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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Icon - 2018 Mack Double Launch Coaster
- Thread starter Rob
- Start date
Coaster
TS Member
I'm fairly sure they did, I think they moved occasionally rather than constantly to change how they were positioned - but of course it could be my memory playing tricks.
It would explain why some of them are in really weird stances now as well.
I wish the two anamatronic ravens inside the ride itself were still in their original location (the cave which currently has a static viking as you first enter the show building), it worked so much better as the positioning of the lighting cast eerie shadows of them on the back of the cave, and made sense with the story rather than shoehorning them in before the last drop.
Valhalla used to have a coherent yet subtle storyline throughout, a shame it has been lost over the years with scenes being tampered with on an ad hoc basis.
It would explain why some of them are in really weird stances now as well.
I wish the two anamatronic ravens inside the ride itself were still in their original location (the cave which currently has a static viking as you first enter the show building), it worked so much better as the positioning of the lighting cast eerie shadows of them on the back of the cave, and made sense with the story rather than shoehorning them in before the last drop.
Valhalla used to have a coherent yet subtle storyline throughout, a shame it has been lost over the years with scenes being tampered with on an ad hoc basis.
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D4n
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Zadra
Considering I was so quick to praise operations on Icon last week, I'll be the first to criticise them today.
It's operating on one train - granted it's still only a 15 minute queue or so (just out of the station building) but it could be much shorter if they wanted. Only reason given is because it's quiet.
Some effects, including the mist, not working today either and there has been some significant downtime. A bit disappointing.
It's operating on one train - granted it's still only a 15 minute queue or so (just out of the station building) but it could be much shorter if they wanted. Only reason given is because it's quiet.
Some effects, including the mist, not working today either and there has been some significant downtime. A bit disappointing.
Dipper_Dave
TS Member
I hope we don’t have another Streak on our hands! I’m sure that’s not the case, obviously they’ll have 2 trains running when it’s busier, but I can’t understand them running it on just one, especially when the place will go crazy with students and school trips before the summer holidays even start.
Also I don’t get the thing of running it on 2 trains but one being sent round empty. Can anyone explain this? When the train that’s going out empty is in the station, the restraints have to be manually pushed down by ride ops anyway, so why not just let people on that train? I was there last week whilst this was happening and people were not happy seeing an empty train go out that they thought they were about to board.
I do find the dispatch times very good, other than the inevitable big boy seat swaps, but sending a train round empty when people are waiting, and only running one train when they have 3, I cannot understand.
One more frustration was the lack of announcements. I was there when the transfer track brought the third train on, only for it to sit in the station for a few minutes then return. At no point did the staff apologise for the delay or explain what was happening. At least on Valhalla they announce that there is to be a short delay whilst they add more boats
John
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
They've done 1 full/1 empty on PMBO for years on days when it's (expected to be) busy enough to need 2 but not necessarily straight away. Running off the queue on PMBO is a bit of a problem as light trains are more likely to stall, so they try to ensure there's enough demand before going to 2 trains. On Icon it makes less sense as empty trains aren't much of a problem, you can't leave the restraints closed in the station if the train is empty and adding a 2nd train seems much quicker than on PMBO anyway.
Dipper_Dave
TS Member
Thanks. I get that about PMBO, but there is surely no way a half full Icon train will stall. I’ve seen plenty of half full trains going round, so why not on 2 train operation just let people on both trains? On media day, after the initial few rides, as people began to disperse, all the trains were going round half empty, some with only the front and back rows filled. I’ve seen similar since. Not sure why they can’t just load up both trains, as it’s quick enough to check restraints anyway
They do it to wind you up dippy.
"Hey up, here he comes again. Let's grind his gears by sending empty trains round."
Got to get some enjoyment out of the job.
Same as when they leave me out on the lift hill, stopped, on the Dipper in the rain.
Gives them something different to do.
"Hey up, here he comes again. Let's grind his gears by sending empty trains round."
Got to get some enjoyment out of the job.
Same as when they leave me out on the lift hill, stopped, on the Dipper in the rain.
Gives them something different to do.
AstroDan
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance, Cedar Point
I think the lack of Icon adverts is worrying. Or, perhaps, shows that Blackpool just don't have the arsenal from which to advertise compared to Alton Towers.
I hope Icon generates more actual guests for them as Wicker Man is doing for Alton.
I hope Icon generates more actual guests for them as Wicker Man is doing for Alton.
speedy
TS Member
I spoke to a couple of enthusiasts today who had made the trip for Icon, and overheard more as well. So it was surprising when the wait was never longer than one or two trains.
One of the staff today said Blackpool had been dissappointed with numbers of the general public.
On another note, we were stopped today on the second launch, the operator had to open a small panel beside us to move the train backward a bit so we could launch.
bluesonichd
TS Member
Stuck in all that mist and water. I bet that was nice
Grand_Nash
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Always take blackpool pleasure beach staff comments with a pinch of salt!
Maybe management are hedging their bets on summer season
Or maybe their aim is to turn the 500 punter days into 1500 punters off peak, and make peak days 10/15% more busier or simply sell more big blue hotel rooms/ speedypass/ average spend up
First coaster in 24 years they probably have realistic hopes and getting punters through the gates
In the past we’d of visited several times already but have only been once and that was in March, next and last trip of the year is two weeks time.
Never knowing if the park is going to close earlier than advertised is the main issue, maybe others are thinking the same.
speedy
TS Member
Well website said close at 5 and the park closed at 5 today, would have been super annoying if they'd closed earlier, though to be fair we had plenty of time.
Regardless of visitor numbers, it looked like everyone has a great time on Icon, hopefully they will spread the word!
Regardless of visitor numbers, it looked like everyone has a great time on Icon, hopefully they will spread the word!
Coaster
TS Member
Whilst I'm sure that Pleasure Beach will be busier towards the summer and illuminations period, as is the case every year, they have just opened a 16-million-pound roller coaster and one of the largest in the UK at that... the park should not be this quiet.
I've had some thoughts regarding reasons that could be causing the park to be less busy and wished to air them.
I've had some thoughts regarding reasons that could be causing the park to be less busy and wished to air them.
- Ineffective marketing. Pleasure Beach have pushed in some areas with marketing Icon, in particular getting it featured in the local newspapers, but I do feel they have lacked in areas such as social media, their website and a lack of professionalism across some of their content (remember the video with two minutes blank at the end?)
- Price rise. Wristbands on the gate went from £32.50 up to £39 this year, that's one hell of a price rise and especially considering the park doesn't have anything additional to offer numerically. Then you have the rise of single ride tickets; PMBO and Valhalla have gone up to £10, Icon is £15, car park charge increase etc... maybe the higher prices are just too off-putting.
- Poor customer service. PB generally offers a good day out, but when they get it wrong, they get it terribly wrong. Closing 2 hours earlier than advertised, telling season pass holders they have to queue up in the main queue, these things all add up and an experience like that could be enough to put people off returning. Whilst they do a lot of good in the customer service area (ride staff have been fantastic in recent years), I really feel that PB as an overall entity need to stop treating their guests with such contempt, they are a customer-focused business after all.
- Misconceptions about safety. As enthusiasts we all know that Icon is built by one of the safest and reputable manufacturers out there, but thanks to a certain Staffordshire theme park and associated news articles there is a general consensus that rides are "dangerous" - the constant news articles whenever a ride has a safety stop don't help matters. A few weeks ago we were stood on the Icon viewing platform and PMBO was going through its wheel checks, we overheard two different groups of people saying things along the lines of "it's stopped again, that can't be safe" or "it keeps having problems, I wouldn't go near it until it's been running for a while." It's absurd but if it's the way people are thinking, maybe that could be a contributing factor.
- Demolition of the Wild Mouse. Again, this comes under the customer service and marketing lines, but I feel that the way BPB handled the closure and removal of one of the most popular and established rides on park may well be contributing towards people not visiting.