Blackpool Pleasure Beach: General Discussion

[Plastic Person]

In my opinion, there is something special about rides from The Big One's era that modern coasters just can't match. The ride still has a massive presence around Blackpool with the huge support structure and I really don't think it would make sense to change that. Icon appears to have shown that PB can invest in the latest technology and not really see a huge difference in crowd levels in the park.

If and when (and I'd almost bet my cat on "when") BPB decide to renovate or rework The Big One, they will not change its massive presence. That's fundamental to the experience. As pointed out above, Icon is a quality product in many ways, but was almost certainly a misfire, almost a vanity project. So was The Big One, in its own way, just a more sucessful investment; a true icon.

A 'Bigger' One redux would attract enormous crowds, not to mention those keen to take one last ride on the original. And they certainly would have a little more trouble discreetly removing it over the Christmas holidays. I remember Nick Thompson saying their were two more major projects planned, ride-wise, as of last summer. Given that crowds have remained obviously level at PBB, and that Icon has seemingly filed to capture anyone's imagination outside of Amanda's back garden and PBE's Youtube channel, I suddenly can't see either of those arriving within the next decade. so with that in mind, I'd rather throw nostalgia to the high winds at 235 feet and ride something fresh.

Nonetheless, I appreciate your devotion to the ride, and trust that it's also important to me. But something has to be done in the future. Of course, I'd much rather another large coaster found it's way into the park, but I would much prefer to see The Big One get expertly RMC-ed over Grand National, for example.

 

[Benjsh]

Big One is, was and always will be popular because it's unique to the UK.

It's aged terribly though.

@Coaster I'd take Nitro, Diamondback and even Raging Bull over Big One any day. All of those are streets ahead of it IMO.

The first drop is world class, but that's where it ends. The layout is just weird, it doesn't do anything.

Magnum XL 200 however is a different story, I'd take that over most B&M Hypers.

Exactly!

I rode Magnum last year for the first time and it's crazy how much better it is than Big One.

Big One isnt even in my top 10 in UK anymore. It was once upon a time but it's nowhere near the ride it used to be. It's not been looked after at all. Magnum on the other hand has definitely been given the love it deserves.

 

[rob666]

Big One has had two essential track repairs this year, gets checked, maintained and repaired every closed season, and has had track parts replaced completely every few years.
The off peak closure last week was due to a genuine repair.
It has already been reprofiled twice.
Building something that big on shifting sand means the only thing holding the ride structure together, is the ride structure itself.
As the Beach has very empty pockets at the moment, because of the complete failure of Icon to pull in fresh punters, nothing will happen with the Big One, apart from continuing with basic maintenance and repair, for at least a decade.
We will probably be waiting that long before a major new ride turns up.

 

[Ted]

I think Big One being better than a number of B&M hypers is one of the worst takes I've ever read on here. It's garbage, it feels like it's main intention was to show off the highest coaster record at the time and aside from the admittedly brilliant first drop, it's just nothing...If you offered me to replace it with a better hyper with airtime I'd rip your arm off.

 

[pj]

Why do I get the feeling someone is about to ask if you meant "6p"?

6D is like a 5D cinema but the extra dimension is taste.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Coaster]

I think Big One being better than a number of B&M hypers is one of the worst takes I've ever read on here. It's garbage, it feels like it's main intention was to show off the highest coaster record at the time and aside from the admittedly brilliant first drop, it's just nothing...If you offered me to replace it with a better hyper with airtime I'd rip your arm off.

It's all subjective with roller coasters, not everyone has the same favourites!

I stand by my view that converting PMBO into a B&M (or similar manufacturer) would be daft when it's already the biggest draw to PB.

 

[Rick]

@Coaster I can't speak for anyone else, but what I said previously was based on a scenario that I think that ride will get to a stage where they can't continue to operate it using the existing track and trains. Perhaps in the next decade, if not before.

It would be an 'upgrade' based on necessity, rather than any desire to improve it, but if you had to retrack it and spend seven or eight figures doing so, you would do so in a way that it was marketable not a like for like.

Lots of rides have gone 'under the knife', the Mouse for one. If forums existed at the time, how many people would be nervous that their beloved ride was going to be transformed - only for it to be transformed into one of the most memorable and talked about coasters in the country, for decades.

 

[ChristmasPud]

I guess if it became a necessity to redo Big One, there's nothing wrong with that in itself, just depends how it's done I suppose. Could be fantastic or it could tame the ride and show up the flaws in its strange layout.

 

[Rick]

Does anyone know if you can use the 2020 season pass offer to get discounted wristbands this season at the gate, or only online?

 

[Poopoohead]

Does anyone know if you can use the 2020 season pass offer to get discounted wristbands this season at the gate, or only online?

Sure I’ve seen this asked on Twitter and it seems the answer is online only

 

[Doublethink]

You can use it to get discounted 2019 tickets? I have the 2020 pass and haven't heard about this!

 

[Rick]

Had an unexpected afternoon to myself today so headed west to the beach for what was essentially to be a series of unfortunate events;

• Thought I'd start on Ice Blast - closed
• Headed over to Big Dipper, hopped in the train, pulled down the restraint and a loud alarm immediately sounded - was the fire alarm in Coasters, all out "QUICKLY!" - no Dipper for me today.
• Wandered over to Infusion - closed
• Grabbed some food in Big Pizza - all good
• Wandered over to the Big One, queue was up to turnstile operating one train with three cars open - decided to leave it for now
• Headed for Icon and joined what should have been a 15 minute queue with a single train, about four trains worth of queue before the front they announced there would be a short delay while they switched the train. They did so, a very efficient process, new train didn't make it over the hill the first three times, as expected. They cycled it a few times and then everything stopped for 10 minutes or so. They then took the 'new' train off and brought back the 'old' train and resumed ops, that took nearly 40 minutes all told.
• Considered heading back to the Big One but the queue had got even longer
• Headed over to the National, riding in a centre row really helps - enjoyed it very much
• I was parked nearby so thought I'd give Valhalla a try. Stole a poncho out of a bin. What a shambles... was in 'Stormforce 10 in a warehouse' mode.
• As I was leaving a cheery member of staff said "You should be entitled to a rainy day return but we're closed tomorrow"

You can use it to get discounted 2019 tickets? I have the 2020 pass and haven't heard about this!

Indeed, helpfully it wasn't in the purchase confirmation, but was provided prior as part of the marketing for the promotion

That's right! If you purchase a 2020 Platinum Club Season Pass before 30th September 2019, you can visit us any day for the rest of the 2019 season for half price*! You can do this as many times as you like until Sunday 3rd November.





All you need to do is purchase a Season Pass and then log into your 'My Account' and your half price Wristband offer will be there.





The amount of Season Passes you buy will be the amount of half price Wristbands you can get for each visit date.





1 Season Pass = 1 Half Price Wristband

@rob666 Interesting they're calling out that the Watson Road entrance is available (to all guests)

– Convenient Wristband collection location at Watson Road Tunnel Entrance (this entrance is also available to other guests but is generally a quicker way to enter the park)

 

[Matt N]

I certainly never knew that you could still enter the park through the entrance down the Watson Road tunnel (or at least what I think is the Watson Road tunnel). I thought it was an old park entrance that was used many years ago, but closed down; Pleasure Beach seems to have quite a few of those! Or at least, they have quite a few rather old looking Pleasure Beach signs that do not look as though they've had guests walk through them in some time!

Out of interest, where in the park does this entrance enter you? I know the main entrance enters you by Grand National and the Flying Machines and the hotel entrance enters you by the Big One, Skyforce and Steeplechase, but I'm not sure where this entrance enters you.

 

[Dipper_Dave]

Wandered over to the Big One, queue was up to turnstile operating one train with three cars open - decided to leave it for now

What a farce. I thought half sandbagging a train was for when the queue warrants more than one full train but less than two, and/or something to do with if it’s a fast or slow train (can of worms). Surely one train with a large queue should at least get filled with as near to 30 people as possible, not 18

I wonder why Ice Blast and Infusion were closed. Remember too that the park’s line up did not increase with Icon. It stayed the same as Wild Mouse closed.

 

[Plastic Person]

Pleasure Beach sounds like it's in a right state at the moment.

 

[John]

They sandbagged 2 cars of 1 train yesterday too, though there were 2 trains on the ride at the time. Once the queue got beyond the bottom of the ramp they went back to fully loading.

 

[Matt N]

Pleasure Beach sounds like it's in a right state at the moment.

The park was operating reasonably well when I went in August, but I think the park has struggled financially ever since Icon allegedly wasn't the success they were hoping for.

 

[Plastic Person]

I think the park has struggled financially ever since Icon allegedly wasn't the success they were hoping for.

And for about fifteen years before that, ever since the creditors swooped in after WGT's death, really. Icon was supposed to be the fix, or at least a fix. Nickelodeon Land and the hotels continue to be the smartest decisions the park has made, although I'm uncertain as to how Boulevard is doing.

I don't agree with some of those on here who envision the park flinging open their gates once more and simply reaping the instant rewards, but when I witness and hear about operations as bad as those described here recently, I think it's fair to say the park never truly shifted out of their PPR mindset. Saying that, we've had wristbands in some form for nearly twenty years now, and it wasn't even this bad five years ago... It's funny that Alton Towers and BPB are both seemingly running on no-frills operational settings, but for completely different reasons. Alton because they're caught up in the shareholder expectations and purse strings of a huge, multi-national corporate conglomerate, and BPB precisely because they aren't.

 

[Matt N]

And for about fifteen years before that, ever since the creditors swooped in after WGT's death, really. Icon was supposed to be the fix, or at least a fix. Nickelodeon Land and the hotels continue to be the smartest decisions the park has made, although I'm uncertain as to how Boulevard is doing.

I don't agree with some of those on here who envision the park flinging open their gates once more and simply reaping the instant rewards, but when I witness and hear about operations as bad as those described here recently, I think it's fair to say the park never truly shifted out of their PPR mindset. Saying that, we've had wristbands in some form for nearly twenty years now, and it wasn't even this bad five years ago... It's funny that Alton Towers and BPB are both seemingly running on no-frills operational settings, but for completely different reasons. Alton because they're caught up in the shareholder expectations and purse strings of a huge, multi-national corporate conglomerate, and BPB precisely because they aren't.

When you say about BPB never truly leaving the pay-per-ride mindset, I'd be intrigued to know what you mean, as most on here seem to imply that the park was operated very efficiently during that era. To be fair, I'd personally say that the park is still operated very efficiently now from my personal experience, but the operations apparently rivalled Europa during the 1990s.

On a similar note, I'd be intrigued to know; if anyone is able to describe, what was it that actually started the park's financial troubles in the first place? Only asking because most accounts I hear seem to imply that the park was doing really well and prospering throughout the 1990s and early 2000s until everything went pear-shaped after Geoffrey Thompson died and Amanda Thompson took over, but that is a rather broad description of events; I get the impression that there might be more to it than that. It must have taken something quite major for the park to go from attracting in excess of 5 million visitors per year and being as big as, if not bigger than, the Merlin parks in terms of guest numbers and turnover to suffering from reasonably major financial problems...

 

[venny]

The day after Late Night Riding is always terrible for operations. I think half the staff just don’t turn in until lunchtime and all the rides “break”. That usually means one train operation on pretty much everything, later opening for random rides and others strangely closed. Even PB Express often seems to have issues the day after.

I get the feeling that BPB want to provide good service and operations, but that is counteracted by a need to save money (and some questionable management/decisions in places). Those two competing interests don’t always align.