I've been to Skydive Dallas several times and I've yet to have a great experience like I get most anywhere else. I don't really know where to begin, so I guess I'll ramble for a bit. I'll start with the good things...the aircraft are good, the landing areas are big (whenever you actually leave the ground), and the facilities are very nice and clean for a DZ in the middle of nowhere. Free wifi, multiple huge indoor packing areas (not climate controlled, though), pretty much the only restaurant within 15 miles in the lobby, and limited RV hookups, although I'm pretty sure they're all used by people that live on DZ. Now, the bad...this is a very clique-ish DZ. If you didn't train with them, or you're visiting, good luck getting anyone to even acknowledge you, and I find myself to be a very outgoing person. The staff, with the exception of the packers (which are usually always the exception), don't care if you're there or not, unless you're a tandem or AFF student. They're completely inhospitable to visiting jumpers. The weather is crappy a lot of the time. It may be clear skies, but the wind will be whipping 25+, or vice versa. I visit Dallas often, and 3/5 times I've been to Skydive Dallas, they've literally forbid me to jump because I was an outsider 'unfamiliar' with their DZ and it was 'too windy' for me, based solely on my 'unfamiliarity' with the area. News flash: it's not my first rodeo. I've got over 150 jumps and have visited at least a dozen different DZ's while on business/pleasure travel. So you drive an hour+ outside of Dallas, get geared up, ready to go, then some wiley guy comes and targets the visitor and tells you that you can't go because it's too windy. What a load of crap. It's happened to me on 3 separate visits, and I'm jumping my own gear, of course. The location isn't very ideal for skydive tourists. It's literally out in the middle-of-nowhere, no hotels within 20 miles, no restaurants within at least 15 miles (except on the DZ), and the nearest gas station is 10 miles away. No bars or beer nearby either...so be sure and BYOB from Dallas if you plan to stay for the 'notorious nightlife'. There is a bunk room with 12 beds I think, but they tend to fill up pretty quickly on weekends. The thing that bothers me the most about Skydive Dallas is how regimented and stiff everybody is. This isn't Eloy, DeLand, Perris, etc. Everything is so matter-of-fact and by the book, it's amazing anybody actually has fun there, unless of course you're a student forking over a pile of cash to them. I've never been to a more rigid DZ in my life. Then I found out the place is owned by a doctor...yahtzee. I know after reading this long, primarily negative rant, you wonder why anyone would want to go here based on my review? Well, it's the only turbine DZ in the area, and closest by time. Any first timer thinks whatever DZ they jump at is the greatest DZ in the world, as is the case with many of the reviews I've read on here. Of course they'll hang the moon for the first timer...they want more of your cash. They make more money off the student then the cheap-ass licensed jumper like me. I think DZ reviews are very skewed in that aspect. So to the first timer, enjoy your jump, get licensed, have a long, prosperous career in skydiving, but PLEASE visit other DZ's and drink the Kool-Aid. Once you do, you'll know exactly why I have such disdain for this DZ, although it's the most viable option near Dallas.
