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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: 2021 Discussion

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I can't see it being comparable to the likes of Time Traveler or the Ride to Happiness, but that immelmann will certainly make for an interesting element spinning through it.
 
New Valhalla promo image released today;

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Source: https://twitter.com/MandsThompson
 
We can only assume that the refurbishment has cost so much, that the watermarks were necessary. A bit like how the original facade was constructed using retired PMBO track. Except in that case, it wasn't nicked.

Also, I don't care how sexy those Vikings are, they should be holding on! The boat will be smashing into a corner any second.
 
One thing we can take from the poster is that it seemingly goes some way towards confirming a darker colour scheme for the ride in its new iteration.

The boats are shown as being black and gold here. This would tie in with the fact that the station has almost been fully painted over in black - or at least, it had been on my most recent visit to PB in October.

I'm not sure how I feel about this, but I will of course reserve judgement until the finished product.

I do feel that a dull colour scheme would be poor considering how much scenic detail the boats and station had originally. There's the scenic paintwork on the dragon's head; the eyes, mouth, sides of the neck etc. and all of the carvings on the station.

I'll be disappointed if all of the little details are missing and a grey/black colour scheme has been plastered over everything.
 
In terms of Icon, I think adding some spinning vehicles could really improve the ride as I think we can all agree it didn't take off as well as planned, hopefully they run one train of each or trains are split to give riders the option. I honestly wouldn't be surprised (if it is just the last carriage that's replaced) if it's an up-charge experience. I also think they could have come up with a better name that relates to the experience better, yes I know it's in Japanese but I don't think many of Blackpools clientele will make that reference.

As for Valhalla I do quite like the black boats and darker tone although it would be nice to see Pleasure Beach paint something that isn't grey, black or gold. As for the marketing image, one, the girl looks beyond bored and two, I can imagine this will be as much advertising as it gets. I really do feel that Pleasure Beach need to up their marketing strategies to push new attractions. Alton Towers would have a full blown campaign in the works at the moment.
 
Regarding Icon and "Enso", I think it's pretty obvious that spinning cars will be coming in some form. The interesting bit will be how it's implemented; The station setup is too small to accommodate a separate queue line for one or two spinning cars attached to the existing static cars, or even one static train and one spinning train, but, on the other hand, reverting all the trains to spining-only could put off some people from riding. How do we think this will be implemented?
 
Skyscraper said:
Regarding Icon and "Enso", I think it's pretty obvious that spinning cars will be coming in some form. The interesting bit will be how it's implemented; The station setup is too small to accommodate a separate queue line for one or two spinning cars attached to the existing static cars, or even one static train and one spinning train, but, on the other hand, reverting all the trains to spining-only could put off some people from riding. How do we think this will be implemented?
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Badly?
 
Skyscraper said:
How do we think this will be implemented?
Click to expand...
Badly. Almost certainly.

I think it depends who the audience is for this and the configuration of the trains. A single set of spinning seats per train as per Steel Taipan feels like the most likely installation to me.

If that's the case it feels unlikely, but not impossible that all guests will be able to make a decision to ride the spinning seat as they enter the station. If a small number of "pre-booked" guests are definitely taking a spinning seat and others don't have the choice to, coexisting with the Speedy Pass line doesn't feel too difficult, but less than ideal.

Maybe it will be an upcharge, like at Dreamworld. On a single train service, you're lucky if they dispatch 20 trains per hour, allowing a walk up queue seems insane but ... Spin Doctor.
 
Rick said:
Badly. Almost certainly.

I think it depends who the audience is for this and the configuration of the trains. A single set of spinning seats per train as per Steel Taipan feels like the most likely installation to me.

If that's the case it feels unlikely, but not impossible that all guests will be able to make a decision to ride the spinning seat as they enter the station. If a small number of "pre-booked" guests are definitely taking a spinning seat and others don't have the choice to, coexisting with the Speedy Pass line doesn't feel too difficult, but less than ideal.

Maybe it will be an upcharge, like at Dreamworld. On a single train service, you're lucky if they dispatch 20 trains per hour, allowing a walk-up queue seems insane but ... Spin Doctor.
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I think a single set of spinning seats on each train is most likely as well, but as I've said, the station isn't big enough for a separate queue line for those. Will be interesting to see how it's done if that's the case, but expect to be waiting ages for those seats either way. :p
 
Plastic Person said:
Also, I don't care how sexy those Vikings are, they should be holding on! The boat will be smashing into a corner any second
Click to expand...

siralgenon said:
As for the marketing image, one, the girl looks beyond bored and two, I can imagine this will be as much advertising as it gets
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Yeah, she is clearly not happy about smashing into those post lift hill turns and having a bucket of water tipped onto her feet, she is sat in 'that' seat after all!

I couldn't really give a rat's ass about the Valhalla reopening promotion, colour scheme, etc. The only things I am interested in are:

  • Will the aforementioned turns still dump a bucket of water over the feet of the rider in the front left seat?
  • Will the water vortex still fail to work properly, thus dumping a gallon of water over the entire boat?
  • Will seatbelts have been fitted?
I'm not always in the mood to ride it, or more realistically I simply don't have a change of clothes AND shoes nearby, but it will be good to see Valhalla back, North park has felt dead without that and Wild Mouse, even more so when Nash is shut.
 
Skyscraper said:
That's an intriguing question actually. I wouldn't be surprised if seatbelts were fitted for extra safety. Would you be happy or unhappy if they were added?
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I'm not too bothered either way, in a way from a H&S perspective it's surprising they weren't on all along, I guess now would be as good a time as any to install them, but surely they'd be permanently wet and smelly and the mechanisms would rust & need frequently replacing. I guess that's a big part of why they were never on, unless anyone can think of other possible reasons.
 
Dipper_Dave said:
I'm not too bothered either way, in a way from a H&S perspective it's surprising they weren't on all along, I guess now would be as good a time as any to install them, but surely they'd be permanently wet and smelly and the mechanisms would rust & need frequently replacing. I guess that's a big part of why they were never on, unless anyone can think of other possible reasons.
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That's a good point actually, could see them going for actual ratcheting lap restraints if they really wanted to add something.
 
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