Blackpool Pleasure Beach: General Discussion

[Rowe]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Any who next years addition im looking forward to and I suppose this has been asked many of times but how have the park got away with Alice In Wonderland ride for this long? I thought Disney owned the rights to Alice In Wonderland?

The Disney film is merely a 1951 adaptation of an 1865 novel, which went out of copyright in 1907! Anyone is free to base a ride off the original novel.

I recall reading somewhere that Geoff's Dad Leonard had to beg Walt Disney for the rights to use Alice in Wonderland back in the '70s which is why in some parts of the theming you can see the designs used for the characters in the Disney film.

 

[Aly]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Any who next years addition im looking forward to and I suppose this has been asked many of times but how have the park got away with Alice In Wonderland ride for this long? I thought Disney owned the rights to Alice In Wonderland?

The Disney film is merely a 1951 adaptation of an 1865 novel, which went out of copyright in 1907! Anyone is free to base a ride off the original novel.

I recall reading somewhere that Geoff's Dad Leonard had to beg Walt Disney for the rights to use Alice in Wonderland back in the '70s which is why in some parts of the theming you can see the designs used for the characters in the Disney film.

Yeah, I'm sure I had also read somthing similiar somewhere online before. It must be the case though, as surely the attraction wouldn't be allowed to remain otherwise!

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Ive also noticed the ride smells old.. is this just the general building or is it one of those smell things like on Charlie (sorry I dont know the exact name of the equiptment )

 

[Rowe]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Any who next years addition im looking forward to and I suppose this has been asked many of times but how have the park got away with Alice In Wonderland ride for this long? I thought Disney owned the rights to Alice In Wonderland?

The Disney film is merely a 1951 adaptation of an 1865 novel, which went out of copyright in 1907! Anyone is free to base a ride off the original novel.

I recall reading somewhere that Geoff's Dad Leonard had to beg Walt Disney for the rights to use Alice in Wonderland back in the '70s which is why in some parts of the theming you can see the designs used for the characters in the Disney film.

Yeah, I'm sure I had also read somthing similiar somewhere online before. It must be the case though, as surely the attraction wouldn't be allowed to remain otherwise!

Here's the proof from themagiceye's article here:

But the following year, a fantastic new dark ride was built at the park, the first such ride for thirty years. Alice's Wonderland, licensed from Walt Disney, took riders along an elevated concrete track (that looked remarkably like the aforementioned Turnpike ride of a year earlier) into an enchanting world of Lewis Carroll's characters.

 

[Ollie]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Just a question, does anybody know what PBB's visitor numbers are like these days? They are no longer in the TEA report, is this because the paying visitors are lower than the likes of Thorpe and Legoland?

 

[Adam James]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Just a question, does anybody know what PBB's visitor numbers are like these days? They are no longer in the TEA report, is this because the paying visitors are lower than the likes of Thorpe and Legoland?

This'd be because of the introduction of a £5 entrance charge, so ultimately attendance figures for the Pleasure Beach were always going to decrease.

You're right regarding Alice's Wonderland Rowe - I believe the park have a 50ish year contract (can't remember the exact number) on using the characters and name.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

I doubt anyone would know the real date that the contract expires then? What would happen eventually would they remove it or replace it? Although it cant be soon as they're having Wallice next year and I've never seen it really have a que these days.

 

[Michael]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

I doubt anyone would know the real date that the contract expires then? What would happen eventually would they remove it or replace it? Although it cant be soon as they're having Wallice next year and I've never seen it really have a que these days.

I doubt that Amanda will let Alice's Wonderland go easily, it is her favourite ride

 

[Aly]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Just a question, does anybody know what PBB's visitor numbers are like these days? They are no longer in the TEA report, is this because the paying visitors are lower than the likes of Thorpe and Legoland?

This'd be because of the introduction of a £5 entrance charge, so ultimately attendance figures for the Pleasure Beach were always going to decrease.

You're right regarding Alice's Wonderland Rowe - I believe the park have a 50ish year contract (can't remember the exact number) on using the characters and name.

It would be rather epic if for example currently at Disney no-one knows about the ride and/or liscence for it. Afterall look at the state of the ride... if they (Disney) had any sort of interest you would have thought they would have forced a refurb upon it!

 

[Sam]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Blackpool Pleasure Beach seeks investment loan

Blackpool Pleasure Beach is seeking a loan to fund an as-yet unknown development.

The Thompson family owners have applied to access the Growing Places Fund, which is part of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

A report to the Blackpool Council states: “The application seeks to utilise the Growing Places Fund, which has been established to develop infrastructure projects where funding is not readily available through other channels.”

The LEP describes itself as a “unique private-public sector alliance that promotes investment and job creation in Lancashire.”

In 2010, the park secured a £5 million loan from the local council to aid the construction of the Nickelodeon Land area.

Pleasure Beach is to open a Wallace & Gromit ride in 2013, which will be a reworking of the classic Gold Mine attraction. It is not known if the loan would be used to assist the project.

 

[Dave]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Interesting... Pleasure Beach is my 2nd favourite UK park so im always happy to see good investment. Not sure about public money funding a private business but Blackpool as a Town is completely dependent on tourism so i can see some justification for it.

Certainly exciting times for Blackpool and the Pleasure Beach.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Very interesting! If the park keep adding attractions/rides year upon year now I think they could be onto somthing and becoming that bit more popular year on year!

Really hope Pleasure Beach have somthing big planned in the pipe line! C'mon PBBP You can do it!

 

[Tom]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

It seems destined for Wallace & Gromit to me. Perhaps it isn't essential in the construction of the ride, but maybe the money would be used for a bigger-than-normal advertising campaign or something?

 

[Alastair]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

It seems destined for Wallace & Gromit to me. Perhaps it isn't essential in the construction of the ride, but maybe the money would be used for a bigger-than-normal advertising campaign or something?

It'd have to be some ride to warrant £5m on advertising!

 

[Adam James]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

The way I see it this must be to fund the attraction as opposed to marketing - simple deconstruction is the only thing to have been undertaken since the ride's closure, and the ride was supposedly supposed to be open this year too.

This'd also explain why the border fence with marketing on has been covered up and nothing has been announced, potentially with the park waiting for funding to be secured before making any rash manoeuvres.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Could this potentially mean that the park is struggling again?

 

[AstroDan]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Sorry, but they need a new coaster as soon as possible. Mandy needs to take the plunge.

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[Andrew]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Indeed she does!

Hopefully the W&G ride should be fun!
I'm looking forward to it.

On a side note, I'm going to BPB in 2 weeks yesterday, so I'll post a trip review and whatever pictures I decide to get. I also get a health and safety talk about the rides too!
I'll post details when I get back.

 

[Benzin]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

Sorry, but they need a new coaster as soon as possible. Mandy needs to take the plunge.

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Where does this new coaster get built though? That's the main issue with BPB, the lack of space, and what could they remove to get a half decent thrilling coaster?

 

[AstroDan]

Re: Pleasure Beach, Blackpool: General Discussion

I don't propose to have answers as I visit the park infrequently, but from my perspective, the park has had no new custom coaster since 1994.

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