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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Icon - 2018 Mack Double Launch Coaster

I feel those who are expecting another Helix are setting themselves up for a massive disappointment. It'll be good, no question. Possibly great, even. But it won't be the next Helix. For a start, it doesn't have a 200ft+ mountain to work with.
 
It looks like a solid ride and the kind of coaster the UK and Blackpool needs, as others have said it is hard to judge how good it will be until riding it however even if it turns out to be not as great as other Mack mega coasters doesn't mean it can't be a really good ride, especially in a country with none and at a park that has not had a brand new coaster since 94. I got excited when I saw the picture of the train seats (sad I know), hoping this ride can show the UK how superior lapbars are!

I wonder if Mandy waved at Varney whilst riding Bluefire whilst he was on Wodan as the two rides meet ;) If Colin Bryan of Drayton Manor by some super magic builds a B and M hyper coaster its confirmed, all the UK theme park bosses went for a jolly at Europa at some point, I wonder if they drew straws for which park built what :)
 
Most people probably won't even notice. G-Force has existed since 2005 and that has a lift hill going over a loop without OTSRs.

So why in 2016 is this still an issue?
 
It does look rather good indeed, certainly enough firepower by the looks of it to easily smash most of my top 10. But the proof is in the pudding....
 
I'm quite perplexed at the amount of negative/apathetic comments there are in this topic. I think people have been spoilt by the calibre of coasters abroad. Now I'm not saying that we should expect poor installations in the UK, but are you guys looking at the same video? This is a Mack duel launched coaster at Mandy Land, MANDY LAND for Christ's sake lol

Now I maybe slightly biased as this type of coaster is right up my street - Taron-esq and I understand people don't want to get too hyped about it but come on! this looks great and could rival any of our coasters we have in the UK, and it's at MANDY LAND!!!

shakey said:
The one major problem PB has when building new rides is space which is always going to limit them to some degree (especially if they do not want to remove existing rides).
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To be fair, the Tom Sawyer site is about the size, if not bigger than, The Smiler's and Taron's site.

What I am surprised at is it's interaction with the Steeple Chase and Big One entrance area. Mandy has always been one for neatness and liking things tidy and this coaster goes everywhere. This isn't a bad thing in my view, I'm just surprised it's going out this far.

I personally think this is a very exciting investment and it looks to be a great coaster. People have to remember that the vast majority of the general public won't have ridden anything like this outside of the UK, they are not enthusiasts. Whilst it may not set the bar for the 0.00001% of people who have ridden Helix, Maverick, Skyrush, iSpeed etc I think people have already set unfair low expectations for this ride because it doesn't look as good as these coasters. Do I think this looks as good as Taron? I'm not so sure. Am I excited to see a new and exciting coaster that could rival it being built here in the UK? Oh god yes!.

Stop being coaster snobs!! :p
 
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In all honesty, I just want this to be a fantastic ride. I don't care if it's worse than Helix or Blue Fire, as long as its good, I'll be more than happy.
 
Oddly for me, it isn't the ride layout that bothers me, but it's that green and brown colour the ride has which kinda looks a wee bit out of place for PB, unless it is part of a (highly unlikely) theming job.
 
The video showing both the Thompson and Mack families discussing this new coaster show this is a real labour of love, rather than just another "world's first" type that Merlin always goes for. That in itself has already made me much more interested and excited in Blackpool than Towers for 2018.

Everyone involved seems to be pouring their heart into it, rather than just marketing.
 
Spike said:
I personally think this is a very exciting investment and it looks to be a great coaster. People have to remember that the vast majority of the general public won't have ridden anything like this outside of the UK, they are not enthusiasts. Whilst it may not set the bar for the 0.00001% of people who have ridden Helix, Maverick, Skyrush, iSpeed etc I think people have already set unfair low expectations for this ride because it doesn't look as good as these coasters. Do I think this looks as good as Taron? I'm not so sure. Am I excited to see a new and exciting coaster that could rival it being built here in the UK? Oh god yes!.

Stop being coaster snobs!! :p
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I agree but it always happens. Phantasialand announce double launch from Intamin - we all expect the next Maverick. Liseberg rumoured to get an RMC of B&M Invert - some disappointment when it's only a Dive Coaster. Blackpool announce double launch from Mack - expactation is for something on par with Helix. Cedar Point are getting some sort of RMC in 2018 - without anything even announced the hype is massive so it could disappoint. I think coaster enthusiasts are always looking and hoping for the next best in the world. It leads to disappointment some of the time but it does keep things exciting!

However this Mack turns out it is brilliant for the UK industry and brilliant for Blackpool. This is by far the biggest coaster at a non-Merlin park in the UK since 1994!
QTXAdsy said:
Oddly for me, it isn't the ride layout that bothers me, but it's that green and brown colour the ride has which kinda looks a wee bit out of place for PB, unless it is part of a (highly unlikely) theming job.
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The colours in the video are somewhat vile but thankfully I do not think they are the colours of the actual coaster. I think the track will be the dark grey colour seen in some of the other concept images.

:)
 
I've never done helix, maverick or taron. In fact, I've only done two launch coasters (rita and stealth), so I have virtually nothing to compare this to. It looks incredible. What amazes me more than the ride though, is the fact it's being built at Blackpool.

As for the coaster, I think it's fairly safe to say they will beat towers in 2018, and probably drayton too. I only have two criticisms. Can't say without riding, but my first critics is that (from the pov) it looks like it will have a few deadspots and I wouldn't complain if there was another inversion or two. More important though, is my other criticism. Any colour but that, please.

Besides a few very minor criticisms though, it looks great. So pleased were finally getting one. Looks like it will be one of the best (if not the best) coaster at Blackpool, and a great addition to their lineup.
 
If it was marketed as a family coaster, I would think it is good but as it seems to be marketed as being thrilling, makes it look poor in comparison to thrill rides. It really looks like a family coaster with 2 inversions.

And SW8>Mackpool
 
Even though I love woodies, I'm too more excited about this coaster than the Alton Towers SW8. I also please that it has an inversion, let's face it, the only other two coasters with inversions at Blackpool aren't really great rides.
 
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DiogoJ42 said:
Now I know you didn't just call Intrusion a great ride. It would be a shame to see you dragged off in a straight jacket.
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Bl**dy auto spell/correction on my laptop :mad: I meant to say that they aren't great rides, I've now edited my above post with the correct spelling/meaning. :)
 
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