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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: 2023 Discussion

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Both those might be true, but would challenge that the reduced price could still be higher and not interfere too much with the volume. Just feels like they're at one extreme on the gate and the opposite on season passes.

They can't have sold many, if any at the full rate last year because they limited the numbers.

IDB said:
It’s great value if you’re planning to visit a partnering park or two next year.
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Indeed - it essentially makes the pass free.
 
Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t you say that BPB’s price stayed constant at £25 from about 2000 until only a couple of years ago?

Could that explain why we had such a drastic price rise come COVID? To make up for years of inflation?

Also, what parks does BPB partner with?
 
Rick said:
Both those might be true, but would challenge that the reduced price could still be higher and not interfere too much with the volume. Just feels like they're at one extreme on the gate and the opposite on season passes.

They can't have sold many, if any at the full rate last year because they limited the numbers.



Indeed - it essentially makes the pass free.
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There’s definitely a disconnect between the day price and season price. It’s not an anomaly in the industry though - just look at SeaWorld and Six Flags pricing in prior years.

On the price-volume ratio, I’m not saying they’ve hit the sweet spot, but to be honest I’m not sure we’ll ever know. The limiting of passes this year seemed like a bit of a ploy to drive sales and it only started mid-season. Cash flow I think remains their primary driver, as it has been for the past few years.
 
Matt N said:
Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t you say that BPB’s price stayed constant at £25 from about 2000 until only a couple of years ago?

Could that explain why we had such a drastic price rise come COVID? To make up for years of inflation?

Also, what parks does BPB partner with?
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But you could look at that from a different angle if it cost that much in the early 2000s then they were already too expensive.
 
Another fair season pass renewal price. I’ve bought mine already. Does anyone know how limited they were this year? I wonder if they’ll extend the ‘deadline’ like they’ve done before, or even knock a further tenner off!
 
They were far from busy on a number of wow weekends though this year.
The first Saturday was busy, the Sunday rather quiet.
Most of the other Sundays were very quiet.
The concession staff were rather unhappy at the crowd levels compared with other seasons pre covid.
The high entry cost has scared off many families, parents/relatives who do not ride are staying away, and either sending teenagers in on their own, or visiting other resorts.
I got a ten minute text message "dalek" voice on the landline setting out the offer, most amusing.
They will be getting my hundred quid over the next couple of weeks.
Even if the park is run by tits.
 
Me and the lad did a big budget trip to do BPB and the air show. Being aug I just added speedy pass for the pair of us. For long boring reasons I won't go into we haven't done much recently so it was a bit of a "ah F it" moment. Long story short for a Friday in Aug it was pretty bloody quiet!!! Absolutely didn't need the speedy pass.

Don't know if that is a one off or its a theme for the year generally.
 
They seem to be rarely busy at the moment. Ironically busiest days in th summer seem to be Tuesday.

Whatever would that be? Nothing to do with the fact that tickets are cheapest that day I’m sure…
 
I can only see that combined with the cost of living as the reason.

The price isn't particularly uncompetitive however the reality is BPB isn't really competing with anyone but itself. Outside of the enthusiast bubble its main audience is locals and holiday makers. Both of which, to be fair are the demographic on the whole that are being hit the hardest right now.

On an anecdotal side note Flamingo Land this week wasn't exactly packed for August. Outside of blip early on queue times didn't really pop over the 20 minutes mark. That is another park that is quite pricey for what it is though*

*Pricey in the context of price anchoring and customer expectations.
 
The fact that they have put the non rider charge up 300% in the last two years may possibly have something to do with it.
No longer any cheap entry to the park, sorry, seaside funfair, and they are suddenly on their knees.
If half the group don't want to do the big rides, they simply won't attend at all.
The park seem blind to the fact that the non riders often have a larger secondary spend.
Have an expensive paid show on top, that no bugger attends, that distracts the park owner from her real job of managing the whole park, not just the rat infested rotten shed that is the Arena, and you have a local attraction that is fast going to the wall.
Opening is a month later next year, how long before weekends only in term time.
 
I think that is a fair point - especially odd given there is no reason the current e-ticket system couldn't accommodate non rider.

I suspect their thinking is that without a fixed wristband it would be quite easy to cheat the system. It does show your photo as you scan it so a non rider using a screenshot could ride or parties could take it in turns on quiet days etc. I don't see anyone actively monitoring the turnstiles all the time.
 
I miss chatting up the hot bag carriers in Crevettes.
Most of the turnstiles are managed, because the scanners frequently fail.
Last few days of Hot Ice, get booked quick, tickets are very limited...
 
They are manned - but what I mean is nobody is sat checking each person's scan is their photo etc. Other than the big one and maybe Icon they often seem to be doing other jobs too. It would be quite easy to screen shot the QR code and spend a day riding but having paid for a non rider ticket.
 
Enter Valhalla said:
Do we know why BPB haven’t gone back to the orange wristbands?

Having to scan your phone on every ride, and thus severely drain its battery, is painful.
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So they can charge you money by hiring you a power bank!

I agree, and whilst most visitors will have a phone anyway, it’s really annoying having to faff about with it and find that QR code at the turnstile. Anyone taking more than a few seconds, the staff just let you in anyway without even looking at it.

All other parks I’ve been to where I’ve had to show something on my phone, it’s JUST to get park entry, then I haven’t needed it again.

But one of BPB’s things is that they are stubborn and won’t change something stupid like this. Anyway, once in just go to Guest Services near Grand National and ask for a paper E-ticket, then no more messing about with phones
 
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