How can Blackpool Pleasure Beach turn things around?
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- Опубліковано 1 чер 2024
- Find out how Blackpool Pleasure Beach can overcome its challenges, from e-ticketing issues to non-rider ticket options. Watch now to learn more!
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I’m old enough to remember when you could just walk in free and walk round if you didn’t want to ride and play the arcades
Yeah a lot of people miss that 😔
And me, just want to see the rides, have a drink, food, buy merch , same as Southport now charging everyone full ride ticket for £30 on day, £50 at blackpool, just driving customers and revenue away.
Used to go every year with my parents and brother back in the 70s & 80s. Me and my bro went on the rides, my dad would sometimes, but not very often, join us, mum never did as she was terrified of them. Entry was free to everyone and you could buy books of tickets for ride access. We wouldn't have visited at all if there was an extortionate blanket entrance fee like today.
Me too used to go in the evening have a walk around buy an Ice blast, food and some merch.
I stay here in Blackpool. We were always told that it was mainly due to anti social behaviour from young locals that would just go on to pass time, not spending and being anti social
As someone who has visited the park since the 1960's. I would love it to return so that you can look around , watch grandkids etc . I love all the rides but alot of people like to watch their kids /grandkids and not pay an entry fee. These people still spend on stalls , teas /coffees /food etc. I visit Blackpool regularly and would love to go on some of the rides but I begrudge paying the entry fee when some of my party don't go on the rides. Also Blackpool Pleasure Beach in the past used to stay open until late.
Two things they could easily remedy huh 🤷♂️
Totally agree. We are returning to Blackpool next month after rediscovering the 'charms' of a British seaside holiday last year. We swerved the PB last year as it would cost £66 for my parents in their mid 80's to walk the park with my daughter and I. We are swerving it again this year as it will still cost £66.
Some will remember the book of tickets A,B,C,D rides, worked for us as kids.
Yeah and bizarrely they still show on the boards in the park “this is a 4 token ride” 🤷♂️
Number one thing to do is to have it free entry again (even as a trial period, to see how popular it is again) it used to be open till midnight in the 90s too, which was great. but the park somehow has went backwards in making holidays memorable.
I can’t see any harm in trialling it as you said
agreed, but its more for security now more than anything else. good luck cutting about BPB when anyone and everyone can just waltz in the doors? have you seen the rest of the resort? have you been in Blackpool past 7pm once all the day trippers leave? have a wonder around if you are, and good luck with that......
Great idea. Some of us just want to have a wander round it and stop for a coffee or an ice cream and watch the rides. I am too old for most of the rides, but would still like to go in.
@@justgaming2600 just make it free entry for adults, or children accompanied by an adult, and require teenagers to buy a full ride pass or come in with parents. if they're worried about loitering
The biggest problem at PB is not a ride it's Amanda!
she’s definitely not popular huh 🙈
Lol what's it with her
It's almost like she's trying to bankrupt the park on purpose.
Someone who’s willing to keep investing millions into the park and rides, And probably making the biggest investment ever with the next ride. She a problem alright. A really good one for the park to have. Cos someone else could decide to flatten it and just have hotels, show venues and car parks which make more money and tbf who could blame them if they did with the stick they get just for running a business how it needs to be run like every other park In the country. Worth also noting that Pleasureland Southport a fellow seaside park has also moved to the POP model. And why? Cos free entry and non rider passes don’t work and for anyone that thinks they work just have a look how much money the Pleasure beach lost when having it. they tried for 10 years and it didn’t work any year and were losing up to £3 million a year by 2019. With costs today they would probably be losing up to £4/5 million a year compared to the small profit they actually made last year. It’s simple to see why it will NEVER return. The secondary spend increase doesn’t exist and the only thing it increases is costs. Everyone really needs to let it go and understand there are reasons business’ make decisions.
@@David-fj3mn How can a empty park be better than a busy park ? Non rider pass makes sense, pay £10 for non rider pass , they spend money on food and drink , buy merchandise, buy tickets for Hot Ice show , give them the option of paying for rides if they want using their mobile , Blackpool a tourist town is already struggling, if the Pleasure beach was to flattened and replaced with hotels that would be the final nail in the coffin, Blackpool would be finished.
Amanda is all out for squeezing people for as much as she can. £15 extra for Enzo, £50 for Grand Prix special on top of £50 entries, food and drink etc. She would be better going back and running hot ice rather than running the whole park into the ground. She could always remove the remaining rides she hasn’t already ruined and make a car park. Her gran and father would be turning in their graves if they know what she was doing. She needs to get in the real world.
It is damn expensive. Yeah the £50 for the final lap seems completely unjustified to me. To see some super cars, get another ride on Grand Prix and…..?
I'm still shocked at £50 for GP
@clareriley crazy huh!
You would think she would make it public event and maybe pay for the ride. I just don't understand. I'm even wondering on if someone's going to vlog it...
I can’t be there but I’m sure the bigger channels will be. So no doubt theme park worldwide, your experience guide and lift hills and thrills etc.
Agree with bringing back the non rider pass. 8 of us visited Blackpool a couple of years ago and stayed near the Pleasure Beach but didn't go there as only three in the group wanted to go. With the price, nobody went and we visited the other Blackpool attractions instead. I can remember when you used to be able to walk in and buy ride tickets. We used to visit every time we went to Blackpool. What we also noticed was that the area around the Pleasure Beach seems to be a lot less busy than it used to be as well. As you say, Blackpool Pleasure Beach in that people visit Blackpool resort for more than just the theme park.
Yup
I used to love a walk around the pleasure beach at Blackpool, I'm old enough to remember the Wild Mouse and the Fun House , I have visited Blackpool a few times in the past and gone nowhere near the pleasure beach because of the entrance fee , it's sad really , and the wild mouse is still my favourite coaster a true white knuckle ride
Yeah the wild mouse is definitely missed although it was absolutely bonkers 😂
Yep I have been going to the PB for years, could pop in after work, if a few friends about, get a few tickets for the rides, get food and drink. I used to walk to my night shift and watch them testing out the Big One. Mum dad Aunt Uncle Sister Brother could look after the kids while we went on some rides. Then they changed it and I have not been back, We even stay in the Travelodge next to the park, I would like to take my good lady on Vanhalla for the laugh, but not at £50 each
Went last year as a big family group. Grandparents didn’t want to pay full price to enter the park and not do anything so unfortunately we all as a group didn’t go and went to the piers instead. Pleasure Beach need to rethink the non rider pass! Park is dying unfortunately.
100%. That’s a clear message from many in the comments 😔
Greed is killing it
I can’t help thinking they’ve misunderstood their audience. People generally don’t go to Blackpool in order to visit PB: they go there on holiday and may visit PB as part of that. There’s a big difference. And if you go on a family holiday you want to do things as a family, so if Grandma and Grandad can’t/won’t go on the rides you need to allow them to accompany the rest of the family without paying full price. If you don’t, chances are the whole family won’t visit.
Yeah that’s the big difference. And as you say that’s not how the park seem to see it.
I remember when i was younger in my 20's ( im 57 now) you could just walk around the park without paying anything i dont understand why anyone would want to pay admission just to walk round i wouldnt even consider that.
Seems everyone sees it apart from BPB
they could even just make it a fiver to walk around
Free entry and pay per ride like it used to be back when it was at its most popular and busiest. It wasn't broken but they mended it anyway.
Everyone thinks the same
it did make a difference as before they changed other parks didn't exist. an option of a £2.00 non rider plus a 5 ride and PAYG scheme.
look, im in blackpool 3-4 times a year, travel from glasgow i normally stay for 3 days x 2 in the boulevard hotel and 2 x day trips. there prices have nearly doubled since 2019 for entry and the hotel has went up to. Lets consider this, and this is what BPB should be thinking also, easter weekend there for 3 days in blackpool , 3 nights in boulevard hotel, 1 day park tickets with fast passes as was late night riding was nearly 1k, hotel alone was over 700 quid!! if i include my petrol and other spending money i was basically nearly £14/1500 for 2 adults and a 13 yr old!!! yes i could have done it cheaper, but im doing what the park is enticing/wanting me to do, stay at their hotel and use their park, now i can afford it no probs, HOWEVER, regardless of what i earn, there is a sense of value =what you get, and im sorry, but £1500 for 3 days in blackpool is quite frankly disgusting and pushing it to say the least. its not Disneyland im going to. in actual fact i could go to florida for a fortnight for another 2k on top of what im paying, im basically paying a florida holiday ever year on my trips to blackpool and then they then wonder why footfall is down? I love the park, i love what they have done with the hotel, but im not going there soley just for that, BPB needs to remember that. I mean im at least £100+ in petrol alone before i have even arrived. Weather is another problem, why am i going to gamble that amount of expense on such random non plannable weather in blackpool? like all these factors really need to be considered by BPB. people dont just magically appear in blackpool, they have to get the train, car, it has to be planned, costed and the weather scoped out to the best it can be. If i include my petrol on easter trip i was £800 before i had even arrived at the resort, i got lucky with weather, other times i haven't, im lucky, i have the income to keep trying but a lot of folks dont.....
Yeah I can relate. I’ve spent a fortune over the years. I do love BLVD but it needs a better tie in with the park. It’s kind of an after thought. I know they do some deal on certain days with park tickets but it’s not enough. Especially if they want to be a resort 🤷♂️
The biggest problem with the Pleasure Beach is the management! They're either incredibly stubborn or just have no common sense. The fans of the park constantly tell them what the problems are and how to solve them, but they never change anything. Amanda seems to resent the fans and cannot take any criticism. It's silly, she should embrace the fans, listen to them constantly and use the criticism to improve things. When I was 10, I used to go on the Pleasure Beach everyday. Me and my friends used to hang around the arcades there and at South Pier and Lucky Star. Being able to walk on the Pleasure Beach was something we took for granted, but between us we would spend plenty of money every week on that park. We'd take rides, use the arcades, buy lunch. The number one priority is returning to free entry, I guarantee it will not only make the park busier, a percentage of those people will buy a pass for the day. It's just common sense, something the management seem to lack! Great video buddy
Thank you. Yeah it does seem everyone can see solutions yet nothing changes 🤷♂️
I think they have to many cooks in the kitchen. I don't even think amanda holds over 50% anymore does she.
Great comment about the stubbornness of the management. I used to defend Amanda. She was in a horrible position with the sudden death of her father but initially things were fine and the hotels are great. However, recently I feel we as fans are being treated a wee bit contemptuously with her statements and absolutely nothing is being done to resolve their obvious problems. (Yes, I have seen the limited time offer. Maybe trial it for walk ups as well?)
most of the managers. directors.are young kids. with only ride experience. no common sense.and are yes people. scared of loosing there jobs. which are well paid and good perks. nick amandas brother. seems to have disapeared, and fiona has vanished, her sister. the place is open for offers, and turned many down.
From the forums I read, this video seems to agree with the general consensus among UK enthusiasts. We've all seen Mandy's behaviour and attitude over the years, from her early career at the park with the BBC documentary, to what she posts on Twitter now. I think that snippet from the podcast you mentioned was the straw that broke the camel's back for the good faith folks still had in her post-covid.
Although, another point I would like to add, it seems now more than ever it would be easier to implement a Pay Per Ride system with the advent of contactless payments, no need for staff handling cash, just the turnstiles they already have in place which I'm sure could be retrofitted.
Good videos as always, You're one of the few 'vlogging' personalities I enjoy watching!
Thank you so much for the kind words 🙏🏻
They can't allow free entry to the park anymore because of what the police told BPB. Before you used to get rowdy football fans that would come to the park and cause a general nuisance with their drunken and disorderly behavior. That is especially bad when there's a lot of children around. I think maybe a system where you pay £10 to enter the park and then pay additional for any ride you want to go on could work.
It needs and overhaul of pricing, they need promos for quieter periods to get people into the park. New attractions are a must even if it's the odd flat ride. Bin off Hot ice and make it into a music venue all year round to bring in revenue. Finally have a clear 5-10 year plan like other parks do.
Aye offers would help for sure. It’s too expensive to rock up on the day.
I remember, as a kid, going to Blackpool two or three time a year and walking round the PB every night was a staple of that. PB have to understand that it's an attraction within the resort, not the resort itself and even with the new rides £200 for a family of four is laughable.
It is silly expensive nowadays 😔
I don't think they need a new attraction to encourage punters. They need to get the current operations up to scratch & tiptop so that the whole experience is really enjoyable.
That’s fair. A new attraction may get people there but if the ops are crap it won’t keep people coming back.
Excellent Vlog. I know this could be like a book.
Am in my mid 50s and when younger loved theme parks ended up going to Florida 14 times and LA 5 times from 1995-2017. Recent years found Dubai and been there a few times.
I can remember back in the early to mid 2000s Granada tv doing a programme on the Thompsons buying Southport Funfair and it showed how ruthless the Daughter was going to be. She was talking to the reporter and was hammering it home in that programme how they have bought Southport funfair and what they were going to do but again and again in that programme how it was competition to Blackpool.
We all know what happened just after that programme they closed Southport Funfair and then in adverts for Blackpool how a brand new rollercoaster was coming to Blackpool and it just happened to be the old traumatizer coaster from Southport and then had to back track and explain it wasn’t brand new.
Recently we came back to Blackpool after about 10 years cause our Granddaughter loves Strickly come dancing and we wanted to show her the tower dance room. We ended up going along to the Pleasure beach and found out out of 6 of us only me and a 8 year old granddaughter wanted to ride but as you stated was not going to pay near £300+ for 2 people to ride so walked away. There is also a big problem with the Stag and hens parties along the front and homeless. What was a good place to go has now a never return place for me and my family.
It’s sad how it’s changed over the years 😔
In an ideal world here's the first things I'd do to the park. 1. Give the Grand National an RMC conversion (similar to what Six Flags did with Twisted Colossus) 2. Use the space vacated by Grand Prix to build the UK's first single rail coaster (If you could somehow make it the world's tallest that would definitely make the headlines). 3. Completely overhaul and retheme River Caves into a world class dark ride with decent cutting edge effects. But I think the most important thing above all else is the change of management that you mentioned. Amanda obviously has no interest in theme parks (she's only ever interested in Hot Ice and the hotels). She also seems very stubborn and throws her toys out of the pram at the least little thing so she's unlikely to listen to anybody with any sense who tries to tell her how to best run the park. This park has been gradually going downhill ever since her dad (a true theme park enthusiast) passed away. If the rot isn't stopped soon then I fear there will be no going back. (I don't think south shore needs another Aldi or Tesco !!)
It’s definitely worrying to see. I like your ideas but as I said in the video I have no idea what kind of budget they can justify. So I think we’d be lucky to see one of the three suggestions come to fruition.
@@coaster_dad I agree. I think as long as the fourth idea came to fruition (change of management) everything else would start to fall into place.
Grand National is a listed structure. Pretty sure an RMC is out of the question (unless they talk to Historic England really nicely) Big Dipper too. Neither can be removed or updated unless it’s strictly for restoration.
@@edcola6671 That's a shame and as there is no chance of Amanda Thompson asking really nicely for anything then it's out of the question😂
don't think RMC on Nash is possible due to it being built on reclaimed land/ sand and the foundations aren't concreted in
I haven't been in the Pleasure Beach for years, since they put a gate fee on. It used to be free entry and pay per ride, and that seemed to work well because it was never quiet, and stayed open till late, 10pm every day and not just when the illuminations were on. It just isn't the same has a theme park.
Last time I went PlayStation was a new ride.
Aye a lot of people saying the same thing. Who knows if they’ll bring it back but sounds like it would be popular
BPB did not have the trade when open on those friday evenings in September , park was a ghost town , but a reasonable price for those 4/5 hours and the non rider ticket could encourage more trade especially on illumination days etc
Aye they need to do something
I haven't been to Blackpool Pleasure Beach for years and not that interested now. Have fond memories of driving from Yorkshire for special Friday nights in December in the 1980s when there was late night operation of nearly all the rides from 8-10pm, but no Pepsi Big One then and at 10pm all the rides stopped and the Fun House opened all through the night for stockingfeet fun until 8.30am.
Yeah I do miss the later opening.
When we go to Blackpool, it depends on the weather , there is no way we book in advance , it’s a case of look at the weather forecast, if it’s dry and maybe sunny , let’s go , also definitely the opening hours , stay open longer , doing the rides in the dark is amazing and adds a new fear
Yeah I agree. But turning up on the day is not cheap 🙈
Exactly that’s why we don’t go anymore
My advice for BPB would be to look to Liseberg in Sweden. I visited them last year and the park is miles better than Blackpool whilst still maintaining an amusement park atmosphere. Not only was the entry ticketing system rly efficient, but the park was rly well kept and there was a lot of interesting rides to go on. With Blackpool, I feel like their ride offering just hasn't changed (plus Icon's marketing was awful, so they didn't get as a big a return of investment), which means there's not as much of a buzz around the park to explore something new.
That would be interesting to see 🙂
I remember years ago during a visit to Blackpool we jumped on a bus from the Tower end, got off at the Pleasure Beach, rode the Big One, did Pasage of Terror (or whatever its called) and jumped on the bus back down. The Pleasure Beach has neve struck me as a place I'd want to pay admission to spend an entire day.
Seems a lot of people agree
Pleasure Beach is NOT a theme park its a coastal amusement park nothing more its confused by it’s identity and looking at the wrong market to attend. Blackpool is a place where people go who have not much money they need to aim
At that audience for footfall to get better.
Indeed they do
I remember when it was free entry and it was rough with gangs of lads causing trouble.
What I do think they should bring back is the non-rider pass. I totally agree non-riders or someone pushing a pram is likely to spend money.
We booked in advance, only by a couple of days keeping an eye of the weather, and thought it was good value.
It was quiet when we went also and agree the ride closing time, 4pm in some cases, as being too early, plus the 11am opening time was a little too late.
I remember night openings as a kid and thought it was magic.
When we went the other week everything was working well except River Caves (when will that part arrive!). They have always staggered ride opening times though.
I can see the Avalanche going as it seems down to one car and even though the park was quiet, it was a 30 minute queue (the second time we tried to ride it closed as some idiot dropped their phone on the track!).
One of the classics could be RMCed and the National was running wonderfully rough recently! Ironically the Streak was running lovely and the best I’ve ever experienced.
One thing they have upped their game is the staff and F&B.
Gone of the surly Jack the lads operating the rides and are replaced by friendly and professional staff. Same with food & drink which was pretty affordable compared to other venues and attractions plus the quality was good.
The park looked spotless too, so an excellent day all round.
As for Amanda, she doesn’t have the avuncular charm of her father, but she’s got an attention to detail for the park’s look and you’ve got to respect her directness.
I’d love to see something get the RMC treatment. Not sure it will happen though.
I used to visit the pleasure beach two or three times a year. Haven't been once since they started charging admission..
You’re not alone. Lots of people saying the same thing
Me neither pop in ride a few rides
Blackpool is hardly in a quiet village like Towers, opening later is a no brainer.
I’d love to see that!
Any one who says the woodies aren't thrilling enough needs to go give their head a wobble. The Nash in particular is very intense and RAPID with ridiculous airtime. Surely the roughness just emphasises that?
I reckon get rid of Avalanche, RMC the Big'un, making it taller than Hyperia, maybe get rid of Steeplechase and possibly Infusion in the future. Keep all the woodies, Revolution, and obviously Icon the same.
It will be interesting. I did walk the woodie last year and Andy was determined that steeplechase wouldn’t go. It’s the only one left in the world. That said that will become more of an issue for maintenance as the years go on!
I don’t think RMc do steel coasters, so I’d say rmc grand national as you yourself said it was rough and others say it is very painful. Keep the airtime and improve on it, but just make it smoother. In terms of the big one, I say rip it out and put in a better hyper coaster by Intamin or B&M using the same route through the park but a smoother ride with actual forces
@@coaster_dad they do have the modern S&S model now on offer, it’s possible they may get SMS involved to do work to it, for example new horses.
The Grand National just needs new trains or rebuilding the previous ones, the current trains are too heavy and that is why it has ended up as rough as it is, before that it ran like a dream with the previous trains.
@dougbriglmen716 yeah that could be cool
The grand national is the only reason I get a season pass. It's the best ride there. Obviously if your not use to it, it could be a shock. Love it ❤
Aye that’s a boneshaker I’ve had some good rides on it and some shockers 😉
I remember Southport had no fee to enter which was good as people could change their minds and decide to go on a ride. Not sure how Blackpool worked in the 90s but I remember my grandma and grandad coming on the log flume with us I have no idea whether that was a condition of the ride.
It definitely feels like Blackpool is the kind of park that needs to have an option for non riders like it used to.
I think the early 90s they were still ppr or day band. Also free to walk around. I remember going once and grandad had to pay a fiver to walk round! A fiver to watch me on rides. That was when it started to change oh and the removal of Mr funshines and the ark being sbno.
Bottom line for me, loads of ppl aren’t headed to seaside resorts in the uk as the sea is filthy… and we all know why. Pleasure Beach was an add on for the family holiday… but for the cost and pollution issues, it makes more sense to go abroad. I hate this, but it’s a sad truth. Speak with the hoteliers.
Aye I hear what you’re saying 😔
Went last week place looks run down and the big one is feeling worse than ever after more replaced track. Always argued when people said it was rough but the back seat is now unrideable feels like it's going to jolt off the track in some places
Yeah I felt that. The turnaround and helix I always feel a bit unsure it’s gonna stay on 🙈
So agree with the ticket situation, visited there last year for the first time, thought the process of getting online tickets were ridiculous having to supply a picture of who was going what's that about no other park has a more complicated system of tickets than pb ,then on the day having to scan every ride, paid for the place just get on would move the queue much quicker, seems to me that the management are still living a hundred years ago and refused to move forward
Aye it’s more complex than it needs to be.
Totally agree about walk around pass. Wasn’t convinced about bringing it back but I don’t they have much of an option any more. £15 is a good price to my mind.
Aye will be interesting to see if they do bring it back.
@@coaster_dad they also need to make a big statement of intent with whatever their next ride is. Something to get people excited again. ICON is a great ride but it doesn’t make the headlines.
The minimum the ride needs to do is turn heads all through Europe. I have great times at BPB but they need to take another step up now.
Love Skegness’s system at their Fantasy Island… you don’t pay to go around it.. you can get different grades of bands to ride for the day depending on height and day, or you can pay with a card which you ‘charge up’ with money and pay the individual ride price!! Very good 👍🏻
That would work
From Manc so Blackpool was a must in summer most weekends, we would walk around the Pleasure beach and maybe go on a ride if the queue was small. We would play the darts or throwing games . Since they introduced the charge to enter my family have never been back. Make it free to enter and we'll return.
I doubt they could go completely free again (no doubt the wrong sort would go in an cause trouble) but a cheaper non rider ticket seems a no brainer 🤷♂️
@@coaster_dad to be fair I've been going to Blackpool since the 70's and there have always been wrong uns in the park but generally its family orientated. It's a tough one....family weekend in Blackpool can set you back the same price as a week in Spain.
3rd video I've watched, may aswell subscribe 😅.
We're going in August staying in the big blue.
Last year the scanners were a real pain!
You can put you phone away till you're going through the air gate
Aye scanners suck. Thanks for subscribing 😀
went last October and pleasure beach was the worst place we went all week. three things really spoilt the day. 1 no picnics had to pay for a locker to put the lunch box in. 2. had to scan a ticket for every ride when everyone had to pay. 3. couldn't take photos of kids with characters. had to pay for their photos.
Yikes that’s not good 🙈
Wow even disneyland paris are not removing food from guests on entry, was just their 3 days I had a bag of snacks for children in park, we also bought on site.
For me there are some key things Blackpool Pleasure Beach (or as you call it Pleasure Beach Resort lol) should do to bring it back to being truly competitive.
1) Revert it back to Blackpool Pleasure Beach as its official name. No-one is really calling it Pleasure Beach Resort and, no matter how hard Amanda tries, it isn't a resort destination (especially with the attendance numbers it has right now). My last visit was April 2019 and even a year after Icon opening it wasn't exactly rammed on a Saturday in the Easter holidays. Trying to turn it into a resort as the park stands now seems counter-intuitive. You can get through most of the major attractions you want to on most days from what it seems, so why would you need 2, 3 or 4 days in the park? I don't know the figures, but I feel the hotels for the park have been a poor ROI that could have been spent on modernising attractions or doing a bit of beautifying in the park.
2) Late nights every weekend from the start of the summer to end of season and during school holidays, and not just on key days. During the illuminations, there was always a buzz to the place after dark. I know there are extra costs incurred to running a park for more hours, and they may not perceive it as viable with the attendance or lack thereof, but 10-5 is an incredibly short day for the prices these parks charge (I'm also factoring in the other UK parks that do this too). On our last trip we got there about 10, then had to queue up for entry tickets, then the park itself so didn't get in til 11ish. That is 6 hours of ride time. The queues were fairly reasonable so it's not like we spent all day on 3 or 4 rides ( I got in Nash, Streak, Blue Flyer, Big One, Icon twice, Avalanche, Alice, Derby Racer, Wallace and Gromit and Flying Machines) but it still felt there was a time constraint. Allowing a more relaxed atmosphere like there was in the 90s would mean the day would be a lot more enjoyable than hopping from ride to ride, aiming to get your moneys worth.
3) Improve the quality and variance of food offerings inside the park. We actually left the park to go to Pizza Hut, as every time we saw the food it looked mid at best, and when we looked at pricing we felt like there was no way it was worth the asking price. That meant us actually leaving the park (and having to rejoin the entry queue).
4) Improve the flow of guests around the park, especially in the south section. Icon was a great investment. I really rate it as an attraction, but one thing it has caused is a massive bottleneck as it has made the main midway that tiny path that runs between Revolution and Avalanche. Even on the day we were there, it felt crowded and difficult to navigate as there's a bunch of dead ends and narrow paths that lead around the park, and it felt really confusing to navigate.
5) Have a non-rider option again, or make it free entry + tokens/wristband.
The above really need to be addressed, as this makes the day at the park feel hostile towards the guests. I enjoyed the day as it brought back some great memories, but my wife actually said she wouldn't choose to go again due to most of the above. Bear in mind we both love Towers and the Disney/Universal Parks. Now for the fun talk - how to edit the attraction lineup and make it more competitive, especially with the looming Universal Project that's on the cards...
We don't need three 100+ year old woodies. It's just unnecessary. I'd elect to remove Streak and Blue Flyer (and that damned Space Invaders building) and replace with a solid family thrill coaster from the likes of Gerstlauer or Vekoma. Add a few medium thrill flat rides too and have like an "intermediate" area of the park.
Keep Nash and fully retrack it (and take the opportunity to reprofile it just for comforts sake as it's the most unique out the three) and give Dipper an overhaul from someone like Gravity Group or GCI - keep certain characteristics but make it a better version of what it is now.
Remove Steeplechase. It may well be the last one of its kind, but it's uncomfortable and showing its age. I presume upkeep is relatively expensive, it has a rubbish capacity and takes up a lot of space. This could be the location for a new kids area with a Vekoma family boomerang, a kiddie coaster (like an SBF Visa spinner or small scale Zierer like Flight School at Emerald Park) and a few flat rides/relocate those currently in Nick land.
Remove Avalanche. See above. With Avalanche and GP gone, use this as a place for a new main midway and a brand new thrill coaster that interacts with the main midway. I mean a B&M Dive or Intamin Multi Launch would be sick, but also mad expensive (and too close to Icon in the case of an Intamin Multi Launch). Maybe a Mack Stryker? Or something like a custom Vekoma thrill coaster?
Remove Infusion. See above (except for being the last of its kind). This could easily be replaced with one of the smaller scale cloned RMC Raptors for a more compact, more comfortable and more thrilling layout.
Remove Bowlarama and put in some kind of newish Boomerang style coaster or something like Sandy's Blasting Bronco.
Leave Big One and Icon alone, they're solid and iconic enough for the park as they are (although fast track the Big Ones re-track to make sure it's running well).
I feel like the above would retain some of its heritage which gives the park its charm, but also get rid of problem areas and round out the coaster lineup to something fuller.
Lots of good suggestions. If the park implement ever a few of these it would be a massive improvement
They should use Wristbands that can be scanned like Fantasy Island. Free entry for non-riders. xx
Both of which they did before but who knows if they will again 🤷♂️
When I used to go to Blackpool Pleasure Beach I can't remember paying to get in. I think we just used to pay for the rides. I got so scared on the rollercoaster I've not been on one for decades
Aye back in the day it was pay per ride. Not been like that for a long time
@@coaster_dad I think it was in the 1970's.
They need to fire that woman that said don’t ask any questions. Who would want to visit somewhere when the attitude is that. It says a lot
It’s not a great image to give off 😔
Need to throw open the gates and pay as you go. Like the old days. In the 60s and 70s as a kid I was in there daily. Last time I went there was 25 years ago. Loved visiting the bars and cafes in the PB. We still spent money as non riders.
I wonder if they ever will. Definitely sounds like it would be popular from the comments.
It would need increased security and bring much more problems to the park, it was bad in the 90s for idiots who like to ruin it, and security can't act like they did in the bbc doc these days plus less police in uk thanks to govt cuts. They know at least that they can't go back to that in a town full of the problems Blackpool has.
Blackpool Pleasure beach definitely need to bring back non rider pass i would suggest £10-15 with a couple of rides The Pleasure Beach Express and River Caves, they should do a trail for the non rider pass , what have they got to lose ? Better than a empty park that could close down
Definitely worth a shot!
River caves is shut. So is ice blast . And the grand prix. It's lost a few rides
Wish Scotland had its own park but we have off the track coasters at M&Ds 😮
Aye M&D is worse than BP 😂
M&Ds has so much space. The log flume has gone this year and 2 spinny rides brought in. It desperately needs a decent coaster. And some theming. It costs a fortune in petrol keep going down south!
M&D's is basically a travelling fairground that doesn't travel - Scotlands "Theme Park" - what a laugh that is
@@steveb5346 we have plenty space around Central Scotland even on east side be nice but only thing we get is the links market every April lol
@@brianmcaleer3958 indeed!
I know it's not the best comparison, but a good example of a family owned park is Europa Park. Clearly the budget for the two are very different since Mack are also manufacturers, but BPPB doesn't really show many of the qualities that Europa does. I think even if BPPB had a coaster that stood out in the UK, it wouldn't make a massive difference (they just need some radical changes)
That’s true. A big ride may attract visitors but if things are still not great they won’t return 🤷♂️
Mind you, Some people would want to go to Alton Towers to visit the grounds while their children go the rides. Similar story with Drayton Manor if you want to go to the zoo. Drayton Manor used to have an entrance only ticket to the grounds, ride tickets and wristbands for unlimited rides. It's been a long time since I've been there. I don't know if it's still the case.
It's been a long time since I went to Blackpool. Perhaps a similar system would work.
Interesting. I don’t think Drayton still does that but I may be wrong.
I think Nash should get a Gravity Group Pre-Fab Retrack instead of the RMC. It has a chance to get by the listed status people, and it would make the ride smooth for years to come. Put new PTC trains on it and then you could have the best woodie in the country
New trains would be amazing!
Have to say spot on about not having a non rider ticket. Me, my wife and mum wanted to hVe a wee walk about. Neither of us are into rollercoasters, but maybe one or two rides we would go on, £50 a ticket, wasn't worth it. Also we were only just passing and on a whim thought we could see if we could have a wander around. If there was things about like arcades or smaller rides, would have probably spent some money. But nope, three people that would probably spend some money, were turned away. It reminds off buying merchandise and a concert. Cost way too much and instead of seling at a reasonable price they go for ridiculous mark ups and I just walk away without spending any money
Yeah they’re missing a trick.
Blackpool pleasure beach, has got to be a walk up and go , it's not a theme park or a resort as they call it , it's a pleasure beach, I'm sure Amanda is trying her up most to make this fantastic park fail
That’s exactly it. It has to cater to last minute visitors
I've been going to Blackpool since the 60's when it was the best "fairground" in the country. It isn't a theme park. It is and always will be a fairground. That said fairgrounds don't charge unless you ride or use the attractions which should be the same with The Pleasure Beach. I no longer ride the big rides but love to walk around the park playing the amusements and eating the fairground food but won't go if I have to pay the same as a full rider but certainly don't mind a nominal fee.
A lot of people want the non rider option to come back. Fingers crossed they consider it in the future
Do away with charge to walk around.
Skegness pleasure Beach was packed last week , no charge people pay per ride of buy a pass. It was packed
Seems everyone agrees 🙂
As a local we were always told it was due to anti social behaviour of young locals that would go on with no intentions of purchasing anything. It was similar when I worked at sandcastle. There wouldn’t be a spectators fee as people are expected to actually go around with their children rather than expect the staff to kind them. Not saying which is right or wrong, just what we’re told and what other local attractions charge
Yeah sadly makes sense nowadays 😔
I live in Blackpool near The Pleasure Beach. I used to walk through every week. Yes popping into the loo but also having the odd Hot Dog or Burger, a can of pop, slots and the odd ride when you could just pay to go on one ride! Letting people wander in would get them to see what's there and they would spend money. Sadly this is no longer the case. They are just going after tourists and stinging them for as much as possible. You cannot compare to Alton Towers because that is a place you go to and that's it, they have you captured. There are litterally thousands of locals living near The Pleasure Beach but nobody goes any more because you have to pay. You pays your money, if you only do a couple of rides they win and you lose.
That’s kinda sad. That said I don’t think free would work nowadays but many miss the non rider option for sure
@@coaster_dad yeah it's a shame. Nobody I know goes anymore, it's just not worth it.
Brilliant video Coaster Dad, could not believe the price to get in 😡😡
A bit mental nowadays huh 🙈
They ditched the all you can eat wrist bands too , i used to get a family of 7 them with park passes
Ah I forgot about those!
PB started to be a no go for me when they started charging entry (security) like the rides are 2/6d to start with. Nobody wants to dish out paper tickets anymore, (tesco.McDs etc) its all phone apps now.,
A lot of people miss the non rider ticket 😔
Did you see Theme Park Worldwide video i think the same day as yours but they went a different day and it was rammed but around the same time.
The scanners are a nightmare. They take the fun out of the day at BPB
It’s so inconsistent. I’ve heard others say it was busy on other days. But I’ve also spoke to Scott from Your Experience Guide and he was saying it’s been dead all year. I think the busy days are few and far between
@@coaster_dad It does seem it's out of favour right now, They have probably relied on nostalgia for too long now. It is missing a world class coaster, a world class drop tower or swing and i feel it could realy really do with a family boomerang. To bring it into 2025 - Oh and a GCI retrack for the nash and big dipper.
@flaw3dgenius222 I’d love GCI to do their magic (or just their trains!)
@@coaster_dad Would really bring the woodies back to life and fun for kids and adults again... I came off the Dipper last year and could barely walk it completely destroyed my back.... Getting auld!
@flaw3dgenius222 ha ha. I’ve needed a chiropractor a few times 😉
Weather this year has been atrocious. Is it only Blackpool where crowds are low? Last year I went in early July, no schools were off, it was a weekday and I had to queue for 1.5 hours for the revolution! Queues for Ikon were enormous. Just managed to get on before closing. Managed 5 decent rides in the whole day from opening to closing. I would not describe that as empty 1 year ago. I live in Preston so Blackpool is very close. Not been this year due to terrible weather but will when weather turns. I'll post my observations.
Yeah I’ve heard of some busy days so they do still happen. They just seem to be few and far between these days 😔
We went last year and it was much quieter and the park was relaxed.no beggars.no local kids trying to get your wristband when you leave.perhaps this is why the park closes early.no parents just sitting around drinking whilst kids are unsupervised.
I do wonder if there are reason that we’re missing because everyone seems to agree the non rider pass seems an obvious fix 🤷♂️ so maybe scenarios like you mention are partly to blame
@@coaster_dadI’ve heard that the north end of Blackpool is rife with homeless/begging so if it is true,just imagine what could happen.There’s always going to be the genuine people who miss out but last year,a couple of Asians purposely jumped queues and it was dealt with quickly.They weren’t in the park for long.
Personally,I’d like to see rides like Nitro from six flags NJ and a 500ft kingda Ka.
Now that’s be awesome!
Would love to see an RMC wild moose coaster
that makes two of us 😁
Myself and some of the family including my grandchildren stayed at a caravan park in Fleetwood a couple of weeks ago and we went to Blackpool for the day. Now when I go away on a holiday or break with the family, especially the grandchildren, I make sure I spend all the money I have. We could have taken them to PB and not wanting to sound greedy I refused to take them as I am not paying money to just walk about. The tickets on the day may have been £50 and if I was paying just for them then I would happily have paid £100 for them. No way was I paying all that other money just to stand there. Now PB have not only lost £100 but we would have had our dinners, cups of coffee which maybe would have cost an extra £50 or so which would not have bothered me. So in essence for the greed of PB they have lost up to £150 on that particular day. Their loss, not mine as we spent the money elsewhere.
Yeah they really need to reintroduce an option for those like yourself who are effectively a spectator. They used to do it 🤷♂️
Free entry and pay per ride was the way forward but if I remember rightly, they had a problem with kids/teenagers hanging around in there causing trouble etc so brought the day tickets in. I don't think it helps Blackpool as a whole is alot quieter than it used to be too.
Yeah free is never going to work in this day and age but a cheaper non rider ticket like they had pre Covid would make a big difference.
Strangely we were going to go to Muckypool this past week, but a bout of manflu put paid to that, thought of re arrange it to next week, but after watching "dads" PB videos ........I dont fancy paying full price just so my partner can sit watching me on the rides.
🙈
I agree with everything you said. If they don’t change then there will be no Pleasure beach in 10 years
That’s a worrying thought.
Clearly needs to have an option for pay per ride, it's all about the location. And before spending millions on something new, they need to create a better atmosphere, some cleaning, decorating and great customer service.
The atmosphere has definitely declined over the years which is sad to see. Here’s hoping they can sort things out before it’s too late 🤞
I think Pleasure Beach has opening time restrictions imposed on them due to its proximity to residential areas.
No doubt, although if they are so restrictive they can’t open beyond 5 or 6 that sucks. I’d like to think if a restriction was in place by the council it would be more liked 9 but who knows 🤷♂️
Apart from the ridiculous cost for a family, a lot of the family friendly attractions have been sacrificed in the drive for higher faster thrill rides. As someone with a fear of heights as a youngster I walked round playing the arcades, hook a duck type stands, haunted house etc, and spending money at the food outlets. (One of my favourites was the railway). Now there is no way I'd get value for money so they've effectively lost all that I would have spent on the ancillaries. That said, I don't think that demolishing the historic rides would be a good thing.
It's definitely a different target audience these days
we go every year 3 to 4 hours for over 20 years with kids and grandparents and parents to the kids but dont go cos half wont ride
Yeah they need to bring back the non rider pass
What about Margate quirky..Bring back a Flume.Used to give locals cut price at certain times.
I do hope they change a few things soon to get people back.
I’m not sure if the general walk in and either buy a wristband for all access or individual ride passes would work as don’t know what Blackpool’s tourism rates are like recently, I suspect they’re down. However, Amanda T has not done herself any favours with how she manages PR and her PR team should be quite horrified, I would be. I went for an interview there some years ago and I’d never work for her after that experience.
In terms of rides, massive single rail in place of Grand Prix and then turn grand national to an RMC.
I’d love to see both those rides. 🤞
With nash being grade2 listed can they hybridise it?
Agreed, they need to make it free for people to enter again who don't plan on riding the rides or even make it so it's just like £5 or something. I remember going to the park lots of times with my parents and grandparents who didn't ride the rides but that became unfeasible when they started charging everyone to enter. No-one is going to pay £50 to walk around the park and not go on anything. It's nuts.
We can only hope they see sense and bring it back 🤞
@@coaster_dad Yup for sure. I don't get to the park as much as I'd like any more but I spent many happy hours there as a kid and it definitely played a part of me becoming an enthusiast as I grew older and that wouldn't have been possible the way it is now, which sucks for the current generation. BPB was always more of a family oriented park where people would go for days out with the kids/grandkids...Towers and Thorpe, as you mentioned, are more tailored to actual thrill seekers and enthusiasts. They need to play to their strengths and stop trying to copy the other parks and try to be something that they are not.
Personally I would allow free entry and introduce pay per ride also allowing you to buy a wristband option for unlimited rides throughout the day .
Lots of people saying the same.
I'm still of the opinion it's a great park, with a good selection of rides.
They just need to get rid of the qr codes to get on rides.
It's a complete pain in the arse people fumbling on phones to get it done.
I just print them on paper and it's so much easier.
Or even bring back wristbands as an option, and pay as you go on rides on top of the plain £5 entry fee.
The £5 non rider ticket would definitely help.
Also the park used to have a lot of interesting theming, and now it's just a bit bland to what it was in the 90s.
Also bring back cash, that would help also.
I still feel they need a few more new flat rides in there, and another dark ride.
So much space not being utilised and used.
The park used to have way more on offer.
The park could do with a chair lift back or monorail around it.
They were ace.
A new coaster would also be a big help too.
I don't think removing any of the classic coasters will help, as they are still just a unique draw.
Pleasure Beach just need to embrace what they are and lean into it more.
This whole resort bs doesn't work.
We just want a good board walk style park, a bit rough around the edges with interesting theming.
Maybe even have bands playing, or host a music festival in there with bands.
It would be such a great venue for music.
Stage by the coasters, would be amazing.
Also the park needs to be open later.
Night rides were such a big part of the experience.
One final thing.
The day they got rid of free entry was the best thing they ever did.
Being a child in the 90s visiting that park.
It was full of undesirables loitering, and people up to no good.
Was a pedos paradise, so I supported them making it pay for entry.
As it cleaned that aspect of it up.
Drunks and arseholes gone.
Keep up the good work.
Love the content.
All valid points. Let’s hope we see some changes soon 🤞
It may not have the coaster lineup, but Dreamland Margate has the right business model.
I do hope BP consider changing.
We are a family of 5 and even though we booked jn advance it was still expensive!.Maybe some family bundle tickets would help.
Also the park should be transparent with the public about whats going on. From what ive seen Amanda can be really rude.
Gone are the golden days of the 90s that i remember so fondly as a child.
Indeed. A family ticket would make a lot of sense.
Years ago we took our daughter to the pleasure beach, we paid full price for her to access all rides and i paid a fiver to gain access which entitled me to 2 low grade rides eg, ghost train/ river caves and that was great. I will not now spend 40 or 50 quid now for me to take my grandaughters into the park because i have reached an age where the exciting rides do not interest me., although i would pay the asking price for my grandaughters.
A lot of people sharing similar stories.
Remember when you could just buy a book of tickets and walk round to choose the rides you wanted to ride for a,set number of,tickets? Now it’s too expensive and not worth the effort.
A lot of people miss the old approach. I’m not sure how well that would work these days but it is damn expensive especially if you want to enter and not do anything!
As others state, I'm mid 60s and went on free with mum n dad and the dog, mum n dad took turns going on rides with me like the ghost train and gold mine and what was called the mini dipper back in the day. Clearly a return to cash is a non starter but imagine what a usp having free entry would be. Just simply buy a suitable wristband from a selection. Parents and grandparents could watch, buy coffee or ice cream etc. i think they started charging to discourage piss heads from going in but with proper secutity and common sense any issues could be addressed.
If i had a say i would drop the entrance fee, demolish grand prix and put a top thrill dragster in its footprint...easily enough room. Recaim the family ...
I’d love to see that happen
The e-tickets are an absolute pain if going with younger children. They need to go.
What PB needs above anything though is investment. It's been ride removal after removal for the last 5 or so years with no replacements in the pipeline; the park is giving me Drayton Manor circa 2019 vibes and is in undeniable decline. Really hope they can turn things around as I'd be devastated if anything happened to the place.
I agree 100%
Having free entry to anyone did bring in the unsavoury people out to cause trouble so I can see the reason they stopped that,I would like them to bring back the not riding pass,say £10 to walk about but if your with people who paid full admission then it could be free for one person not riding or a reduced price for more than one in a party
I’ve heard a few people say the same. I think that could work.
so many reasons i've stopped going to pleasure beach... annual pass went up way too much.. very bad ops... long lines at times with only one train.. crap opening times and also so many rough rides that arent looked after. Also Amanda's comments shows that we arent welcome
That’s very sad to hear. But I think many agree with you. 😔
Well 20 to 30 people must be their ball game for the afternoon ,go back 10 years even this would be a few thousand. A famous bar in Blackpool motto is People first profit second.
Yup
I would like to see pleasure beach management make a plea for charging entry for simply going in
it's the best park in the UK. just needs better ops, half the time you go there and everything's shut
It is frustrating huh 😔
@@coaster_dad I haven't been on the big one in a decade because it was shut the last FOUR times I attended
I don't like the rides they make me sick,but my grand kids love them,but I'm not paying £50 to walk round the park !!!
Understandable
It appears that Amanda is only in it for the money, not really interested in the park like her dad was. It should go back to paying for the rides at least then people would go in, go on a few rides and buy food, but I don’t think Amanda would like that, she likes people to pay £50 to go on a few rides because the others are not working and pay extra to eat.
Definitely a lot of support in the comments for the old system 🙂
BPPB need free entry for non riders, once you’re in you can buy passes for all rides or x amount of top tier rides and x amount of lesser rides, or all lesser rides and price accordingly. Merlin don’t make me laugh, the ran Camelot at Leyland into the ground then it went bust.
Yeah as I said in the vid whilst some suggested Merlin I just can’t see that ever working
I think the place looks bleak with all the metal structures needed for the modern rides. i'm old fashioned...i just need dodgems, Wild Mouse (bring it back) , rifle ranges, Ghost train, the old Big Dipper, Space Invader, Waltzers. Log Flume etc.....all the traditional, colourful fun rides. What i didn't spend on rides i'd spend on food, drinks and merchandise anyway...but not on top of the £50!
Ticket price is clearly a big issue 😔
A lot of really good points, just a shame the management don't take some of the ideas on board. I just don't know why they don't try reintroducing the non-rider ticket? I can't see any reasonable arguement for them not to give it a go. If it doesn't work, then move on, try something else but at least do something.
Also, abolish the £50 on the day price. This is driving away so many casual visitors and creating a lot of ill feeling.
I have loved the Pleasure Beach for over 50 years and want to see it succeed but I cannot see them being able to afford the investment it requires.
A replacement for Grand Prix? We'll see. Something was promised for the Wild Mouse site but we are still waiting.
Also, just noticed in your video how empty Bowladrome is. Unbelievable. Whats in the dome building opposite Grand Prix now?
The dome opposite Grand Prix is maintenance now. And yeah surely they can at least trial it to see what happens 🤷♂️
@@coaster_dadWith the dome being maintenance, that area will be a huge space of nothingness now. It used to be so busy and active. Sad.
This is another of their issues. Rides are being removed and value for money is being reduced.
@oranda15 I’m hoping with so much space available they can put in something big and attention grabbing but maybe I’m just dreaming.
Same errors made at Southport thinking of their seaside fairgrounds as up market theme park charging silly money to get in for what small no of rides you get, £25 - £30 everyone needs to pay at Southport, £35 - £50 Blackpool with additional up charging as well, both should offer a non rider pass say £10 so people that don't go or can't go on rides don't need to pay for full ticket not to ride any rides but want to go with rest of family, friends to see them on rides, maybe cheeky coffee, toffee apple, ice cream, chips. For me with painful back injury a light pay as you ride ticketering should be offer, liked to go on gentle rides as ghost train, Wallace and gromit,dodgems
Everyone saying the same, seems obvious
Before amanda the park was open 12 hours a day I'm frustrated that they changed the hours I don't feel we would get our moneys worth as a family of 6 paying so much to go for 5 hours. Also I'm sad to see another family ride gone grand prix they need some more family roses going in as river caves suddenly shut now never see anyone working on it. Black hole wpiluld be amazing to come back in plant rock empty building and also like what we used to have the milenium bug as some people can't fit on these newer rides as seats are getting smaller
Price and hours definitely two big issues
Also though as I've added more family rides need going in as loosing family roses all time. Grand prix, river caves, millennium bug bleach hole just to name. A few
I’ll put my views bud when I watch it later on about the parks ideas
I look forward to hearing them 😀
Right yes your right why since mands did the price of entry when before Geoffrey died understand due to the fact of idiots being drunk and abusing staff and security. But was a good price for at least 10 pounds and unlimited rides on river caves and the PBE. But now 40-50 pounds just to get in when they are not riding on the rides that’s a put off even my parents are not paying that.
100%
@coaster_dad Especially when he went in when he was young with his parents and his siblings have loads of memories like my brother and I do and know how much it means to us all. The timings yes it’s not like her to do it and again it’s due to my comment above plus when Blackpool is home. Back in 2003 my family and myself all 5 of us was in the blue oyster bar. We went out and walked out at 8pm and was in darkness as it was closed due to the Fylde coast derby which trouble was around the central area and heading to the park. Got escorted with security staff out but we didn’t know as no announcement was done.
@@coaster_dad understand that they had downtime with the late openings due to technical difficulties as other parks have been updating those the pb do as well and mands is doing her best for understanding it as well. Like the river caves the animatronics they did all they could back then but technology changed so that’s why it’s SBNO same as the ride aka ice blast. Since Covid it’s not just the park but the whole industry doesn’t matter what you all do and same thing with what I do, it’s called playing catch up with it all. So mands being head of iappa is juggling not just the park itself but also the whole industry. I watch this channel and loads of others like my friend Shawn and Charlotte with theme park worldwide and other videos and seen the comments and criticism of the park. It’s very interesting to hear other people’s views and opinions but they need to think about what the park, the whole industry and also what mands is doing and trying to do to keep us entertained us enthusiasts happy and make us feel like children again. Sorry about the long messages but I’m being a pb fan, and support the Thompson family and is historical background.
My wife doesn't go on rides. So I take my daughter in as I'm not paying £33 for a non rider. But I'd bring the Mrs in for a fiver to hold coats and bags. So that would mean more drinks and food sold too, plus operations would be quicker as less faffing around with bags!
Yup. I do wonder if they’ll bring it back 🤷♂️
I stopped going because it was like 25 years between new coasters….. if you’re not going to invest in the park, why would I go? Infusion doesn’t count either.
I am curious to see what this new ride will be that they’ve teased
You have heard me say before about non rider needs to come back. That's why I've not visited in a long time. Price obviously. They also need to bring back the newpaper adverts with the coupons. Also Amanda obviously doesn't have the passion like her predecessors. Definitely not when she doesn't realise PlayStation was rebranded. Those before her knew everything about the rides. I bet she doesn't know the veranda part of the cafe in river caves which was in gold mine is still they're of you do the experience. I just hope they're is a traditional amusement park lover somewhere to inject money to save them. Bring back family orientated pleasure beach.
Definitely feels like she’s not got the anyone’s confidence in her 🙈
@coaster_dad I haven't from day 1. She's a very different generation and her priority is not BPB. It's really sad to be honest as growing up, always saw the Thomsons around. It was never like omg they're the owners. It was just like, they're they are enjoying their park. BPB would thrive allowing families back from the northwest. Since spectators are banned.... the happy has gone. I'm only coming with a friend because currently life is dark and it is my happy place and I want my coaster fix and nostalgia. I wouldn't bring my family as they're not all ride lovers. So I don't. It's true what you said. People plan to go towers. It's ALWAYS been pay at the door. It's for enthusiasts and thrill seekers. Blackpool began as family and laughter and fun, changing it has killed it. Do I think they can bring it back? Without families BPB is a shadow of its forner self. You can feel the happy energy when you ride the classics, 100 years of happy in those old woodys, ingrained in them.... but without families... they're is nothing left. Next time you go. Count how many families are there. Elders, aunties, parents teens and kids... and a baby. You count in a day... then look at videos from the 80s and 90s. Count how many families are there..... we used to take 3 cars. 3 elders non riders. 2 x aunties and uncles 4 cousins, me and 2 babies. The elders watched in absolutely joy their younger family having fun! Taking photos with the photo op on tom sawyers bridge and maybe they would go on the alice ride if able. An uncle used to draw the short straw for going on the rides with the kids who needed an adult. Aunties used to maybe go on the flume... how many times have you seen families like that in recent years?
Aye that’s a very different pleasure beach. It’s not been like that in years. And I can relate. As I said in my “how I became and enthusiast” my folks didn’t come o the rides. But they took me and were spectators
Pleasure beach is the ONLY park NOT to have any offers for entry, and with nemesis reborn and hyperia brand new, pb is suffering, alot more flat rides is necessary, wouldnt cost alot, a giro swing, a new drop tower, top spin etc all a few hundred grand
I do wonder what the new attraction (or attractions?) will be and when they’ll announce them.