All that extra money they're going to rake in from putting the season pass price up.
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ℹ️ Heads up...
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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: 2024 Discussion
- Thread starter Relife
- Start date
Ares
TS Member
A few points to raise here;
1. If hardcore season pass holders are visiting a lot, the chances are they are very local and limited in numbers. Even if this is just a few hundred people at most visiting say 10+ times a season, where's the sensibility in potentially pricing out those who visit 5-10 times. The whole point of the season passes from a business POV is about advanced cashflow.
2. If a seasonal pass is £85 that's good value and I'd be enticed to pay that and visit the park 3 times to break even there or there abouts.
3. The European parks make zero impact on me as it's just a huge added expense to visit them in the first place to then justify any kind of cost benefit to Blackpool Pleasure Beach. I'd much rather have a platinum pass without these included at a lower price.
4. In relation to the above, given Blackpool's nature as a cheap and cheerful family day out, and it's current situation turning those families away due to ridiculous gate pricing and a lack of a tiered rider system.
Do you think these passes have ANY appeal to anyone outside of theme park / coaster enthusiasts in relation to BPB?
I would argue no. BPB is a different kettle of fish than the Merlin Parks and needs to be treated as such.
Surely the logical thing to do is offer FAMILIES a price sensible option to repeatedly visit the park throughout the year as you would say Chester Zoo. "We have this pass, it saves us money, let's take the kids whilst it's nice again" and reap the secondary spent off 3/4/5 people entering the park for drinks and food, than solo enthusiasts.
Imagine you could build your perfect family season pass either for a select period Spring / Summer / Autumn etc or the full season.
Example being say you've got a family of 4, mum, dad and a teenage kid and a younger child.
Dad is a thrill rider ticket with access to everything, mum and one child have kids tier tickets for the kiddie rides and one family tier ticket for the teenager who won't do the biggest rides.
Build that up and price it at 3 visits per year, coming in 20% cheaper than gate prices for each tier.
That's value for money for the customer, more up front capital, more guests on park for secondary spend and if they don't visit 3/4+ times per year you're up on the ticket.
I just think there is a completely wrong mindset to the way season passes are designed and viewed. That's why the park ownership thinks they don't benefit them and are hiking the prices.
The core issue time and time again is BPB excluding the families who visit Blackpool through pricing them out.
1. If hardcore season pass holders are visiting a lot, the chances are they are very local and limited in numbers. Even if this is just a few hundred people at most visiting say 10+ times a season, where's the sensibility in potentially pricing out those who visit 5-10 times. The whole point of the season passes from a business POV is about advanced cashflow.
2. If a seasonal pass is £85 that's good value and I'd be enticed to pay that and visit the park 3 times to break even there or there abouts.
3. The European parks make zero impact on me as it's just a huge added expense to visit them in the first place to then justify any kind of cost benefit to Blackpool Pleasure Beach. I'd much rather have a platinum pass without these included at a lower price.
4. In relation to the above, given Blackpool's nature as a cheap and cheerful family day out, and it's current situation turning those families away due to ridiculous gate pricing and a lack of a tiered rider system.
Do you think these passes have ANY appeal to anyone outside of theme park / coaster enthusiasts in relation to BPB?
I would argue no. BPB is a different kettle of fish than the Merlin Parks and needs to be treated as such.
Surely the logical thing to do is offer FAMILIES a price sensible option to repeatedly visit the park throughout the year as you would say Chester Zoo. "We have this pass, it saves us money, let's take the kids whilst it's nice again" and reap the secondary spent off 3/4/5 people entering the park for drinks and food, than solo enthusiasts.
Imagine you could build your perfect family season pass either for a select period Spring / Summer / Autumn etc or the full season.
Example being say you've got a family of 4, mum, dad and a teenage kid and a younger child.
Dad is a thrill rider ticket with access to everything, mum and one child have kids tier tickets for the kiddie rides and one family tier ticket for the teenager who won't do the biggest rides.
Build that up and price it at 3 visits per year, coming in 20% cheaper than gate prices for each tier.
That's value for money for the customer, more up front capital, more guests on park for secondary spend and if they don't visit 3/4+ times per year you're up on the ticket.
I just think there is a completely wrong mindset to the way season passes are designed and viewed. That's why the park ownership thinks they don't benefit them and are hiking the prices.
The core issue time and time again is BPB excluding the families who visit Blackpool through pricing them out.
venny
TS Member
All good points.
To the aspect of the partner parks, there is really no financial impact to an individual park offering the single visit as part of their pass product. As I understand it is just a reciprocal arrangement between those specific parks to allow partner parks’ annual pass holders the single free entry - it doesn’t cost the offering parks anything and it’s unlikely to cannibaliser the partner parks’ sales.
To the aspect of the partner parks, there is really no financial impact to an individual park offering the single visit as part of their pass product. As I understand it is just a reciprocal arrangement between those specific parks to allow partner parks’ annual pass holders the single free entry - it doesn’t cost the offering parks anything and it’s unlikely to cannibaliser the partner parks’ sales.
Enter Valhalla
TS Member
But maybe BPB are actually making the conscious business decision that they don’t want lots of annual pass holders, and this could well be a deliberate move to price them out.
I don’t know BPB as well as I do the Merlin parks, but at Merlin the annual pass has become a victim of its own success.
The Merlin parks get rammed with annual pass holders at weekends, thereby making a less enjoyable experience for everyone else. Also, and I am generalising here, but annual pass holders are often far more demanding, they visit regularly so know how to play the system, and they are often very self-entitled.
If this is the case at BPB, perhaps their logic is that it really isn’t worth the place being packed with the same annual pass holders every weekend. Appreciate that BPB hasn’t been as busy this year, but we know that Amanda has said in interviews that she gets annoyed at pass holders, so maybe she wants them gone.
I’m not saying I agree with this logic, but it’s definitely worth considering as a reason why they’ve done it.
owenstreet7
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Taron
This makes me think whether BPB may consider axing the annual passes completely in the future.
It wouldn't surprise me if they did however I'm sure such a move may shoot them in the foot.
They won't because of the secondary spend, and the Beach is very quiet off peak compared to Merlin/Alton.
If you only have a thousand punters on the park, you need those couple of hundred pass holders to fill the park out and keep the rides cycling.
Lots of pass holders spend more time in the bars and eating than they do on rides.
If you only have a thousand punters on the park, you need those couple of hundred pass holders to fill the park out and keep the rides cycling.
Lots of pass holders spend more time in the bars and eating than they do on rides.
Phantasialand did away with Annual Passes completely much to the annoyance of locals so it could be a step in that direction. You need to visit 7 times now to break even which is about what I've managed so far on my 2023 pass but I have used it for the european parks too but that was this year when I paid £129 which is 3 rides down on last year. I'll probably not renew as I do enjoy my visits to Blackpool but I guess maybe just a single visit will suffice next year.
You mean like the pass the Beach promised me would be honoured for my wife three /four years ago, when the covid crisis was over?
They could call it the diamond pass...
again.
Paid for in advance, still awaiting my response on the matter via email...we will make sure someone gets back to you with something of equal or greater value?
They didn't say what year they would respond.
Mucky mandy...
They could call it the diamond pass...
again.
Paid for in advance, still awaiting my response on the matter via email...we will make sure someone gets back to you with something of equal or greater value?
They didn't say what year they would respond.
Mucky mandy...
Not sure when this happened, but I've only just spotted it today - Bowl-a-drome has been completely emptied, including some of the fixtures and fittings from the walls. Apologies for the terrible photo, the lights were off and somehow this was the cleanest window:
In other news, the scaffolding on Ice Blast has approximately doubled in height since I last posted - wonder if they're going all the way up?
In other news, the scaffolding on Ice Blast has approximately doubled in height since I last posted - wonder if they're going all the way up?
danlouislucy
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Helix, it's just sublime
Did BPB get a 367ft tall Intamin without me realisingFinally tried Red Force today. Enjoyed it more than I expected to. Couldn't make it barrel roll all the way round like some people.
NorthernMonkey
TS Member
Just had an email offering a "flash sale" on platinum season pass renewals - £100 for the next 24 hrs, increasing to £125.50 until Friday, and £129.50 until the end of September!
Obviously not had much uptake on the original ridiculous £199 price!!!
Feel bad for anyone who chose to renew already
Obviously not had much uptake on the original ridiculous £199 price!!!
Feel bad for anyone who chose to renew already
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NorthernMonkey
TS Member
Yeah, I said to my better half when the original prices came out that they'd be on sale within 2 weeks haha.
Will probably take it up now even though we live a bit of a trek away, as we've gotten use out of Europa-Park and Liseberg this year, and will probably go to Port Aventura next.
It's just bizzare that it's now actually cheaper than last year. Makes no sense at all!!
Yep, after deciding I wasn't going to renew, when I got the Flash Sale offer at £100, I cracked and renewed, haha. Considering renewal last year was £129 and then extra park included Tripsdrill and the other perks, at £100 its an absolute bargain. It does make their £199 pitch laughable though.