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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Icon - 2018 Mack Double Launch Coaster

Mikw said:
I agree. Went on them all a couple of months ago, Icon was the only one i found myself re-riding.
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Sadly the coasters were much less comfortable than I remembered. Grand National and Big Dipper were too rough to enjoy. Mind you I was feeling quite sick after riding Red Arrows! For me Big One and Icon are the only two I would re-ride.

Revolution is good but makes me very sick. The rest of the coasters are worth a shot but more for novelty value than anything else
 
Ash84 said:
There must be something very wrong with me.

I went on all yesterday several times with the exception of Icon and Blue Flyer, the only one which I would describe as rough or uncomfortable in any way is Infusion.
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Nash has a jolt at the bottom of the double dip that if I’m sat over the wheel can jar my back and PMBO’s first drop is interesting at the back but I would agree that most of the coasters at Blackpool are not really that rough, particularly considering their age.

Then again it’s really subjective as Dragon Khan at PA gives me an incredible headache yet most find it a relatively smooth coaster, furious backache on the other hand was unpleasant but not painful.
 
I really enjoyed Ultimate as well which many find too rough.

I think it can depend on the day plus the park was quiet so I think we didn't leave enough time between rides. Also riding Revolution then Red Arrows wasn't a great idea!
 
MakoMania said:
^It's exactly what it was hyped up to be IMO, world class.
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Sorry to bring up an old post. However it is not world class. If you want a world class launch coaster then go and ride Maverick; nothing else compares!

Icon is a solid, good fun coaster. If it was any more than that I'd have been back to Blackpool since I first went on it!

:)
 
Rob said:
Sorry to bring up an old post. However it is not world class. If you want a world class launch coaster then go and ride Maverick; nothing else compares!

Icon is a solid, good fun coaster. If it was any more than that I'd have been back to Blackpool since I first went on it!

:)
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If Nemesis is world class, then Icon certainly is.

It doesn't have to be the best coaster in the world, or even the best coaster of its particular model to be world class.

I may not have ridden Maverick or have the biggest coaster count in the world, but I have ridden hundreds of coasters in Europe, South America, Florida & Texas and Icon is my second favourite I have ever ridden, that in itself makes it world class for me.

About half of enthusiasts reckon that Icon is the best coaster in the country, I don't think many would argue that Nemesis isn't world class, so by that logic Icon is also world class.
 
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Icon is a good family/thrill multi launch coaster.

It is not the best of its type but is good within the confines of the UK industry.

It has strong points but also falls short in some areas.

In 1994, PMBO and Nemesis changed the face of the European coaster scene. They led.

Icon follows.

:)

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I suppose it depends how you define world class. For me, only a few of the very best coasters in the world can be defined as world class. If I was to call Icon world class then I would also be including the likes of Helix, Taron, Blue Fire, Cheetah Hunt, Storm Runner and so on (that's just launch coasters). The list would be huge, and the term world class would become incredibly diluted.

:)
 
I suppsose at the end of the day nobody can dictate to someone else what a world class ride is, because everybody likes different rides, for example personally if I were to call Icon world class (which I do!) I would not have to include Cheetah Hunt :)
 
It depends on what you're looking for. I love the Mack launchers because they're thrilling, fun but not intense start to finish but I ride rides for fun, not for intensity. Most common Top 5 coasters in a country would be the world class ones in my opinion. I think that'd be Nemesis, Icon, The Swarm, Oblivion and maybe even Stealth (got some kind of record for the launch intensity, I think). Now I prefer the smiler to the swarm, stealth and Oblivion, and when first open it was world class. It isn't now but still a solid coaster for me. I'd guess there's around 100-200 "world class coasters" out there. Icon to me is world class. Good layout, good pacing, aesthetically pleasing, comfy, and I could reride all day without getting bored, not possible for many coasters to do that. All the B&Ms I this country are great, unlike some "good B&Ms" I don't like Galactica as Galactica but it does exactly what air was intended to do and executes it well, and not many dislike the actual ride. Perfect starting thrill coaster.
 
Ryan B said:
It depends on what you're looking for. I love the Mack launchers because they're thrilling, fun but not intense start to finish but I ride rides for fun, not for intensity. Most common Top 5 coasters in a country would be the world class ones in my opinion. I think that'd be Nemesis, Icon, The Swarm, Oblivion and maybe even Stealth .
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World class coasters are purely a matter of opinion and nothing more.

Give me the big one over nemesis and icon every day of the week.

Icon is a very good coaster but has drawn criticism for an underwhelming last third of the ride. I think if the ride had ended about two thirds of the way through it would have rated even higher than it does.

One thing that nemesis delivers is a full on ride from the top of the lift hill to the end but that is only 45 seconds so it's fairly short.

Oblivion delivers all of about 7 seconds !! Great drop but so has the big one and you get a lot more ride after that.

And let's not forget the real world class coaster that is no more ....

Wild M.... sorry I won't mention it.






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You do indeed get quite a lot of ride on The Big One after the first drop; shame it's utter garbage however. It's just a glorified elevated transit method to see the illuminations.
 
Danny said:
You do indeed get quite a lot of ride on The Big One after the first drop; shame it's utter garbage however. It's just a glorified elevated transit method to see the illuminations.
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Height , speed and great views.

Oblivion after the first drop you get about 5 minutes sat waiting to get off in the station.

See, it's all a matter of opinion.

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Looking to do an overnight lone visit to the Pleasure Beach when the kids have gone back to school, spending the day in the theme park on a Monday or Tuesday. Initial plan is to turn up in Blackpool on an afternoon/evening and spend the night in a hotel, followed by a day in the theme park all of the next day. Don't wanna stay in a B&B.

A couple of things I would like advice on which I can then look into:

Hotel - Any shouts on a usually decently priced local hotel that isn't a complete dive (doesn't need to be posh either)? Will be driving up so I will need car parking. Are there any places with safe car parking included in accomodation price? Or just reasonably priced places to leave the car? Does the Pleasure Beach actually have a car park, and if so, does it charge?

Tickets - Is it best to just get a day ticket from the Pleasure Beach website or are there any offers knocking around that anyone knows about?

Any other advice? Not been there for around 10 years! Thanks in advance for any help :)
 
Car parks are generally expensive unless you get lucky and grab free on street parking (in some areas). There's a Travelodge next to BPB at the North end and also a new Hamptons Hilton hotel has just opened a couple of blocks South of BPB. Don't know the prices of any of them. There's also loads of small independently run hotels around but as I live in Blackpool I've never stayed in any. I've heard good things about the New Esplanade Hotel which is on the corner opposite the Big One/where the new hotel will be.

South Beach car park is opposite BPB/next to Sandcastle, run by the council but once you ramp up the hours the pricing works out quite good, e.g. 96 hours for £20, but it fills up very quickly so you'd have to get there early (or late) enough to get a space, and then not move your car for the duration. I find on busy days it's full by about 10 and starting to empty out around 4. https://www.blackpool.gov.uk/Reside...t/Parking/Car-parks/South-Beach-car-park.aspx

BPB car park varies depending on which car park and the day, from £7 up to £18 a day.

Edit: For tickets get them off the BPB website, think the prices drop quite a bit the more you book in advance. Worst case before midnight the day before will still save you a decent chunk off the gate price.
 
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