Enter Valhalla
TS Member
Am I the only person on here who actually really enjoys Big One?
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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: 2023 Discussion
- Thread starter rob666
- Start date
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Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Still SBNO according to the website.
George W
TS Member
I love the first drop and the sheer size of the thing, the rest of the ride is a bit of a shaky and fast monorail, not really any interesting forces besides the first drop although the tunnel is good fun, however the ride does fill a gap in the UK line up which is a long and tall ride that isn't over straight away and exodus won't be taking that away from it.
I think the big one holds a special place to many people which I've noticed especially when talking to locals at pleasurebeach especially when you consider the ride came out in 1994 alongside nemesis and it was the tallest and steepest ride in the world at this point and the UK really were the pioneers of many great industry changing rides back in the day which can be easy to forget in the current age of theme parks.
Having ridden it an extremely large number of times, I can confirm it is enjoyable. Heavily dependent on where you sit, though, and there are some days where it is simply running poorly - wind and rain make a massive, negative difference.
Best seats in my view are front row of cars 2 or 3, ideally the left seat.
Can occasionally get some real airtime on the back row of cars 4 and 5 but its offset by the concussion-inducing wheels trying to bounce you into another dimension
shakey
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Wild Mouse - Blackpool - :(
It's my favourite (existing) coaster. (Admittedly I haven't ridden 100s and none abroad)
If you judge it purely on coaster elements then it's clearly nothing spectacular, but if you judge it on height, speed, views and history then it's a special coaster. It's just a shame that you can rarely experience it after dark these days, especially during illuminations when the views really are incredible.
And it is still one of the most popular coasters in the UK with the general public after nearly 30 years of service.
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Craig
TS Administrator
The Big One is always one I like to pop on when the queue is low(ish) thanks to the views and the first drop for me. It's also the first coaster I actively followed through construction thanks to visiting Blackpool pretty regularly as a kid too - so lots of nostalgia there for me. Purely on the coaster front though, it's bloody terrible. I skipped riding last year thanks to the hideous queue on my visit, but I did notice the trains were in noticeably better condition with a decent floor installed and everything looking pretty clean and new.
It was nice to ride it without a heavy wind slowing things down at the weekend, but I have to agree it's noticeably poorer going over the new sections of track. Soon as you see that shiny red new-ness to it, you know you're going to get clattered around sat in the train. Quite amusing to watch everyone being thrown around sat in the back carriage!
Big Dipper looks better, and it felt a tiny bit smoother particularly in the first half of the ride. But then last year's ride was right at the back and this year was toward the front - so maybe the difference isn't so great after all...
I agree on the River Caves front, the sheer number of leaks around the ride was crazy. The age of the thing gives it character, but it's definitely looking a lot tattier than it did before these days.
In terms of W+G, I love it but I'm of the view that it's a great ride if you're a fan of the films so I do like to ride it as long as it's open. That said, I was a huge fan of Gold Mine and between the two would've preferred it to be kept as that with some modernisation. Regardless of the theme though, the ride system is fun with the noticeable speed changes, so I'm just glad it's stuck around in some form.
As for the area around the fountains - wholly agree it looks crap. The astroturf space where Trauma Towers stood just looks soulless with nothing placed there and a blank wall to stare at. "The HuB" on the Mouse's former site just looks like a glorified bin store especially when not in use. FY4 just looks dilapidated with rust, closed outlets and an inaccessible upstairs section. When it's opposite the lovely wooden buildings of Heidi Straße, which have withstood the elements much better despite being considerably older, it's massively obvious that there was so little thought put into the materials used to ensure some longevity beyond a season or two.
It was nice to ride it without a heavy wind slowing things down at the weekend, but I have to agree it's noticeably poorer going over the new sections of track. Soon as you see that shiny red new-ness to it, you know you're going to get clattered around sat in the train. Quite amusing to watch everyone being thrown around sat in the back carriage!
Big Dipper looks better, and it felt a tiny bit smoother particularly in the first half of the ride. But then last year's ride was right at the back and this year was toward the front - so maybe the difference isn't so great after all...
I agree on the River Caves front, the sheer number of leaks around the ride was crazy. The age of the thing gives it character, but it's definitely looking a lot tattier than it did before these days.
In terms of W+G, I love it but I'm of the view that it's a great ride if you're a fan of the films so I do like to ride it as long as it's open. That said, I was a huge fan of Gold Mine and between the two would've preferred it to be kept as that with some modernisation. Regardless of the theme though, the ride system is fun with the noticeable speed changes, so I'm just glad it's stuck around in some form.
As for the area around the fountains - wholly agree it looks crap. The astroturf space where Trauma Towers stood just looks soulless with nothing placed there and a blank wall to stare at. "The HuB" on the Mouse's former site just looks like a glorified bin store especially when not in use. FY4 just looks dilapidated with rust, closed outlets and an inaccessible upstairs section. When it's opposite the lovely wooden buildings of Heidi Straße, which have withstood the elements much better despite being considerably older, it's massively obvious that there was so little thought put into the materials used to ensure some longevity beyond a season or two.
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
The Big One is never a coaster that I have overly rated. It’s quite comfortably in the bottom 50% of my rankings, and it’s my least favourite coaster that’s 200ft tall or higher (of 6 ridden) by a considerable margin. I personally find the ride to be a bit too rough for my personal liking, and I also think that it lacks airtime compared to other hyper coasters and overall doesn’t really do an awful lot.
With that being said, I think it packs a nice sense of speed in places, and it’s undeniably an impressive ride to look at. It’s also crammed into the space it inhabits very impressively. It was also one of the first hyper coasters, so I’m probably being overly harsh.
I have also found that it’s a coaster that blows hot and cold to some degree. On my first visit to Blackpool in August 2018, I’d genuinely have said that the ride was one of my very least favourite coasters, possibly sitting as low as 8th in the park for me. It was phenomenally rough throughout, very sluggish and overall not very enjoyable. On my second visit to Blackpool in August 2019, it was better, with the ride seeming slightly faster and less rough than on my first visit. I still wouldn’t have said it was a coaster I overly rated, but the ride was a little bit better on my second visit than on my first; it probably jumped up to 5th or 6th in the park for me after that.
I haven’t actually been to Blackpool Pleasure Beach since 2019, and I’ve only ever visited twice (being based in Gloucestershire, the park is a 3.5 hour drive from me on a very good run, so it’s a bit too far away for me to visit regularly and I was never brought up visiting the park). I’ll be intrigued to see how I find The Big One with the new Taziker track whenever I can next get up to Pleasure Beach, as none of this was in place last time I rode. The jury still seems to be out on whether the new track is smoother or rougher than the old track, which is intriguing…
With that being said, I think it packs a nice sense of speed in places, and it’s undeniably an impressive ride to look at. It’s also crammed into the space it inhabits very impressively. It was also one of the first hyper coasters, so I’m probably being overly harsh.
I have also found that it’s a coaster that blows hot and cold to some degree. On my first visit to Blackpool in August 2018, I’d genuinely have said that the ride was one of my very least favourite coasters, possibly sitting as low as 8th in the park for me. It was phenomenally rough throughout, very sluggish and overall not very enjoyable. On my second visit to Blackpool in August 2019, it was better, with the ride seeming slightly faster and less rough than on my first visit. I still wouldn’t have said it was a coaster I overly rated, but the ride was a little bit better on my second visit than on my first; it probably jumped up to 5th or 6th in the park for me after that.
I haven’t actually been to Blackpool Pleasure Beach since 2019, and I’ve only ever visited twice (being based in Gloucestershire, the park is a 3.5 hour drive from me on a very good run, so it’s a bit too far away for me to visit regularly and I was never brought up visiting the park). I’ll be intrigued to see how I find The Big One with the new Taziker track whenever I can next get up to Pleasure Beach, as none of this was in place last time I rode. The jury still seems to be out on whether the new track is smoother or rougher than the old track, which is intriguing…
Think with The Big One, it is style over substance. It is the second most recognisable landmark in Blackpool (after the £1 burger place of course), raised PBP profile when it opened and is still popular despite the industry moving on. As said, the height and first drop are the draw, but other than that it is a fast monorail around the park.
I do wonder, Big Dipper celebrates a milestone this year, can we see The Big One getting there in the future?
I do wonder, Big Dipper celebrates a milestone this year, can we see The Big One getting there in the future?
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
W&G is one of my favourites at the PB, hope it'll be reliable on the 6th! Probably the ride I'm most looking forward to getting back on.
Also, I'm thinking of taking wellies for Valhalla as I don't want my (new-ish) shoes being ruined, is that a sensible idea or would I look stupid?
pluk
TS Member
Yes and yes.
Worth looking stupid for!
Leigh
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- EGF
It is an amazing achievement to manage to make a ride run worse after a retrack than it was before, especially considering how already poor it was before (beyond the first drop). Big props to Taziker. 
I do always find enjoyment in my trips to the beach, but every time I go I’m reminded why I don’t make the trip often. From Nash’s godawful control system that takes double-digit attempts to park a train, to the woeful capacity of many of the headline attractions (thankfully negated somewhat by the weather over the past weekend turning people away!), to the frankly ludicrous banning of outside food. It honestly beggars belief.
I do always find enjoyment in my trips to the beach, but every time I go I’m reminded why I don’t make the trip often. From Nash’s godawful control system that takes double-digit attempts to park a train, to the woeful capacity of many of the headline attractions (thankfully negated somewhat by the weather over the past weekend turning people away!), to the frankly ludicrous banning of outside food. It honestly beggars belief.
Danscott22
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
Wait you can't take your own food in? I didn't know that! Me and a friend have been planning a trip later in the year for some time and always take food into parks but if you can't do that we might rethink.
Alexsniff7
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- ICON
no you can't
the reasoning on the website is because of how packed the park is there are little picnic spaces (which is kinda true) but we all know the real reason is so you buy their food
good news is pleasure beach food isn't too bad in terms of price and if you want to go elsewhere to eat you can leave the park and re-enter
Shaggy_Dog_
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Ride To Happiness
Just take it, if you bring a backpack then just wrap it up inside a jacket in the bag or whatever. Worse comes to the worst they’ll tell it you can’t bring it in if they did see it but I’ve always just gone for it.
NuttySquirrel
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Batman: Gotham City Escape
I told the bag search guy I have coeliac disease (not a lie) and would be bringing snacks in (just as well really, as nothing at Loki's was suitable apart from a bag of crisps!). Normally I'd encourage people to follow park rules but the rule is stupid so if you really want to take food in they will always accept the allergy excuse.
Of course they could close that loophole by actually bothering to cater for special diets, but I suspect that's not likely to happen any time soon.
Matt.GC
TS Member
Fired up the tractor and did the near 4 hour journey (but did the trip back in 3:20 which was a boon) op t'Northern Land yesterday, getting the usual nose bleed just before Strensham services due to the sheer altitude of traveling to such foreign northern lands. Yet, on the seaside to seaside trip, the weather changed completely. The brown mud flats of the Somerset coastline when we left (and didn't improve much back home all day), wind, on and off rain and bleak skies. The Golden sands of the Lancashire coastline, cloud came and went but mostly basked in a decent amount of sunshine, dry and with a light pleasant breeze in the air. Smashed down with rain in the Midlands though on the way up, could hardly see a few feet in front of the car.
I've always enjoyed Pleasure Beach, but disappointed by operations yesterday. Grand National is my favourite woodie in the UK, second trip in a row now it's been closed all day, I haven't ridden it in 3 years now. Despite Big One still being closed at gone 11am, Infusion was on 1 train with a queue almost back to the steps. Dipper backing out of the entrance. Both saying on the website that they had a mere '10 minute' queue. Waited 20 for Nick Steak, but the staff were in no hurry at all. It was like watching Shambhala, just chatting and strolling around.
Big One is the worst experience I've had on a coaster so far this year. As someone who enjoys Grand National and Saw, I can deal with rough rides for fun. I even gained some enjoyment from Baco. It's unforgivable when a rough ride has torturous restraints like Infusion or Colossus. But I've always enjoyed a bit of Big One because it doesn't suffer from this problem. But those jolts and sudden train movements were unforgivable yesterday. I usually come off a rough ride with a headache (Baco), a bruise (Saw, GN) or bashed up ears (Infusion, Dragon Kahn) but this really hurt. Still today, I have this pain in my neck and shoulders that just won't go away. I've never had that on a coaster before and I couldn't really get in much afterwards due to the pain.
Went on Pleasure Beach Express for the first time ever yesterday because it's the first time it's been open on my visits! Wallace and Gromit was a delight as always. The best part of the Ghost Train, the train bit, had no audio and is therefore ruined. I still love Icon but won't dwell on it to avoid 387 tedious follow up posts of why I'm 'wrong' as everyone else thinks it's crap.
First time on new Valhalla. Enjoyed it as ever but it's different rather than improved. The fire effects really were impressive and what you could see has looks great. Other than those flying demon things where the strobes were so bright, the whole scene was laughable as it it just looked like someone had stuck 2 LED's on their washing and moved it around the clothes line. You could even see the ceiling. I don't remember there being that many blank spots either. Maybe would have been better if the audio wasn't so quiet. I couldn't hear much at all. Still loved it, I just can't see how it's any better after 3 years of closure.
I've always enjoyed Pleasure Beach, but disappointed by operations yesterday. Grand National is my favourite woodie in the UK, second trip in a row now it's been closed all day, I haven't ridden it in 3 years now. Despite Big One still being closed at gone 11am, Infusion was on 1 train with a queue almost back to the steps. Dipper backing out of the entrance. Both saying on the website that they had a mere '10 minute' queue. Waited 20 for Nick Steak, but the staff were in no hurry at all. It was like watching Shambhala, just chatting and strolling around.
Big One is the worst experience I've had on a coaster so far this year. As someone who enjoys Grand National and Saw, I can deal with rough rides for fun. I even gained some enjoyment from Baco. It's unforgivable when a rough ride has torturous restraints like Infusion or Colossus. But I've always enjoyed a bit of Big One because it doesn't suffer from this problem. But those jolts and sudden train movements were unforgivable yesterday. I usually come off a rough ride with a headache (Baco), a bruise (Saw, GN) or bashed up ears (Infusion, Dragon Kahn) but this really hurt. Still today, I have this pain in my neck and shoulders that just won't go away. I've never had that on a coaster before and I couldn't really get in much afterwards due to the pain.
Went on Pleasure Beach Express for the first time ever yesterday because it's the first time it's been open on my visits! Wallace and Gromit was a delight as always. The best part of the Ghost Train, the train bit, had no audio and is therefore ruined. I still love Icon but won't dwell on it to avoid 387 tedious follow up posts of why I'm 'wrong' as everyone else thinks it's crap.
First time on new Valhalla. Enjoyed it as ever but it's different rather than improved. The fire effects really were impressive and what you could see has looks great. Other than those flying demon things where the strobes were so bright, the whole scene was laughable as it it just looked like someone had stuck 2 LED's on their washing and moved it around the clothes line. You could even see the ceiling. I don't remember there being that many blank spots either. Maybe would have been better if the audio wasn't so quiet. I couldn't hear much at all. Still loved it, I just can't see how it's any better after 3 years of closure.
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