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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: General Discussion
- Thread starter John
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venny
TS Member
Re: debts racked up during WGT’s reign, that’s entirely true. Interestingly though, the park’s debt, having been refinanced by a combination of public and private loans, is at similar levels now as at the time of Geoffrey’s unfortunate passing.
I expect hotel number two will help with finances medium term. There are some significant loan repayments to be made in fairly short order, assuming they aren’t again refinanced it deferred.
I expect hotel number two will help with finances medium term. There are some significant loan repayments to be made in fairly short order, assuming they aren’t again refinanced it deferred.
shakey
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Wild Mouse - Blackpool - :(
It's a shame that we seem to be in a place of doom and gloom when this year could and should have delivered so much more.
Just had an email advertising half price wrist bands between now and Friday when booked on line. And this is still half term week for many areas.
No sign of them making any concessions on gate price though and I think that is a major problem they have given themselves this year. It costs too much to turn up on the day without pre booking.
It will be interesting to see if they learn anything from this obviously disappointing year when they put next year's strategy into place.
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Just had an email advertising half price wrist bands between now and Friday when booked on line. And this is still half term week for many areas.
No sign of them making any concessions on gate price though and I think that is a major problem they have given themselves this year. It costs too much to turn up on the day without pre booking.
It will be interesting to see if they learn anything from this obviously disappointing year when they put next year's strategy into place.
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shakey
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Wild Mouse - Blackpool - :(
I think most of Yorkshire and Derbyshire are off this week.
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Dipper_Dave
TS Member
Let it be noted that it wasn’t me who brought up Wild Mouse first today! Yes, it’s gone and we can’t do anything about it. That doesn’t mean we can’t feel sad when walking past where it stood, or that we should never mention it again. I think some people forget how much the ride was loved. If this had happened to Nemesis, there would be uproar and people would not be happy with Merlin about it.
@Dipper_Dave
No one was more shocked than us to see how sloppy it was being run. In fact someone actually asked us as we joined the queue how long it would be (people assume because it's spilling out of the queue pen it will be hours) and when I said around 40 minutes they were really impressed. It's a pity BPB let me and themselves down.
It was also interesting to see when we joined the queue for the Streak at around 9.45 which was just on the top of the ramp, the two guys running the ride were working together to ensure every seat was filled, one of them went back to the brake box while the other ran (literally) down the train checking the bars and as soon as the front seat was checked it started to move (without the pointless walk to ring the bell) the train can't have been in the station longer than a minute before it was moving again.
Now why can't that happen more often. We were back off the ride in time to be on the overpass for the fireworks.
Regarding the Wild Mouse, BPB didn't want it to go, that is something I whole heartedly believe. They spent far too much time, effort and money on it in its final 12 months for me to be talked out of that opinion without some serious evidence. That said, I feel the way they went about its removal was sly, sneaky and a two finger salute at the rides history, that of the park, and every member of the coaster community.
As for why the park is struggling, I have done this to death:
*Entry fee
*Opening time
*Price of pay per ride system.
Sort those 3 out and BPB will make money.
There is no logical reason why the Piers and Arcades can make money into the night, yet BPB is tucked up in bed by 5pm in the illumination season. That is the actions of a bunch of lunatic's.
No one was more shocked than us to see how sloppy it was being run. In fact someone actually asked us as we joined the queue how long it would be (people assume because it's spilling out of the queue pen it will be hours) and when I said around 40 minutes they were really impressed. It's a pity BPB let me and themselves down.
It was also interesting to see when we joined the queue for the Streak at around 9.45 which was just on the top of the ramp, the two guys running the ride were working together to ensure every seat was filled, one of them went back to the brake box while the other ran (literally) down the train checking the bars and as soon as the front seat was checked it started to move (without the pointless walk to ring the bell) the train can't have been in the station longer than a minute before it was moving again.
Now why can't that happen more often. We were back off the ride in time to be on the overpass for the fireworks.
Regarding the Wild Mouse, BPB didn't want it to go, that is something I whole heartedly believe. They spent far too much time, effort and money on it in its final 12 months for me to be talked out of that opinion without some serious evidence. That said, I feel the way they went about its removal was sly, sneaky and a two finger salute at the rides history, that of the park, and every member of the coaster community.
As for why the park is struggling, I have done this to death:
*Entry fee
*Opening time
*Price of pay per ride system.
Sort those 3 out and BPB will make money.
There is no logical reason why the Piers and Arcades can make money into the night, yet BPB is tucked up in bed by 5pm in the illumination season. That is the actions of a bunch of lunatic's.
Forever round on the same circles...
Last year they had the same entry fees, pay per ride prices and opening times, but they had more visitors overall than this year.
There are other factors affecting all leisure trade this year...
Brexit apprehension, a lack of a reliable train service, a very wet spring, followed by a very dry summer, and towers super cheap season pass, have all been beyond the control of park management.
I'm not saying how they are doing things is right, but I will be getting my season pass as usual before the current offer runs out.
Same old same old suits me fine.
Stay away at top peak times.
Simple.
Last year they had the same entry fees, pay per ride prices and opening times, but they had more visitors overall than this year.
There are other factors affecting all leisure trade this year...
Brexit apprehension, a lack of a reliable train service, a very wet spring, followed by a very dry summer, and towers super cheap season pass, have all been beyond the control of park management.
I'm not saying how they are doing things is right, but I will be getting my season pass as usual before the current offer runs out.
Same old same old suits me fine.
Stay away at top peak times.
Simple.
speedy
TS Member
Possibly they need to adjust their prices to compensate? Also evening openings. Have a discount for entry after 4. Maybe they could close Nickelodeon Land after 4 to save costs? I don't think trains or weather have much to do with it considering how well Towers (appears) to be doing. And Brexit? I may be misinterpreting you here but how does Brexit affect whether or not people want to visit?
Smilertron
TS Member
Save a wod of cash by closing Valhalla. Half the effects don't work and people avoid it on cold days because you get too wet. Take down ice blast aswell and revamp the area with a more economical ride. I'd rather spend the money on maintenace of a classic wooden coaster than a half arsed water ride with effects (when they bother to turn them on) that are way beyond a medium sized amusement park. Fight me 
Alternatively, get Martin Lewis in to go through BPBs finances haha.
Alternatively, get Martin Lewis in to go through BPBs finances haha.
And this year they have less. That tells me the set up they are using isn't working and needs to change. You (who openly admit) enjoy the park when there is yourself and about 50 other people there. However that is not good business sense.
Staying away from the peek times may suit your self centred ways, but for those of us with a family, or who actually care about the long term future of the park it's not the answer.
Again, I may be happy (and one time I would have been) to spend every free day I had at BPB. That is not the case now, and Emma and Luke certainly don't. Say to any 11 year old lad 'do you want to stay up on Saturday and visit BPB at night and see it all lite up, watch the fireworks and go on the rides in the dark?' They will say yes.
Ask them to do the same rides......12 hours later......nah thanks I'd rather play crazy golf or go in the arcades.
You are looking at it from a very selfish coaster fan view Rob, and I mean you no disrespect by saying that. But I have now grown up, my time on the park has been cut into about a 6th of what it was 10 years ago and for me a weekend in Blackpool is not a weekend in BPB.
Ask them to do the same rides......12 hours later......nah thanks I'd rather play crazy golf or go in the arcades.
You are looking at it from a very selfish coaster fan view Rob, and I mean you no disrespect by saying that. But I have now grown up, my time on the park has been cut into about a 6th of what it was 10 years ago and for me a weekend in Blackpool is not a weekend in BPB.
Sorry to double post but I have just seen a post I missed earlier.
Nick Land was open till close on Saturday and was busy. The South Pier had kids entertainment on until around 11.30. We went over for a few beers after the park closed and struggled to get a seat. Families are out and about, even at night. Nick Land doesn't need to close early.
Nick Land was open till close on Saturday and was busy. The South Pier had kids entertainment on until around 11.30. We went over for a few beers after the park closed and struggled to get a seat. Families are out and about, even at night. Nick Land doesn't need to close early.
Dipper_Dave
TS Member
Two trains on Dipper today thankfully, but one set on Nash with the queue almost to the arcade. Does anyone know why they’ve barely had the second set of Nash trains on all season even when it’s busy enough to need them on? Big One still not open,
looking like 1230 opening despite park being open at 10. Oh dear. Time to retreat to Gourmet Burger, if @shakey hasn’t finished off the chilli jam
looking like 1230 opening despite park being open at 10. Oh dear. Time to retreat to Gourmet Burger, if @shakey hasn’t finished off the chilli jam
They have probably worked out that running 4 makes very little difference to the overall throughput of the ride while it operates in that (rather dangerous) manner when on 4 trains.
I mean it would make a mess if one of those brakes were to fail. Yet another reason to make sure trains 3 and 4 are some distance up the lift by the time 1 and 2 return.
I mean it would make a mess if one of those brakes were to fail. Yet another reason to make sure trains 3 and 4 are some distance up the lift by the time 1 and 2 return.
Plastic Person
TS Member
I visited BPB recently and rode Big Dipper on one-train service. It unloaded down the platform adjacent to the first drop, and I must admit, the H&S officer in me was dumbstruck that the track levelling out here is still quite so exposed to those disembarking. I presume that when running a two-train service, the ride doesn't clear the lift until the unload platform is empty of guests?
Godscrasher
TS Member
I live closer to BPB than AT by far (living in Tynemouth), the day is a slog of a drive but it doesn't need a stay over and can be done in a day no probs, even better if there's someone to share the drive with.
shakey
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Wild Mouse - Blackpool - :(
Had a good day at pleasure beach yesterday with rob666 and Dipper_Dave.
Park reasonably busy and they actually had big Dipper on 2 trains meaning only a 10 minute queue.
Unfortunately big one didnt open till around mid day and stayed on one train all day without a breath of wind and queues past the bottom of the ramp.
I was told on my way into the park that one train is basically knackered and they are getting a new train next season.
If that is true then I wish they would put something outside the ride explaining they are having technical problems with the 2nd train and apologising for any inconvenience. People would be far more accepting of the situation if they did that.
Good news if they are getting a new train.
Park closed at 5pm and probably should have stayed open later really but at least they didn't shut the big one queue until bang on 5 meaning we got a night ride in to finish the day off.
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Park reasonably busy and they actually had big Dipper on 2 trains meaning only a 10 minute queue.
Unfortunately big one didnt open till around mid day and stayed on one train all day without a breath of wind and queues past the bottom of the ramp.
I was told on my way into the park that one train is basically knackered and they are getting a new train next season.
If that is true then I wish they would put something outside the ride explaining they are having technical problems with the 2nd train and apologising for any inconvenience. People would be far more accepting of the situation if they did that.
Good news if they are getting a new train.
Park closed at 5pm and probably should have stayed open later really but at least they didn't shut the big one queue until bang on 5 meaning we got a night ride in to finish the day off.
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