February 21, 20169 yr comment_228322 Grand National, Nickelodeon Streak, Ghost Train, Wild Mouse, Grand Prix, Valhalla, Steeplechase and Avalanche all run less cars/trains/boats than they used to and have low throughputs as a result of this - or in the case of National, it still runs four trains but the station system is so slow and doesn't allow dispatch before the other two trains are back and the lapbars released. PMBO would cope fine with two trains but unfortunately the throughput is killed by Speedy Pass and the dreadful way they load it. To add to this, in recent years BPB often runs rides on even lower capacity then their current-day maximum, and when combined with the awful Speedy Pass system destroying throughputs and stealing seats you have a park which once prided itself on good operations reduced to a shambolic farce, even on days with just a few thousand people on park. And a complete refusal to improve things from those in charge!
February 28, 20169 yr comment_228705 Finally some good news regarding BPB, Firework events are returning in 2016! Late Night Riding returns to Blackpool Pleasure Beach for 2016. With the park open until 10pm guests can ride into the night on the UK’s tallest rollercoaster, the Big One, check out the twists and turns of Infusion at twilight, enjoy a night race on the Grand National and take a night flight into dusk on the Red Arrows Skyforce. Whatever thrills take your fancy, Blackpool Pleasure Beach is the place to be on July 30th, August 13th & 27th and September 24th. This year, to celebrate Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s 120th Anniversary, the skies will be lit up by an amazing fireworks display on each of the Late Night Riding nights. As soon as the rides close, guests can enjoy a fantastic display to round off a fantastic fun-filled day out! https://www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com/late-night-riding-and-fireworks/I bet they'll be using the concrete site of the new ride for these fireworks.
March 26, 20169 yr comment_230549 Closing one hour earlier than advertised on the website/at the entrance... Welcome to Blackpool Pleasure Beach 2016.
March 26, 20169 yr comment_230551 Closing one hour earlier than advertised on the website/at the entrance... Welcome to Blackpool Pleasure Beach 2016.What are the opening hours? Will be down there this weekend Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk
March 26, 20169 yr comment_230552 What are the opening hours? Will be down there this weekend Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk It is advertised as 10am until 8pm today, Sunday and Monday, then 10am - 5pm for the rest of the week. If it rains then be aware that they will probably close early as they have no concept of customer service.
March 26, 20169 yr comment_230559 It is advertised as 10am until 8pm today, Sunday and Monday, then 10am - 5pm for the rest of the week. If it rains then be aware that they will probably close early as they have no concept of customer service. I actually meant next weekend but I looked it up and it's 10am-8pm next saturday I've never been before and probably just planning to get on everything, especially Valhalla, Infusion and The big one, but I was just wondering if you have any advice to what it's like or anything as I know you're a big fan! Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk
March 26, 20169 yr comment_230562 I actually meant next weekend but I looked it up and it's 10am-8pm next saturday I've never been before and probably just planning to get on everything, especially Valhalla, Infusion and The big one, but I was just wondering if you have any advice to what it's like or anything as I know you're a big fan! Ah, apologies, but yeah it's 10am - 8pm next weekend.My advice would be to make sure you get on everything you can, there are lots of great rides at BPB including Valhalla & The Big One, the four big wooden coasters (Wild Mouse, Grand National, Big Dipper and Nickelodeon Streak) and the dark rides, as well as the other coasters and flat rides. Also, if you get there for 10am it is worth noting that only a few rides are open until 10:30am, but I would recommend getting on Nickelodeon Streak first (it opens at 10) as the queue can get very long later in the day due to it only running one train. Hope this helps.
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231094 Does anybody know what maximum wind speed the big one tends to operate in?
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231095 Does anybody know what maximum wind speed the big one tends to operate in?The absolute limit is 50mph, but anything from around 30 - 50 can cause a problem depending on the direction.Generally it will be open wherever possible on days with high winds, but they will close it if the wind rises and open it again if it drops.
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231097 Thanks. I am off to the park Wednesday and it's forecast to be 20mph and westerly which I've heard is the direction that affects it the most.
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231099 Thanks. I am off to the park Wednesday and it's forecast to be 20mph and westerly which I've heard is the direction that affects it the most.No problem, westerly is the worst wind direction but it should be fine at 20mph, however it'll probably be running one train.
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231103 No problem, westerly is the worst wind direction but it should be fine at 20mph, however it'll probably be running one train.It's operating 1 and a half trains today! Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231104 Argh, park was advertised to be open til 8pm tonight and they've just changed the closing time to 6pm! [emoji35] Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231105 They should just do what Adventure Island do and say something along the lines of closing between 6pm and 8pm, and then decide based on the numbers and weather.
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231106 How busy is it / what is the weather like? I'm never a fan of parks cutting opening times on the day, but if they've really not got the numbers to justify their closing time, I can at least understand the decision.
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231107 Argh, park was advertised to be open til 8pm tonight and they've just changed the closing time to 6pm! [emoji35] Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk There is no defending this, it is an absolutely atrocious attitude from the park and it happened to me on three days last week. Worst customer service in the UK. Please, please, please voice your opinion in guest services (near Grand National), if more people complain then maybe the park will realise that it is completely unacceptable.
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231108 @Jamie: How busy was it / what was the weather like when the park decided to close early whilst you visited?
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231109 Whilst people complain about Merlin slashing hours, at least they always give reasonable notice when they do so. But park's changing on the day for the worst is not on. Imagine if a bunch of young kids went alone for the day and weren't picked up until 8 but the park decided to close at 6? What happens then? They can't wait around for 2 hours doing nothing. If the park are inconsistent of opening times, they should switch to a system where theres a minimum close time and extend if the park is busy. I.E 5pm close but the park is packed, so change it to 7pm or something. Another reason why UK parks are mostly behind ones in Europe and the rest of the world.
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231110 @Jamie: How busy was it / what was the weather like when the park decided to close early whilst you visited? It was raining on two out of three occasions, and some guests had left, but not all. The park wasn't very busy to start with, but then there isn't any surprise when they have this attitude towards paying customers. BPB is my favourite park, seeing it reduced to this shambles (slow throughputs, awfully implemented Speedy Pass and now closing early) is a huge shame.
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231114 You see, I can understand that then. Poor weather (and when you visited there was a storm brewing?) and low gate figures being made lower make it an understandable business decision to close early. Indeed, the theory should be that the since there's a low number of people there, people will be able to ride everything (they want to), so there shouldn't be minimal dip in guest satisfaction. I visited a park last year where they announced on the day, via small, easily missable, signs, that the closing time was an hour earlier than advertised. But since the park was so quiet it made no difference to the visit.
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231116 You see, I can understand that then. Poor weather (and when you visited there was a storm brewing?) and low gate figures being made lower make it an understandable business decision to close early. Indeed, the theory should be that the since there's a low number of people there, people will be able to ride everything (they want to), so there shouldn't be minimal dip in guest satisfaction. I visited a park last year where they announced on the day, via small, easily missable, signs, that the closing time was an hour earlier than advertised. But since the park was so quiet it made no difference to the visit. There was a storm brewing, but it didn't come anywhere near Blackpool. Regarding closing early, I can see the logic but it is simply wrong in my opinion, people have PAID for use of the park between the advertised hours so they are short-changing guests by reducing these after the park opens (or indeed before depending on online bookings). I've had days at Thorpe during FN where it has rained all day and cleared out the park, yet they stayed open until 10pm, and the same applies to Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach on a day last year when the rain meant that the park was dead by 4/5pm, yet they still stayed open until the advertised 8pm. I heard lots of complaints on park about the early closure, as well as several people in guest services making the same complaint. BPB are shooting themselves in the foot.
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231117 Maybe they should change to something like Eueopa then with a set closing time and announce extensions to that when warranted.
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231118 Maybe they should change to something like Eueopa then with a set closing time and announce extensions to that when warranted. Not that long ago 8pm was the minimum on weekends such as these, but they would often to extend to 9/10pm depending on demand. Now there is rarely demand to extend, I wonder why! I agree though, they should advertise a "minimum closing time" and then extend if necessary. Actually, maybe that isn't such a good idea as the current management would probably see that as an excuse to reduce the opening hours even further!
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231121 Surely they should just set an opening time and closing time and stick to it. It would make things a lot easier.
April 2, 20169 yr comment_231175 Stay in the Wetherspoons outside the park for a few hours in protest and have a few pints, giving the park less money. Then they'll soon stay open for longer if more people catch onto that!
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