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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: 2023 Discussion

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RicketyCricket said:
Christ it's all happening up there at the moment isn't it?

Hot Ice failing, Valhalla doomed and misleading operating hours. Utter shambles.

Do we know if they may be in a bit of financial trouble? They seem desperate at the moment, doesn't bode well for the future.
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Bodes well I'd say. It's about time they sold the place to people who can actually afford to run the place and invest into the park adequately.

New blood needed.
 
Merlin management on behalf of the "family" park looks more likely by the week at this rate of failure.
Mandy knows best on her twatter account has gone down really well!
 
Shoddy customer service, a sharp decline in operational standards, rides closing earlier than the closing time advertised at the ride entrance, and numerous instances of opening hours being slashed with less than 24 hrs notice, together with the lack of any news about Valhalla all combined are the reason that I haven’t set foot in this park since May 2021, and it will, at the very least, take Valhalla re-opening to get me back through the gates.

I can’t be the only person who feels this way, and has literally takes business away from the park as a direct result of nothing other than the way in which they run the place. They’re digging their own grave, and things need to change fast.

And to put it in context, less than 5 years ago, I loved the place and was one of the strongest defenders of the park when it received criticism. But you can’t defend the indefensible.
 
Enter Valhalla said:
Shoddy customer service, a sharp decline in operational standards, rides closing earlier than the closing time advertised at the ride entrance, and numerous instances of opening hours being slashed with less than 24 hrs notice, together with the lack of any news about Valhalla all combined are the reason that I haven’t set foot in this park since May 2021, and it will, at the very least, take Valhalla re-opening to get me back through the gates.

I can’t be the only person who feels this way, and has literally takes business away from the park as a direct result of nothing other than the way in which they run the place. They’re digging their own grave, and things need to change fast.

And to put it in context, less than 5 years ago, I loved the place and was one of the strongest defenders of the park when it received criticism. But you can’t defend the indefensible.
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I actually agree... we were due next weekend yet cancelled due to valhalla and the pricing system/structure
 
Well isn't this a happy thread at the moment !!

So some good news..... It's another jolly boys outing tomorrow.

I may even be tempted to make a Nash comeback.



Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk
 
Rick said:
Even twenty years ago you could have multiple performances per day of Hot Ice, Eclipse and Mystique. They felt profitable but there's some not insignificant costs associated with running those things.

I wonder how much the shift to day visits (or shorter stays) in lieu of week long breaks perhaps changes the demand for the shows.

Plus, if you're staying more centrally, there's probably more options like Viva etc closer to your hotel.
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It's a slightly shocking realisation that the park were running three, full-scale Vegas-lite style shows per day just two decades ago. While I think you're right that they weren't always profitable, they made the park feel better-rounded and also benefited from coach groups year round. Interestingly, I always thought that BPB felt more like a resort park back then, even before the hotels. Food and entertainment offered much more diversity.

If I were to attempt to sympathise with the park, Hot Ice has long been part of the fabric of BPB. The show is usually of a very high-quality, even if it's evolving aesthetic had felt dated for years now. Eclipse was always a much better show with broad appeal, and Hot Ice felt like Amanda's personal vanity project even when it was burning cash next door to and alongside Valhalla.

No BPB visit for me this year, so I'm not able to comment from on the ground, but I get the impression that this period for the park seems even bleaker than that immediately following WGT's death in 2004. For reference, I thought the park offered a better product than Alton not so long ago, but those days suddenly feel as distant as the optimistic casino bid.

Saying all that, a Merlin management takeover would feel like a bleak outcome for the industry.
 
Plastic Person said:
It's a slightly shocking realisation that the park were running three, full-scale Vegas-lite style shows per day just two decades ago. While I think you're right that they weren't always profitable, they made the park feel better-rounded and also benefited from coach groups year round. Interestingly, I always thought that BPB felt more like a resort park back then, even before the hotels. Food and entertainment offered much more diversity.

If I were to attempt to sympathise with the park, Hot Ice has long been part of the fabric of BPB. The show is usually of a very high-quality, even if it's evolving aesthetic had felt dated for years now. Eclipse was always a much better show with broad appeal, and Hot Ice felt like Amanda's personal vanity project even when it was burning cash next door to and alongside Valhalla.

No BPB visit for me this year, so I'm not able to comment from on the ground, but I get the impression that this period for the park seems even bleaker than that immediately following WGT's death in 2004. For reference, I thought the park offered a better product than Alton not so long ago, but those days suddenly feel as distant as the optimistic casino bid.

Saying all that, a Merlin management takeover would feel like a bleak outcome for the industry.
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I wouldn't be surprised if the recent entry system change had something to do with the shows being less full. I reckon that some people just came in for the shows, but they can't do that now without paying for (expensive) park admission.
 
Skyscraper said:
I wouldn't be surprised if the recent entry system change had something to do with the shows being less full. I reckon that some people just came in for the shows, but they can't do that now without paying for (expensive) park admission.
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Is that right ?
 
Skyscraper said:
I wouldn't be surprised if the recent entry system change had something to do with the shows being less full. I reckon that some people just came in for the shows, but they can't do that now without paying for (expensive) park admission.
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Skyscraper said:
That's just my opinion, I could be wrong (hence why I said "I wouldn't be surprised" and "I reckon").
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I meant can you only access Hot Ice if you're on park ?
 
If you are coming to see the Matinee at 2:30 pm. You can access the Pleasure Beach Arena via the Watson Road Tunnel and the via the main entrance of Blackpool Pleasure Beach, just bring your Hot Ice tickets with you.

From PB Arena Website. Maybe this is why you have to scan into rides as they let people in to see Arena shows without entrance tickets?
 
A quick check of hot ice seats for Monday evenings performance. Looks like they've only sold 233 seats. They've got capacity for around 2000 seats

@Poisson calculated if everyone with a seat paid the maximum price, no freebies etc, then they'd get a total of £5,919 from this performance..

Still at least I guess there will be plenty of legroom for everybody.

Screenshot_20220806-222617.png
 
Why go to hot ice when you could go to the Blackpool Grand theatre and see the legendary Showaddywaddy.

Looks like this week's performance is quite popular.

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shakey said:
I once heard Amanda say on camera that she learned something very important from Doris Thompson.... That the public don't always know what they want and they sometimes need educating.

That is a very dangerous opinion to hold. And one I am 100% sure that Amanda holds to this day. Basically, she is right and it doesn't matter what the punters want.
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I do not totally disagree with that statement, the late genius that was Steve Jobs held a similar opinion with "A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them". Look how that turned out for him and Apple.

Obviously very different but I think if managed correctly that statement is ok. We can be pretty certain though, like everything else, Amanda is not managing that.

Amanda saying in that tweet "I want the ride open more than you". It sounds tone death, childish and sums up everything wrong with Amanda. It is almost like her saying "you can love the ride, but not as much as me, because Daddy built it."
 
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Henry Ford said something like, "If we listened to focus groups, we'd still be riding faster horses". It is true that the public will generally want a better version of what they've got, but it's also true that being a good listener is an important skill. I think the key thing is to listen to the public, but not to take everything they say at face value.
 
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