Intro

I felt I would write a review on Blackpool Pleasure Beach as I have now been twice and feel I should let others know how great this place is. Being a big fan of themeparks, I was honestly hesitant to visit Blackpool Pleasure Beach as I imagined it being a few fairground rides and I genuinely didn't think it'd compare to other places I'd been to. However, it is now my favourite themepark of all time, and here's why...

PRICES

Adult tickets are usually around the £25 each mark, which is brilliant compared to places such as Alton Towers who charge around £36. Prices change throughout the year - for example, if you visit the park on June 10th, for two adults and two children it will only cost you £74.00. For two adults and two children to visit Alton Towers on the 10th June, it will cost you a much more expensive £102 (or an even bigger £126 if you buy the tickets on the day!). It is more expensive to go at weekends, and obviously the most expensive during the Summer months, however the park is open longer during this peak times, so you do get your money's worth. An off-peak ticket price for a child is just £16 (children are from 2 years - 11 years), and this same price applies to senior citizens (65 and over). Always book online - you save atleast £5 on an adult ticket and the family savings are great. By the way, these prices are for the all-day unlimited riding wristbands. You will be given a wristband to wear on your wrist which you then "swipe" under machines so the attendant at the ride knows you have paid to go on that particular ride. Having a wristband means you can go on all the rides in the park (there are one or two exceptions to this, such as games you'd usually see at the seaside e.g. knocking bottles over for a cuddly toy prize). The BEST thing about Pleasure Beach's ticket system is the "Buy a pleasure beach pass for £5 per person scheme". In other words, if you're a parent who is given the job of holding bags while the rest of your family heads off onto the rides, or you tag along but don't especially want to go on anything, then you only have to pay £5 to get in. This is brilliant - no other theme parks (to my knowledge) do this, and it means Mum's and Dad's aren't having to pay the full ticket price just for entry into the park. The £5 allows you to ride on the Pleasure Beach Express (a train which goes around the park), go to the Chinese Puzzle Maze, see the South Beach Show and the Spectacular Dancing Water Show (which isn't as spectacular as it sounds - more on that later!). Once you're in the park, if you feel you'd like to upgrade to a wristband, you can do this at many locations throughout the park. You can also buy "ride tickets" - in other words, if you decide you'd like to ride the Pepsi Max Big One, you can buy a ticket solely for that ride, which works out a lot cheaper than buying the full adult priced tickets. Also, it's worth mentioning that under 2s go absolutely free. You can by Season Passes - they cost around £190 and are excellent if you visit Blackpool literally every week! However, when tickets can cost as low as £15 for an adult (they cost £15 usually during Wintery months) you would have to go 13 times to get your money's worth! Season Passes are great if you go to the themepark very, very regularly. If you don't, then don't bother!

PARKING

There are Blackpool Pleasure Beach carparks located right outside the themepark. The prices fluctuate - I have seen it both £6 and £8 to park your car for the day. However, please park in the car parks - it will keep your car safe and you wouldn't want to risk a hefty fine by parking elsewhere! There are always plenty of spaces available.

DIRECTIONS

Signposts near to Blackpool Pleasure Beach are clear and easy to follow. For the satnav, the postcode is FY4 1EZ. Blackpool Pleasure Beach is roughly an hour away from Manchester, Southport and Liverpool, but can be up to 4 or 5 hours away from places such as London, Cardiff and Aberdeen. Ensure that you set off EARLY to avoid traffic!

RIDES

I will start with the major rides - in other words, the thrill-seekers rides.

VALHALLA

Being a gorgeous and hot Summer's day, we decided to ride Valhalla first, so that our clothes would dry off before we went on other rides. The queue-length was fine - it was fairly early-ish in the morning and so the queue was pretty much empty. Valhalla is a water ride and you WILL get wet! We made the decision not to buy a waterproof mac (they cost £1 each from a little hut outside the ride) because we didn't think we'd get too wet...we certainly regretted that decision! The ride is amazing - there are around 8 of you in a log-flume style boat, with a rail to hold on to (make sure you hold on if you're at the front!). You get taken through the inside of a huge cave, experiencing fire, water, ice...one minute you feel boiling hot, the next icy cold. The special effects are great and it's actually quite spooky at times, so young children mightn't enjoy it. You're also in darkness for periods of times, especially when you go down exhilarating drops. The drops are great - it's fast, steep, and of course you get soaked at the end of every one! You DO get wet, no matter where you sit, and I mean pretty much thoroughly wet, so if you think you'll feel miserable and cold then don't go on the ride! We went on the ride a couple of more times after the first, and bought those waterproof macs, but they didn't really help - they come with a hood which seems to just blow off on the ride so your hair and face become soaked! However, they do keep your clothes rather dry, so it was better wearing one than not at all! Overall, a great ride with great effects - but can leave you a little miserable and cold afterwards! Therefore, I'll give this ride an 8/10.

BIG DIPPER

I was disappointed to learn on my second visit to the Pleasure Beach that this ride was shut for the day (not sure why). However, this ride is great! Don't be fooled by the fact it doesn't look THAT exciting - it's got five big dips and is an impressive ride. The drops are pretty steep and thrill-seekers will enjoy it despite it not looking the most terrifying. Also, this is the ride Richard Rodriguez (a marathon rollercoaster rider) rode for three months, day and night, without stopping at all. 7/10.

BLING

This ride is definitely for those who like thrills - you're spun through the air in all different directions at incredibly fast speeds. Bling is probably best for those who don't feel queasy too easily! I did enjoy this ride but wouldn't say it's as good as rollercoasters, purely because you really are just being flung about for the duration of the whole ride. 6/10.

GRAND NATIONAL

There are a few of these wooden rollercoasters around the park and they really do offer some of the finest rides there. Apparently it has been there since 1935 - and when riding it, it really does feel that old! Creaky but fun, you're racing against people in the rollercoaster next to you, so it adds a bit of friendly competitiveness between the two carriages. I love this ride - there are plenty of drops enough to make you scream, and it just has a nice feel to it, knowing it's one of the oldest there. It doesn't go upside down or have any loops but it is still fast and still thrilling enough to earn an 8/10 from me.

ICE BLAST

This ride is DEFINITELY a one for thrill-seekers! Once you are strapped firmly in to your seat, you are catapulted straight to the top of a tower, which makes your heart feel as though it's coming out of your mouth, before dropping straight back to the ground again, which has the same effect! I think it goes up and down around 3 times, and as much as I love rides like these, I did feel a bit queasy when I came off it! But it's great and people will love it. Also, the queue time for this was good. 9/10.

INFUSION

This is the ride that is on every advert advertising Blackpool Pleasure Beach and so the first time I visited I expected HUGE queues. The queue, however, was fine - we got on the ride in about 15 minutes (which is incredibly quick compared to the hours you wait at other themeparks!). Infusion is definitely not for the faint-hearted, but the downside is it is over VERY quickly. You are strapped in so that your legs are dangling, so make sure your shoes are secure or leave them at the station! I loved this ride and went on it time after time - you go upside down, there are twists after twists and it's so fast you can barely see what's going on! However, the only negative to this is that your head is bashed about throughout the entire ride and it gave us headaches...but was well worth it! 9/10 (it would be a 10/10 if it weren't for the head-bashing!).

IRN BRU REVOLUTION

With just one loop, I expected this ride to be a tad boring. It is the first 360 degree rollercoaster in Europe and is VERY quick. As soon as I was experiencing the ride I found it wasn't boring in the slightest - it's very fast and left you feeling exhilarated. Both my friend and I loved it, especially as once you've gone forward through the loop, you're sent through it again...but backwards! 9/10.

PEPSI MAX BIG ONE

This is the ride EVERYONE was talking about several years ago when it opened. It is my all-time favourite ride and I'd advise absolutely everyone to ride it! Not only is it 235ft high (the tallest in Europe), but it is also one of the fastest rollercoasters ever, and lasts for a good 3 minutes or so. I love this ride - once you are sat in your seat and strapped in, you are taken up a steep incline - if you are scared of heights, you won't enjoy this! You can literally see for miles - the view is incredible. Once you reach the top (and it takes a good minute or so to get there) you are sent straight down and the feeling is amazing. It is definitely not for the faint-hearted! You are advised to keep your arms in the carriage, because there are actually no arm-restraints (unlike Infusion, for example), which makes the ride even more frightening, because you're literally only held in by a bar that is held down against your legs (but it is VERY safe and you feel very secure). As I have previously said, this is my favourite ride, and I honestly think it's the best ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. This is the only ride we had to queue quite a while for - but it was well worth it. My only negative point about this is that it seems to hurt quite a lot...it seems to knock you about quite a bit, and if the bar is down too firmly on your legs, it can cause them quite a bit of pain (like mine did). It caused some mild-moderate discomfort on the way around BUT I'm still going to award this rollercoaster the top mark because it really can't be faulted in terms of performance. 10/10.

STEEPLECHASE

I wouldn't really have labelled this as a thrill ride, however Blackpool Pleasure Beach do, so I will keep it in this category. This ride was.......Ok. It wasn't great, but it wasn't disasterous. I might be overly sensitive (!) but again, this ride hurt. It's uncomfortable and not nice to ride. You're sat on horses (two of you can sit on one at the same time) and there are a few slopes etc, but to be honest, I didn't feel too safe on this ride. There is a little belt that clips around your waist but then you're literally holding on to a bar on the horse's head and even though it doesn't go really fast, it can still feel as though you're about to fall off! Didn't enjoy this ride and am pleased I didn't queue up long for it or else I'd have been very disappointed! 3/10.

AVALANCHE

With this ride, you are sat with the person you're with in a bobsled car - it's as though you're bobsleighing. This ride is great - very fast (reaches 50mph) and is a very popular ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. I love it - it's definitely one of my favourites. However, because you are sat with your friend/partner or whoever in the middle of your legs (the tallest sits at the back), you run the risk of them flinging their heads back due to the speed and being hit in the nose by their head! I was sat with my friend in the middle of my legs and I was worried the whole way round because my friend's head kept being flung back due to the speed and I had to dodge it to avoid my nose being broken! But it really is a great ride and adrenaline seekers will certainly love it. 9/10.

WILD MOUSE

This ride is good but certainly not one of the best. It's problem is, again, that it hurts to ride it! It's uncomfortable but there are lots of twists and turns and slopes which make it fun and entertaining. I probably wouldn't go on this ride again though when I visit Blackpool Pleasure Beach again. 5/10.

FAMILY RIDES

Blackpool Pleasure Beach has some of the best family rides I've ever seen. Usually themeparks cater just for adrenaline seekers, and miss out rides that families can all go on and enjoy together. There are a LOT of these, so I will briefly go through each one of them!

Alice Ride

I didn't ride this, so I can't give my own opinion, however children seemed to love it and it did appear to be the favourite. You get to see all the characters from Alice in Wonderland, so children who love the book/film will no doubt love this ride!

Adventure Golf

Personally, I wouldn't waste time on this ride. It costs extra to play (£3.75 each for adults, £2.50 for children), and there are honestly much better things available at Blackpool Pleasure Beach than a game of golf! But, if you really want to play it, there are waterfalls, jumps, underground tunnels...so it IS entertaining, but not sure whether I'd really want to play something you can play ANYWHERE.

Beaver Creek The Ride

I did go on this ride, which is a logflume for all the family. Adrenaline junkies should stay away - but those with young children will adore this ride. It's peaceful, slow, and there is only one drop (which is small and not steep in the slightest). You only get a tiny bit wet at the end of the drop, which kids will no doubt find very exciting and will love!

Chinese Puzzle Maze

I didn't go on this 'ride', but it DID look good - if I'd had more time, I'd have loved to have gone through it. It's not just an 'ordinary' maze - there are little obstacles within it, so children especially should like this.

Convoy Ride

This is for children only, and they ride in their very own lorry. Children will love this ride - it doesn't go quick so they won't be afraid, but will make them feel like they really are behind the wheel of their very own truck.

Derby Racer

We did go on this ride and I loved it enough to go on it more than once! It is a traditional much-loved carousel with traditional organ music playing as you go round. The horses actually run as though they're going up and down, so as the rider you are too moving upwards and downwards with them. Adults can ride with their children between their legs, so young ones will feel extra safe (because it is quite fast!).

Flying Machines

This is the oldest ride at Pleasure Beach and one of the best in my opinion. You sit in your own aeroplane style rocket which go at a quick speed upwards, so you feel like you're flying. It's brilliant as there is no height-restriction and kids are bound to love it. This is also situated right outside Valhalla, so if you come off Valhalla soaking wet, you can always dry off on the Flying Machines!

Gallopers

Very similar to Derby Racers, just a little more mild.

Ghost Train

A themepark wouldn't be a themepark without a family ghost train. This is GREAT and for some reason I always head straight for this ride. It's a very 'childish' ride, in the sense that the ghosts etc aren't from adult horror movies but have the ghoulies and cartoon-looking zombies you'd expect. However....this ride is quite spooky at times and even made me jump as an adult, so children, particularly young children, might want to stay away. This ride is fun though and people of all ages will like it! (P.S. If you're looking for a scary ride, I'll mention one at the end of the review because it isn't actually inside Blackpool Pleasure Beach but is right at the entrance).

Go Karts

Doesn't need much of an explanation! You will sit in your own Kart and go around the track. Young children won't be able to ride this. This ride isn't just for children - adults can use it as well.

Grand Prix

You sit in your own Grand Prix car and drive your way around the track. You can control the speed, but young drivers are safe because they will never come off the track!

Helicopters

I didn't use this ride as it is for children. They sit in their very own helicopter and, by use of the joystick, control whether they go up or down. Children seemed to love this ride, knowing they were literally controlling how they 'operated' their helicopter!

Impossible

For all ages, this is an attraction where you can go inside and see things like funny-shaped mirrors and things that are a little bit "odd". There is also a maze of mirrors when you go inside.

Lunar Carousel

Another carousel, but this is one with a difference! Instead of horses, this includes cars, motorbikes, spaceships and suchlike....I imagine this being popular with young boys and girls who don't fancy riding the horses! Also looks a bit safer as the motorbikes and cars are much smaller (unlike Derby Racer, this ride is just for kids).

Magic Mountain

This would probably be my choice if I were to take children to Blackpool Pleasure Beach. There is a nice song which plays as you go round, with lots of characters inside to take you on a magical journey. Children will no doubt really enjoy this ride, especially thanks to the animal characters and tunes.

Mini Dodgems

Children love dodgems and so will love this! They sit in their own little car and go around the beaver course (the dodgem cars are beaver-themed), and as there are dodgems for older children and adults elsewhere in the park, you can ensure your little ones will be safest using these mini dodgems.

Mini Scooters

The Go Karts mentioned previously have a height-restriction on them, which will mean young children/small children will not be able to use them. Blackpool Pleasure Beach have catered for these smaller and younger children by introducing mini scooters - they are coin operated (so you'll have to pay a small fee) but are much smaller and there is a much easier track for them to drive around. The children will love it because it's self-operated - they can drive it any way they wish!

Monorail

No height restriction, and those who would like a relaxing break during their visit to the Pleasure Beach will really enjoy this. The monorail takes you fairly high over the rides, so even if you aren't brave enough to ride one of the rollercoasters yourself, you can watch it in action from your carriage!

Pirate Ride

A mild ride for children which sits them in their own mini pirate ship and takes them round a track, backwards and forwards. It's a carousel ride, so the children are always at ground-level.

Pleasure Beach Express

A train which comes by every 30 minutes or so. I have not been on this train, but there are views to see on your way around. There are 2 trains that come by, so you won't be waiting long.

River Caves

This ride is excellent! Children and adults alike will love this ride. You sit in your boat (I think up to six in each boat) and travel slowly through periods of time. You get to see dinosaurs, and egyptians, for example. I loved this ride - the dinosaurs looked great and the special effects were brilliant! There are no scary drops in this ride. There is one slight drop at the very end but you can barely feel it and you do not get wet on this ride.

Superbowl Dodgems

For adults and older children, these dodgems are the bigger versions of the mini dodgems. These were great fun and I loved it - the dodgems are easy to operate and the rink is big enough to drive around comfortably (before getting bumped, of course!)

Swamp Buggies

You have to pay for this ride. It is a cash only ride, which means you will not be able to ride it even with your unlimited wristband. You sit in your own boat alone or with another person, and use the steering wheel to zip around. Everyone wears a lifejacket so it is very safe. This ride looked good, but it isn't big enough to really enjoy...the water that they had to ride in was a very small space so it can't have been too exciting. However, part of it may have been closed off on my visit, but if it wasn't closed off, then I wouldn't bother using this ride.

Tetley Tea Cup Ride

This is great because unlike most tea cup rides, this goes in a 'figure of eight' pattern, so it adds more entertainment to it. Because you sit in your own cup with your friends/family, you determine how fast your cup spins - if you have young children, you can just do it slowly, whereas if you're after something a bit faster, you can spin it harder to get a quicker result!

Thor's Turnpike

Children ride their own sports cars round the track. Similar to some other rides but there is no height restriction so even the youngest of children can enjoy this ride.

Veteran Carousel

Yes, another carousel! Blackpool Pleasure Beach seem to love these! However, this is one with a difference, because it is VERY small, so perfect for the children. This one is too small for adults and so is children-only.

Zipper Dipper

There are often some children who would love to ride the big rollercoasters but are too small or even too afraid. Of course you want to keep them entertained and make them feel as though they're grown up and riding on a 'big' ride, so Zipper Dipper is just perfect for this. It is a children's wooden rollercoaster, with a few mild dips, twists and turns, which will satisfy their cravings for a 'real' rollercoaster. This will obviously please children who will then feel they have experienced a 'proper' rollercoaster ride!

INDOOR ATTRACTIONS

Blackpool Pleasure Beach has some great indoor attractions for you to experience on your visit to the themepark.

Amusement Arcade

This is right near the entrance of Blackpool Pleasure Beach. When we arrived, we were a little early so played a few games in the arcade but I certainly wouldn't waste time playing in here when there are rides to go on! There are hundreds of amusement arcades in Blackpool without having to waste precious time at the themepark! Wait until the park's closed or you've had enough of the themepark before visiting the amusement arcade. The arcade consists of the usual things - slot machines, dance machines, etc.

Bowladrome

I didn't actually see this at Blackpool Pleasure Beach and you have to pay cash for it. Again, I really wouldn't waste my time visiting their bowling alley when bowling alley's are everywhere. It's dinosaur themed, though, with ten lanes.

Horror Crypt

Again, I have not been on this ride (nor have I even seen it!) so I cannot write my own opinion, however it costs £1 to get in and there are ghosts and monsters waiting to greet you. I'm not sure whether this is for children - the words 'ghosts and monsters' says to me it's probably aimed towards kids, however you might want to check it out yourself first before sending children inside and them being scared senseless!

Ice Skating

You can go ice skating here, although I assume this will get VERY busy, so again might be best to stay away. I honestly don't know why people would go ice skating instead of going into the actual theme park after paying for a ticket!

Pasaje del Terror

You might have heard of this before, because it is well-known for being truly terrifying! It is situated right near the entrance of Blackpool Pleasure Beach as you walk in, before purchasing your tickets. Pasaje del Terror involves well-known horror movie characters (think Scream, Silence of the Lambs etc) who are REAL people dressed up ready to really frighten you. You will go through 'Freddy's Boiler-room', a cemetry, dracula's crypt...just to name a few. PLEASE do not
think this is a 'ride' as such - you have to walk through and this really isn't suitable for children (although children are admitted). I personally don't feel children should be admitted at all, because once you're in, you HAVE to continue (you can't turn back and there's no exit until right at the end). This is not for the faint-hearted and is adult-themed in the sense it is not childish in any sense. Admission is £6.50 (wristbands aren't accepted) but pregnant women and children, and those who are easily frightened or with heart conditions aren't advised to go. I really do think it's important to emphasise that kids should be discouraged from this as I've seen numerous of them coming out looking very distressed!

SHOWS

South Beach Show

There are several performances throughout the day at Pleasure Beach. Right now Russell Brown is performing, with 20 minute shows featuring magic and puppets.

Ken Webster Hypnotism

This is on in the current season. It's adults only (XXX rated) and you are warned that if you're easily offended you should stay away. It's a hypnotism show which is usually on Saturdays. You can find out more at the Blackpool Pleasure Beach website.

Star Idol, Competitions etc

There are several talent shows which go on throughout the year. Again, see their website for more details and on how to enter. You can see these usually after 7pm, so maybe once you're done at the park you can watch some of the shows.

Spectacular Water Show

When hearing of a 'spectacular water show' at the park, I thought I'd go along and see what it was. I was expecting dancers dancing with water, and with it being called 'spectacular' I had high expectations! When I actually saw it I had to laugh - it's a few spurts of water, no dancers, and a bit of music in the background. I can see the very same thing at my local shopping mall! It's located near 'Impossible' so you won't miss it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to find it!

EATING

There are plenty of places to eat, however I was a little disappointed when I went,to find a lot of the restaurants closed. However, plenty were still open and there's a fair bit of choice (but most of them just sell things like burgers, chips, hotdogs etc). There are a few cafe's where you can sit and eat (such as one near that spectacular water show....) where I'm sure there's much more choice, but these might get busy, so usually stopping at one of the stands is a bit easier. Prices are really good - it's about £3.75 for a meal deal including burger/hotdog, chips and a fizzy drink. There are also slush drinks to buy which you can have refilled for about £1.50.

QUEUES

One of my pet hates are queues but I know that obviously at places like themeparks they are inevitable. Alton Tower is the worst in my opinion for queues, and Blackpool Pleasure Beach is the best. We didn't have to queue for anything longer than 30 minutes (we had to queue for 30 minutes for the Pepsi Max Big One last year), but even 30 minutes is nothing compared to the 3 hours I once had to queue a few years ago for Air at Alton Towers! My advice would be that if you want to go on something, and there's a big queue, to just join it, because it might get bigger throughout the day, and the rest of the time you have left you can spend on the other rides.

CLEANLINESS AND TIDINESS

The park was very clean and tidy - I saw no litter. It's very well kept and looks nice.

STAFF FRIENDLINESS AND HELPFULNESS

I found the staff to be helpful and friendly throughout my visit, which is always a good thing, because staff rudeness can stop me from returning to a place.

SHOPS

There is a gift shop on your way out where you can buy a few toys and pens with your name on etc. There is also a shop near the dodgems where you can buy T-shirts and other novelty gifts. Quite highly priced in my opinion but there are some good things nontheless.

RIDE PHOTOS

A ride photo costs £6, or two for £10, which I thought was good. We ended up buying two for £10. You can also buy them as keyrings and mousemats etc. You view the photo after the ride and can buy it there and then, or keep a note of the number and wait until the end to buy it, which we did, because I didn't fancy carrying it around with me all day.

LOCKERS AND SAFETY

I kept my valuables in a locker throughout my stay. It costs £1 (which you DON'T get back) which can be a bit annoying because every time you need something from the locker you have to keep paying £1. You can also get these special wristbands which you write your mobile number on, so if your child gets lost and is taken to one oif the staff, they can telephone you and reunite you with your child. It would also be good to find a 'lost' spot where you can go to if anyone goes missing. It just makes the day less stressful!

TIPS

• Wear comfortable shoes because you'll do quite a bit of walking! Also wear shoes which won't fall off on rides.
• Girls - try avoiding wearing dresses or skirts as your underwear will be visible on rollercoasters!
• Buy your tickets online to save extra money
• Blackpool Pleasure Beach do really excellent deals throughout the year - such as tickets for £15 each or buy-one-get-one-free.
• If you're staying over, try The Big Blue Hotel as you often get discounts on tickets there.
• If you're not fussed about the cold, wait until winter to visit, where the queues are extremely small and ticket prices are exceptionally low.
• Don't take valuables with you.
• Don't take anything valuable with you on a ride unless its safe and secure. Don't take anything of value on to Valhalla for instance, where it WILL get wet and damaged!
• Set off and arrive early. If the park closes at 5.00pm, join the queue for the last ride at about 4.55pm, because it's the queue that closes at 5.00pm, NOT the ride.
• Take change with you for lockers.
• Take food with you if you don't want to buy it there.
• Don't waste time at the Amusement Arcade. That'll stay open after the park closes and there are LOADS in Blackpool generally that'll be open after the park shuts!
• Use the map and make use of your time by going round the park visiting each ride as you go round instead of going back and forth and tiring yourself out.

OVERALL

Overall, I love Blackpool Pleasure Beach and would recommend it to anyone to go. It's pretty cheap, the queues are decent and the rides are the best I've ever been on! It's clean, tidy, the staff are friendly and it's certainly family-friendly. There's so much to do and the opening times are great, too - sometimes it doesn't shut until 9pm! It's brilliant for toddlers, children, teenagers, young adults, older adults and seniors alike...it's unbeatable for a fun-packed day and a really good day out. Hope you found this review useful and enjoyed reading. Have a nice day.