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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: 2021 Discussion

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Coaster said:
I'm hearing reports that Big One closed half an hour early today... to get it ready for tomorrow? I presume by this, it meant putting the second train on during Friday's hours rather than having to pay staff to do it after park close.

I just... I want to enjoy PB but that is the most nonsense thing I have heard in a long time. Arranged an off-peak visit next week a while back but regretting it a bit now, sounds like a nightmare for actually having the main rides open.
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It seems the off peak ride closure thing has been blown out of proportion somewhat. At least today, all major rides were running, and I think in terms of the ‘off peak ride lineup varying’ it can just be the odd ride really. We’re not talking massive ride closures so I don’t envisage the ‘nightmare’ you foresee. We even had Grand Prix open, which admittedly is a rarity midweek. We may have broken it now though!

Big One often seems to wind down a bit early. Things like sandbags being added a car at a time, thus having to wait for the next train. I agree that really all that stuff should be ideally be done after the last punters have gone through, but then I’ve never operated an amusement park ride either.

Unfortunately it is a case of ‘like it or lump it’ with BPB, I’m sure their T&Cs state that even the published ‘earliest ride close times’ are subject to change, which kind of makes even putting a ‘this ride closes at <insert time>‘ sign up somewhat pointless. Not much you can do about it though other than stop visiting
 
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Big One was running a full train as we were leaving the park at half four yesterday.
I noticed and was surprised because by that time they have usually started bagging seats off.
Managed walk on rides on the Big One, Ghost Train, Dodgems and Grand Prix yesterday, in the sun, with mates, good conversation, chips and beer.
Admissions staff were absolutely brilliant dealing with my season pass issues/locked email account and lack of mobile phone.
Completely different relaxed feeling off peak than the herding of lost sheep that is a busy weekend.
 
The strangest thing about the Big One lift is how shallow the steps are, it feels like an illusion of some kind.
 
I apologise if this seems a bit random, but; on a note unrelated to Big One, does anyone know roughly what Valhalla's throughput was towards the end of its pre-refurbishment lifespan?

I was only intrigued to know because I always see Valhalla's throughput listed as 2,000 riders per hour, which would put it well above anything else in the park and quite possibly anything else in the UK, and right up there with the rides at the likes of the Disney and Universal parks for throughput. However, I'll admit that this always flummoxes me a bit, as when I rode in 2019, it felt as though the queue moved very, very slowly; far more slowly than any other ride we rode that day (for some reference, I did time some other throughputs at BPB that day; I got Streak at 512pph, Dipper at 514pph and Icon at 844pph. Valhalla felt slower than all 3 of those), and based on that day alone, I'd personally have guessed Valhalla's throughput at not even 25% of the quoted value of 2000pph; it felt closer to 500pph (at best) the day I rode, probably lower in all honesty. I don't know if the fact we waited 2 hours combined with the raw heat in that very exposed queue line made it feel as though it moved slower, but the speed that that queue was moving at certainly felt like nowhere even close to 2000pph.

Is my assumption of the ride's capacity in its final months pre-refurbishment being considerably under 2000pph correct, or are my memories of the heat and the 2 hour line exaggerating the length of time between boats? For reference, 8 boats were running the day I rode; at least, that's what the sign said anyway. It felt like it could have been less, but I trust the sign far more than my own assumptions.
 
Each operating boat will typically dispatch once every eight minutes, with up to eight riders (some boats have six seats).

It was built with 25 boats but they now maintain a fleet of 14, running up to 8 most days and 10 - 12 by exception.
 
Rick said:
Each operating boat will typically dispatch once every eight minutes, with up to eight riders (some boats have six seats).

It was built with 25 boats but they now maintain a fleet of 14, running up to 8 most days and 10 - 12 by exception.
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Ah right OK; by that metric, I calculated that on a full capacity of 25 boats, the ride should attain about 1,500 riders per hour, but on the day I was there, when it was running 8 boats, it was attaining a throughput of 480 riders per hour.

That sounds more accurate based on my experience...
 
In the past 10 years it generally runs 4-8 boats during normal operation. There was one day I visited where it was running 11 but I think even that is pretty rare these days.

I doubt that the 2000 throughput could be achieved these days as running that many boats would make it more similar to a standard log flume operations which, for the type of ride Valhalla is, would be a maintenance nightmare.

That’s said, capacity at BPB is a joke on all rides except Icon. Everything else runs way fewer vehicles than its capable of and most throughputs at the park are around the 500 per hour mark which isn’t great on a busy day to say the least.
 
Valhalla ran a little differently when it was new, the ride system has been changed and tweaked over the course of two decades. Also, the free floating sections are quicker with more boats as a boat will 'ride the wave' of the one behind it disengaging the lift / hitting the bottom of a drop.

I suspect 2000 riders per hour wasn't pie in the sky if it was running well at full capacity, the problem being of course, it rarely did.
 
Belated thanks for your parking advice from some weeks ago about visiting BPB. We had a walk-on full day last week with six rides on Icon and my other half ‘experiencing’ the Pool and the Pleasure Beach for the first time.

This isn’t to hate on the park by any means, and we were probably spoiled as we spent the next two days at Alton Towers, but...when did BPB rides get so rough?! With the exception of Icon every single ride was uncomfortable as all hell, the apparently smooth track changes to the Big One weren’t apparent. Everything hurt...! We’re not big lads, but both felt crushed on every ride. We watch all the vlogs and everyone raves about the PB, we were just left in pain and not impressed. It’s been ten years since I’ve been so rides will deteriorate but didn’t expect them to be so bad.

Also, what’s with the scanning on every ride? You scan to get in and out, which I get, but it’s not like it helps populate queue times as you scan prior to dispatch on everything. Just wondering.
 
LapBar said:
when did BPB rides get so rough?! With the exception of Icon every single ride was uncomfortable as all hell, the apparently smooth track changes to the Big One weren’t apparent. Everything hurt...! We’re not big lads, but both felt crushed on every ride. We watch all the vlogs and everyone raves about the PB, we were just left in pain and not impressed. It’s been ten years since I’ve been so rides will deteriorate but didn’t expect them to be so bad.
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Every single ride apart from Icon? Really? Sounds a bit extreme. Some rides are an acquired taste and admittedly a bit rough (Grand National, which I love, and Infusion, which I hate) but that seems unfair to lay this level of hate on every ride apart from one.

The problem will be (well, apart from the fact that some are listed) in a few decades when all the ‘rough’ rides have gone and everything is glass smooth. You’ll then be left with a park full of boring rides like Icon
 
Lytham Road is my usual choice for free parking. Max 10 mins walk away.

If you would rather use a car park and don't mind paying something then the sea front car park opposite the pleasure beach was £8 for 12 hours last year. Cheaper than the pleasure beach car park.
 
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