Blackpool council cannot afford for Pleasure beach to fail, it would be an absolute death blow to Blackpool. It's already struggling, a brief drive down a few of the back streets is a real eye opener. It doesn't suprise me to see them support the park financially as it's such a key asset.
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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: 2024 Discussion
- Thread starter Relife
- Start date
ScottishChris
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Legend
We won't agree. Next time you are Blackpool bound - I'd be happy to buy you a pint and have some banter.
I reckon I could I could increase BPB's turnover substantially for a round £200k through basic marketing and brand awareness alone. Problem is.... Amanda. By all accounts she micro-manages everything and is the main issue.
I think we all agree that the biggest issue last season for BPB was footfall. They shouldn't have had such a low attendance as the did.
probably not even much marketing, just adjust some of the tickets like bring back the walk arround pass and individual passes for the big one as for a holiday place people may want to try and if the weather is bad for the beach it is much easier to spend £70 (for 2 riders and 2 non riders) vs £120,
To me I feel like they are trying to copy thorpe and alton with their ticket structure, but unlike them people don't go to blackpool just for BPB they do other things whilst there, so to me it makes less sence to try to increase prices on the day and try to incentivise people inside for the holiday spending where people may just go, lets go to BPB today.
as even with just walk arround ot the big one passes people are on park buying food and souvineers.
Alastair
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Rise of the Resistance
Visited the Beach for the first time in 6 years today.
It's like a time warp. Absolutely nothing has changed, except for more rotting facades, closed rides and the joke that is using your phone to scan onto every ride in a PoP park.
Ride capacity is absolutely laughable - every single ride on 1 train operation barring Icon. Dipper on an hour queue with a second train sat like a prize right in front of the enormous queue, not in use.
Dozens of clueless staff stood around everywhere, mostly doing nothing, not helpful whatsoever when asked questions. The Enso farce continuing - "VIP" access for £25pp is absolutely laughable. Didn't see a single person on it all day, can't see how any sensible business wouldn't just reduce the cost to actually put the thing into use rather than having it there, sucking capacity away.
Without the aforementioned council aid, I can't see the place lasting another decade. The experience is simply not even close to good enough at the price point (£38pp pre-book). I for one won't be returning again until major changes are made.
It's like a time warp. Absolutely nothing has changed, except for more rotting facades, closed rides and the joke that is using your phone to scan onto every ride in a PoP park.
Ride capacity is absolutely laughable - every single ride on 1 train operation barring Icon. Dipper on an hour queue with a second train sat like a prize right in front of the enormous queue, not in use.
Dozens of clueless staff stood around everywhere, mostly doing nothing, not helpful whatsoever when asked questions. The Enso farce continuing - "VIP" access for £25pp is absolutely laughable. Didn't see a single person on it all day, can't see how any sensible business wouldn't just reduce the cost to actually put the thing into use rather than having it there, sucking capacity away.
Without the aforementioned council aid, I can't see the place lasting another decade. The experience is simply not even close to good enough at the price point (£38pp pre-book). I for one won't be returning again until major changes are made.
jesterrace989
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Don't have one
Blackpool in general has been living off of past glories for decades now
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Benjsh
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Pretty much how I felt in 2022 which was my last visit. Didn't bother in 2023 and have no plans to visit in 24 either. 2025 will no doubt be the same I'm sure. There's better parks in the UK and Europe I'd prefer to give my money.
Given I can be in the park in under 50 mins from my own driveway it really makes me sad saying this too. I have many many fond memories of the place as well but they are all but a distant dream now.
I genuinely don't see how the park can be saved by the council. 4 of the coasters need to be condemned and a few others need millions spending on them to make them enjoyable again.
Sad times.
ScottishChris
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Legend
Which 4 and why?
1 train everything is a very regular thing now unfortunately. How busy it is seems to have zero effect. The park have more data than ever with the scan every ride, but don't seem to utilise it to make capacity efficiencies. Last year, they went through a phase of bringing the Enso train around early afternoon (taking another train off). Just seemed to hold the queue up for about half an hour for the benefit of 0 spinning customers. It can run with 3 trains and sometimes does, but it's a rarity
In my view, the park fail at some of the very basics. The entrance has loose paving, the doors are covered in rust, some of the lights are out. This is the very start of a new season, how has nobody noticed every paying customer is seeing this as their first impression. And it's things like that which can be sorted easily at little cost.
It's like they've given up, and are just letting it all slip away
I bought my house specifically to be close to BPB, it was something I always wanted to do as a kid. But it's simply not the park I remember anymore. I looked through some old photos a few weeks back, and it's hard for me to acknowledge they depict the same place I visit each week now.
Benjsh
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Grand National and Steeplechase are non negotiable. Both horrible.
Then there's Big Dipper, Revolution and Nick Streak which I think are beyond saving at this point too. Not quite as bad the top two but still not very enjoyable and comfortable.
Avalanche needs money spending on it but can still be an enjoyable ride and doesn't leave you black and blue like some of the ones above. So I'd save that for sure.
Katy
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Batman Gotham City Escape
Just because you don't like something doesn't mean it needs condemning.
Grand National needs money spending on it, but it's not dangerous. It'd be great to see a retrack by a wooden coaster builder, like Megafobia has just had.
Steeplechase might not be the comfiest but again, does not need condemning, although I wouldn't be too sad to see it gone if something new took its place.
ScottishChris
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Legend
Ahh... so it's your opinion on the rides? I thought you actually believed then to be dangerous or something.
Opinions are a great thing. Nash is my favorite coaster in the country when it runs well. I do feel it can get a bit rattly at times and get that the ride may not be suitable for softies
. The double-down is, in my opinion, the best element on any woodie in the country.I don't like Steeplechase and feel that plot of land could be used for something much better. This being said, it is actually popular with many people
Dipper is good for what it is. It's a family woodie - not overly smooth, but not rough either. I always enjoy it for what it is.
I have no understanding at what about Nick Streak you feel is so bad? It's a fun, relatively smooth woodie with more air time than almost any other coaster int he country.
Avalanche is what it is. What about it do you think needs money spending on? Because it is a bob-coaster it's not like it could be re-tracked.
Personal opinions are wonderful things. You think BPL's woodies need [and I quote] "condemned". Nash is my favorite coaster in the UK, and all BPL's woodies rate higher in my view than Tower's woodie. And I am far from alone in that opinion. I also feel that BPL do pretty well looking after their coasters [arguably they do more than the large corporate park near Stoke-on-Trent)
I trust we do, however, agree that if any coaster is top of the list to be condemned... it has to be Rita.
Benjsh
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Grand National needs an exorcism not investment. No amount of money they throw at it will make it that much better now as It's 100 years old. It's beyond saving.
I understand the historical importance and attachment it has with many folk but if everyone is truly honest with themselves it might be the most uncomfortable rollercoaster in existence in the UK right now. The Ultimate was a fierce competitor but with that now gone then it's in a class of it's own I'm afraid.
Doesn't feel particularly safe being bashed into the side of the car and on the harnesses either. My legs were in bits after my last ride on it.
Burn it down to the ground I say. It's an absolute monstrosity.
Ahh... so it's your opinion on the rides? I thought you actually believed then to be dangerous or something.
Opinions are a great thing. Nash is my favorite coaster in the country when it runs well. I do feel it can get a bit rattly at times and get that the ride may not be suitable for softies
I don't like Steeplechase and feel that plot of land could be used for something much better. This being said, it is actually popular with many people
Dipper is good for what it is. It's a family woodie - not overly smooth, but not rough either. I always enjoy it for what it is.
I have no understanding at what about Nick Streak you feel is so bad? It's a fun, relatively smooth woodie with more air time than almost any other coaster int he country.
Avalanche is what it is. What about it do you think needs money spending on? Because it is a bob-coaster it's not like it could be re-tracked.
Personal opinions are wonderful things. You think BPL's woodies need [and I quote] "condemned". Nash is my favorite coaster in the UK, and all BPL's woodies rate higher in my view than Tower's woodie. And I am far from alone in that opinion. I also feel that BPL do pretty well looking after their coasters [arguably they do more than the large corporate park near Stoke-on-Trent)
I trust we do, however, agree that if any coaster is top of the list to be condemned... it has to be Rita.
I have no great admiration for Rita. Wouldn't be sad to see it go at all.
However the fact Nashy is your favourite coaster in the UK made me laugh. Are you like Bruce Willis in the film Unbreakable and unable to feel pain? It's an absolute disaster of a ride. Truly horrid. Nothing about it is good. It's like being pushed down a steep hill onto a cobbled road in a shopping trolley. In fact I'd prefer the latter I think.
I think that's sentiment talking rather than your actual true opinion. There's no way you ride Icon and Nashy in same visit and prefer the woodie.
Dipper_Dave
TS Member
Yes there is. I do, and I don’t think I’m the only one.
GooseOnTheLoose
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Ug Bugs
You're not. I do too. Most uncomfortable ride has to go to The Trauma Tizer, or as you call it, Infusion.
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
Each to their own, but for me, Grand National was not a ride I was keen on at all last time I did it. It has an excellent layout, and if it rode a bit more smoothly, I can definitely see its merits as a pure layout, but my last ride was just so, so rough... for me, it's tough to enjoy the sensations of the layout when you're being beaten and bashed around that much. I grant you that I do not have an overly high roughness tolerance, and that I could simply have had a particularly bad ride on it, but the overriding sensation from my last ride on Grand National was that of getting bashed around an awful lot, and my overriding feeling at the end was one of pain.
I apologise for sounding dismissive of a historical ride, as I admit I'm probably being overly harsh, but I can only speak about how I genuinely felt about it last time I did it. I can understand why people like it, and I definitely don't think that it's "beyond saving" as some others seem to think, but based on my last experience (admittedly back in 2019, before it was recently retracked), it was one of the park's weakest coasters for me. It also sits pretty low in my overall ranking; out of 111 coasters ridden, it's only just in my top 100.
I apologise for sounding dismissive of a historical ride, as I admit I'm probably being overly harsh, but I can only speak about how I genuinely felt about it last time I did it. I can understand why people like it, and I definitely don't think that it's "beyond saving" as some others seem to think, but based on my last experience (admittedly back in 2019, before it was recently retracked), it was one of the park's weakest coasters for me. It also sits pretty low in my overall ranking; out of 111 coasters ridden, it's only just in my top 100.
Excalibur
TS Member
Thinking last night if Blackpool wanted to take back the “height” record and without it being a coaster and of course without being insensitive.
But what about the drop tower from Icon Park in Florida that’s now been removed? It’s the tallest in the world, would fit on Ice Blasts pad and be a record breaker again for the park. Obviously it would need a overhaul if it did go to the park but just food for thought no?
But what about the drop tower from Icon Park in Florida that’s now been removed? It’s the tallest in the world, would fit on Ice Blasts pad and be a record breaker again for the park. Obviously it would need a overhaul if it did go to the park but just food for thought no?
Sharko
TS Member
Would love to see something like this. Managed to get on the drop tower in florida, the night before the accident and thought it was excellent. Terrible tragedy and was sad to see the scene around Icon Park. However, i do believe it was the operators at fault due to modifying the restraints. Wouldn’t put me off using funtime.
Benzin
TS Member
Nash was fine until it got ruined by Kumbak nonsense.
Just because its old (nowhere near 100 years old though) doesn't mean it couldn't be saved. Look at Rusty Banana at Tivoli for example for what can be done.
Granted though Blackpool has the issue of copious amount of salt water being thrown at the rides all year round.
Just because its old (nowhere near 100 years old though) doesn't mean it couldn't be saved. Look at Rusty Banana at Tivoli for example for what can be done.
Granted though Blackpool has the issue of copious amount of salt water being thrown at the rides all year round.
Shaggy_Dog_
TS Member
Obviously we all know that fault was with its previous operators but could you imagine the press though and the wild headlines they’d run about “fatal rides” if Pleasure Beach were to purchase this? They are bad enough when a ride just gets e-stopped and evacuated, they’d be absolutely on one if the park were to install a 430ft drop tower that a rider had fallen from.
The question is would Mandy have the stones as it were to do something like that? I’d love to ride it if it did end up here though but I’m not sure how the GP would take it once they know it’s history.
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