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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: General Discussion

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The tesla coil has gone, I think merlin nicked it for thirteen!
The snow works on days that are less than warm, very common in Blackpoo.
Most of the other features work sporadically, but when the ring of fire works it is amazing.
Best water ride in the world???, probably not.
 
I'm not sure I've ever seen the ring of fire working, though that's at least partially as I'm always trying to avoid getting any wetter than I already am
 
RoyJess said:
I presume that the snow and Tesla coil in the cold room no longer is available nor is the hoop of fire on the last drop? :(
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Was there ice on the floor/scenery? And was it cold? The snow effect (which comes from two misters on the ceiling) works very rarely, as does the ring of fire which has been working on occasions this year; but I'd estimate that it goes off around once every 5 boats on days when it's working.

The tesla coil used to be located in the scene just before the last drop, however it was removed years ago.
 
Didn't the Tesla coil go to G-Farce at Drayton?

It was removed a few years after the Valhalla opened, I'm surprised it was allowed to open with it tbh. Water and electricity don't tend to mix. :confused:
 
Jamie said:
Was there ice on the floor/scenery? And was it cold? The snow effect (which comes from two misters on the ceiling) works very rarely, as does the ring of fire which has been working on occasions this year; but I'd estimate that it goes off around once every 5 boats on days when it's working.

The tesla coil used to be located in the scene just before the last drop, however it was removed years ago.
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On my visit last week and a couple of years ago, the room was cold but no ice on the floor/scenery.

The cold room used to house the Tesla coil, I was unaware that it had been moved to the scene just before the last drop before it was completely removed.

I've also don't remember seeing the hoop of fire a couple of years ago. It used to be a circular hoop which was replaced with a square hoop and on my last trip last week, there wasn't even an unlit hoop let alone one on fire.

Some of the other effects not working last week were the Trommel on the first lift hill, the hot geysers on the left hand side (right hand ones working only).

Some the effects working intermittent were the flaming arrows, and the final fire ball on the right before you exit, however I've not seen the fire ball on the left working at all in the last few years.

It also look like there were making a killing on selling those waterproof capes and pouches in the queue line Kiosk.
 
The Tesla coil was always at the top of the drop, on the U bend.
I don't think it was ever in the cold room.
No surprise to see you loitering around this topic Jamie!
All the final balls of fire work...occasionally.
Preferred the "laser floor" effect that used to be half way down the first drop, that used to be really good.
 
RoyJess said:
On my visit last week and a couple of years ago, the room was cold but no ice on the floor/scenery.

The cold room used to house the Tesla coil, I was unaware that it had been moved to the scene just before the last drop before it was completely removed.

I've also don't remember seeing the hoop of fire a couple of years ago. It used to be a circular hoop which was replaced with a square hoop and on my last trip last week, there wasn't even an unlit hoop let alone one on fire.

Some of the other effects not working last week were the Trommel on the first lift hill, the hot geysers on the left hand side (right hand ones working only).

Some the effects working intermittent were the flaming arrows, and the final fire ball on the right before you exit, however I've not seen the fire ball on the left working at all in the last few years.

It also look like there were making a killing on selling those waterproof capes and pouches in the queue line Kiosk.
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As far as I can remember the tesla coil was always located in the scene before the last drop.
The square of fire isn't really visible when it's not working hence why you probably didn't see it.

Valhalla has had a disappointing season regarding the effects, some work needs doing over the closed season IMO.
 
Join the club...
all that Valhalla moisture rotting the brain!
The laser floor came back from the deepest recesses of the mind.
Best trick on the ride, but didn't last long.
Really freaked me out on my first ride.
 
I've been on Valhalla a few times in the last couple of weeks, and changes in effects are working/not is hilarious. No ride is the same on Valhalla.

Everything works, just not together. Ring of fire was working yesterday!

I do love Valhalla, but I find that it's let down by some basic errors, like the flashing disco lights that come on randomly? Da fuk is that about??

And the music.... it's great music, but it should be played through smaller speakers following the boats, as apposed to a few MASSIVE speakers in the corners of the building. It just sounds so echoey and like you're in a large warehouse (which you obviously are).

I also think they could do with enclosing the trough so you can see the rest of the warehouse. The second lift is the worst for that, aee through black netting, really?
 
Disco lights? Is that the laser in the crow room - in which case I agree it doesn't suit the ride! Actually, a few months ago they had it on a setting where it was pointing at the water which actually looked great, but they've since gone back to pointing it at the wall which looks naff IMO.

The ride needs an overhaul of the sound system, I like the echo effect of the music but other aspects (such as the first lifthill voice) need to be much, much louder like they used to be.

I really like being able to see parts of the ride from the second lifthill, not many people know about it but it's a great hidden feature for those who do!

Finally, work needs to be done on the effects, they have never been reliable but this season has been the worst in a long time.
 
I do love Valhalla, and would certainly welcome a further refurb of the effects. I'm sure there would be better, more sustainable ways to achieve the original illusions these days.

The audio would certainly benefit from re-doing. With the amount of effects and sheer volume of moving water it's for the most part inaudible. I had an argument with Joel over this the other day, as I genuinely had no idea there was meant to be audio throughout the ride. I thought it was isolated the certain scenes!

I do sort of like the hit and miss nature of it, in that every time I ride I seem to discover something different (I'd never even heard of the laser floor until I read up on it following this thread, and feel somewhat honoured to have experienced the ring of fire!). It has all the right pieces, with the possible exception of a reliable and well executed ride system. They just need to connect the dots.

Sadly, the ride really does scream GT. Build it grand and worry about the implications later! It really isn't an attraction suited to the Pleasure Beach (both in investment and climate!). The amount of money which was thrown at it is staggering, as is the continued operating overheads (over £100,000 per month IIRC?). That PB manage to keep it running to the standard they do is pretty impressive, given the financial troubles they've been up against Amanda first took control.

Seeing it as originally intended would probably change my views somewhat, but in its current condition I can only echo the comments of others, that there are better water rides out there.

An original spec Valhalla and the Mack multi-lauch for 2018 would certainly set the park off nicely :D
 
To be honest i think if this ride was at any other park it would have hate thrown at it due to its unreliability of effects but, as mentioned the fact pleasure beach have kept Valhalla running is truly amazing, i'm betting when it was originally opened there was corners cut during the build (PMBO track in the facade) and it actually has had a refurb too.

For the most part i would say all the effects work, just not all at the same time for some strange reason its not about neglect i just think the ride was a little bit ahead of its time. It was from a time when pleasure beach was a major player in world parks and the fact of the recession this ride still operates as originally designed i say fair play. The biggest issue is the fact no other UK park has attempted a dark ride on the scale which for me is more of a problem than valhalla.

Chiapas yes is the better themed ride but i can see why valhalla can pip it, there is no lazy river moments, there is constantly something going on that makes the rider think really, the first drop you get soaked and think christ as least that's over then see another hill, the big bucket of water, the music, the arrows, the last drop, the fire bang, the final water blast. I do
 
Valhalla will benefit in the GT awards as more of the judging panel have been to Blackpool than Phantasialand. Chiapas is the better ride by a considerable margin.

Valhalla was enormously ambitious, but the ride experience is all too often lacking as it relies on a small number of notoriously unreliable set piece effects. On my last ride the cold room wasn't working along with at least 2 of the fire effects, neither were any of the lift trommels or the steam effects before the first turntable.
 
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