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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: General Discussion

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venny said:
There’s a new email from BPB floating around with details including;

Free ride tickets for toddlers (accompanied by a wristband holder)
Free wristband delivery for peak day wristbands
A confirmation that the new Coasters will serve Mexican food with a nice CGI of the refurbished restaurant
Details on some new food options available, including Yorkshire pudding wraps and sweet potato fries
Click to expand...

So getting your advance booking wristband posted to you at home will save you queuing in the ticket office. Good idea, but conversely it will mean a mass of people immediately descending upon the Noah's Ark security check / wristband scanners. As there are less of those than the number of desks open in the ticket centre, this could mean long queues out in all weathers to get to the security / scanners.

The old Coasters (also called Coasters) also served Mexican food. I agree it was dated but I hope the refurb doesn't mean its lost all its character, ie walls stripped of the classic old photos of the park. Mind you, I will take this back presuming there is a nice terrace with Icon views. From the pic it looks like the rear terrace might have Icon views beyond just the station building!

I am up for trying a Yorkshire pudding wrap. :)
 
Like the free wristband delivery, having them delivered is the only way I’ve visited in the past. But @Dipper_Dave raises an important issue of the turnstiles probably not being able to cope.

Really pleased they’ve listened and acknowledged there is a problem with getting wristbands. My solution is get rid of them all together but doubt it will ever happen!
 
For my own convenience if nothing else, I'd like to see BPB scrap wristbands, but no doubt there'd be a tidal wave of complaints if they try it anytime soon. Free posting of wristbands is a good step in the meantime though.
 
Quite a few spaces for a new entrance though dippy, would fit in nicely with a big new coaster on north park.
Ark could then be a museum attraction outside the actual park gates.
Wristband bottleneck will be better if they use all the detector gates, not sure if they do as I never go in that way during peak.
 
venny said:
There’s a new email from BPB floating around with details including;

Free ride tickets for toddlers (accompanied by a wristband holder)
Free wristband delivery for peak day wristbands
A confirmation that the new Coasters will serve Mexican food with a nice CGI of the refurbished restaurant
Details on some new food options available, including Yorkshire pudding wraps and sweet potato fries
Click to expand...
I received the email too; here is what it said about Coasters:

NEW and Improved Coasters

P5LM-lddDtOK9byfSA7X0EctrNDgL571skB4ErzN0LJCjyO8fh-W8lPDXN2DaxipvsxcY59qiBrAKDIoBZrDksmvFJnyQmQT_PYXlyXvuNmrVlPppg=s0-d-e1-ft


Our Coasters restaurant will be re-opening with a brand new look.
Serving the very best in Mexican and Tex-Mex dining, with a beautiful view over ICON!
This revamped restaurant will have a selection of Fajita, Nachos, Burritos
and everything that you would expect from a Mexican styled restaurant.
Coasters is set to open this Spring, so watch this space!
Click to expand...
 
I might be in the minority but I like the existing entrance. In what other theme park do you enter underneath an historic, unique and listed structure like the Ark? I get the complaints about queues but the main problem with this is the Ticket Centre rather than park entrance. The wristband queue is almost always far longer than the park entrance queue. Given this is what they are addressing with this new free postage system I have to applaud them.

Having said that I think there are improvements they could make to the park entrance which wouldn’t entail a new entrance. Just with the opening of all the body scanners and easily separable queues, the entrance system would’ve far quicker. There is never a queue for the turnstiles themselves, so separating queues and ensuring all scanners are open would work. They might even be able to squeeze in another scanner or two if really needed.

Got to say that overall I’m impressed by these changes. Well done BPB and long may the improvements continue.
 
South entrance would have been a perfect first impression of the park this year with views of Icon as you walk under the PMBO and Dipper arches, much better than the first thing you see being "where's Wild Mouse gone?"

It really sucks that Wild Mouse went. BPB would have had an incredible coaster lineup to claim this year with the five wooden coasters and six steel. It does feel like there's something missing from the park even with Icon looking so fantastic.
 
They still have an incredible coaster line up in terms of variety.

The new entrance will happen one day, i’d say they’ve made a wise move putting that money in other things this year (Coasters, new hotel construction, park spruce up) - not to mention the sudden cost of tearing down both a coaster and a walkthrough attraction.
 
Long term, surely the White Tower has to become a flagship entrance hotel, which would mean a new ticketing hall. BPB are not short of chipboard buildings to replace around that area to make a new setup.
In the short term, they should look at installing self service ticketing machines. If they are happy to post out wristbands for people to attach themselves, there isn't any difference.

I'm thinking giant tablets like McDonalds do, with upselling options, credit card readers etc. Which print out the wristbands and receipts. You need people there for trickier transactions (cash, disabilities, lost paperwork, machine failure, annual passes etc.), but most peoples requirements will be simpler.
 
If PB really want a new enterance I would much rather they knocked down beach amusments then the Ark TBH.

And I think the exterior or the new coasters looks hidious IMO:angry:
Once again Dull colours.
 
Knocking down or renovating Beach Amusements would be a great move. It’s an awful first impression for guests.

Give the new Coasters chance, the gold panelling will reflect light beautifully. It’s a modern design, I’d argue they’ve taken design cues from Apple which is fine by me!
 
Coasters definitely needed the update and now is the perfect time to do it. I’m fine with the modern aesthetic, however I struggle to think of any of BPB’s refurbs into that modern aesthetic which pay some homage to history. They all tend to be very bland and sanitised of the character which makes Pleasure Beach what it is.

I fear Coasters will follow this same model of sanitation, but hope we’ll see a return of some of old pictures or something else which provides that nod to the past. Including these can’t hurt the design motif - put them into new frames if you have to! There has to be a way of completing these updates to be both modern and have character and recognition of the past. The only attempt I can think of over the past few years which attempts this combination is Big Dipper’s fountain. To me that fountain is excellent and achieves both aims perfectly - so it can be done!

As for Beach Amusements, totally agree. Given the improvements made to park presentations over the years, this now sticks out like a sore thumb and really does drag down the experience and appearance of the entrance area. I can only imagine, like many of the other tatty arcades throughout BPB, that this is an issue with HB. Perhaps then we’ll be waiting for that contract with HB to either expire or be renegotiated. Does anyone know how long this might be? Perhaps we could see arcades be taken back in-house?
 
With regards to Pasaje price, it is £8. Walk up price for wristbands is £39 (but will likely fluctuate).

Wasn't on park today but I understand the Big One queue was back to the Revolution for a short time, with the ramp switchbacks closed, with a single train.
 
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Judging by queues at the Ticket Centre today the free wristband delivery is sorely needed. Queues stretching through the Ticket Centre, outside to the cattle pen in the car park, back through Casino, past Guest Relations and out of the front entrance. That was just before noon.

Some other random observations:

The organ on Derby Racer was closed. It’s strange riding without that music.

Single train operation throughout. Rides like Avalanche, Dipper and Big One really need to be on two trains with crowds like today. big One queues were down the ramp and filling the switchbacks, Dipper was back up to the Infusion terrace. Not a good impression to give guests they want to return later in the year.

Food service was patchy. Gourmet Burger at FY4 was dire (decent taste, just a total faff and another Season Pass discount FAIL).

The Yorkshire pudding wrap has arrived and the unit on Heidi Strasse was open for the first time I’ve seen in ages.

Icon looks even better in the sunshine. Eddie Stobart provides some great views if you can squeeze in.

Someone has turned up the Avalanche bears music. Hurrah! It appears the Laughing Man has gone quiet in response.

I hope the back of Alice gets covered soon. It looks really poor from FY4.
 
venny said:
Single train operation throughout. Rides like Avalanche, Dipper and Big One really need to be on two trains with crowds like today. big One queues were down the ramp and filling the switchbacks, Dipper was back up to the Infusion terrace. Not a good impression to give guests they want to return later in the year.
Click to expand...

Were they selling speedy pass aswell?



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Sounds terrible operations wise for a busy day, hardly going to leave a good impression especially considering they're opening a new coaster later in the year.

Did they extend the opening hours at all?
 
Left just after 3 and didn’t notice any extension. I think people may tolerate queues for rides but I suspect the wristband queue will tick a lot off before even getting in. The ride queues will then just add to frustration. Queuing up to hand over your money is not something people expect.

Valhalla at least looked quiet.
 
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