No offence to the locals, but Blackpool is too rough for the pleasure beach to be free. I think it should be at MAXIMUM £40 for an adult ticket, £15-20 for seniors and roughly the same for under 12s, with babies having free entry.
Blackpool pleasure beach had free entry for decades. Of course, there was trouble, but it was a fun place to work and it was always, always packed. Now, due to many factors, mainly the charge to get in, not only is the Pleasure Beach dead, but South Shore is too. There isn't any footfall to the local shops and amenities. Consequently, Bond Street is now derelict, and many other businesses are struggling. Put it back to the good old days of free entry and late night opening every night. It's the only way Blackpool Pleasure Beach is not a theme park, it never has been and never will be.
The one big thing they should bring back is non rider admission some people like the theme park ambience but like a walk round possibly have abit of food and maybe some merch also there are those who have disabilities that are unable to do the rides Technically the park is restricting those people from the theme park experience
Yeah I can't see any reason not to bring that back. I sort of understand removing it when there were restrictions during covid but now there's no excuse. I agree!
Pay per ride is the worst idea. Anybody saying otherwise has lost their mind. For context, I visited South Shields amusement park with my family of 4. They use this "pay per ride - card top up" system. First ride we went on - Ghost Train. This cost £3 per person, so it cost £12 for ONE ride. And this, was one of the cheaper rides. Coasters were £5-£6 EACH! £20 for all four of us to have a go the Rollercoaster. - This does not benefit the consumer, unless You want to blow your bank account and skint yourself fast! - We have just done Blackpool Pleasure Beach this week. And it cost less than South Shields Amusement park. And anybody who has ever been to Shields will tell you, there's really nothing there to compare to Pleasure Beach. Seriously, I'm lost for words when I hear anybody say "bring back pay-per ride". - Just get yourself a day pass and enjoy a full day of rides.
I would say it’s fine if it’s in addition to the unlimited wrist band. Because I wouldn’t use pay per ride. But if you just want to do one or two rides the unlimited is pretty expensive.
@@coaster_dad As an additional option, fair enough. But if they were to replace the day pass with only pay per ride, it just becomes far too expensive. At blackpool this week, we went on one of those pier coasters. That coast £4 per person. I wouldn't like to think how much one ride would cost for Valhalla, Or the Big One. £8 - £10 a ride. A few more years, this could nearly double. Anywhere without a day pass option, I'm out.
Totally agree with the phone thing, we're season pass holders and whenever we go the first place I go is guest services and get a paper ticket, it's SOOO much easier
@@coaster_dad they usually have a staff member to let you in anyway. What annoys me a bit is the Group Ticket you can produce. Its a great idea that you only have to scan once for your entire party, however the staff member needs to manually click each extra person in. Not all rides always have staff at the turnstile either so you end up using the individual tickets then anyways. Can't the system read the Group Ticket has say 3 people on it, and automatically let in 3 people?
@@LauGarSifu the group ticket thing seems odd to me, on very very rare occasions I've seen it let the correct number of people through but as you say 9 times out of 10 the staff have to just click you through 🤷♂
Like you said, none of us run theme parks and we don't understand how difficult is, so I could understand them being very slow with some stuff, and of course they need to appeal to everyone, and coaster enthusiasts are a minority of their customers. But it's not slowness or appealing to a wider audience - they're just not making any new attractions or trialing anything new, and haven't for a long time, which I think is what frustrates most people.
Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach do an improved system to M and Ds. You can buy a wristband or purchase a funcard. The funcard costs £5 but comes loaded with 5 ride credits and can be topped up and used all season. A brilliant idea which offers pay per ride whilst also not doing free entry and therefore avoiding the anti-social issues that can come with it. That said, can't see BPB taking it on whilst they are committed to becoming a 'resort'
I feel like BPB could generate more revenue with a different approach to merchandise. As it stands, the park heavily favours merch for Icon, Valhalla and the Park itself. There’s very little for the other rides. Obviously Valhalla offers more creative ideas for merch than say, Revolution, but then you see Ghost Train with a badly printed shirt of the logo and nothing else. Compare that to how much Towers pushes Alton Manor merch. I’ve wanted a Pasaje Del Terror logo shirt for years but nothing is available. Same for Ripleys. They need a better handle on logos, branding and merchandising around the park. Oh and this is especially true for Halloween. ‘Scarefest’ sells itself. You can already picture the mugs, shirts etc with nice looking Scarefest designs. NOBODY will walk around with a shirt that says “Journey to Hell: Freak Nights” on it. Too wordy, too weird. Blackpool really needs someone to come up with eye catching logos, designs, themes and branding that makes people wanna part with their money. Mr. Funshine is a fantastic example of getting it right.
Definitely need a £10 walk on ticket (agree that free is a no go). Travelling rides is also another must. Would be good to get a Spinning Mouse where the Wild Mouse used to be for example. I had a vision of Wilde Mause XXL going in there for a season, but then given how much money they must take for a few weeks at Hyde Park I don't know how they would make similar money - I imagine they'd charge PLB too much to make it attractive.
The thing is, Blackpool's troubles aren't all within the walls of the Pleasure Beach, most of the back streets now resemble a warzone, all three Piers are waaay behind the times, ''most'' of the arcades are also behind the times, today's Blackpool ''IMO'' just isn't affordable for most families for say a 7 day Holiday, look at the state of the place, is it even a Holiday now ? It's fell down to a day trip Town, weekend at a stretch.
The M&D style credit card would be great at Blackpool Pleasure beach especially for non riders . Pay £10 for entry and you have the option to top up the card for whatever rides you want to go on.
That’s my thinking. Keep out the trouble makers but keeping it paid entry. But offer cheaper alternatives for either brief visits or people who may do a couple of rides but basically want to watch their kids etc. sound like a win win for everyone 🙂
@@coaster_dad yes also when they are there they will probably buy merchandise , food and drinks and possibly go to a show at the park . Money for the park is better than no money 💰
Hi there I am new to your channel and absolutely love your content having recently visited Blackpool myself. I find it’s a great shame that the park is looking so rundown & that the beautiful older rides are looking so neglected. They are a unique piece of history of coasters and the pleasure beach should be made to bring them back to life I would say that’s there use and 100% they should have a non-Ryder’s pass .have you ever sent any of your videos to the owners of Blackpool? Pleasure? Owners. All the best and keep up the brilliant content.
I totally agree with everything you have said in this video and also think the top up cards, are a great idea which gives the visitor more flexibility to what they want to do, as not everyone wants to spend all day in the park and prefer to visit little and often. My parents always took my brother and I to Blackpool in the 70s and 80s every year in the half term week to see the illuminations and in that week we made several visits to the PB in the evening for a few hours and so never stayed in all day and preferred to spread the fun out throughout the week. Under today's admission policy we would have probably only visited once or perhaps not at all as I can't really imagine my late father paying full price for my mom to be coat carrier and my father to only ride a handful of rides. I'm also pleased you refered the PB as an amusement park and not a theme park and like yourself I will always refer it as BPB and not PB resort. Another great video, and can't wait for the next. 👌
I worked at BPB for nearly 2 years in the 90s and all this talk of it being rough in comments sections I've seen when it was free entry is nonsense. I worked in Bean Street (where they sold alcohol) and near the Alice ride (very spacious area where crowds build up) and I never saw one fight or incident. In fact I can't remember anyone telling me about one. The one's on the TV programme will be one off incidents that they've captured over years of filming and exaggerated. It's unfair to to visitors and locals to brand the park over that period as rough.
Yeah I can only go off the documentary and it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s over dramatised. The times I visited in that period I was a kid so I wouldn’t notice anything.
I never want to see BPB free entry again, it’s not safe to just let anyone in, it starts attracting the wrong crowd. However, I do agree the £10 non rider pass should return.
@@fadeddave There was a few unsavoury characters kicking about Blackpool pier, harrassing people. This lot were standing outside Wetherspoon's doors, bothering people as they were coming and going. Same people, doing the same harassment, everyday. I got stopped by the same person twice within a hour. Make of these people and their intentions what you will, but if they are able to just freely walk through the pleasure beach too, it wouldn't make the resort feel safe. Inside the walls of the Pleasure beach, we've all paid admission, and don't need to worry about some of this lot's intentions.
There are reasons most parks have tickets and season passes and rides free with admissions that system is better and works after all people go to these parks for the rides not for other reasons, so that system is a way better one than a pay for ride system those are of the past and dont work well in modern amusement parks at least not major ones
I hear you and I personally wouldn’t use pay per ride. But the difference with Blackpool and most parks is Blackpool can get passing trade. And those guests may only want to do one or two rides. So a full £50 is just a no go.
Aye and it just slows everything down. It’s fine just now when the staff just let you in. But if they do return to a non rider or pay per ride approach they will need to check the tickets and issues like that become a big problem.
to add on what i said before. the need a BIG sponsor. perhaps have space x sponsor the flying machines or maybe even if they do, do(ha!) a launch coaster have it sponsored by a supercar company. imagine a Lamborghini with a lime green track shooting out the park on the ready made footers.
Yes,yet another great thought provoking video,the top up card is a great idea ,reintoducing the non rider pass too and ive always believed sponsorship is a good one too as weve had rides before open it up to all the major rides and some smaller ones too they could make the station near the hotel available for use all through the parks opening with some sort of signalling system for the train to call at this platform and also an indicator to show when rhe next train would arrive maybe run a shuttle from there back to the station's terminous part of the station platform so just that train did the to and fro and another did the journey around the park 🎢🙂🤞
No matter how much videos I watch that are saying what Blackpool is doing bad (not saying this is a hate video just saying in general), nothing will ever make me dislike the park. My favourite park in the UK by far.
I’m the same. As I said in the video it’s super easy for us to sit here and point out the flaws. The park has so many memories for me I just want to see it stick around for my grandkids and beyond. Just trying to think of ways to get the foot fall back. 🙂
I like the system when you pay on entry instead of per ride but pay per ride would definitely be better then the current fifty pound entry fee. Personally i think they should open an in park restaurant that serves over priced alcohol and at least Wetherspoon quality food. Try to cater to birthdays, stag nights, hen nights, weddings, dates and work outings that way maybe the entry price could come down and overall profits would still go up.
Don't underestimate how much pay per ride would actually cost you. Took daughter to the local Easter travelling fair, with rides costing about £3 or £3.50 each. Go on 6 or 7 rides and you've blown through £50 in just a couple hours. Having both options is the way forward. -Full entry pass as it is now for those wanting a full day. -individual ride passes, or ride packages for those just dropping in for a couple hours. Or, even just have a late entry ticket for those just wanting a short visit for a couple rides. Say £20 entry after 1pm. Lots of day trippers visit Blackpool on a whim and might like to visit PB, but not spend the whole day there. However they do it, they really need to capitalise on this customer base.
@@coaster_dad yes your right about the high maintenance, I think it might work , if it wasn't in the park they could house it on the Prom on Ocean boulevard near Ripleys , that area definitely needs something to brighten it up , do you remember the Horror crypt it has been lying empty for a few years now . Oh also I think the Pleasure Beach needs a new horror themed ride , it would be very popular during Halloween season as their Journey to Hell is average.
At one time Blackpool Pleasure Beach could run three shows in and around the Please Beach. The Mystique, Hot Ice, Eclipse and later Forbidden. They used to do BOGOF deal on the Mystique show on Tuesday and Amanda stopped that.
I think that as soon as the summer holidays finish demolition and then construction of new rides will begin at a very fast pace and that will be why there are no vip events scheduled, they will want to try and complete at least some of it by next summer.
Have a look at Steve the coaster fan latest Ice Blast video, have Pleasure Beach just left a hint to the new ride to replace Grand Prix with the Ferrari Stickers on the Fork Lift, which appear to be quite new...? Interesting Lewis Hamilton will also be driving for Ferrari so it would work well..
The one thing that keeps cropping up here is that most people would be happy to pay £10 for a non-rider ticket. Not only would this be additional revenue in itself but it'd encourage families back in where maybe 2 riders and 2 non-riders have been going elsewhere due to huge cost. Also, more people in the park, more food, drink and merch sales. I simply do not know why this is not being done? Any ideas why not?
Yeah I’m lost as to why they don’t. If I’m not mistaken it was there until Covid. I kinda understand removing it when things were restricted. But there’s no logical reason I can think of to not bring it back. Seems to be reducing their income 🤷♂️
@@coaster_dad They could pitch it along the lines of "You spoke, we listened" and at least trial it. This would win back a bit of support. Instead we get Amanda's intransigence and contempt for the paying public.
You've come up with some good ideas, the sad thing is though, the Pleasure Beach are doing nothing! We are well into the season now and nothing has been tried.
The real issue is that Blackpool thinks they're a resort / theme park. Until they get that out of their head, there's going to be a lot more scope for vlogs!
Prices now are just silly, IF a family of four suddenly decided to Visit the park on the day because of nice fortunate weather would be £200 right off the bat, if all 4 then exit the park after having a nice day then go for fish & chips that's another silly cost in some outfits, Coral Island is expensive and so is Captain Jack's around the side. That family of 4 would be well over £300 for a day in the Pleasure beach + Food & Travel, that's without staying over. That's a lot of money, which people now just haven't got spare.
Yeah that’s where I can’t decide if copying existing rides or completely new rides is the better option. I mean if they’re different they have something unique to attract visitors
@@coaster_dad oh, absolutely mate. Always good to have new rides to try out. I do remember Geoffrey moaning about that type of ride as the council allowed some outside the sandcastle, so I wonder if Amanda has the same displeasure for them
The worst thing the shareholders introduced was the fee structure for pleasure beach. The surrounding area lowers the value of the theme park. Personally I wouldn’t go to Blackpool now, it’s too expensive.
Fantasy island uses the same card and wristband setup as m&ds from the sound of it. Personally I think Blackpool should just do a wristband system with a small basic entry fee to get in the park and two tiers of wristbands. One band for smaller children that can only go in Nickelodeon land and a full park band. Maybe 10 pound entry fee per person 10 pound for kids band and 20 for full bands. Keep the app for the fast pass system.
A lot of people think the decision to go pay-per-entry was to keep the so called 'riff-raff' out of the park. It wasn't. It was a business decision because with the wristband system there's no need for ticket booth staff and she was able to save money by not having to pay over 100 staff. They could just get the station staff to keep an eye on the wristband machines. Which they did.
I'm guessing you weren't around the park late 90s early 00s when it was rammed. Lots of pickpockets and people that had a bit too much to drink starting fights
@@jbeattie02 born early 80s, went to school behind the park & lived behind the park. Played there as a kid throughout the 90s, have had countless family members & people I know work at the park (still do.) I'm very well versed in what goes on and what doesn't in the park. There's not much I don't know about the place. 🙄
We went to Blackpool yesterday. My first time in 4 years snd the place as a whole looks even more sadder than previous. I thought they were massively regenerating the area? The place is an absolute dump. We went to the pleasure beach randomly and got refused a carer ticket on the desk. Refused to pay the 50 entry also as it was extortionate. It made no sense to pay 150 quid just for one person, a carer and spectator to take a kid to nic land. So we left. BPB is at best a 30 quid on the gate attraction. Everything in Blackpool looks even more in decline. The pleasure beach is no exception. I predict eventually the park will be put up for sale and either shut down or merlin taking over (or both)
I had questions did Alice wonderland cross over to ghost train in80 or 90s remember when I kid cross over go though tunnel bridge cross lope and came back down other side or just me lost plot
They should charge 5 pound non riders if just walking around 10 pound if walking about but can go on wee rides like river caves Alice ride etc they should open earlier and close later during all peak times not just certain days Amanda is ruining the pleasure beach now loads of rides don’t open but still expected to pay full price?? I agree theming certain parts up
Regarding sponsorship it doesn't look good when nobody wants to sponsor Blackpool Pleasure Beach , I see BPB are sponsors of Blackpool Football Club or are they also called Lancashire FC? 🤔
South shields ocean beach has fun cards free entry to non riders and top up the card spot on, if Blackpool did that they would probably make more money from food, souvenirs and other stuff as well as punters paying to ride what they want makes more sense
With six flags qiddiya opening and epic universe prob get ky next season pass in 2034 Do a day pass with the piers plus central when that opens Security facial recog u can have a zero tolerance for bad behaviour safety important
What a load of rubbish it was free to enter for 50/60 years ffs . An no it’s not like other parks built inside a forest an greenery , it can never be that so no point in tryinnto be the same . It’s a concrete f😮n ground with already there public , u don’t go there as you do Alton towers with nothing else see , it’s to be entered few times a day so pay for rides as an when you want .
No offence to the locals, but Blackpool is too rough for the pleasure beach to be free. I think it should be at MAXIMUM £40 for an adult ticket, £15-20 for seniors and roughly the same for under 12s, with babies having free entry.
I am concerned that free entry just would not work. So I see why Amanda scrapped it. But pay per ride and non rider options could be reintroduced. 🙂
£10 would be acceptable for non riders
I live here. I agree. We’d just hang out there and wander around in the holidays (as teenagers)
Blackpool pleasure beach had free entry for decades. Of course, there was trouble, but it was a fun place to work and it was always, always packed.
Now, due to many factors, mainly the charge to get in, not only is the Pleasure Beach dead, but South Shore is too. There isn't any footfall to the local shops and amenities. Consequently, Bond Street is now derelict, and many other businesses are struggling.
Put it back to the good old days of free entry and late night opening every night. It's the only way
Blackpool Pleasure Beach is not a theme park, it never has been and never will be.
@@tiggerwood8899 I agree
Love the way you are so balanced and sensible with your videos. A refreshing change on YT, well done and thanks!! 👍😁
Thank you 🙏 glad you enjoy
The one big thing they should bring back is non rider admission some people like the theme park ambience but like a walk round possibly have abit of food and maybe some merch also there are those who have disabilities that are unable to do the rides Technically the park is restricting those people from the theme park experience
Yeah I can't see any reason not to bring that back. I sort of understand removing it when there were restrictions during covid but now there's no excuse. I agree!
Pay per ride is the worst idea. Anybody saying otherwise has lost their mind. For context, I visited South Shields amusement park with my family of 4. They use this "pay per ride - card top up" system. First ride we went on - Ghost Train. This cost £3 per person, so it cost £12 for ONE ride. And this, was one of the cheaper rides. Coasters were £5-£6 EACH! £20 for all four of us to have a go the Rollercoaster. - This does not benefit the consumer, unless You want to blow your bank account and skint yourself fast! - We have just done Blackpool Pleasure Beach this week. And it cost less than South Shields Amusement park. And anybody who has ever been to Shields will tell you, there's really nothing there to compare to Pleasure Beach. Seriously, I'm lost for words when I hear anybody say "bring back pay-per ride". - Just get yourself a day pass and enjoy a full day of rides.
I would say it’s fine if it’s in addition to the unlimited wrist band. Because I wouldn’t use pay per ride. But if you just want to do one or two rides the unlimited is pretty expensive.
@@coaster_dad As an additional option, fair enough. But if they were to replace the day pass with only pay per ride, it just becomes far too expensive. At blackpool this week, we went on one of those pier coasters. That coast £4 per person. I wouldn't like to think how much one ride would cost for Valhalla, Or the Big One. £8 - £10 a ride. A few more years, this could nearly double. Anywhere without a day pass option, I'm out.
Totally agree with the phone thing, we're season pass holders and whenever we go the first place I go is guest services and get a paper ticket, it's SOOO much easier
It’s crazy huh. They encourage the phones and it’s the worst way to do it 🤷♂️
Never have an issue scanning my phone, maybe depends on the screen i guess.
@@LauGarSifu there's definitely a knack to it and once you get it it's fine, but most people fumble a lot
@@coaster_dad they usually have a staff member to let you in anyway. What annoys me a bit is the Group Ticket you can produce. Its a great idea that you only have to scan once for your entire party, however the staff member needs to manually click each extra person in. Not all rides always have staff at the turnstile either so you end up using the individual tickets then anyways. Can't the system read the Group Ticket has say 3 people on it, and automatically let in 3 people?
@@LauGarSifu the group ticket thing seems odd to me, on very very rare occasions I've seen it let the correct number of people through but as you say 9 times out of 10 the staff have to just click you through 🤷♂
I wish a park did a vintage fair area in the style of carters funfairs
Interesting idea
first time anyone has ever said to copy m&ds 😂
Aye. No doubt on that one 😂
Like you said, none of us run theme parks and we don't understand how difficult is, so I could understand them being very slow with some stuff, and of course they need to appeal to everyone, and coaster enthusiasts are a minority of their customers. But it's not slowness or appealing to a wider audience - they're just not making any new attractions or trialing anything new, and haven't for a long time, which I think is what frustrates most people.
Yeah would be good to at least see some new things being trialled.
Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach do an improved system to M and Ds. You can buy a wristband or purchase a funcard. The funcard costs £5 but comes loaded with 5 ride credits and can be topped up and used all season. A brilliant idea which offers pay per ride whilst also not doing free entry and therefore avoiding the anti-social issues that can come with it.
That said, can't see BPB taking it on whilst they are committed to becoming a 'resort'
Yeah they may not. But considering it’s being done at various other locations there’s not really an excuse not to 😔
I feel like BPB could generate more revenue with a different approach to merchandise. As it stands, the park heavily favours merch for Icon, Valhalla and the Park itself. There’s very little for the other rides. Obviously Valhalla offers more creative ideas for merch than say, Revolution, but then you see Ghost Train with a badly printed shirt of the logo and nothing else. Compare that to how much Towers pushes Alton Manor merch. I’ve wanted a Pasaje Del Terror logo shirt for years but nothing is available. Same for Ripleys. They need a better handle on logos, branding and merchandising around the park.
Oh and this is especially true for Halloween. ‘Scarefest’ sells itself. You can already picture the mugs, shirts etc with nice looking Scarefest designs. NOBODY will walk around with a shirt that says “Journey to Hell: Freak Nights” on it. Too wordy, too weird. Blackpool really needs someone to come up with eye catching logos, designs, themes and branding that makes people wanna part with their money. Mr. Funshine is a fantastic example of getting it right.
Fair point.
Definitely need a £10 walk on ticket (agree that free is a no go). Travelling rides is also another must. Would be good to get a Spinning Mouse where the Wild Mouse used to be for example. I had a vision of Wilde Mause XXL going in there for a season, but then given how much money they must take for a few weeks at Hyde Park I don't know how they would make similar money - I imagine they'd charge PLB too much to make it attractive.
Yup. Agreed 🙂
The thing is, Blackpool's troubles aren't all within the walls of the Pleasure Beach, most of the back streets now resemble a warzone, all three Piers are waaay behind the times, ''most'' of the arcades are also behind the times, today's Blackpool ''IMO'' just isn't affordable for most families for say a 7 day Holiday, look at the state of the place, is it even a Holiday now ?
It's fell down to a day trip Town, weekend at a stretch.
I hear you. 😔
@@coaster_dad I've not been back since September 2018
For a good reason Chris, I do hope it picks up, Id love another visit.
The M&D style credit card would be great at Blackpool Pleasure beach especially for non riders .
Pay £10 for entry and you have the option to top up the card for whatever rides you want to go on.
That’s my thinking. Keep out the trouble makers but keeping it paid entry. But offer cheaper alternatives for either brief visits or people who may do a couple of rides but basically want to watch their kids etc. sound like a win win for everyone 🙂
@@coaster_dad yes also when they are there they will probably buy merchandise , food and drinks and possibly go to a show at the park .
Money for the park is better than no money 💰
Really well thought out suggestions. *somebody* just needs to start listening to this feedback and giving it a go, they might as well at this point!
Thank you. I’m keeping my fingers crossed 🤞
Hi there I am new to your channel and absolutely love your content having recently visited Blackpool myself. I find it’s a great shame that the park is looking so rundown & that the beautiful older rides are looking so neglected. They are a unique piece of history of coasters and the pleasure beach should be made to bring them back to life I would say that’s there use and 100% they should have a non-Ryder’s pass .have you ever sent any of your videos to the owners of Blackpool? Pleasure? Owners. All the best and keep up the brilliant content.
Thank you so much. I haven’t sent any no, but I do wonder if they’ve seen any. 🤷♂️
I totally agree with everything you have said in this video and also think the top up cards, are a great idea which gives the visitor more flexibility to what they want to do, as not everyone wants to spend all day in the park and prefer to visit little and often.
My parents always took my brother and I to Blackpool in the 70s and 80s every year in the half term week to see the illuminations and in that week we made several visits to the PB in the evening for a few hours and so never stayed in all day and preferred to spread the fun out throughout the week. Under today's admission policy we would have probably only visited once or perhaps not at all as I can't really imagine my late father paying full price for my mom to be coat carrier and my father to only ride a handful of rides.
I'm also pleased you refered the PB as an amusement park and not a theme park and like yourself I will always refer it as BPB and not PB resort.
Another great video, and can't wait for the next. 👌
Thank you very much 😀
I worked at BPB for nearly 2 years in the 90s and all this talk of it being rough in comments sections I've seen when it was free entry is nonsense. I worked in Bean Street (where they sold alcohol) and near the Alice ride (very spacious area where crowds build up) and I never saw one fight or incident. In fact I can't remember anyone telling me about one. The one's on the TV programme will be one off incidents that they've captured over years of filming and exaggerated. It's unfair to to visitors and locals to brand the park over that period as rough.
Yeah I can only go off the documentary and it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s over dramatised. The times I visited in that period I was a kid so I wouldn’t notice anything.
I never want to see BPB free entry again, it’s not safe to just let anyone in, it starts attracting the wrong crowd. However, I do agree the £10 non rider pass should return.
Yeah I’m a little concerned about that. Looking back at footage from the 80s/90s looks pretty rough 🙄
@@fadeddave There was a few unsavoury characters kicking about Blackpool pier, harrassing people. This lot were standing outside Wetherspoon's doors, bothering people as they were coming and going. Same people, doing the same harassment, everyday. I got stopped by the same person twice within a hour. Make of these people and their intentions what you will, but if they are able to just freely walk through the pleasure beach too, it wouldn't make the resort feel safe. Inside the walls of the Pleasure beach, we've all paid admission, and don't need to worry about some of this lot's intentions.
There are reasons most parks have tickets and season passes and rides free with admissions that system is better and works after all people go to these parks for the rides not for other reasons, so that system is a way better one than a pay for ride system those are of the past and dont work well in modern amusement parks at least not major ones
I hear you and I personally wouldn’t use pay per ride. But the difference with Blackpool and most parks is Blackpool can get passing trade. And those guests may only want to do one or two rides. So a full £50 is just a no go.
As you say they do still print paper barcodes on request. The main issue with phone screens is people try to put them far to close to the scanner
Aye and it just slows everything down. It’s fine just now when the staff just let you in. But if they do return to a non rider or pay per ride approach they will need to check the tickets and issues like that become a big problem.
to add on what i said before. the need a BIG sponsor. perhaps have space x sponsor the flying machines or maybe even if they do, do(ha!) a launch coaster have it sponsored by a supercar company. imagine a Lamborghini with a lime green track shooting out the park on the ready made footers.
That would be great
I think they need to go either way. Either go full one way with tokens or full the other way and remove the stupid turnstiles in front of rides…
If they aren’t bringing back non rider or pay per ride then I agree the scanners are a waste of time
Yes,yet another great thought provoking video,the top up card is a great idea ,reintoducing the non rider pass too and ive always believed sponsorship is a good one too as weve had rides before open it up to all the major rides and some smaller ones too they could make the station near the hotel available for use all through the parks opening with some sort of signalling system for the train to call at this platform and also an indicator to show when rhe next train would arrive maybe run a shuttle from there back to the station's terminous part of the station platform so just that train did the to and fro and another did the journey around the park 🎢🙂🤞
Indeed
No matter how much videos I watch that are saying what Blackpool is doing bad (not saying this is a hate video just saying in general), nothing will ever make me dislike the park. My favourite park in the UK by far.
I’m the same. As I said in the video it’s super easy for us to sit here and point out the flaws. The park has so many memories for me I just want to see it stick around for my grandkids and beyond. Just trying to think of ways to get the foot fall back. 🙂
I like the system when you pay on entry instead of per ride but pay per ride would definitely be better then the current fifty pound entry fee. Personally i think they should open an in park restaurant that serves over priced alcohol and at least Wetherspoon quality food. Try to cater to birthdays, stag nights, hen nights, weddings, dates and work outings that way maybe the entry price could come down and overall profits would still go up.
Personally I would offer both pay per ride and the unlimited wristband option. Then everyone gets what they want
Don't underestimate how much pay per ride would actually cost you. Took daughter to the local Easter travelling fair, with rides costing about £3 or £3.50 each. Go on 6 or 7 rides and you've blown through £50 in just a couple hours.
Having both options is the way forward.
-Full entry pass as it is now for those wanting a full day.
-individual ride passes, or ride packages for those just dropping in for a couple hours.
Or, even just have a late entry ticket for those just wanting a short visit for a couple rides. Say £20 entry after 1pm. Lots of day trippers visit Blackpool on a whim and might like to visit PB, but not spend the whole day there. However they do it, they really need to capitalise on this customer base.
Talking about M&Ds do you think something like Amazonia would work at Blackpool Pleasure Beach?
Maybe. It’s reasonably high maintenance though. So not sure if they would. What do you think?
@@coaster_dad yes your right about the high maintenance, I think it might work , if it wasn't in the park they could house it on the Prom on Ocean boulevard near Ripleys , that area definitely needs something to brighten it up , do you remember the Horror crypt it has been lying empty for a few years now .
Oh also I think the Pleasure Beach needs a new horror themed ride , it would be very popular during Halloween season as their Journey to Hell is average.
Never heard of M&D's.
@@tiggerwood8899 M&Ds is a huge amazing theme park in Scotland, it's out of this world 😄
😂😂😂
At one time Blackpool Pleasure Beach could run three shows in and around the Please Beach. The Mystique, Hot Ice, Eclipse and later Forbidden. They used to do BOGOF deal on the Mystique show on Tuesday and Amanda stopped that.
Bring back the Mexican high dive team 😂
I think that as soon as the summer holidays finish demolition and then construction of new rides will begin at a very fast pace and that will be why there are no vip events scheduled, they will want to try and complete at least some of it by next summer.
I hope so. That would be great!
Have a look at Steve the coaster fan latest Ice Blast video, have Pleasure Beach just left a hint to the new ride to replace Grand Prix with the Ferrari Stickers on the Fork Lift, which appear to be quite new...? Interesting Lewis Hamilton will also be driving for Ferrari so it would work well..
they should do buy one get one free for off peak times, on the gate only
Interesting idea
A few of the local papers often did cut out deals, 3 for 2 etc, The Sun or Scotland's Daily Record often done them.
Unsure about these days.
I like the lego hyperia. We have just done ride to happiness and smiler ones.
Yeah I wanna do more. But my misses may have an issue if I start taking over the living room 😂😂
The one thing that keeps cropping up here is that most people would be happy to pay £10 for a non-rider ticket. Not only would this be additional revenue in itself but it'd encourage families back in where maybe 2 riders and 2 non-riders have been going elsewhere due to huge cost. Also, more people in the park, more food, drink and merch sales. I simply do not know why this is not being done? Any ideas why not?
Yeah I’m lost as to why they don’t. If I’m not mistaken it was there until Covid. I kinda understand removing it when things were restricted. But there’s no logical reason I can think of to not bring it back. Seems to be reducing their income 🤷♂️
@@coaster_dad They could pitch it along the lines of "You spoke, we listened" and at least trial it. This would win back a bit of support. Instead we get Amanda's intransigence and contempt for the paying public.
You've come up with some good ideas, the sad thing is though, the Pleasure Beach are doing nothing! We are well into the season now and nothing has been tried.
Keep our fingers crossed things change 🤞
Amanda Thompson won't listen 😭
I think they should do later opens and later closes such as 12pm - 9pm and bring back tickets / free entry
I’d love late entry too. I believe the locals complained. And in the “golden years” they just stayed open, paid the fine. And still made money 🙈
@@coaster_dad if they did it now at least all the drunk people would be in one place rather than wondering the streets like day of the dead lol
The real issue is that Blackpool thinks they're a resort / theme park. Until they get that out of their head, there's going to be a lot more scope for vlogs!
Aye def not a theme park for sure 🙂
Prices now are just silly, IF a family of four suddenly decided to Visit the park on the day because of nice fortunate weather would be £200 right off the bat, if all 4 then exit the park after having a nice day then go for fish & chips that's another silly cost in some outfits, Coral Island is expensive and so is Captain Jack's around the side.
That family of 4 would be well over £300 for a day in the Pleasure beach + Food & Travel, that's without staying over.
That's a lot of money, which people now just haven't got spare.
The issue with the travelling rides would be that we’ve already got central and south pier that have those rides on
Yeah that’s where I can’t decide if copying existing rides or completely new rides is the better option. I mean if they’re different they have something unique to attract visitors
@@coaster_dad oh, absolutely mate. Always good to have new rides to try out. I do remember Geoffrey moaning about that type of ride as the council allowed some outside the sandcastle, so I wonder if Amanda has the same displeasure for them
@jasoncampbell293 that's documented on the BBC show which can be found on youtube too
@@jbeattie02 yeah, I’ve watched it a few times. Just after watching it again. That JR comes across as a bit of a David Brent character 😂😂
@jasoncampbell293 he'd soon sort the current park out though
Never thought i'd hear that title 🤣
Ha ha. I bet no one else will ever say that either 😂😂
Traveling rides would be great to fill up all those empty spaces on the park .
But we all know what Amanda is like 😳
🤞
The worst thing the shareholders introduced was the fee structure for pleasure beach. The surrounding area lowers the value of the theme park. Personally I wouldn’t go to Blackpool now, it’s too expensive.
It’s a very different proposition nowadays for sure 😔
Fantasy island uses the same card and wristband setup as m&ds from the sound of it. Personally I think Blackpool should just do a wristband system with a small basic entry fee to get in the park and two tiers of wristbands. One band for smaller children that can only go in Nickelodeon land and a full park band. Maybe 10 pound entry fee per person 10 pound for kids band and 20 for full bands. Keep the app for the fast pass system.
Yeah long story short they need options. Right now it’s £50 (or £35 in advance) or nothing 😔
Fantasy Island as wristbands and card so you can pay separately and it's a fantastic park if your in Skegness ❤
Seems like a no brainer huh 🤷♂️
They got to do something Chris every time I have been it's been empty witch isent a bad thing if u want to get rerides in
@Chrisscoffas aye catch 22. Great on the day, worrying for the future 😔
@@coaster_dad definitely buddy
A lot of people think the decision to go pay-per-entry was to keep the so called 'riff-raff' out of the park. It wasn't. It was a business decision because with the wristband system there's no need for ticket booth staff and she was able to save money by not having to pay over 100 staff. They could just get the station staff to keep an eye on the wristband machines. Which they did.
I'm guessing you weren't around the park late 90s early 00s when it was rammed.
Lots of pickpockets and people that had a bit too much to drink starting fights
@@jbeattie02 born early 80s, went to school behind the park & lived behind the park. Played there as a kid throughout the 90s, have had countless family members & people I know work at the park (still do.) I'm very well versed in what goes on and what doesn't in the park. There's not much I don't know about the place. 🙄
We went to Blackpool yesterday. My first time in 4 years snd the place as a whole looks even more sadder than previous.
I thought they were massively regenerating the area? The place is an absolute dump.
We went to the pleasure beach randomly and got refused a carer ticket on the desk. Refused to pay the 50 entry also as it was extortionate. It made no sense to pay 150 quid just for one person, a carer and spectator to take a kid to nic land. So we left.
BPB is at best a 30 quid on the gate attraction.
Everything in Blackpool looks even more in decline. The pleasure beach is no exception.
I predict eventually the park will be put up for sale and either shut down or merlin taking over (or both)
It’s sad to see 😔
I really don't want to see pay per ride
I was the same and my main concern was how it would impact operations. But I think the card option that leverages the scanners could work well. 🙂
IF they did it would end up being EVEN MORE Expensive
Revolution looked awesome when it was sponsored by Irn Bru...its so bland now.
Agreed
I had questions did Alice wonderland cross over to ghost train in80 or 90s remember when I kid cross over go though tunnel bridge cross lope and came back down other side or just me lost plot
I’m not aware of them crossing over. But maybe 🤔
@@coaster_dad been bug me years wonder fire Alice that route change
They should charge 5 pound non riders if just walking around 10 pound if walking about but can go on wee rides like river caves Alice ride etc they should open earlier and close later during all peak times not just certain days Amanda is ruining the pleasure beach now loads of rides don’t open but still expected to pay full price?? I agree theming certain parts up
Aye makes sense to me
Don't forget Playstation (Sony) sponsorship. 😄
Or ice blast as we call it 😉
Regarding sponsorship it doesn't look good when nobody wants to sponsor Blackpool Pleasure Beach ,
I see BPB are sponsors of Blackpool Football Club or are they also called Lancashire FC? 🤔
Yeah I saw that
South shields ocean beach has fun cards free entry to non riders and top up the card spot on, if Blackpool did that they would probably make more money from food, souvenirs and other stuff as well as punters paying to ride what they want makes more sense
Yup
Pleasure beach is SHI.
🙈
With six flags qiddiya opening and epic universe prob get ky next season pass in 2034
Do a day pass with the piers plus central when that opens
Security facial recog u can have a zero tolerance for bad behaviour safety important
Falcons flight looks absolutely mental 😳
@@coaster_dad I bet u go
Flights not that pricey
Budget airlines fly in
Sami Zane went to mekkah
Intamin are awesome
@@coaster_dad no journey to hell u will have to do danse macabre at efteling
@@Lee-o8f I'm going to efteling in 2 weeks so sadly before it opens :(
@@coaster_dad i hope it's not too busy easy to get to from tilburg station
What a load of rubbish it was free to enter for 50/60 years ffs . An no it’s not like other parks built inside a forest an greenery , it can never be that so no point in tryinnto be the same .
It’s a concrete f😮n ground with already there public , u don’t go there as you do Alton towers with nothing else see , it’s to be entered few times a day so pay for rides as an when you want .
That what I said. They need to offer pay per ride 🤷♂️
You are just a mouth for the family pretending to be a independent voice admit it.
😂 I’m just passionate about the park 🤷♂️
What the Jack & Jill are you talking about? 😂😂
Some good ideas thrown around here that could really benefit the park