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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: 2024 Discussion

Enter Valhalla said:
I’d be interested to compare the downtime statistics of BPB against the Merlin parks. I’d include the ridiculous staggered openings and early closures as downtime too. Whilst I agree that Alton’s downtime hasn’t been great lately, overall I’d agree that Merlin’s operations are far better than what we’re currently seeing at BPB.

Downtime aside, this statement includes the following:

- Capacity: Two trains or more on all coasters when busy is standard at Merlin and this has got even better in recent years. BPB are terrible for running coasters on a single train. Merlin nearly always run rides at full capacity when it’s busy, and often when it’s quiet too. BPB are, to put it mildly, inconsistent in this area.

- Staggered openings: BPB have been dreadful for this over the past 10 years. Whilst Merlin parks do dabble in some from of staggered openings, it never tends to stay in place for more than a few months and is far less impactful than at BPB. The fact that virtually the whole park opens at 10:30 on a 10am opening is pitiful.


- Opening hours: Ok, forget Alton. Their opening hours are awful. But look at Thorpe Park, Chessington and LLW. Their standard off peak hours are 10-5, and 6pm closes apply in the weekends and school holidays, yet BPB seem to close painfully early these days, and keep adding early closures of Nick Land, something which Merlin rarely do at their parks.

- Merlin don’t make you scan your phone at every ride.

- Access to Merlin parks to/ from their hotels is far better than the weird system that BPB have.

- Merlin have better apps and keep on top of updating their queues times far better than BPB.

So yeah, overall, Merlin do in my opinion have better operations than BPB.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a Merlin cheerleader by any means. I always used to be dead against them taking over BPB. But things have just got so bad at BPB that I think Merlin would do a far better job of running the place than what we’re currently seeing.
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Aren't Alton Towers heavily restricted with how long they can stay open? We'd all love longer opening times especially for those of us who live further than an hour away from the resort but it's clearly never gonna happen
 
Anyone else going here on Saturday? Taking my youngest, even though I assume it will be busy, with it being Easter Bank holiday, it's great to have the park open to 9pm

First trip of the season for us. Looking forward to it
 
We went yesterday (30th March) and it was so busy. Even with the park open to 9pm, we only managed around 10/11 rides all day.

Ops weren't great at all and the Big One didn't even open until nearly 3pm
 
Late night riding would be a good idea for easter weekend at PB Seemed to work well at Towers. Big one not opening till 3 is disappointing unless it's wind related
 
Relife said:
Late night riding would be a good idea for easter weekend at PB Seemed to work well at Towers. Big one not opening till 3 is disappointing unless it's wind related
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There was an issue adding the second train on Saturday, then they ended up having to change the wheels on train 1 due to its speed. Not that it made much odds, as it still estopped approximately 5 million times today.

Extremely busy on Saturday, as expected. Icon ran 3 trains, and still held a queue of around 1hr 10m. Trains were being sent as soon as the previous had cleared the second launch. Big One had full extension and the roped section filled all night

In relation to queue jumping from certain guests, I will admit it's easier to just let it happen. Security only seem to appear as a last resort at BPB, ride staff sort most issues themselves. I do feel I see far fewer examples of antisocial behaviour at BPB compared to Towers, though

A few other observations as always:

- There's a new fence near the turnstile in Big One's queue, replacing the chained section

- The bridge over Grand Prix near Icon has had its fence replaced

- Entrance/Exit to the park is now via the shop only (Again). Worse this time, as the arcade's closure means you can't use that shortcut

- All the catering units are back open this weekend, including the ones outside the entrance

- Ghost train and W&G both have a staggering number of broken effects, wrongly timed cues and missing lights
(as I know certain people read this forum, please can you hide that DMX cable in Ghost Train, in the doll scene, cheers)
At the end of W&G, the first two monitors are now distorted, and the final one is switched off. Yesterday, it was showing 'File Manager'

- Impossible is apparently back open

- The playstation Tango ice blast van has moved from outside Avalanche. It now appears to live by Steeplechase
 
stu646 said:
We went yesterday (30th March) and it was so busy. Even with the park open to 9pm, we only managed around 10/11 rides all day.

Ops weren't great at all and the Big One didn't even open until nearly 3pm
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Weather and it being the last chance to night ride probably went against you there. I did 14 today and that was leisurely done. Rides opened at 1040 and I left at 5.30. The fish and chip queue wasted 35 mins of that
 
Genuine question (and apologies, i do like to speculate. Gets away from thew general negativity surrounding BPB)(Also, if this question needs to go elsewhere, i'm fine with that)

What are peoples thoughts on the Intamin Hot Racer? Anyone ridden it?

Do you think this could be a good addition for BPB in the Grand Prix space. Could you theme it to Grand Prix as a nod to the OG ride?
 
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