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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: General Discussion

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MakoMania said:
Don't know when that last photo was taken, but the ice room was much better than that on the last weekend of the season.
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Was the ice working? It stopped working before summer and had not been fixed by Vampire Beach weekend, my last visit to the park in 2017.

The biggest issue is that the scene is much too illuminated nowadays - in the older picture it looks like a frozen viking landscape and appears to stretch back much further due to a very clever use of underlighting, whereas now it looks like a square box and the walls/ceiling are much too visible.
 
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The cold room had always suffered in the warmer months (or days in the case of Blackpool).
The summer melt started around year two. Has done so pretty much ever since, some years better than others.
Bring back the fun house.
 
It’s a good photo to demonstrate the difference. I’d always thought that room was different in the past but hadn’t realised how different. I agree it would be good to see some TLC and if that needs to be at the expense of closure in early season so be it. I think there’s a benefit to the park in terms of guest satisfaction of having it in tip top shape ready for the influx of guests when Icon opens.

I definitely disagree with replacing it though. It’s such a unique ride and I just can’t see anything like that ever being built in the UK again
 
venny said:
It’s a good photo to demonstrate the difference. I’d always thought that room was different in the past but hadn’t realised how different. I agree it would be good to see some TLC and if that needs to be at the expense of closure in early season so be it. I think there’s a benefit to the park in terms of guest satisfaction of having it in tip top shape ready for the influx of guests when Icon opens.
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Yeah I completely agree, I don't see what BPB have to gain by rushing to get Valhalla open in February when it's freezing cold when they could take the time to fine-tune the experience and then open the ride at Easter in a much better condition for the season.

venny said:
I definitely disagree with replacing it though. It’s such a unique ride and I just can’t see anything like that ever being built in the UK again
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See, my argument for keeping Valhalla was that it was brilliant... now I don't see any point in the ride being there when it still takes up a huge chunk of the park's resources and doesn't even offer a good experience in return. Unless the park are prepared to invest a lot into restoring it, I think it's had its day.
 
The thing you have to understand is that room is like a freezer, and freezers have to be defrosted. All that ice and frost is just built up over time, And they have to clear it out every now and then because the build up gets too much.

I've been on it when it' full of ice, them empty and then full again.

But I'm general, the state of Valhall is poor. It's let down by some cheap materials that allow you to see that its just in a warehouse.
 
MakoMania said:
There was ice on 4th Nov, although obviously nowhwere near as much as in the first picture!
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That is hardcore riding it on such a cold weekend. I think I'm done with Valhalla for some time. For me it simply isn't worth the hassle of changing shoes & clothes etc afterwards. It's a good ride and I'm actually more annoyed about the sheer volume of water dumped on you than what effects are working or not. I love water rides but the soaking on this ride is simply getting too much for me !
 
I haven't been on Valhalla for 3 visits to the park now. It's not that it isn't a great spectacle, but the way the water just gets dropped over you is unpleasant and takes away the enjoyment.

I find it baffling it keeps winning awards.

It has so many broken effects, for one thing!
 
In more positive news, BPB have applied for planning permission to demolish the now disused Star Pub in January 2018 to make way for a new 120 room hotel.

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Image from Everything Blackpool on Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/EverythingBlackpool/
 
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Seems an odd place to put it, 10 yards from the entrance of their other one!

Even more odd considering you can't even get into the park from that end :p
 
Matt N said:
Does Blackpool already have a hotel?
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This one is well needed, the Big Blue often hits capacity and there's going to be a bigger demand for it again in 2018.

The new hotel will be more Travelodge than Big Blue but it will be better than the crappy B&Bs in Blackpool.

In response to Dar, you will be able to access the park from the new hotel, just as you can from the Big Blue.
 
Sad to see the Star go. Some good memories in there. Even when it reopened last year it was good - reasonable drinks and some good bands, plus it did seem to be well attended in the evenings. It’s kind of ironic that BPB spent so many years trying to buy it out to then close it.

Having said all that I think another hotel is better than a closed pub. Big Blue is a major revenue stream for the park so it’s good to see this is going to be capitalised upon - success that can hopefully be ploughed back into the park. The current picture look a little uninspired in terms of design but does it run further than just the Star site and into the disused Coasters building?

I’d hope that with the increase in guests at this end of the site the hotel guest entrance could be expanded so you can access the park for a longer period than the currently short window in the morning. Perhaps even an exit too?
 
Great news for the Pleasure Beach, enjoy staying in the big blue so hopefully it's of a similar standard.

Makes sense as well with the travelodge at the north end of the park and the hampsons by hilton currently under construction going towards Squires Gate.
 
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