Blackpool Pleasure Beach: 2021 Discussion

[Funcone]

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.

I agree with you about the lady looking bored. I prefer the original marketing for the Valhalla with the viking skeleton. In terms of a bigger marketing plan, it might depend on what they're doing with it. If most of the work is on things the average guest won't notice (structural work, health and safety changes, lowering the gas consumption etc), then that might be a hard one to base a major marketing campaign on. If there are more things that will improve the guest experience, like better animatronics, or a better sound system, then there's more potential for a marketing campaign.

I suspect part of the reason they're doing the spinning seats on Icon is because they don't feel confident pushing Valhalla too hard. If they thought that the re-imagined Valhalla was going to be a clear improvement over the original (guest experience wise), then I'd expect them to do a big campaign around that, and not be bothering with changing Icon.

 

[Jim]

The last thing those boats need is more weight !

Its okay, from the designs I've seen its going to be floor less to save weight ensure everyone's feet get wet. Then half way round the seats will do a 360 rotation dunking everyone so there is no arguments on which is the wettest seat...

*this is sarcasm & i have not seen any designs*

 

[Rick]

@Funcone For regular visitors, I think "Valhalla is back" is a pretty powerful message, without worrying too much about the specifics of a refurbishment, noticeable or otherwise. It's been a real notable omission to the park over the past couple of seasons.

Going all out to claim that it's a revolutionary new attraction doesn't feel like a win.

 

[Dipper_Dave]

Its okay, from the designs I've seen its going to be floor less to save weight ensure everyone's feet get wet. Then half way round the seats will do a 360 rotation dunking everyone so there is no arguments on which is the wettest seat...

*this is sarcasm & i have not seen any designs*

Great post. Given the fact that Amanda supposedly insisted on a lower launch speed on Icon to save money (or is this an old wives tale?), I'm surprised the boats weren't floorless all along, with the riders made to Fred Flintstone it up both lift hills

 

[Funcone]

I agree with you Rick. Even without any changes it’s a tremendous ride. And it’s left the park without a major water ride.

Although visitors who are really regular will know that it’s being bought back without an external advertising campaign, because they’ll have seen the construction fences, the posters in the park and the building work. Valhalla was already one of the park’s best rides, so it arguably didn’t have a pressing need for ‘plussing’. I think it’d be a shame if they tried to ‘modernise’ it too much with screens and projections, as I like the physicality of it. But there is potential for new effects. If there were going to be new effects, I think there’d more opportunity for a big external campaign.

Presumably though they looked at it from a marketing perspective and felt that they needed another project next year, particularly given that it’s going to have been four years since Icon was new. To me these spinning cars do feel like the kind of gimmick you’d do when you didn’t have much else to advertise.

 

[Rick]

@Funcone Agreed. Depending on what they have actually done to it, having it closed for two years has probably gone a long way to paying for the refurbishment.

 

[venny]

Totally agree guys - spinny Icon is the pointless refresh for marketing purposes. Valhalla is more out of necessity.

They’ve literally said one of the reasons they’re doing the refurb is to make it more “sustainable”, i.e. easier and cheaper to run.

 

[TheBolt]

I am expecting the "more sustainable" angle to mean we get video mapped flames and a blast of warm air, rather than gas powered flames. I am expecting a few areas to use video mapping effects to make the ride feel more contemporary.

I just want boats that can drain themselves properly so you don't have to sit in a puddle.

 

[Skyscraper]

I am expecting the "more sustainable" angle to mean we get video mapped flames and a blast of warm air, rather than gas powered flames. I am expecting a few areas to use video mapping effects to make the ride feel more contemporary.

I just want boats that can drain themselves properly so you don't have to sit in a puddle.

Doubt they will but I really hope there will be baggage cages, lockers or a manned hold. Balancing a rucksack between your legs on the final drop is impossible... Mine fell into the footwell and got soaked.

 

[Jim]

Great post. Given the fact that Amanda supposedly insisted on a lower launch speed on Icon to save money (or is this an old wives tale?), I'm surprised the boats weren't floorless all along, with the riders made to Fred Flintstone it up both lift hills

*Assumptions* Icon's launch might be slower due to not having space to burn off the energy without higher/longer track layout. Also LSM launches required quite a bit of peak power pull which the parks currently power supply might not have been able to handle, so would cost more to have either additional power line or capacitor storage to handle short surge for the launches. All in all, saving money....

 

[Matt N]

I heard rumours that the ride was originally designed by Mack to run at 90km/h or 100km/h, and the current 80km/h was the minimum speed the ride could run at without stalling. The park supposedly opted for the minimum speed in order to save on electricity costs.

Just something I heard… could be completely wrong.

 

[rob666]

Now what I heard was that the ride runs to exact speed specified from original planning, it was always designed as a family thrill coaster, any greater speed off either post launch hill would cause discomfort for the vast majority of riders.
It runs as it was designed to run.

 

[venny]

The speed thing is a nonsense. It could (and does) run slightly faster/slower but there’s no way they’d run it 20kph faster. It’d kill you going over the first airtime hill on the back row.

They ran a new supply in for Icon and built a new substation.

 

[Matt N]

I had a thought regarding Icon's "twist" coming in 2022.

I know that many are suggesting the back seats could be where the spinning car goes, but; what if they fitted it in one of the middle cars? Front is popular for the views, and back is popular for the speed, but few are really that fussed about the middle, so why not spice the middle up a little by inserting the spinning gimmick in the 2nd or 3rd car?

Besides; correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the back car also the only car specifically designed to accommodate larger riders? So if the back car went in favour of a spinning experience, then larger riders would be unable to experience "regular" Icon?

I might be grasping at straws because the back car is my favourite place to experience Icon, based on the rides I've had, but I thought it might be a point worth suggesting...

 

[Skyscraper]

I had a thought regarding Icon's "twist" coming in 2022.

I know that many are suggesting the back seats could be where the spinning car goes, but; what if they fitted it in one of the middle cars? Front is popular for the views, and back is popular for the speed, but few are really that fussed about the middle, so why not spice the middle up a little by inserting the spinning gimmick in the 2nd or 3rd car?

Besides; correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the back car also the only car specifically designed to accommodate larger riders? So if the back car went in favour of a spinning experience, then larger riders would be unable to experience "regular" Icon?

You know Matt, that's a really good point actually. The "big boy" seats are indeed on the very back row.

 

[Craig]

I don’t believe they could put it in the middle as the clearances would be off - the rear seats of the last “normal” row are static so the clearance remains the same, whereas facing other riders in normal seats with flailing legs makes things a little more difficult. There’s nothing to stop them moving the larger seats to the row in front though, that’s the more likely option.

 

[Skyscraper]

I don’t believe they could put it in the middle as the clearances would be off - the rear seats of the last “normal” row are static. There’s nothing to stop them moving the larger seats to the row in front though, that’s the more likely option.

Good point, yeah they'll just move them further forward.

 

[NuttySquirrel]

I had a thought regarding Icon's "twist" coming in 2022.

I know that many are suggesting the back seats could be where the spinning car goes, but; what if they fitted it in one of the middle cars? Front is popular for the views, and back is popular for the speed, but few are really that fussed about the middle, so why not spice the middle up a little by inserting the spinning gimmick in the 2nd or 3rd car?

Besides; correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the back car also the only car specifically designed to accommodate larger riders? So if the back car went in favour of a spinning experience, then larger riders would be unable to experience "regular" Icon?

I might be grasping at straws because the back car is my favourite place to experience Icon, based on the rides I've had, but I thought it might be a point worth suggesting...

I would have thought loading would be a nightmare if the spinning seats were in the middle, especially if there's a separate queue for it - which I imagine there would have to be.

 

[Matt N]

I would have thought loading would be a nightmare if the spinning seats were in the middle, especially if there's a separate queue for it - which I imagine there would have to be.

I'll admit I didn't think of that; maybe they could load from the exit like they do with Speedy Pass, especially if it were to be an upcharge as suggested by some?

 

[Skyscraper]

especially if there's a separate queue for it - which I imagine there would have to be.

That's the thing that intrigues me the most about this; it would make sense for there to be one spinning car pet train with a separate queue line for them, but where would they fit that line in? There is virtually no space in the station.
Will be very interesting to see what they do.