Blackpool Pleasure Beach: General Discussion

[Anonymous]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Classic PBB, in need of a thrill ride but what will they build.... a heritage centre!

In need of a thrill ride according to coaster enthusiasts who clearly don't know better.

Pleasure Beach will build a thrill ride when the time is right, they are concentrating on the family market and it's serving them well.

In my opinion, to even compete as the best thrill park in the UK it has to have more than 3 steelies - one of which isn't even a proper circuit coaster.

Who taught you to count?

PMBO, Infusion, Revolution, Avalanche and let's remember, Steeple is considered as three different coasters in the operating department at PB, as one lane can be signed off to run without the other two lanes even being looked at and signed off.

Four of the five woodies at PB can be considered as thrilling coasters, I mean, the Nash is more thrilling than anything at Towers generally speaking and stands up pretty well to the coasters at Thorpe too, Dipper may not be the ride it once was, but it's still considered a thrilling coaster by the general public, as are the Mouse and Streak.

I think you need to stop being silly about the fact PB is a thrill and family park combined.

 

[Alastair]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Classic PBB, in need of a thrill ride but what will they build.... a heritage centre!

In need of a thrill ride according to coaster enthusiasts who clearly don't know better.

Pleasure Beach will build a thrill ride when the time is right, they are concentrating on the family market and it's serving them well.

In my opinion, to even compete as the best thrill park in the UK it has to have more than 3 steelies - one of which isn't even a proper circuit coaster.

Who taught you to count?

PMBO, Infusion, Revolution, Avalanche and let's remember, Steeple is considered as three different coasters in the operating department at PB, as one lane can be signed off to run without the other two lanes even being looked at and signed off.

Four of the five woodies at PB can be considered as thrilling coasters, I mean, the Nash is more thrilling than anything at Towers generally speaking and stands up pretty well to the coasters at Thorpe too, Dipper may not be the ride it once was, but it's still considered a thrilling coaster by the general public, as are the Mouse and Streak.

I think you need to stop being silly about the fact PB is a thrill and family park combined.

What?! More than Nemesis or Oblivion?

And yes, the Steeplechase is technically made of steel but if you're going to count that then you may as well count the monorail and the Pleasure Beach Express - they're both as thrilling. What I mean is PBB need a really thrilling steel coaster as Infusion was 5 years ago - something that really makes a statement. You surely can't deny that, even if the family aspect of the park is doing well at the moment?

 

[Martin]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Not sure what sort of statement Infusion was.

"We're Blackpool, we raze amusement heritage and destroy our sister park so we can get an out dated, off the shelf coaster by a famously inferior manufacturer because we're too tight to pay for a custom model or the better version made."?

 

[spike1911]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Classic PBB, in need of a thrill ride but what will they build.... a heritage centre!

In need of a thrill ride according to coaster enthusiasts who clearly don't know better.

Pleasure Beach will build a thrill ride when the time is right, they are concentrating on the family market and it's serving them well.

In my opinion, to even compete as the best thrill park in the UK it has to have more than 3 steelies - one of which isn't even a proper circuit coaster.

Who taught you to count?

PMBO, Infusion, Revolution, Avalanche and let's remember, Steeple is considered as three different coasters in the operating department at PB, as one lane can be signed off to run without the other two lanes even being looked at and signed off.

Four of the five woodies at PB can be considered as thrilling coasters, I mean, the Nash is more thrilling than anything at Towers generally speaking and stands up pretty well to the coasters at Thorpe too, Dipper may not be the ride it once was, but it's still considered a thrilling coaster by the general public, as are the Mouse and Streak.

I think you need to stop being silly about the fact PB is a thrill and family park combined.

What?! More than Nemesis or Oblivion?

And yes, the Steeplechase is technically made of steel but if you're going to count that then you may as well count the monorail and the Pleasure Beach Express - they're both as thrilling. What I mean is PBB need a really thrilling steel coaster as Infusion was 5 years ago - something that really makes a statement. You surely can't deny that, even if the family aspect of the park is doing well at the moment?

Once again your just making statements with no facts to back them up...

 

[Dave]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Blackpool Pleasure Beach's ride line-up is quite good, especially when you consider the heritage they have at the park. What people also need to remember is that unlike stand-alone theme parks BPB don't need to build a new ride every year as it has the Blackpool destination to attract guests as much as the park does itself. So why do so if you don't need to?

In my opinion they are doing the right thing focusing on families as that's the big money area, also no park goes against Towers with a thrill installation (so no thriller in 2013) as it's pointless (just as Towers would avoid Pleasure Beach if they installed a big coaster... and don't quote 1994 at me)

They need a big thrill coaster soon and i think it will come in the next 4 years and i think it will be very good, Pleasure Beach are putting a LOT of thought into their rides recently.

 

[Benzin]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Blackpool don't even need another thrill coaster... Wild Mouse is the most intense ride in the country...

They could probably do with something new though... I dunno, it's been a while since I visited... The park however are the best people to decide when to add a new coaster, not us... Some enthusiasts seem to clamour for big intense things, yet for Blackpool, such additions are very difficult to implement logistically due to the lack of room (through no fault of their own), and that family additions are currently the big thing in the UK theme park market... Can't blame them for going down that route really...

Let's also not get bogged down into some silly discussion about steel coasters being needed at a park to make it better... That's wrong, as the right coaster for a park could be any type, any model, any manufacturer... It's up to them to decide what it could be...

Imagine if Blackpool added a GCI/Gravity Group Coaster for example... I doubt many enthusiasts would complain about that sort of addition...

Finally, I think it's good that Blackpool is thinking of adding a heritage centre, if slightly hypocritical of Amanda to do so after the Southport incident

 

[Alastair]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Not sure what sort of statement Infusion was.

"We're Blackpool, we raze amusement heritage and destroy our sister park so we can get an out dated, off the shelf coaster by a famously inferior manufacturer because we're too tight to pay for a custom model or the better version made."?

I would have said that however it would have enraged those blinded by heritage. Infusion isn't a bad coaster, it's quite thrilling and great to look at even though it's quite rough. It attracts a lot of people as well because it's very memorable when seen on adverts, you hear lots of GP in the queueline comparing it to Nemesis. Obviously as enthusiasts we know it is significantly inferior but for many people there isn't much difference.

 

[Martin]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Well, I thought it looked better in Southport where it dominated the skyline for miles and wasn't shoehorned behind scaffolding almost twice as large. But I don't consider it rough.

It was advertised for about three years, so of course it's memorable.

It's ok, it's better than Kumali at least.

 

[Rupert]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

^The foot chopper effect on the sidewinder was incredible at Southport also but not really noticeable now alas. I can't work out whether I prefer it to Kumali though, Kumali's drop is far better but the standard SLC has the better layout after.

Anyway - I wish Pleasure Beach would get a new thrill coaster because it just feels like there isn't enough for thrill seekers in the park. The only coasters I'd class as thrill are The Big One, Infusion and probably Revolution, and I don't particularly rate any of the three. As much as I really enjoy Avalanche, I'd put it in the family category along with the woodies. Wild Mouse can go in the special "insane" category, along with The Ultimate and Moonsault Scramble. In this regard I am always really dissatisfied by a trip to PB, and the reason I have no plans to return. I know there are rumours that the park has returned to profitability this year, but I'm somewhat sceptical that in the next 5 years they will be able to spend £15million plus on a world-class thrill coaster. Maybe they can persuade the council to part with more cash.

It does make sense for the park to keep targeting families though - they're much more lucrative than, for example, teenagers. Things like a "heritage centre", no matter how small or lame (not to say it will be), will appeal to members of the family that wouldn't be attracted by the coasters, such as grandparents. Improving the aesthetics of the park is also an important trend to continue, although I think the park has a long way to go, with the conditions of the woodies and the crazily out-of-place SI2 building the biggest priorities in my opinion.

 

[Dave]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

It's ok, it's better than Kumali at least.

Proves the power of opinion as i would put Kumali leagues above Infusion which i find rough and boring.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

What?! More than Nemesis or Oblivion?

Yep, a lot more, I'd rather ride the Grand National than those two coasters, it may seem shocking to the Towers fanbase because someone prefers a classic wooden coaster over two B&M coasters, but outside of the Towers community not everyone is so obsessed with the B&M bore machines of this world.

I rate Nemesis very highly, but there is better coasters out there, not sure if that's because I've got bored of it because I've ridden better coasters out there, or maybe Towers have done something to stop it running as well as it used to do? I don't know, but I know a lot of coaster enthusiasts who've travelled the world to ride coasters (and not just Europa Park), and rate Nemesis pretty low compared to other coasters out there, so I am certainly not alone in having an opinion that doesn't satisfy the Towers faithful as far as B&M coasters are concerned.

And yes, the Steeplechase is technically made of steel but if you're going to count that then you may as well count the monorail and the Pleasure Beach Express - they're both as thrilling. What I mean is PBB need a really thrilling steel coaster as Infusion was 5 years ago - something that really makes a statement. You surely can't deny that, even if the family aspect of the park is doing well at the moment?

I think you're either taking the micky with that comment, or you've not ridden the forementioned attractions. There is no chance, no chance on this planet that the Monorail and PB Express can be rated the same as Steeplechase as far as thrilling is concerned.

Steeplechase is considered a scarier ride than PMBO to some people, because of the restraint and the seating arrangements.

I can deny it because I know the history of Pleasure Beach. Blackpool Pleasure Beach does not operate how Alton Towers does, how Thorpe Park does, it operates in their own way, the way that has been successful since 1896.

Pleasure Beach has gone more than 10 years without building a marquee coaster in the past, they could do it again and again, and they'd survive. They have never backed themself into a corner like Alton and Thorpe have where people demand a new ride every two years, the paying public will continue to go to Blackpool and BPB regardless.

"We're Blackpool, we raze amusement heritage and destroy our sister park so we can get an out dated, off the shelf coaster by a famously inferior manufacturer because we're too tight to pay for a custom model or the better version made."?

Pleasure Land Southport was a dive, it brought in no money to Blackpool Pleasure Beach ltd, any other company would of done the same thing as far as Traumatizer was concerned.

I don't like the fact the Log Flume has gone and has been replaced by a relocated hang and bang, but the fact remains PB is a family owned company, who at the time were in financial ruin, they did what was best for them, not what was best for greedy moaning coaster enthusiasts who wanted the next PMBO or TTD building on the south shore of Blackpool.

The real and genuine coaster fans of this world understand that the real life coaster industry is not Rollercoaster Tycoon, it seems this site and those who represented TTF in the past don't live in the real world as far as Blackpool Pleasure Beach is concerned.

Imagine if Blackpool added a GCI/Gravity Group Coaster for example... I doubt many enthusiasts would complain about that sort of addition...

It'd be slated by the Towers fans on here no doubt and the best day ever brigade who seem to think wooden coasters are ''rough'' because they don't have the silky smooth nature of a B&M.

Obviously as enthusiasts we know it is significantly inferior but for many people there isn't much difference.

Typical arrogant comment, enthusiasts are no more qualified than a member of the general public who couldn't give a rat's backside if a coaster was made by B&M, Vekoma or British Rail, to say what is and isn't inferior.

Well, I thought it looked better in Southport where it dominated the skyline for miles and wasn't shoehorned behind scaffolding almost twice as large.

Scaffolding?

It's a little bit of an ironic comment coming from a fan of a park which seems to obsess with the use of scaffolding and shipping containers making every new ride they build look like a glorified construction yard.

Anyway - I wish Pleasure Beach would get a new thrill coaster because it just feels like there isn't enough for thrill seekers in the park. The only coasters I'd class as thrill are The Big One, Infusion and probably Revolution, and I don't particularly rate any of the three. As much as I really enjoy Avalanche, I'd put it in the family category along with the woodies.

Ok, if you want to talk about thrilling coasters, there is no way Air, Rita, Thirteen and Spinball can be considered anything more than family rides, none of them are remotely thrilling compared to any of the major coasters at PB or Thorpe to be honest.

Pleasure Beach doesn't need anything except for the likes of yourself to open your eyes and look at the bigger picture.

Improving the aesthetics of the park is also an important trend to continue, although I think the park has a long way to go, with the conditions of the woodies and the crazily out-of-place SI2 building the biggest priorities in my opinion.

The woodies are in no worse condition than some of the coasters at Towers, has Oblivion been painted since it was opened? Spinball looks like it's chipping away at the paintwork more and more every year, and they can't even maintain the ''bloody waterfalls'' on Nemesis now.

I think the priorities you should worry about are the park this site supports, rather than Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

I am sorry if you don't like my opinions and feel the need to report my posting style to a moderator again, but if you're going to slate one of the best parks in the country, you should maybe expect that a few of the fans of the park will oppose some of the comments being made in this topic. I think with the way Towers are going at the moment and all the cuts they are trying to make, maybe you should worry about the ''priorities'' of that park before picking on other parks which are doing perfectly well without having to make any cuts midway through the season.

Finally, I hope my grammar doesn't offend anyone either.

Scott.

 

[Joelio]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

I am looking forward to my first visit to the Blackpool Pleasure Beach, the park seems filled to the brim with history and heritage.

 

[Rupert]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Look Scott - clearly you have a massive chip on your shoulder, but there really is no need to get so defensive all of the time. My post was my own opinion - I'd appreciate it if you didn't brand my opinion as "harsh and arrogant", as I won't to yours. If you want to change opinions, do it by thoughtful and constructive comments, not attacking the other posters because they don't agree.

Before I go any further - not once did I compare PB to Towers, and not once did I say that Towers' coaster line up is better (for the record I think it is, but that's beside the following point). I also completely disagree with you about PB being one of the best parks in the country, but it's nice that you think so.

Ok, if you want to talk about thrilling coasters, there is no way Air, Rita, Thirteen and Spinball can be considered anything more than family rides, none of them are remotely thrilling compared to any of the major coasters at PB or Thorpe to be honest.

OK, I never said they were, and I wasn't trying to compare the parks, it's been done far too often and they are very different. I'd say Rita was a thrill ride, but I agree that Air, Thirteen and Spinball are family rides. So what? It's a good thing. Just like it's good that Blackpool has a fair amount of family coasters. If you read a little further you would have seen I wrote that it was sensible for Blackpool to target the family market the most as this is the most lucrative option. Clearly I was "looking at the bigger picture" as you so eloquently say, but I was expressing my own personal preference, which is for thrill coasters. Naturally I will therefore head to the park that offers me the most thrills, combined with great aesthetics, atmosphere and a generally ace time. I've been lucky enough to go to Thorpe, Port Aventura and Europa this year based on the above criteria - you may be pleased to hear I currently have no plans to visit Alton.

The woodies are in no worse condition than some of the coasters at Towers, has Oblivion been painted since it was opened? Spinball looks like it's chipping away at the paintwork more and more every year, and they can't even maintain the ''bloody waterfalls'' on Nemesis now.

I think the priorities you should worry about are the park this site supports, rather than Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Look - again I am expressing my opinion and at no time did I want to create yet another PB vs Alton discussion - that's not what this is about and I am tired of the discussion being steered that way. If it makes you feel better then I think Alton has a catastrophic amount of problems - the upselling, the overselling of Fasttrack, Oblivion's now terrible aesthetics, Hex's maintenance, the Flume being a joke, reduced opening hours, high parking fees, Air's lack of theme, Thirteen's poorly executed theme, the lack of theming on Charlie, the general run-down feel of a lot of areas. It's not the place it once was, and requires huge investment to sort it all out. If you don't believe my opinion, why not consult here, here or here. Hardly the rose-tinted glasses you would have people believe I am looking through.

But I'm not sure what your point is - because Alton has problems we should ignore PB's? Or that PB's don't exist because Alton's do? That we shouldn't have an opinion on PB's operations because they know better and we are simply wrong, harsh and arrogant? You make it difficult to have a discussion. My opinion (which clearly you think is wrong) is that I would like PB to get a(nother) decent thrill coaster, without which I am unlikely to visit in the near future, as in my opinion I don't particularly rate the coaster line-up there. I'm glad you think it's incredible though, that's nice. Personally I rather like Nemesis, but it's certainly not the best coaster I've been on, even if I do think it's not a "B&M borefest" like Dragon Khan for example (another opinion there, but feel free to tell me I'm wrong).

Here's a question for you Scott (and everybody else, let's all have a nice discussion) - if you had £15-20million to play with and had to build a thrill coaster at PB, what realistically would you buy, bearing in mind the various restrictions, space limitations and thoughts on what Mandy and the board might get? Let's not have those "the management know what they're doing/they don't need a thrill coaster now" answers, I'm genuinely curious what people would like. My personal view is that a launch coaster would fit the line-up nicely - something iSpeedesque would be good I think, or Blue Fire-style for that matter - that way it could appeal to the beloved family market too.

 

[smidgey]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Look Scott - clearly you have a massive chip on your shoulder, but there really is no need to get so defensive all of the time.

Agreed. These posts are painful to read and I've asked if there is an ignore option available.

I don't really consider myself an enthusiast, I just like coasters. I haven't been to Blackpool for about three years and I am quite fickle. New rides are what entice me back to parks and until BPB add something new, I doubt I'll be going back. Though I have been to Blackpool quite a few times for various reasons including using my MAP. The Blackpool sea life center is ace

Roll on Wallace & Gromit

 

[BigT]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Though I have been to Blackpool quite a few times for various reasons including using my MAP.

Map, you want to get yourself a sat nav bro.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Look Scott - clearly you have a massive chip on your shoulder, but there really is no need to get so defensive all of the time. My post was my own opinion - I'd appreciate it if you didn't brand my opinion as "harsh and arrogant", as I won't to yours. If you want to change opinions, do it by thoughtful and constructive comments, not attacking the other posters because they don't agree.

Look Rupert, it's called debating the points made by other posting members, not having a chip on your shoulder.

I get fed up of reading the type of nonsense being posted in this topic about Pleasure Beach, especially when comments are made about 'needing this, needing that', it's uneducated rubbish.

I've said it previously and will say it again, if the people who always blabber on about PB needing thrill rides took a look at the history books, they'd see PB are doing nothing different to the way they've gone about adding thrill rides in the past. It's not a case of having a chip on my shoulder, it's a case of replying to your comments, I think you've taken it a little bit too personally.

Before I go any further - not once did I compare PB to Towers, and not once did I say that Towers' coaster line up is better (for the record I think it is, but that's beside the following point). I also completely disagree with you about PB being one of the best parks in the country, but it's nice that you think so.

It doesn't matter if you were or not, I used those as an example.

Clearly I was "looking at the bigger picture" as you so eloquently say, but I was expressing my own personal preference, which is for thrill coasters.

My point exactly, a lot of people especially on this site seem to think because they want Pleasure Beach to build a new coaster, that they should do it with immediate effect.

I've been lucky enough to go to Thorpe, Port Aventura and Europa this year based on the above criteria - you may be pleased to hear I currently have no plans to visit Alton.

In all honesty Rupert I couldn't care less and that's with the greatest respect.

But I'm not sure what your point is - because Alton has problems we should ignore PB's? Or that PB's don't exist because Alton's do? That we shouldn't have an opinion on PB's operations because they know better and we are simply wrong, harsh and arrogant? You make it difficult to have a discussion.

I wasn't suggesting you should all look away and avoid PB, because of Towers, what I meant was that I find it quite strange that a lot of people want to pick faults with PB all of a sudden.

Pleasure Beach have more than enough issues of their own that need resolving, most of them aren't even mentioned in this topic, just the usual 'they need to do this, need to do that' rubbish that is determined by greed and not fact.

You may find me difficult to debate with, I find reading topics about any other park than Alton and Europa on here difficult at times.

My opinion (which clearly you think is wrong) is that I would like PB to get a(nother) decent thrill coaster, without which I am unlikely to visit in the near future, as in my opinion I don't particularly rate the coaster line-up there. I'm glad you think it's incredible though, that's nice.

Once again, it's more personal thinking than what PB actually do need at this moment in time, that's what I am saying.

Personally I rather like Nemesis, but it's certainly not the best coaster I've been on, even if I do think it's not a "B&M borefest" like Dragon Khan for example (another opinion there, but feel free to tell me I'm wrong).

You say I am difficult to deal with, but are happy enough to throw in sarcastic remarks at the end of each paragraph, fair enough.

Moving on, I like Dragon Khan yeah, that alongside Inferno and Nemesis give me a bit of faith in B&M that they can build decent coasters, it just seems like some of their efforts in the UK (Air and Oblivion) are very poor, hopefully the B&M coasters in Madrid will convince me further that it's only at Towers that B&M coasters are bore machines.

Here's a question for you Scott (and everybody else, let's all have a nice discussion) - if you had £15-20million to play with and had to build a thrill coaster at PB, what realistically would you buy, bearing in mind the various restrictions, space limitations and thoughts on what Mandy and the board might get? Let's not have those "the management know what they're doing/they don't need a thrill coaster now" answers, I'm genuinely curious what people would like. My personal view is that a launch coaster would fit the line-up nicely

Easy enough, get rid of the Tom Sawyer bridge, along with the Grand Prix and build a launch coaster in the space left between the Dipper and PMBO. I'd rather it was more Stealth or Baco than Rita personally, 62mph is just not enough for a launch coaster.

Pleasure Beach are doing the right thing by approaching the family market right now, but that's not to say I would disagree with them announcing a coaster that would be more suitable to thrillseekers, I just don't think it's fair for people to demand they build a thrill ride soon, they'll build one, when the time is right.

I know what you were trying there (unless of course I am being synical ).

 

[Martin]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

What?! More than Nemesis or Oblivion?

Yep, a lot more, I'd rather ride the Grand National than those two coasters, it may seem shocking to the Towers fanbase because someone prefers a classic wooden coaster over two B&M coasters, but outside of the Towers community not everyone is so obsessed with the B&M bore machines of this world.

Clearly you've never read anything I've ever posted if you think we all love B&M unconditionally because they managed to build two decent rides back to back in the 90s and with a lot of help from Tussauds, Wardley and Stengel, amongst others..

I rate Nemesis very highly, but there is better coasters out there, not sure if that's because I've got bored of it because I've ridden better coasters out there, or maybe Towers have done something to stop it running as well as it used to do? I don't know, but I know a lot of coaster enthusiasts who've travelled the world to ride coasters (and not just Europa Park), and rate Nemesis pretty low compared to other coasters out there, so I am certainly not alone in having an opinion that doesn't satisfy the Towers faithful as far as B&M coasters are concerned.

Yeah, like Air. Everyone here loves Air. Lots of well travelled people still rank Nemesis very highly. What's your point? That because people who've been on lots of coasters have a similar opinion anyone who does think Nemesis is one of the best rides in the world must be wrong? Out of interest, I wonder where those people would rate, say, PMBO or SLC clones?

"We're Blackpool, we raze amusement heritage and destroy our sister park so we can get an out dated, off the shelf coaster by a famously inferior manufacturer because we're too tight to pay for a custom model or the better version made."?

You've always been short sighted as far as the coaster industry is concerned, and this further proves that.

Pleasure Land Southport was a dive, it brought in no money to Blackpool Pleasure Beach ltd, any other company would of done the same thing as far as Traumatizer was concerned.

I don't like the fact the Log Flume has gone and has been replaced by a relocated hang and bang, but the fact remains PB is a family owned company, who at the time were in financial ruin, they did what was best for them, not what was best for greedy moaning coaster enthusiasts who wanted the next PMBO or TTD building on the south shore of Blackpool.

The real and genuine coaster fans of this world understand that the real life coaster industry is not Rollercoaster Tycoon, it seems this site and those who represented TTF in the past don't live in the real world as far as Blackpool Pleasure Beach is concerned.

Nice personal attack. Short sited? I call closing an iconic park because it wasn't turning a profit short sited, especially considering the reason it stopped making money was because of the ridiculous Management decision to change the entry system. They engineered Southport's demise to make money.

I also think you'll find coaster enthusiasts wanted an old, historically significant coaster to be saved.

You speak for all 'real' enthusiasts? What defines a 'genuine' fan? Wanting an old park and the Cyclone not to be demolished so Mandy could turn a profit and get a free coaster is 'unrealistic' and 'outside the real world'? Nice attack on TST though.

Imagine if Blackpool added a GCI/Gravity Group Coaster for example... I doubt many enthusiasts would complain about that sort of addition...

It'd be slated by the Towers fans on here no doubt and the best day ever brigade who seem to think wooden coasters are ''rough'' because they don't have the silky smooth nature of a B&M.

Clearly you've never ridden any post on here that doesn't concern Blackpool. Almost every topic has at least one post suggesting what ever park is being discussed needs a GCI. Seriously, calm down and get out of your little aggressively defensive bubble.

Obviously as enthusiasts we know it is significantly inferior but for many people there isn't much difference.

Typical arrogant comment, enthusiasts are no more qualified than a member of the general public who couldn't give a rat's backside if a coaster was made by B&M, Vekoma or British Rail, to say what is and isn't inferior.

Where does he say anything about manufacturer? Infusion is inferior because it's rougher and simpler. Nemesis is a custom design, heavily landscaped and and themed. Infusion is built over a paddling pool.

Well, I thought it looked better in Southport where it dominated the skyline for miles and wasn't shoehorned behind scaffolding almost twice as large.

Scaffolding?

It's a little bit of an ironic comment coming from a fan of a park which seems to obsess with the use of scaffolding and shipping containers making every new ride they build look like a glorified construction yard.

Because I mentioned Alton, explicitly or implicitly in that comment, didn't I? What shall we call tall, latticework support structures that look exactly like scaffolding? You're far too defensive and paranoid if you get upset that easily.

Anyway - I wish Pleasure Beach would get a new thrill coaster because it just feels like there isn't enough for thrill seekers in the park. The only coasters I'd class as thrill are The Big One, Infusion and probably Revolution, and I don't particularly rate any of the three. As much as I really enjoy Avalanche, I'd put it in the family category along with the woodies.

Ok, if you want to talk about thrilling coasters, there is no way Air, Rita, Thirteen and Spinball can be considered anything more than family rides, none of them are remotely thrilling compared to any of the major coasters at PB or Thorpe to be honest.

Pleasure Beach doesn't need anything except for the likes of yourself to open your eyes and look at the bigger picture.

What is this 'bigger picture' you keep referring to? Blackpool need a new, modern thrill coaster. Just like Alton do. If Thirteen and Spinball were intended to be thrill coasters you might have had a point, but basically you're saying that because Alton's family coasters are not as thrilling as Thorpe's thrill coasters, Blackpool don't need to build a thrill coaster. I'm beginning to think this 'bigger picture' we're supposed to look at is actually just the rose tinted lenses you see the park through, and want everyone else to see through.

Improving the aesthetics of the park is also an important trend to continue, although I think the park has a long way to go, with the conditions of the woodies and the crazily out-of-place SI2 building the biggest priorities in my opinion.

Yet another arrogant and harsh comment, but it doesn't surprise me.

The woodies are in no worse condition than some of the coasters at Towers, has Oblivion been painted since it was opened? Spinball looks like it's chipping away at the paintwork more and more every year, and they can't even maintain the ''bloody waterfalls'' on Nemesis now.

I think the priorities you should worry about are the park this site supports, rather than Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

I am sorry if you don't like my opinions and feel the need to report my posting style to a moderator again, but if you're going to slate one of the best parks in the country, you should maybe expect that a few of the fans of the park will oppose some of the comments being made in this topic. I think with the way Towers are going at the moment and all the cuts they are trying to make, maybe you should worry about the ''priorities'' of that park before picking on other parks which are doing perfectly well without having to make any cuts midway through the season.

Finally, I hope my grammar doesn't offend anyone either.

Scott.

Yet another arrogant and harsh comment, but it doesn't surprise me.

Rupert's comment is'arrogant and harsh'? Saying SI2 is out of place? Really?

You can't defend Blackpool so instead you deflect it to Alton. "So what is Nash is crumbling, Oblivion hasn't been painted recently!" It also doesn't help your cause that we know and complain about these issues. And why can't we worry and complain about other parks just because the website supports one? Is it not possible to be concerned about more than one park at a time? In case you haven't noticed, we do worry about the way Towers is run, and considering the measures we took last year, I think it's pretty obvious to anyone who doesn't have a vested interest in projecting Blackpool as the greatest place on earth and trying your best to make Alton look bad.

Look Scott - clearly you have a massive chip on your shoulder, but there really is no need to get so defensive all of the time. My post was my own opinion - I'd appreciate it if you didn't brand my opinion as "harsh and arrogant", as I won't to yours. If you want to change opinions, do it by thoughtful and constructive comments, not attacking the other posters because they don't agree.

Look Rupert, it's called debating the points made by other posting members, not having a chip on your shoulder.

I get fed up of reading the type of nonsense being posted in this topic about Pleasure Beach, especially when comments are made about 'needing this, needing that', it's uneducated rubbish.

I've said it previously and will say it again, if the people who always blabber on about PB needing thrill rides took a look at the history books, they'd see PB are doing nothing different to the way they've gone about adding thrill rides in the past. It's not a case of having a chip on my shoulder, it's a case of replying to your comments, I think you've taken it a little bit too personally.

Every time someone even looks to be criticising Blackpool you leap to their defence then criticise Alton.

How is it uneducated to say a park needs a certain type of ride? Or can no one but management decide if and when they should do anything, and any contrary suggestions must be wrong and silly automatically? So just because they leave large periods between thrill coasters means they don't need one now? I've gone a long time without sleep, doesn't mean I don't need sleep now.

 

[Adam James]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

I am looking forward to my first visit to the Blackpool Pleasure Beach, the park seems filled to the brim with history and heritage.

Didn't know you've never been Joelio - you'll have a fab time when you visit i'm sure

At the end of the day, the Pleasure Beach is so unique you'd be silly to compare whether it is better overall with parks on both a national and certainly international scale. There are so many different components (such as target market, investment capital, location, heritage, innovation, etc) that it would take in depth market research and a certain state of unbias to determine which is most successful or popular.

A university professor, historian, or industry expert such as IAAPA could probably undertake this, but not an enthusiast - particularly one being a member of either a Pleasure Beach or Alton Towers community forum.

Saying that though, we're all entitled to opinions. Everyone has them, but there's a difference between that and statements. Whether Grand National is better than Nemesis? It's certainly a debate, not a definite answer. (Valhalla vs Charlie though is a completely different matter in my opinion for instance...)

 

[Adam]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Heritage Centre? Exciting stuff. ;D

While I don't think PBB are in a great need for a new thrill coaster in the next couple years, I do think they need to have one by the turn of the decade at the latest. Assuming that they where to remove Dipper for extra space, they'd certainly need to build something truly special to replace such a classic attraction. But of course I'd much rather they kept BD and just built up and around it.

As for Infusion, I quite like it, but it's nothing compare to Nemesis or, to ensure I don't get branded as a "Towers Only Fan", Katun or Jubilee Odyssey. I prefer Infusion to Kumali and Inferno (that said, I don't rate either of those so that's not really saying much tbh) but it doesn't come close to the 3 Inverts I mentioned early, although I am a fan of the ride and don't consider it rough in anyway.

I love Nash, it's my favourite woodie and a coaster I truly love. That said, I certainly don't think it's as good as Nemmy, however I much prefer it to any of the coasters AT has built this millennium, mostly because I think they are all pretty crap I rate none of them very highly.

For the record, I post on both TST and PBE and don't consider being any more a Towers fan that I do a PBB one. Infact, due to my hatred of M£rlin I'd say I much prefer PBB's management and running style to AT's. I'm trying to give a neutral outlook of the situation and have no intentions in getting caught up on either side of this "debate", I was just giving my two cents on this topic.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

What's your point? That because people who've been on lots of coasters have a similar opinion anyone who does think Nemesis is one of the best rides in the world must be wrong? Out of interest, I wonder where those people would rate, say, PMBO or SLC clones?

My point is, Nemesis isn't the favourite coaster of everyone, that's what I was saying.

What's your point about PMBO and SLC clones? I don't really care for SLC clones, I've been on one of them and it wouldn't make my top ten, maybe not even my top 20.

I call closing an iconic park because it wasn't turning a profit short sited, especially considering the reason it stopped making money was because of the ridiculous Management decision to change the entry system. They engineered Southport's demise to make money.

It wasn't turning a profit long before the entry fee was put in place, it was busy for one weekend a year and that was whenever they had the air show on, apart from that it was always dead, even when it was free entry.

Traumatizer never had the impact GT wanted it to have on Southport, he put a lot of money into that park when really he'd of been better of spending it on the Pleasure Beach.

It was rightfully closed, if it was as iconic as you say, you should of gone more often along with all the others who moan about its closure, maybe then it'd of stood half a chance.

I also think you'll find coaster enthusiasts wanted an old, historically significant coaster to be saved.

Nobody gave a toss about it before it was shut.

Clearly you've never ridden any post on here that doesn't concern Blackpool. Almost every topic has at least one post suggesting what ever park is being discussed needs a GCI. Seriously, calm down and get out of your little aggressively defensive bubble.

Clearly you don't read TST very well, I've posted elsewhere on here a few times, what's your point?

Please point out to me in the site's guidelines where it says that all members most post in every forum category. I only read what interests me, topics about Air's tunnel doesn't interest me.

Infusion is built over a paddling pool.

It looks a bit deeper than any paddling pool I've ever seen in fairness. :-X

What is this 'bigger picture' you keep referring to? Blackpool need a new, modern thrill coaster. Just like Alton do. If Thirteen and Spinball were intended to be thrill coasters you might have had a point, but basically you're saying that because Alton's family coasters are not as thrilling as Thorpe's thrill coasters, Blackpool don't need to build a thrill coaster. I'm beginning to think this 'bigger picture' we're supposed to look at is actually just the rose tinted lenses you see the park through, and want everyone else to see through.

The bigger picture is this, Blackpool Pleasure Beach do NOT need a thrill coaster at this time while they continue to put money into the family market, as well as investing money into bringing existing attractions up to scratch and modernising the Pleasure Beach.

How many times do you need it spelling out to you? Pleasure Beach doesn't rely on new rides to bring the punters in every year, Blackpool is a tourist attraction that people will visit year after year, without needing something new to make them go back.

The illuminations is a big enough draw for people to go back, even though they've hardly changed in 10 years but people will continue to go back to Blackpool, not only for PB, but that's one of the main reasons.

If you honestly think I only see positive about PB, then you're mistaken, I've had more negative than positive to say about PB in 2012, that doesn't stop me from realising that only the coaster enthusiasts who don't understand how PB operate demand new thrill rides all the time.

Every time someone even looks to be criticising Blackpool you leap to their defence then criticise Alton.

I am sorry, but not everyone thinks Alton Towers is perfect, you've all brought up points about PB, I've brought up a few things about Towers, what's your problem?

I think maybe you need to stop being so uptight about anyone saying something bad against the mighty Alton Towers. ???