Blackpool Pleasure Beach

[Benin]

I've never parked at the park car park, I'd assume most people will park down the other end of the promenade and tram it down than pay that...

 

Or more likely, be at a B&B with parking included...

[Matt 236]

Well it looks like they are actually second to Disney on something now, although not necessarily one to be proud with. 

 

$22 currently equates to around £16.50 based on the current atrocious exchange rate. Can someone confirm how much the car park used to be? I don’t think it’s particularly big tbh.

 

I expect the majority don’t park in the park anyway. 

[Coaster]

  On 5/10/2018 at 7:29 PM, Matt Creek said:

Well it looks like they are actually second to Disney on something now, although not necessarily one to be proud with. 

 

$22 currently equates to around £16.50 based on the current atrocious exchange rate. Can someone confirm how much the car park used to be? I don’t think it’s particularly big tbh.

 

I expect the majority don’t park in the park anyway. 

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It has generally varied from anything between £5-£10 depending on whether it is a peak/off peak day.  BPB has three car parks, I'm not sure whether the price rise will affect all three or just the one nearest the entrance.

[Flipper]

  On 5/10/2018 at 7:33 PM, Coaster said:

It has generally varied from anything between £5-£10 depending on whether it is a peak/off peak day.  BPB has three car parks, I'm not sure whether the price rise will affect all three or just the one nearest the entrance.

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For a Pleasure Beach enthusiast I’d expect you to be more factual. Parking traditionally has fluctuated as stated based on car park and time of season, amidst the five they actually own; North. Watson Rd (Bowladrome). Arena. South. And the rear car park behind Grand National.

 

£15 to park is ridiculous especially in Blackpool when the Yeadon Way car parks are a short walk away and significantly cheaper. It’s always been my big hatred element of Pleasure Beach; they charge extortionate prices for the additional facilities, and so on, which puts a massive price tag on a day out - not to mention the pressure it puts on the surrounding roads and residents because of their parking fees.

[Coaster]

  On 5/10/2018 at 8:36 PM, Flipper said:

For a Pleasure Beach enthusiast I’d expect you to be more factual. Parking traditionally has fluctuated as stated based on car park and time of season, amidst the five they actually own; North. Watson Rd (Bowladrome). Arena. South. And the rear car park behind Grand National.

 

£15 to park is ridiculous especially in Blackpool when the Yeadon Way car parks are a short walk away and significantly cheaper. It’s always been my big hatred element of Pleasure Beach; they charge extortionate prices for the additional facilities, and so on, which puts a massive price tag on a day out - not to mention the pressure it puts on the surrounding roads and residents because of their parking fees.

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Whoops, I've never claimed to know everything about BPB in fairness so I don't know where that expectation has come from - but yeah, you are right!

 

I've been prepared to pay the parking fee in the past for the extra security it offers (compared to parking on the street somewhere), but £15 is just too much.

[pluk]

Pleasure Beach : right on top of the most visited seafront in the UK surrounded by housing and businesses. I expect to have to pay for parking as space is a premium, the park need it to be for their guests, and public transport is a viable option if you don't want to pay it. 

 

Alton Towers : in the arse end of nowhere, no one would be parking there if not visiting the park. No need to have paid parking as no pressure on space, no issues of others using it and public transport is not a viable option.

 

I know which one offends me more. It's a necessity at Blackpool, £15 for premium reserved doesn't seem excessive to me at all.

[Mattgwise]

  On 5/11/2018 at 10:08 AM, pluk said:

Pleasure Beach : right on top of the most visited seafront in the UK surrounded by housing and businesses. I expect to have to pay for parking as space is a premium, the park need it to be for their guests, and public transport is a viable option if you don't want to pay it.

 

It's a necessity at Blackpool, £15 for premium reserved doesn't seem excessive to me at all.

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Exactly what I was thinking. Of course it'd be more expensive. 

 

[Coaster]

It wasn't more expensive before though, £10 was still pricey considering the majority are most likely using that car park as customers of the park.

 

Maybe have a system where if you purchase a wristband you receive some of the money back?  Season pass discount would be most welcome as well.

[Coaster]

There's a decent Icon update on YouTube (not my content), they've added some greenery, the water feature is working, new paintwork on the sub-station and look how efficient the ride system is!

 

 

The entrance structure looks great;

 

Must admit I am extremely excited to ride next weekend.

[alexander]

It still looks kinda slow but I'm sure its hard to tell from footage like any coaster. It's so pretty!

[Mega-Lite]

pluk has nailed it completely honestly, saying that I only visit Blackpool if I can stay in Big Blue and leave the car chilling there under CCTV watch.

 

Icon's entrance structure looks awesome!

[Coaster]

Some new photos of the theming/decoration here!

 

https://www.facebook.com/TheParkUpdates/

[Coaster]

Hang on a minute... WORLD'S FIRST?! ?

 

 

Have they never heard of Helix, Manta, Full throttle etc?  A complete and utter false claim, their complacency is shocking - much worse than any of Alton's claims!

 

https://winiconride.co.uk/

 

In other news, the TV advert has been released... pretty good! 

 

[Mattgwise]

Advert good? Hmm, maybe I'm on my own in thinking it's awful.

[Coaster]

  On 5/16/2018 at 5:20 PM, Mattgwise said:

Advert good? Hmm, maybe I'm on my own in thinking it's awful.

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I like it, it's not perfect by any means, but I liked the style of it and the fact it uses a different idea rather than just throwing different ride shots together.  That said, it needed something more human at the end (showing people on the ride, a quick POV shot etc) to trigger the "I have to ride it now" response - for a lot of people, it might not be clear from the ad what is actually being advertised.

[JoshC.]

That world first claim is hilarious. Surely just a mistake, but the blatant lack of proof reading is dreadful.

 

The advert isn't great. It feels more like an online teaser trailer to the main advert. If the main advert had been ten seconds of that style, followed by 20 seconds showing the ride and all the cool stuff it'll do, that'd been perfect!

[Mattgwise]

  On 5/16/2018 at 5:31 PM, Coaster said:

 That said, it needed something more human at the end (showing people on the ride, a quick POV shot etc) to trigger the "I have to ride it now" response - for a lot of people, it might not be clear from the ad what is actually being advertised.

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True that. I think that's what put me off of it TBH. 

 

Is the win icon site genuine as it obviously has the false claim and everytime I input any details it tells me I have already entered when I really haven't?

[Matt 236]

Can’t say I’m a massive fan of the advert as it doesn’t come across as flowing that well and isn’t terribly iconic. 

 

That world first picture sounds legit. Then again I swear they were advertising Big One as the world’s tallest coaster even after they lost that record.

[JoshC.]

Blackpool's lord and saviour, Amanda Thompson, has said it's obviously a mistake, and seemingly done by an outside agency who deal with some of the park's marketing:

 

 

[Mega-Lite]

  On 5/17/2018 at 5:07 AM, BaronC. said:

Blackpool's lord and saviour, Amanda Thompson, has said it's obviously a mistake, and seemingly done by an outside agency who deal with some of the park's marketing:

 

 

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Someone's in trouble now...

 

That advert(?) is a little understated in my opinion and as mentioned with a coaster this beautiful it's almost a crime to not feature footage of it, how strange.

[Coaster]

Not sure what to make of Icon after today's ride, need to have more goes before judging it I think.

[Project LC]

  On 5/19/2018 at 9:22 PM, Coaster said:

Not sure what to make of Icon after today's ride, need to have more goes before judging it I think.

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Leaning positive or negative compared to your expectations atm?

[JoshuaA]

I think a lot of the GP and enthusiasts who haven't ridden the likes of Blue Fire/Helix/Aplina Blitz probably might take a bit of time to get used it.

I remember when I first rode Blue Fire, the smoothness and gentleness of the launch is quite the difference to the snappy hydraulic Intamin launches which was my only really experience of a launch.

 

After watching some reviews I have to say some people have even compared this to Helix which I think is surely something to be proud about (Helix looks top tier).

I'm still a tad weary about visiting just this yet after checking out the pricing..

 

£16 for one ride (pretty sure you have to buy separate wristbands to a ICON boarding pass) is a rip off.. 

With some of the marketing decisions (lets just not include our new roller coaster in our ads) I think BPB has dag its grave a little with promoting this beast.

 

Icon looks brilliant, but with terrible marketing and charging 16 quid for one ride on it honestly deters me from riding this amazing looking ride.

 

 

[JoshC.]

  On 5/20/2018 at 12:06 AM, JoshuaA said:

 

I'm still a tad weary about visiting just this yet after checking out the pricing..

 

£16 for one ride (pretty sure you have to buy separate wristbands to a ICON boarding pass) is a rip off.. 

With some of the marketing decisions (lets just not include our new roller coaster in our ads) I think BPB has dag its grave a little with promoting this beast.

 

Icon looks brilliant, but with terrible marketing and charging 16 quid for one ride on it honestly deters me from riding this amazing looking ride.

 

 

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Blackpool's marketing have really mucked this up here, as you're not the first person I've seen confused about this.

 

They are currently selling the VIP boarding pass, which gives access for one ride early (IE, yesterday, today, tomorrow or Tuesday). They're now priced at £25(?)

 

You then have the boarding pass for when the ride opens, which gives you access to the park, one ride on Icon and a special certificate, priced at £16. I think that lets you ride before the ride opens to everyone in the morning too.

 

However, Icon is included in wristbands for all ride access. They have not made this clear whatsoever, making it sound like you have to buy an extortionately priced boarding pass to ride.

 

No doubt the marketing push is there to make as much money as possible, but it really has left a lot of people confused.

[Coaster]

Icon is included in Pleasure Beach wristbands from opening day (25th May) onwards.