Regis, and CNN, along with hundreds of other television and radio appearances.

Apollo Theater Chicago

The Apollo Theater Chicago, located in the heart of Chicago’s Lincoln Park since 1978, has been home to many of the city’s biggest hits including, most recently, Million Dollar Quartet, which became the longest-running Broadway musical in Chicago history. Resident companies of the Apollo Theater Chicago include Emerald City Theatre Company and Baby Wants Candy, and many up-and-coming companies can be seen nightly in the theater’s 50-seat downstairs studio. Recently renovated and fully accessible, the Apollo Theater Chicago’s intimate 435-seat mainstage continues to deliver world-class theater as one of the city’s premiere off-Loop houses.

GRAND OPENING: iFLY Lincoln Park, Chicago March 16th!

iFLY set to Deliver the Dream of Flight to Lincoln Park

Located in Lincoln Park, the region’s only indoor skydiving operation welcomes both the young and the young at heart to experience the joy of flight

ChiIL Mama and her son, Dugan, trying iFLY for the first time back in 2014 in Naperville!

iFLY, the world’s largest Indoor Skydiving operation, is now delivering the dream of flight to adventure seekers with the opening of their newest location on Monday, March 7^th. Their Grand Opening will be March 16th. With more than 7 million people having already flown with iFLY nationwide, Chicagoland residents of all ages who have looked to the skies and dreamed of flying can now make that dream come true.

The world’s largest Indoor Skydiving operation, iFLY, is now delivering the dream of flight to adventure seekers in the Lincoln Park area. The new location at 800 West Scott Street at Halsted marks the 17^th iFLY facility in the U.S. Chicagoland residents who have looked to the skies and dreamed of flying like a bird can now make that dream come true. 

**People of all ages and abilities can experience human flight in a safe, comfortable and fun environment.** 

My son and I tried iFLY years ago, when they first opened in Naperville. Our family daredevils were out of town for work and had a gymnastics team conflict, so the other two of us braved up and went for it. My husband has jumped out of a plane and gone actual sky diving and my daughter has bungie jumped on Mt. Hood. They both zip lined down a mountain and across a chasm in Vail and they've been chomping at the bit to try iFLY for years!

We took iFLY at their word about all ages and abilities, and I'm so glad we took the chance and went for it. Take that Bucket List! I felt a sense of accomplishment once I tried iFLY. It's not as scary as I thought it would be.





Why should kids have all the fun and get all the new, cool experiences. Seriously, all ages and abilities can do this. We've heard they offer pretty sweet birthday parties too.

Each indoor skydiving facility is a marvel of engineering that replicates the experience of skydiving, creating conditions that allow people to fly on a smooth cushion of air. With the help of iFLY certified flight instructors, customers learn to fly, control their bodies in the air and experience true human flight.

“Our mission is to deliver the dream of flight to everybody, whether you’re age three or 103,” said Matt Ryan, iFLY President and COO. “Since 1998, more than seven million customers worldwide have experienced human flight at iFLY in a variety of ways: as a fun excursion with family and friends, a student on an educational Science, Technology, and Math (S.T.E.M.) field trip, a professional skydiver or member of the military for training, and a corporate customer looking for a unique team building activity. Thanks to iFLY, flying is finally available to everyone.”

To prepare for their flight experience, customers complete a training class guided by one of iFLY’s flight and safety instructors, are equipped with flight gear, including goggles, helmet and flight suit, and then with their instructor at their side, they enter the flight chamber and are supported by a cushion of air.

All flight packages include training, flight gear, and flight time with an International Bodyflight Association (IBA) certified instructor. (The IBA has established the Gold Standard for training and safety standards for Indoor Skydiving Instructors). All iFLY instructors meet or exceed IBA standards. For more information about iFLY’s flight packages and prices and to book your flight time at iFLY Lincoln Park, please visit the website at https://www.iflyworld.com/lincoln-park/.

“We are working hard to complete all the finishing touches in our newest iFLY operation here in Lincoln Park,” said David Janossy, General Manager for iFLY Lincoln Park. “My team and I are pumped to share the dream of flight at our new location. Every day is a new adventure for each and every person at the tunnel. Watching people fly for the first time is a life changing experience for them and just wonderful for each of us helping to make dreams come true.”

About iFLY Lincoln Park:  iFLY Lincoln Park is the 19th and newest of the iFLY operations in the USA. Featuring a 12-foot diameter wind tunnel powered by four quiet and clean running electric motors. People of all ages can fly with us with few limitations. Those folks with shoulder, back or neck injuries should consult their doctor before attempting to fly with us. There is a standard weight limit of 250 pounds for most flyers, but depending on height and body type that number may be exceeded. All instructors at iFLY Lincoln Park are I.B.A. certified as the best-trained and safest instructors in the sport of indoor skydiving. iFLY Lincoln Park is located at 800 West Scott Street off North Halstead Street.

About iFLY Indoor Skydiving: Austin-based iFLY Holdings, LLC is the world leader in design, manufacturing, sales and operations of wind tunnel systems for indoor skydiving. Under the brand names iFLY, SkyVenture, and Airkix, the Company has flown more than 7,000,000 people in a dozen countries since launching the modern vertical wind tunnel industry in 1998. iFLY has 37 facilities operating, 15 currently in construction and another 8 planned to start construction before the end of 2015. iFLY supports and utilizes the safety and training rules set out by the International Bod

Click here for more info on iFLY

Click here for more on iFLY's S.T.E.M. Education Program

More of ChiIL Mama's Original iFLY Pixs:

We were well trained and I felt totally safe.

No, you don't have to be skinny, fit or athletic to successfully fly with iFLY!

Yes, it's loud, so you'll need earplugs!

And it's windy, so you'll need goggles!

Come on out and try this unique experience!