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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: General Discussion

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I believe there was plans to retrack a lot more of the Big One this winter, but more of it is scheduled to be done next winter to carry on what they’ve started recently. This is the first retrack Big One has had since 2008, there’s been little bits of repair work done on track sections since but nothing on the scale of what we’ve seen recently. I’m glad it’s being done, there’s absolutely no doubt that the sections of track being replaced were incredibly “bumpy” throughout this season.


As for ICON being a flop, I disagree to a point, I’m just not convinced enough people know about it for it to be a success. It’s exactly what BPB needed and improved the coaster lineup for sure. Everyone knows Wicker Man opened at Towers, there’s still plenty of people out there who haven’t got a clue what ICON is, sadly.
 
ScottPBE said:
As for ICON being a flop, I disagree to a point, I’m just not convinced enough people know about it for it to be a success. It’s exactly what BPB needed and improved the coaster lineup for sure. Everyone knows Wicker Man opened at Towers, there’s still plenty of people out there who haven’t got a clue what ICON is, sadly.
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I think most of what you describe is the rationale for accusations it has been a flop. As I said a few pages back, in our office where you can literally see the PMBO, a chunk of people didn't know the Pleasure Beach had built a new ride.
 
ScottPBE said:
I believe there was plans to retrack a lot more of the Big One this winter, but more of it is scheduled to be done next winter to carry on what they’ve started recently. This is the first retrack Big One has had since 2008, there’s been little bits of repair work done on track sections since but nothing on the scale of what we’ve seen recently. I’m glad it’s being done, there’s absolutely no doubt that the sections of track being replaced were incredibly “bumpy” throughout this season.


As for ICON being a flop, I disagree to a point, I’m just not convinced enough people know about it for it to be a success. It’s exactly what BPB needed and improved the coaster lineup for sure. Everyone knows Wicker Man opened at Towers, there’s still plenty of people out there who haven’t got a clue what ICON is, sadly.
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True Scott a lot of icons failure was down to poor marketing. Shame as it's a great ride and was the first thing to pull me to go to PB as an enthusiast. Not even my non enthusiast freinds living 30 mins from Blackpool knew about icon before I told them about it.

Also would say icon lacks the "Instagram factor" of the huge wickerman centerpiece which as much as we may hate social media goes a long way to spreading word of the ride
 
Doublethink said:
True Scott a lot of icons failure was down to poor marketing. Shame as it's a great ride and was the first thing to pull me to go to PB as an enthusiast. Not even my non enthusiast freinds living 30 mins from Blackpool knew about icon before I told them about it.

Also would say icon lacks the "Instagram factor" of the huge wickerman centerpiece which as much as we may hate social media goes a long way to spreading word of the ride
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Totally agree with this, although it's a really beautiful ride off-ride, it's only really good to look at for enthusiasts. For anyone else, it's just another rollercoaster if that makes sense? Wickerman has the factor of the incredible theming and of course the huge centrepiece with fire, something which Icon lacks. It's only really an 'instagrammable (i know that's not a word)' for non enthusiastsride at night, which is only doable on several occaions throughout the season, and as you've previously said, isn't really advertised heavily outside of Blackpool. Such a shame, because it's a great ride, and just what Blackpool needed, but there shouldn't have been a single person in the North West at least who didn't know it was opening.
 
kurtis.99 said:
If Blackpool really wanted to do something with the ride enclose the first launch and turn it into a preshow


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Great idea to be fair, but it's pumping more money into something they're already very proud of. I agree though, great idea, and certainly another scare factor.
 
Alton Towers, ride most of the season £55 (now £58)
Blackpool, river caves, train ride, fountains £40.

Icon should have been marketed as part of an early season pass mega deal.
AT season pass plus a new coaster combo was a good marketing position. The ride got them in, the cheap upgrade keeps them coming.
Once you have the "free" entry option for an AT day out, its hard to justify £25 or £30 × family size for BPB.

As for HExpress 2020, Hotdog Express is as high as my expectations go for 2020.
 
I think you're right in terms of it being a good strategy for a park like Alton, but for the Pleasure Beach, a cheap season pass offer is perhaps less attractive and undermines them wanting to keep the rabble out with the entry fee.
 
‘Giving away the gate’ might be a good short term strategy in terms of guest numbers, but it undermines the value of your product. I’m not sure it is something that will work well for AT (and Merlin) long term.

Icons problem has to be the lack of advertising. Living in the Midlands I have never seen any advertising on TV or anywhere else. You can’t really say Icon failed because it’s a rubbish coaster, if people haven’t even heard of it they won’t turn up to try it in the first place.
 
Towers also have a captive audience. So even if punters are coming back multiple times for free they are still likely to spend money in the park on either food/drink or the extortionate fast track system. Even the parking cost cannot really be avoided.

So towers will probably still make a profit on "free" repeat visits, and if they get more people through the gates then it also drives fast track sales.

I don't think pleasure beach would make money from offering a season pass for around £60. It would be nice of course but I just don't think they make enough extra income from punters once they are through the gates.
 
Merlin do distort the market with their ludicrous pricing. BPB generally remains cheaper booking in advance than a BOGOF for a Merlin park, but that’s not immediately apparent to the GP. Yet again, perhaps better marketing required??
 
Exactly, what marketing is there?

In other news, Attraction Images are suggesting that Valhalla will be SBNO for the 2020 season.

 
ringo said:
Exactly, what marketing is there?

In other news, Attraction Images are suggesting that Valhalla will be SBNO for the 2020 season.

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Grain of salt comes to mind I know new boats have been ordered but if it is closed I reckon it would have already been announced I can see it opening late this year to work on the boats filling maybe they’ll take advantage of the down time to do some work to everything else


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Poopoohead said:
Would probably make sense to just run it at weekends and during the summer months. Isn’t it insanely expensive to run?
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Yes, but it's also one of their absolute signature attractions. I wouldn't mind it taking a year out if the park did some work to both renovate and fine tune it, while perhaps removing some of the more expensive elements and working out a more cost-efficient alternative. On the other hand, I do love it when stuff blows up, and people will definitely miss that about the ride if it disappears.

Gawd love GWT, but he didn't half make some short-sighted investments, impressive as they were. Then again, they have had two decades of business from Valhalla.
 
Whilst not commenting on the veracity of the main topic, the video is laden with contradictory statements which undermine its credibility.

Comparing Valhalla to going to see The Lion King without the Lion, was my favourite metaphor. I often ride Valhalla and wonder where the Halla is...
 
Valhalla needs modernization tbh. I would think you could achieve a lot of excellent effects in a way which doesn't use 1/3rd of the parks electricity (particularly looking at the heat and cold effects that must be a nightmare to maintain).

Also some variability in soaking would be useful for days when you don't want a Popeye level drenching e.g. a frosty march
 
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