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James F

Hyper Poster
As you can imagine, like most people here on this site I was itching to get back to the parks. Despite my initial excitement after seeing pictures of the heaving crowds of last weekend, I became pessimistic about my chances of having a good day back to my home park. I got to the park and I was surprised how laid back the atmosphere was, from reports of the weekend before I was expecting a bit of a mad rush and people acting up, granted I went on a week day, but considering everyone has been stuck at home and going off last weekend I was expecting a lot worse and I was pleasantly surprised. Most people were behaving, the staff were all doing a fantastic job with operations and customer service and I got plenty of rides in! although despite all that I don't plan on going back here much this year as I am starting to become more jaded with the park, nothing much on the park's fault, but if I can I'd rather do something new, but still if anyone wants to go to the Pleasure Beach this year I'd still recommend it, not that my recommendation means much, anyway on with the report!

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Mr. Funshine is on display once more! This brings back a lot of great memories and I hope it stays for more than one year.
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I loved the Noah's Ark, such a shame it had to go although I understand way, it wasn't exactly 21st century safe, who else remembers trying to walk through that super narrow pitch black corridor? Although I loved this attraction I think Pleasure Beach could do with a new entrance down the line, to me this is a very 70s, 80s park entrance; a shiny new entrance could do wonders.
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First things first ICON! Looks like I am going to struggle with the park this crowded. Only 800 people on park according to a staff member I spoke with. Still it was great that they ran ICON on two trains.
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I have always loved the way the ride interacts with the entrance.
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Despite the seatbelt controversy the ride felt the same, still had the airtime and the hangtime. The only fault is with the slower operations, although on my visit I can't say that it made a huge difference and the ride operators were still doing a good job at sending those trains out.
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Next up was the BIG ONE, which I am no fan of. I like that we have a classic arrow hyper coaster and no one can deny how photogenetic it is, but man it rides worse every year. When I heard they were re-tracking it I was more than glad. Last year I rode it when they re-tracked the valley near to the BLVD hotel and I felt like the ride was just as rough as before, when hearing they did it with the tunnel section I wasn't exactly hyped. I have to say that this time they did a great job as that section of the ride is as smooth as a baby's bottom. They just need to sort out the rest of the ride, especially the problematic turnaround over Grand National.

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I say this without any sense of irony; Revolution is one of the most intense coasters in the UK. This ride is simple, but it delivers. You could scrap the Big One, this is the best arrow coaster in the park.
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For this season they have extended the queue for Avalanche.
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You get some great rare views from this version of the queue.
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Avalanche might not be the best ride here, but it sure has a pretty station building.
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My favourite dark ride at Blackpool (excluding Valhalla). This ride is just so charming and British. With the creator of Wallace and Gromit Nick Park being from Preston and most of his animations having a very English feel; it's the perfect IP partnership for the park.
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This IP on the other hand ...
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It was quite a warm and murky day weather wise.
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The Grand National was shut, while I don't care for this coaster, it's a bit of a shame because it was shut during my last visit in October as well.
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The Big Dipper was open though! Great example of a classic wooden coaster, some airtime, rough without being painful, one of my favourites in the park.
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Some work going on at the station building of Valhalla, sorry about the graininess. On Ice Blast I saw plenty of logs around the station, it had got me wondering if they would be part of the indoor ride or if they would be used for exterior theming.
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More activity around Loki's Bar.
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Unlike the Big One I think at Infusion has somehow gotten better over the years, maybe it's just because I am tall so my head doesn't band against the restraints anymore, either way the last two trips I have done I have gone back for a re-ride.
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Nearly.
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For that special Infhuisiast in your life.
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Blackpool is one of those few places that you can get 5 coasters in one shot.
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"Inspired" by Alton Towers, Blackpool now has it's own wall of names, in which you can pay for a brick and have your name seen in the park.
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This was a personal favourite.
 

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James F

Hyper Poster
Part 2

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The park now sells nanocoaster model sets for The Big One and Icon.
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Couldn't think of a way to end the report so here's the flying machines.

I hope to get back to Alton Towers this year and maybe Thorpe Park as I haven't been since 2016. Hopefully I might even get to Poland after last year's cancellation. I hope you are all doing well and keep on coasting.
 

Benenen

Hyper Poster
Nice report! I love that pic of Icon's immelmann through Infusion's structure, don't think I've seen that angle before.
 
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