Thanks to Hollywood, more and more people are trying drifting as a sport, a pastime, a hobby or even a career. In the last decade alone, we have seen more and more drifting schools open up around Australia where you can safely learn to drift, or just give it a go for a day.
But how do you find a drift school near you, and should you book online through an experience site like Red Balloon?
Platforms like Red Balloon are often more inconvenient than booking a drifting class or experience directly through the school itself. Although a service like this adds another layer of admin, it can still be handy to find local experiences – and you can book directly with the business for better customer support.
Just like booking flights or hotels, driving experiences and racecar activities can be purchased via third-party marketplaces like Adrenaline or Red Balloon. However, the same experiences are also available directly through the provider. If you’re considering a voucher or booking, you might want to pause and read what’s in the rest of this article.
We’ll check out real Red Balloon drift experience reviews from other users to go over the pros and cons. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Reviews for Red Balloon Bookings vs Direct-to-Supplier Bookings
Driving experiences are among one of the most popular options in Red Balloon for adventure seekers. But, the question is, is booking a drift driving experience through them worth it? We’ll unpack the pros and cons in this article.
Is It Worth Booking a Drift Experience Through Red Balloon?
Booking a drift experience through a service like Red Balloon isn’t a bad idea, but it’s almost always better to book directly with the drifting school. A platform like Red Balloon adds a layer between you and the drifting school, which can cause problems down the track.
Red Balloon makes it convenient to find experiences near you, and with so many options in their catalogue, you’ll probably find a drifting track near you offering one of these exciting experiences. However, customer reviews suggest that there can be some pitfalls to booking through Red Balloon.
With an overall 2.3 / 5 star rating from Trustpilot and 1.7 / 5 star rating from Product Review AU, we pored over Red Balloon’s user reviews to understand the cause of these low ratings. We were able to determine that it wasn’t usually the experience that caused the low star-rating. Instead, it was concerns around customer service or certain Red Balloon policies that were either not clearly discussed or too restrictive that lead to less-than-satisfactory reviews.
However, there is still a percentage of customers offering good reviews for Red Balloon experiences. Putting all things into consideration, we’ve concluded that you can get a satisfactory experience via Red Balloon bookings, but that usually hinges on the experience provider itself giving the guests a great time.
For your further information, as of June 2021, all Perth drifting experiences from Drift School WA are no longer available through the Red Balloon website, but you can book the same drifting classes directly through the Drift School WA website.
Is It Worth Booking a Drift Experience Through the Supplier Directly?
Booking directly through a drift experience supplier is usually the best decision. Booking through the supplier directly gives you more flexibility with scheduling and refunds, and helps the local supplier avoid fees that platforms like Red Balloon charge.
In almost all cases, booking policies are also clearly stated on the website including processes and fees associated with changes or cancellations. In addition, you never have to worry about your voucher or gift card being valid or not. They will usually have a dedicated team to contact you for any updates. And, since you’re dealing directly with the company that offers the experience, any concerns are addressed quicker.
But, before you commit to a booking – whether through Red Balloon or directly through a drift experience supplier of your choice – we encourage you to explore the rest of this article and read some real customer reviews.
For this article, we’re going to look at three major drift schools in Australia: Perth, Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane. The focus of this review will be on two types of drifting experiences – hot laps & learn-to-drift.
Here’s a definition of both:
What Is a “Hot Lap”?
In the professional car racing industry, a “hot lap” is a term that refers to driving around a real racetrack to practice before the actual competition. Race car drivers typically complete hot laps to get comfortable and familiarise themselves with the track they’ll be racing on.
In terms of motorsports experiences, hot laps are typically short, high-speed experiences during which a pro driver takes passengers for a quick spin in a racecar. As is the case with most forms of motorsport, some experiences allow passengers to take control of the car for a brief period, while others simply involve sitting in a passenger seat and enjoying the ride.
Hot laps are available for a range of different motorsports styles. A drifting hot lap involves the unique experience of drift racing, riding alongside a pro while they take a drift car for a spin.
What Is A “Learn to Drift” Experience?
In general, a learn-to-drift course is an all-inclusive drift experience that introduces you to the world of drift racing. You can get the opportunity to take control and drift professional high performance vehicles in a safe, controlled environment with experienced drivers to guide you every step of the way.
If you’re looking to start drifting in Australia, a hands-on learn to drift course is the best way to go!
Aside from the adrenaline rush, getting proper lessons on drifting can actually help you learn how to become a better, safer driver. Invaluable lessons in car control, knowing how the car will react to road surfaces, how to react to external forces, where to look and how to quickly recover – these are all safety values that any good driver can apply to everyday driving.
Now that we have the basic info, let’s get started with the reviews.
Red Balloon Drifting Experience in Perth Reviews
Perth Red Balloon Drifting Hot Laps Review
Provider: Drift School WA
Experience: Drift Ride-Along (hot laps)
Location: Barbagallo Raceway, Perth, WA
Experience overview:
- Joy ride in a high-powered Turbo or V8 drift car
- Choose from 2/4/6/8/10 hot laps with a pro drift driver
- Spectators and photographers are welcome!
Drift School WA offers a safe yet hair-raising, seat gripping hot laps experience at Barbagallo Raceway to anyone looking to experience drifting – no previous drifting experience or driver’s license required.
The course is called the Drift Ride-Along, and rather than booking through Red Balloon, you can book directly through Drift School WA.
As of June 2021, all Perth drifting experiences from Drift School WA are no longer available through the Red Balloon website, but you can book the same drifting classes directly through the Drift School WA website.
How Much Do Drift School Hot Laps Cost?
For four laps, you’ll be paying $99 and for six hot laps, it will cost $159. For people wanting more hot laps in their lives, you can do eight laps for $199 and ten for $249 – these packages usually deliver maximum satisfaction!
Prices current as of February 2022. All final activity booking fees are GST inclusive.
Drift School Ride-Along Hot Laps Reviews
Don’t take the good word from us, take it straight from the wonderful folks who had an unforgettable time on a Drift School WA hot laps experience.
For a complete, unbiased look, you can find more reviews at Tripadvisor, or Drift School WA’s Facebook page.
Pros of Drift School Hot Laps
- Beginner friendly – A fantastic experience for beginners to drifting who are not quite ready to get behind the wheel.
- Direct Booking – Booking experience directly on the Drift School WA website is much faster and more streamlined compared to booking through 3rd-party vendors.
- Clear Rules and Policies – Booking rules and policies are clearly stated in the booking page.
- Booking Rescheduling – Bookings can be rescheduled or transferred (though a fee may apply)
- Better Customer Service – Direct booking means you can speak to the Drift School WA team should you have any questions.
Cons Of Drift School Hot Laps
- Less Hands-On – Hot laps experiences are brief and less hands-on than learn-to-draft courses, so if you’re wanting to get behind the wheel, you’ll want to book a learn to drift class instead.
- Short But Sweet – 6-10 lap packages provide the best, most satisfying experience, so to maximise the thrills, opt for a higher number of laps.
Perth Red Balloon Learn To Drift Reviews
Provider: Drift School WA
Experience: Drift Masterclass or Drift Introduction
Location: Barbagallo Raceway, Perth, WA
Experience overview:
- Safety briefing and initiation
- Demonstration of necessary drifting techniques
- Hands on driving and learning how to initiate, hold and link a drift
- Spectators and photographers are welcome!
Drift School WA offers excellent masterclasses to anyone looking to learn how to drift – no previous drifting experience required! These courses are a great way to get started drifting in Australia in a safe environment, while learning from expert drift drivers.
There are two learn-to-drift courses available: Drift Introduction and Drift Masterclass. As of 2022, these can no longer be booked on Red Balloon – instead, get the best customer experience and book directly with Drift School WA.
As of June 2021, all Perth drifting experiences from Drift School WA are no longer available through the Red Balloon website, but you can book the same drifting classes directly through the Drift School WA website.
How Much Does Drift School’s Learn To Drift Classes Cost?
Drift School’s Drift Introduction class costs $199 while their Drift Masterclasses cost $429. These learning to drift sessions cover a wide range of drifting techniques taught by a professional drift car driver, and will give you all the tools you need to pull off impressive and complicated moves safely.
Prices current as of February 2022. All final activity booking fees are GST inclusive.
Drift School Masterclass Reviews
To date, the Drift Masterclass course has taught a lot of people in Perth the amazing, adrenaline-pumping feel of drifting! Here’s what they have to say.
For a complete, unbiased look, you can find more reviews on Tripadvisor or on Drift School’s facebook page.
Pros Of Drift School Learn To Drift Classes
- Perfect For Beginners – An incredible learning experience for drifting beginners who are ready for a proper initiation into the world of drifting.
- No Drifting Experience Required – You don’t need a wealth of knowledge to come down and drift, people of any experience level are welcome.
- Highly Safe – Drifting lessons from experts in a controlled environment contribute greatly to driver safety.
- Faster Bookings – Booking experience directly on the Drift School WA website is much faster and more streamlined compared to booking through 3rd-party vendors.
- Booking Flexibility – Booking rules and policies are clearly stated in the booking page and can be rescheduled or transferred (though a fee may apply)
- Better Customer Service – Direct booking means you can speak to the Drift School WA team should you have any questions. This is the quicker way to get all your concerns addressed.
Cons Of Drift School Learn To Drift Classes
- Upfront Safety Briefing – There is some safety briefing and instructional time required before you get behind the wheel – so be prepared not to drive immediately.
- Safety Limitations on Unsafe Driving – Drift School WA’s instructors reserve the right to limit you from doing more advanced drifting techniques should they have doubts at your driving technique and control – it’s all in the name of safety.
Red Balloon Drifting Experience in Sydney Review
Sydney Red Balloon Drifting Hot Laps Review
Provider: Drift School Australia
Experience: Drift Car Thrill Ride – 2 Laps, 4 Laps or 8 Laps
Location: Sydney Motorsport Park
Price: 2 laps: $59 per person, 4 laps: $99 per person, 8 laps: $175 per person
Red Balloon currently offers the following Sydney hot laps experiences via Drift School Australia, Sydney’s premier drifting experience provider.
Booking policies & other information are found in the booking links. Before purchasing, we encourage you to also explore your options direction from the supplier website, Drift School Australia, and benefit from dealing directly with the provider rather than Red Balloon.
User Reviews
Most recent, top-rated review from Drift School Australia’s Facebook page:
Lowest-rated Red Balloon review
Note that you can avoid booking errors through Red Balloon by booking directly with your drifting experience provider.
For a pros/cons and a complete, unbiased look, you can find more reviews on TripAdvisor, or
Drift School Australia’s Facebook page.
Sydney Red Balloon Learn To Drift Review
Red Balloon currently offers the following Sydney learn-to-drift experiences via Drift School Australia, Sydney’s premier drifting experience provider. Regarding price and availability, please check out the information found in each booking link for more details.
Provider: Drift School Australia
Experience: Drift School Intermediate Class – Sydney
Location: Sydney Motorsport Park
Price: $199 per person
User Reviews
Most recent top-rated Red Balloon review
Provider: Drift School Australia
Experience: Drift School Masterclass – Sydney
Location: Sydney Motorsport Park
Price: $849 per person
User Reviews
Most recent top-rated Red Balloon review
For a complete, unbiased look, you can find more reviews on Tripadvisor or Drift School Australia’s Facebook page.
There seems to be mixed Red Balloon reviews but plenty of happy, recent reviews from Drift School Australia themselves. However, they are still able to maintain a sound 4.0 star Google rating due to many happy experiences.
Based on the information we’ve seen and user reviews we’ve read, the best course of action would be to book directly with Drift School Australia rather than Red Balloon.
Red Balloon Drifting Experience in Melbourne Review
Melbourne Red Balloon Drifting Hot Laps Review
Depending on your preference, Red Balloon offers hot laps drift experiences in Melbourne from two premier drift schools: Rally Drive (race tracks located in Bacchus Marsh Motorsports, Parwan, VIC) and Drift Cadet (race tracks located in Winton Motor Raceway, VIC).
Booking policies & other information are found in the booking links. Before purchasing, we encourage you to also explore your options direction from the supplier websites, Rally Drive and Drift Cadet.
Provider: Rally Drive
Booking link: Rally and Drift Introduction Combo – 8 Laps – Melbourne
Location: Bacchus Marsh Motorsports, Parwan
Price: $249 per person
User Reviews
Most recent top-rated Red Balloon review
Booking link: Drift and Rally Driving Combo with 2 Hot Laps – Melbourne
Location: Bacchus Marsh Motorsports, Parwan
Price: $449 per person
User Reviews
Most recent top-rated Red Balloon review
For a complete, unbiased look, you can find more reviews on Rally Drive’s website, Rally Drive Australia’s Facebook page and Drift Cadet Melbourne’s Facebook page.
Melbourne Red Balloon Learn To Drift Review
Provider: Rally Drive
Booking link: Drift Driver Advanced Experience – Melbourne
Location: Bacchus Marsh Motorsports, Parwan
Price: $375 per person
User Reviews
Most recent, top-rated Red Balloon review
Provider: Rally Drive
Booking link: Intro Drift Experience-Nissan 180sx – Melbourne
Location: Bacchus Marsh Motorsports, Parwan
Price: $199 per person
User Reviews
Most recent, top-rated Red Balloon review
For Rally Drive Australia, the most recent reviews were all positive. Here’s the latest one posted just 2 months ago:
Drift Cadet did not show any Google reviews, however, their recent Facebook reviews were all positive:
The lack of negative reviews, however, do not necessarily show that both companies offer the “perfect” drifting experiences. To get the most out of your drifting experience, always read the fine print and know what your experience will be like ahead of the day. Also check out the terms and conditions in case you need to reschedule your experience, so you know what the provider’s policies are.
Red Balloon Drifting Experience in Brisbane Review
Brisbane Red Balloon Drifting Hot Laps Review
Provider: On Track Drift
Booking link: 4 Drift Battle Passenger Laps
Location: Queensland Raceway
Price: $89 per person
User Reviews
Most recent, top-rated Red Balloon review
Brisbane Red Balloon Learn To Drift Review
Provider: On Track Drift
Booking link: Full Day Learn To Drift Experience with Lunch
Location: Queensland Raceway
Price: $599 per person
User Reviews
Most recent, top-rated Red Balloon review
Lowest-rated Red Balloon review. Of all their reviews, only one was below 5 stars. While their lowest rated review is a 4 star, it does outline one negative to be aware of.
Brisbane Red Balloon Learn to Drift & Hot Lap Review
Provider: On Track Drift
Booking link: Half Day Learn To Drift Experience with Professional Hot Lap
Location: Queensland Raceway
Price: $395 per person
User Reviews
Most recent, top-rated Red Balloon review
As we have learned, booking directly through the supplier is always the best way to go, and this remains true for On Track Drift. Booking directly through their site means you will have a less stressful experience in the event that you need to postpone or refund a class. In addition, booking directly through their own website avoids the fees that aggregate websites like Red Balloon request, meaning more money goes to the people putting on the drifting classes.
Platforms like Red Balloon are a great way to compare different experiences in your area, and help you gauge what you are interested in and what is in your price range. Their filters allow you to find the perfect type of experience for you, in your budget and area. However, once you have decided on the drifting course for you, going to the drift school’s website to book directly is better for you, and better for them.
Related Questions
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Booking On Red Balloon?
Pros can include minor cost savings, especially during promotions. However, most of these discounted deals are tied up in restrictive policies – that would be the biggest “con” especially if plans change or you need to cancel your booking.
You could potentially find yourself tied up in an endless customer service nightmare. Another disadvantage is that sometimes these deals expire without further notice; you could potentially end up holding on to a voucher or gift card that could no longer be honoured by the vendor by the time you use it.
How Can I Book A Drifting Experience Without Using Red Balloon?
You can definitely choose to book directly with the vendor instead. By booking directly, the booking process is easier and any customer service concerns you have can be handled efficiently.
For your further information, as of June 2021, all Perth drifting experiences from Drift School WA are no longer available through the Red Balloon website, but you can book the same drifting classes directly through the Drift School WA website.
Disclaimer:
This article is published for general informational purposes only. All prices and package information is current at the time of publication. All opinions and recommendations reflect the views of customers as found on the relevant review websites and not those of Drift School WA.