Blackpool Pleasure Beach: 2024 Discussion

[GooseOnTheLoose]

I always wonder why UK theme parks charge so little for entry, and then often under-staff them (not running all trains, suboptimal loading/unloading). Entry to most UK parks only slightly more expensive than parking at many US theme parks!

The market won't and can't sustain higher prices across the board. Leisure and hospitality spend has severely dropped this year, which is a trend that started during COVID and continued through the cost of living crisis (which hasn't gone away).

US theme parks have different economic models. They're destinations. The country is so large that a visit to a notable theme park (not local amusement) takes several days and the experience better be worth it. It helps that the weather in California and Orlando is desirable.

In contrast UK parks are day outs (singular), perhaps you might stretch to a single night's stay if you're travelling from Kent to Towers, but not much more. Our geography makes this possible, which means that parks don't have to entice people for multiple day stays, or to go out of their way to visit.

When you've established that the British typically visit a theme park for a single day out, you then have to price yourself accordingly with the rest of the day out market. Open air museums, outdoor activity centres, escape rooms, bowling, the cinema, heritage railways, zoos, etc. Entry prices are competitive, to encourage visitation, with the hope that spend in the park will be comparable or higher.

We talk about the UK theme park industry being a practical monopoly. A monopoly can truly charge what it wants and people have to pay it, because there's no other choice. The UK theme park market may be largely dominated by a single player, but the theme park industry isn't a monopoly on day outs.

In the US the vacation industry is dominated by Disney. "Now you've won the Superbowl, what are you going to do?", "I'm going to Disney World!". Prices to Disney World have increased by 91% over to past 10 years. They can do this because they have the product people want and desire, through clever marketing and remaining relevant to American culture. Disney charges through the nose, so every other operator can too. American parks don't set their prices based on day out leisure activities. American parks set their prices based on a multiple day entry to Disney.

 

[Bowser]

I always wonder why UK theme parks charge so little for entry, and then often under-staff them (not running all trains, suboptimal loading/unloading). Entry to most UK parks only slightly more expensive than parking at many US theme parks!

I found 6 Flags parks to be comparable to the UK in terms of price. There's always 2 for 1 offers etc and a big focus on fast-track. Basically the US versions of Merlin these days. Get the impression only Disney and Universal are notably more expensive.

 

[shakey]

I always wonder why UK theme parks charge so little for entry

Let's hope Mandy doesn't read that !!!

 

[rob666]

I found 6 Flags parks to be comparable to the UK in terms of price. There's always 2 for 1 offers etc and a big focus on fast-track. Basically the US versions of Merlin these days. Get the impression only Disney and Universal are notably more expensive.

I would say it is the other way round...especially with the marketing of cheap passes...then focusing on the secondary spend to get anything like a decent experience.
Six Flags were the first to play that game.
Merlin copied a few years later...

 

[Bowser]

I would say it is the other way round...especially with the marketing of cheap passes...then focusing on the secondary spend to get anything like a decent experience.
Six Flags were the first to play that game.
Merlin copied a few years later...

Yep did mean that but worded it badly!

 

[Smiley]

I appreciate Disney/Universal are outliers, but I think US parks employ demand-based pricing a lot more than the UK (on both entry and FP). I can't believe people want to queue 2+ hrs (AT) for a ride, and almost paid 2x £130 FPs the other week (but Nemmy and Rita were closed). At least BPB has more affordable Speedy pass options.

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I'd rather go less often and have a better time - not just a "£30 or £150" option As for Disney/Universal, us Brits get cheaper tickets than almost anyone!

 

[Bowser]

I appreciate Disney/Universal are outliers, but I think US parks employ demand-based pricing a lot more than the UK (on both entry and FP). I can't believe people want to queue 2+ hrs (AT) for a ride, and almost paid 2x £130 FPs the other week (but Nemmy and Rita were closed). At least BPB has more affordable Speedy pass options.

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I'd rather go less often and have a better time - not just a "£30 or £150" option As for Disney/Universal, us Brits get cheaper tickets than almost anyone!

I don't think anyone wants to queue for 2 hours at any park!

AT (and Merlin) parks have one shot options alongside multiple tiers so there are a variety of FP options for different needs and budgets, more than BPB from what i can see. Perhaps the other tiers were sold out when you visited? BPB is certainly cheaper but that's probably a reflection on visitor numbers and demographics. If AT offered them at the same price then they'd likely become redundant due to overuse.

 

[Smiley]

Sorry @Bowser but I don't agree. £30 entry is nice and cheap, but then £10/ride FP isn't. AT is literally £100pp if you want a good day out (IMHO). Maybe I'm old (I am!) but I don't see anyone enjoying queueing for 60-120 mins for a 3 minute ride. When minimum wage is £11/hr, who's wanting to wait 2 hrs in a queue.....?

I don't want anyone to be priced out, or for Merlin to make less profit, but I won't be back at AT for many years - and expect to pay £150pp for the visit.

 

[Bowser]

Sorry @Bowser but I don't agree. £30 entry is nice and cheap, but then £10/ride FP isn't. AT is literally £100pp if you want a good day out (IMHO). Maybe I'm old (I am!) but I don't see anyone enjoying queueing for 60-120 mins for a 3 minute ride. When minimum wage is £11/hr, who's wanting to wait 2 hrs in a queue.....?

I don't want anyone to be priced out, or for Merlin to make less profit, but I won't be back at AT for many years - and expect to pay £150pp for the visit.

No need to apologise, we don't have to agree! Though my point was that there are multiple options rather than it being particularly cheap. Like i say, if they were cheaper then too many people would use them and they wouldn't effectively reduce the queue time unless they remained capped.

We do agree that nobody wants to queue for 2 hours but for many it's a sacrifice they're willing to make. Life is full of situations where one is put in a position of waiting for a reward and people decide (or are sometimes forced to endure) what is worth their time. Plus of course many don't have the luxury of being able to afford a fastpass so prolonged queueing is an accepted part of a day out at a theme park.

To be honest i think there is a sweet spot of queuing in building up suspense, especially in a well themed area or multiple angles of a coaster rushing past you. Plus a bit of time to recover from a previous ride. Obviously two hours in a cattle pen is just grim.

Age probably plays a part too, i know i'm far less tolerant of excessive waits now whereas when i was a teenager i don't think the queue time was even a consideration. My upcoming trip to Universal Osaka renowned for its 3 hour queues will truly be a test

 

[Steve Minor]

Today's planned maintenance/ride unavailability
Ice Blast
River caves
Valhalla
Big Dipper
Infusion
Alpine Ralley
Impossible
Gallopers
Thompson carousel
Dodgems

That is a disgusting amount of rides that are off especially as the main season has just started.
If they keep on like this they'll have no customers left for next season.

 

[Thameslink Rail]

So what's left in North Park?
Grand National
Alice in Wonderland
Derby Racer
Flying Machines
Ghost Train
Wallace and Gromit (I think that counts as North Park)

Embarrasing

 

[John_P]

Hoping I'd left it late enough to avoid school trip season but it's unnecessarily busy today.
I've ended up booking a go on Enso to avoid the Icon queue.

Infusion is open again though, not that I'll be riding it. No Big Dipper though.

 

[rob666]

Some terms end Wednesday in Lancashire sadly.
At least you have plenty of liquid sunshine this morning.

 

[John_P]

Some terms end Wednesday in Lancashire sadly.
At least you have plenty of liquid sunshine this morning.

Would've thought historically in Lancashire they'd have finished early to get them into the mills as quickly as possible.

 

[rob666]

Now Blackburn wakes weeks were always the third and fourth full weeks in July.
The Manchester area were more cosmopolitan...they all turned up in Blackpool over the whole of August.
I can remember being sent to sunny Darwen for bread for all the family when we holidayed late for some reason, and every bakers in Blackburn was shut...the whole of the town was absolutely dead.
Around the time of the death of steam, and a zillion trains to Blackpool every Saturday.

 

[Enter Valhalla]

Today's planned maintenance/ride unavailability
Ice Blast
River caves
Valhalla
Big Dipper
Infusion
Alpine Ralley
Impossible
Gallopers
Thompson carousel
Dodgems

That is a disgusting amount of rides that are off especially as the main season has just started.
If they keep on like this they'll have no customers left for next season.

That’s shocking. I know that a lot of people look back at the 90s as the golden era. I don’t have the same nostalgia as my first visit was in 2012.

But in all the years from 2012 to 2021, things were never anywhere near this bad. Even on off-peak days, you’d have at most two rides down. What on earth has happened to Pleasure Beach in the past few years? Mad to think how many of us used to defend the place. Totally indefensible now.

 

[DistortAMG]

Just a quick one, going the end of next month with my son.

I am not keen of the idea of using my phone all day to scan a QR code to ride the rides, my phone screen is cracked I plan on riding water rides and coasters (if open) I do not want to do further damage to the screen.

Can I get something from guest services to scan rather than my phone? - if I can't I will simply save my money and spend it elsewhere in Blackpool and not play by their silly rules.

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

Just a quick one, going the end of next month with my son.

I am not keen of the idea of using my phone all day to scan a QR code to ride the rides, my phone screen is cracked I plan on riding water rides and coasters (if open) I do not want to do further damage to the screen.

Can I get something from guest services to scan rather than my phone? - if I can't I will simply save my money and spend it elsewhere in Blackpool and not play by their silly rules.

The QR code doesn't change, like it does with some apps, it's a static image. You can print off the ticket at home and use that to scan in, it's what we did last year.

 

[DistortAMG]

The QR code doesn't change, like it does with some apps, it's a static image. You can print off the ticket at home and use that to scan in, it's what we did last year.

Great, ill do that then, laminate it at work (I have to pretend I am working, right?), then use that at the park.

 

[DiogoJ42]

The QR code doesn't change, like it does with some apps, it's a static image. You can print off the ticket at home and use that to scan in, it's what we did last year.

Good to know for those of us with old phones. Might be an idea to laminate it if you plan on doing Valhalla.