Blackpool Pleasure Beach: 2021 Discussion

[Enter Valhalla]

I don’t visit the park that often, so haven’t really been keeping track of this year’s operations.

But when I visited yesterday, the Big One queue line was closed at around 4:30, and was clear of riders by around 4:45. The attendant offered me no explanation as to why they did this, and when I turned up at the entrance just after 4:30 and was refused access despite full rides trains being dispatched, it was frustrating to say the least.

 

[rob666]

Very Blackpool.
We have emptied your wallet, now go away, quickly.

 

[Enter Valhalla]

It was really poor and something I’ve not witnessed before at BPB. As I say, I don’t visit very often due to my southern location. This was potentially my only visit of the year, and for one of my group, it was her first visit to BPB.

We actually had a great day up until that point but left with a very sour taste in our mouths.

I defend BPB to the hills in the face of critics, but with behaviour like that, they just don’t help themselves. From what I could see, there was no justification for closing that queue 30 mins early and whilst I know it doesn’t seem like a big deal, we left the park feeling pretty irritated at something which didn’t need to be that way.

And the more I hear of midweek ride closures, park shutting earlier than planned with little notice, etc, I totally get now why people get so hacked off at BPB’s operations.

 

[rob666]

Then there is their inability to cope with high numbers.
An expected busy summer, coupled with sales of speedypass, means the summer could be hell on the Beach.

 

[venny]

It was really poor and something I’ve not witnessed before at BPB. As I say, I don’t visit very often due to my southern location. This was potentially my only visit of the year, and for one of my group, it was her first visit to BPB.

We actually had a great day up until that point but left with a very sour taste in our mouths.

I defend BPB to the hills in the face of critics, but with behaviour like that, they just don’t help themselves. From what I could see, there was no justification for closing that queue 30 mins early and whilst I know it doesn’t seem like a big deal, we left the park feeling pretty irritated at something which didn’t need to be that way.

And the more I hear of midweek ride closures, park shutting earlier than planned with little notice, etc, I totally get now why people get so hacked off at BPB’s operations.

The justification will be that the staff want to go home. It’s amazing the amount of positive press that the staff and operations get whilst this sort of issue is so widespread. We’ve witnessed it on numerous occasions already this year and it really does not send people home with the best impression. Especially when some people will do the big rides at the start and then leave some until the end of the day.

 

[Enter Valhalla]

To close Big One’s queue line a full half hour early can’t be just the decision of the staff though surely.

A manager somewhere in the park will have authorised them doing this. Or at least I’d hope that the managers would know enough about what goes on in the park to know that this happened.

You’re absolutely right about it sending people home with the wrong impression. We’d had a pretty good day up until that point and had been looking forward to getting a second ride on the Big One to end the day, yet we ended up leaving the park feeling pretty deflated, not least because we could see full trains going around the circuit yet we weren’t even being let into the queue.

 

[siralgenon]

I'm here today and a lot of rides have closed at 4 with the park being open till 5.

 

[Burbs]

I'm here today and a lot of rides have closed at 4 with the park being open till 5.

On a 6-hour day this is such a poor move. The attitude of the staff at Pleasure Beach has never been particularly good though with regards to keeping rides open til closing time.

Has anyone tweeted Mandy? She'll sort them out surely.

 

[jon81uk]

On a 6-hour day this is such a poor move. The attitude of the staff at Pleasure Beach has never been particularly good though with regards to keeping rides open til closing time.

At least Alton Towers advertise the ride close time, not the park close time. Blackpool seem to advertise the park close, then shut rides earlier without really saying they will.

 

[John]

During the 2000s BPB always used to close the queues early, to have the rides stop at the advertised closing time. If you were still in the park by then you'd practically get chased out by security. Always made last rides a real nuisance as you couldn't predict when things would shut - there was one occasion I ended up settling for Infusion as a last ride as (when walking from PMBO) Mouse had shut up shop with no staff to be seen, Nash closed as I was approaching and Dipper had closed by the time I got back to it.

It seems that sort of nonsense is creeping back in after being banished for a few years. Nash rarely seems to stay open until the very end on my most recent visits in 2019, always seemed to break down with 20-30min to closing time.

 

[venny]

At least Alton Towers advertise the ride close time, not the park close time. Blackpool seem to advertise the park close, then shut rides earlier without really saying they will.

It’s worse, they advertise the queues are open until closing time and then close them early anyway.

As for whether management know, either they do know and let it happen or they don’t know and one then has to question why. Given that it’s a pretty well known occurrence, you have to wager the former is more likely.

 

[rob666]

Skeleton staff, legal break rules on a six hour shift, so send 'em 'ome after five and a half hours without a break.

 

[Enter Valhalla]

At least Alton Towers advertise the ride close time, not the park close time. Blackpool seem to advertise the park close, then shut rides earlier without really saying they will.

But as the previous few replies have already alluded to, BPB’s official operating practice is to close queues at the advertised park closing time.

I’ve visited numerous parks in the U.K. and overseas where queue lines close early as standard. And I have no issue with that really.

What’s annoying about BPB is the inconsistency. On most of my visits, queues have either closed at the park closing time, which is fine. Or they’ve closed 1-5 minutes before park closing time, which is annoying but still tolerable. Yesterday however, we got to Big One nearly a full half hour before park closing only to be turned away, and what was more galling was to see that the ride was completely clear and shut down by 4:45, yet when we walked over to Grand Nash, we were able to get in the queue at literally 4:49 with no issue.

Where’s the consistency? Why do the signs at the ride entrances say 5:00 if it’s going to be earlier. If Big One’s 4:30 closure had been advertised, we’d have planned our day accordingly.

 

[Dipper_Dave]

At least Alton Towers advertise the ride close time, not the park close time. Blackpool seem to advertise the park close, then shut rides earlier without really saying they will.

They advertise an ‘earliest possible ride close time’ which they say is the last time at which you can join a ride queue. Except that in reality the last time you can join a ride queue has proved itself to be 30-60 mins before that stated time, and I’m sure their terms and conditions pretty much state they can do what they like.

I agree that this is a poor practice and leaves a sour taste for those either travelling some distance and/or who only visit the park every couple of years. The weather is fine today so they can’t even use that as an easy excuse. Before @shakey gets this in, it wouldn’t have happened in pay per ride days!

As regards staff breaks, it doesn’t seem to have been very well thought out if they make staff go without a break on the short days, which in turn makes the staff shut the rides early. That doesn’t seem right at all, both for the staff and visitors

 

[Enter Valhalla]

I’m glad that so many people agree that this is a really poor way to do business.

Say what you like about Merlin, but I’ve never seen any of their parks close a major ride before park closing time unless weather related.

And to close rides early (and it was the ride as well as the queue which closed before 5) without even advertising that you’re going to be doing so is really not good enough to be honest.

 

[rob666]

Every year in Blackpool, there must be about a million visitors who vow "Never Again"...crowds, queues, poor accommodation, and the human zoo inland from the north pier on the weekend evenings.
Every year, there are a million fresh punters who take their place.
The Beach has a long, long history of offering questionable service, as does the town as a whole...lowest common denominator stuff.
Wristbands were the beginning of the real downturn.
We have your money, you have had some rides, most pockets are now empty, go home please.
Please check the terms and conditions on the way out, and there will be a fresh mug next year if you don't like it.

 

[shakey]

.....We have your money, you have had some rides, most pockets are now empty, go home please.
Please check the terms and conditions on the way out, and there will be a fresh mug next year if you don't like it.

The trouble with that mentality is they will eventually run out of punters.

Attendances went down after Icon opened when they should have gone up and the park are quiet happy to stick their head in the sand of Blackpool Beach and claim that the Weather, Brexit, Economy or Too Many Seagulls are to blame, when they should at least in part be looking at themselves.

I don't have a problem with the park closing early in bad weather, as long as it is clearly announced part way through the day, but their standard approach on quiet days is "Can't Be Arsed". It may only upset a small amount of punters but they will pass this negative message on to others and the park risks losing future custom.

Customer service is extremely important and should be the parks number 1 priority whether it is rammed or empty.

 

[Enter Valhalla]

The trouble with that mentality is they will eventually run out of punters.

Attendances went down after Icon opened when they should have gone up and the park are quiet happy to stick their head in the sand of Blackpool Beach and claim that the Weather, Brexit, Economy or Too Many Seagulls are to blame, when they should at least in part be looking at themselves.

I don't have a problem with the park closing early in bad weather, as long as it is clearly announced part way through the day, but their standard approach on quiet days is "Can't Be Arsed". It may only upset a small amount of punters but they will pass this negative message on to others and the park risks losing future custom.

Customer service is extremely important and should be the parks number 1 priority whether it is rammed or empty.

Absolutely. Theme parks rely on repeat custom, and small things make a big difference to a lot of guests.

I worry that, like many businesses, BPB have the “we’ve not had any complaints so it’s fine” attitude.

Most people don’t complain formally, they just don’t come back.

 

[rob666]

They do complain formally, it is just managed well on the day.
See it all the time in guest services and the information desk.
Not yet seen anyone get any money back though.
The fresh punters still roll in on the next tide, with full pockets.
Not saying it is right, just very Blackpool overall.

 

[tayspru]

I’ve flagged up the early closure with PB on Twitter today in advance of my visit tomorrow (with screenshots of this thread), they have assured me all attractions will close at 5pm tomorrow . We shall see !