Fullerton : Disney’s Ear Force One Blows In Unexpectedly

Disneyland’s Ear Force One, a hot air balloon resembling the head of Mickey Mouse, landed at the Cal State Fullerton soccer field Sunday, drawing a throng of curiosity-seekers, especially children.

Campus police said there were no injuries or damage and the pilot was not cited for the unauthorized landing.

Cal State Fullerton public safety officer Tom Gehrls said the pilot--whom he declined to name--told him that it was normal procedure to land at any safe, available site, even though the landing at 5:40 p.m. was not caused by any emergency.

A ground crew in a van followed the craft’s flight and helped deflate and load the hot-air balloon for transport immediately after the landing, Gherls said.

Lynn Nakanishi, 37, of Anaheim, said her two children--Jenna, 5, and Ty, 3--saw the large craft from her car as she was driving home from a family picnic. “They wanted to go see it. . . . When we got there, they were very excited, of course. They got to see the ground crew fold it up and put it in the Disneyland truck.”