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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Icon - 2018 Mack Double Launch Coaster

Just need to show the advert next... I've now seen Drayton Manor twice this year but still waiting for Blackpool's effort.

I don't know if they're only concentrating on the Midlands and North West, but if so I think that's a mistake.
 
As many of you probably know, I went to Blackpool for the first time today, and I managed to get 2 rides on Icon! And what can I say; it’s an outstanding coaster!

For starters, the ride has quite a lot of airtime, and some pops that are really quite sudden, in my opinion! I found some of the ride’s pops of airtime to provide different kinds of sensations depending on where you sit. For example, I found the first hill to be more of a sustained floater moment towards the front and more of an abrupt ejector moment towards the back. For reference, I think I rode in row 6 and row 2. I personally found that the majority of the ride consisted of ejector airtime of reasonable strength; I wouldn’t say it was the strongest or most sustained airtime I’ve ever experienced, but it was still awesome, in my opinion! Three particular favourite airtime moments of mine included the first hill, the big drop just before the second launch and the little hill before the ending s-bends. The ride also has some twisty hills that provide some excellent, snappy ejector, in my opinion!

Also, the launches surprised me; the first launch in particular picked up speed far more quickly than it looked to from off-ride! It doesn’t quite have the oomph (is that a word?) of a launch like Stealth’s, for example, but I don’t think it really matters, personally, because on a ride like Icon, I personally think that it’s more about the whole ride experience and how it blends together, whereas on Stealth, the launch is the ride, if you get what I mean. I also loved the second launch, because you’re already going at a decent speed, and then you’re just hit with another huge burst of speed! It is just amazing!

Furthermore, the ride is so smooth and comfortable! I could not personally feel this “Mack rattle” that people talk about with regards to Icon; I thought it was among the smoothest coasters I’ve ever ridden! It might be that I haven’t ridden as many coasters as some, but I personally thought that Icon couldn’t be smoother! The restraints are also super comfortable, and very accommodating, in my opinion! Right up there with B&M clamshells as one of my favourite types of restraint! When we stepped off Icon, my dad commented that Icon’s restraints were up there with Mako’s for reridability, and my dad often finds some types of restraint quite painful, so that’s a win on Blackpool and Mack’s part, in my opinion!

Moreover, I found that the ride had some surprisingly intense moments! For example, some of the bends in the second half especially were quite whippy, in my opinion! Also, these turns were whippy without being jolty or painful, which was just fabulous, in my opinion! When combined with the awesome airtime and the beautifully executed inversions, it just makes for an awesome overall package, in my opinion!

So, in conclusion, Icon is a simply stunning coaster experience not to be missed! I had very high expectations for Icon, but it definitely met them and probably even exceeded them. I must point out that Icon was actually quite a different coaster to what I expected in sections; I knew the second half looked snappy, but Mack LSM coasters often seem to be given the label of being less intense than their Intamin brothers, so I wasn’t expecting an overly intense experience. However, the ride was really quite snappy, in my opinion! So much so that when Icon came into the brake run, I kind of had a less extreme version of that head spinning feeling that Smiler gives you on the brake run! Now, I bet you’ve all been wondering; has it topped Mako as my number 1 coaster? Now, I know I’m going to get a lot of flack for this, but... not quite. I think I preferred Mako because I found Mako to have stronger, more sustained airtime, and there was more of it on Mako, in my opinion. It’s a very close number 2, though, which is still fantastic when compared to the other 54 coasters below it in my count! And besides, airtime isn’t Icon’s main focus! In fact, I don’t think that Icon really has a specific focus; in my opinion, it more focuses on the overall coaster experience. Now before I ramble on for too long, let me wrap up this review by just saying; Icon is an absolutely outstanding coaster; a must do, in my opinion! BPB and Mack have knocked it out of the park here!
P.S. Sorry for long post. Also, I apologise if this review is badly written or if it seems like I'm giving in to new ride hype. The problem is; I genuinely was that impressed with it! I also have a report on the rest of BPB coming if you’d like to read that.
 
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Good review on Icon Matt, after having almost a month to think about it, I've got to say that I don't think Icon is the best in the country, I feel like thinking back I'm perhaps one of the only people to go on that that was slightly underwhelmed? I have given it a chance to think about, as I feel it was new ride hype that was telling me it was my second favourite in the country, but I'd probably rank it 5th favourite in the country.
 
Danscott22 said:
Good review on Icon Matt, after having almost a month to think about it, I've got to say that I don't think Icon is the best in the country, I feel like thinking back I'm perhaps one of the only people to go on that that was slightly underwhelmed? I have given it a chance to think about, as I feel it was new ride hype that was telling me it was my second favourite in the country, but I'd probably rank it 5th favourite in the country.
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Thank you! I guess it's just the sort of ride that you're into that dictates where you'd rank Icon compared to the other UK coasters; Icon is my personal #1 UK coaster and my #2 overall!
 
My opinion has remained pretty much the same. It's a fun ride, but perhaps my least favourite of the bunch. I've been excited to take a few first timers on it and all bar one have been somewhat unimpressed or neutral and I think all commented how it limps home, without any prompt from me.
 
Have to agree, the ride was opened with such fanfare and pomp that it built the ride up to be an amazing “Icon” yet it is underwhelming. I’ve heard a few people refer to it as Con the ride, whilst it’s not that bad it’s not mind blowing OMG UK Mack that people hyped it up to be.

Ignore all the hype and it’s a decent ride but only once it’s warmed up
 
Icon definitely isn't world class imo, I still stand by thinking Wicker Man is better, I really wanted to come off Icon loving it, but I just didn't.

EDIT: I also went on Icon with someone who hadn't even been to Pleasure Beach before, and she didn't think it was that great. Maybe it was my own fault for hyping it up, but for me it just doesn't quite deliver to the standard everybody was putting it at.
 
Danscott22 said:
Icon definitely isn't world class imo, I still stand by thinking Wicker Man is better, I really wanted to come off Icon loving it, but I just didn't.

EDIT: I also went on Icon with someone who hadn't even been to Pleasure Beach before, and she didn't think it was that great. Maybe it was my own fault for hyping it up, but for me it just doesn't quite deliver to the standard everybody was putting it at.
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I just don't understand this, although who am I to dictate what you should and shouldn't enjoy :p. I am constantly flung out of my seat in every direction during the ride and the smile on my face (and pretty much everyone I speak to after riding) at the end is not replicated by any other UK coaster.

The reaction of enthusiasts I talk to at the park and most enthusiasts online couldn't be more different. It's a really strange one.
 
To be honest, even though I haven't yet ridden Icon, I think it probably has been hyped up a bit too much that some people will inevitably come off it disappointed. Don't get me wrong, it seems to be a perfectly good coaster, but just not world class. And with that in mind, I won't be going in with any high expectations – I'd much rather come off surprised than disappointed.
 
I think it's a really high quality ride, which offers something that was missing from pleasure beaches line up (smooth!). It's great fun to ride, the ride area is lovely, and it was some really cool features. Not quite what I'd call theming, but nevertheless really sells the atmosphere. Not to mention the way it churns through the queue.

It's a shame to hear that the audio is broken, paint is peeling and effects are switched off, but hopefully they can work out fixes to these little problems.

I think it's a great ride, and hope it'll be a huge success for the park. Is it the best ride in the UK, maybe not. But it is excellent, great fun and a fantastic addition to the park. Don't go expecting the worlds best, but go expecting to have a super fun ride and I really doubt anyone would be dissapointed.
 
@MakoMania the same reason people have done 100s of laps haven't experienced the Mack rattle!

In my experience it seems to get a better reception from Pleasure Beach enthusiasts than from coaster enthusiasts in general.

If you like a specific kind of coaster I can understand why you would dislike it. If you like balls out intensity, it's not that. If you like huge drops and vast speed, not so much. If you like inversions, not really your ride. Fast acceleration, sorry lads etc.

If you like a nice mix of everything - it probably works well. It's a cool ride, a solid investment and something the park really needed.

I'll be interested to see how it's reviewed three years out. The coaster community is a fickle one.
 
To be honest is there any coasters that are world class in the UK except nemisis? Nothing seems to last longer that 2 minutes and you're never going to get the fastest or tallest because well against America or China your just can't because of land mass or planning regulation.

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'World class' is an awkward phrase because it's so subjective unless you refer only to record holders and the like and with a couple of exceptions they aren't the best rides in the world for my money.
 
A couple things I will give Icon is that it is the comfiest ride I have ever been on, it has the best airtime in the country imo, and it is the best ride at Pleasure Beach (although I must admit I really, really enjoy Revolution), just the 'overhyped-ness' if that's what you can call it?, let it down for me.

EDIT: in fact going back to world class, the only truly world class ride I can say I've ever been on, and bear in mind ive only really been to Blackpool, Towers, Drayton, Thorpe, WDW & DLP is Avatar Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom, I don't know what a coaster would have to be like for me to put it as world class, although fingers crossed I'm heading to Busch Gardens, Universal and SeaWorld in florida next year!
 
themeparkfan said:
To be honest is there any coasters that are world class in the UK except nemisis? Nothing seems to last longer that 2 minutes and you're never going to get the fastest or tallest because well against America or China your just can't because of land mass or planning regulation.

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk
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The Ultimate says hi.
 
I loved Icon when i went on it, it's so re-rideable. And, unlike a lot of rides at BPB, it's very smooth - i could've stayed on it all day!

Is it the best ride in the country? For me, no, it's in my top 3 though, along with the Smiler and Nemesis.
 
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