DoctorAgonMD
Roller Poster
Hello, folks! With the spring season at my job being super busy and stressful, I thought it was high time I took a mini-vacation. And for just £110, I was able to travel to Blackpool Pleasure Beach and stay in a hotel for 2 nights. This report will be a review of sorts, covering the town of Blackpool itself as well as the park. Is it a hidden gem? Or is it a relic of old roller coaster technology? Hopefully, this report will have the answer to such questions and more! If you have any questions for me, or any insight of your own, feel free to post a reply to this thread - I'd love to hear from you! I apologize in advance for not having any photos to show you! I hope my vivid descriptions make up for it! 
First Impressions
Let's get something out of the way; Blackpool Pleasure Beach is a small park. There are only 10 roller coasters in total, with a handful of them being built in the 1920s-30s. You’ll be able to get from one side of the park to the other in around 5 minutes by walking. There also isn’t anything in Blackpool that could be described as state-of-the-art. The park’s newest coaster, Icon, opened in 2018 with the majority of the park’s rides hailing from the 90s or earlier. Nevertheless, there’s a ton of history at this park. From the famous Laughing Man animatronic to the (formerly) tallest roller coaster in England, I found that there was tons of things to do for enthusiasts and casual riders alike. Now let’s move on to the coasters, starting with…
The Big Dipper
My first ride of the day was this relic of a coaster. At the time of writing, the Big Dipper will be 101 years old, and it certainly rides that way! After a very short queue that took me down the stairs to the trains, I was strapped into a tight set of trains. One long lift hill later and I was going up and down, the coaster truly living up to its name. There are plenty of small airtime hills and the coaster reaches a top speed of 40mph. The Big Dipper isn’t too rough but it’s not the smoothest of rides. For being 100 years old it certainly gets a pass, however, I can’t see myself riding this more than once. I recommend this coaster for new riders as it’s just gentle enough to get such riders used to the feeling of being on a coaster.
Revolution
I was first in line for this steel coaster manufactured by the now-defunct Arrow Huss. Its queue is easily my least favorite. No theming or anything, just several flights of stairs. An interesting fact about this coaster is the many paint jobs it’s had. Before it used to be red but eventually rebranded to the Irn-Bru color scheme of orange and dark blue. Now it’s a rather unappealing black and grey which helps it stand out amongst the colourful coasters at this park. One quick cardio session later I was ushered onto the coaster. One thing that surprised me about this coaster was how short it was - the ride is over in just 66 seconds. As a shuttle coaster that launches you into a vertical loop at 45 mph, that’s acceptable. Acceleration is the name of the game with Revolution, and boy is it fast! This coaster is one hell of a stomach-dropper but it quickly loses its luster after riding it multiple times. Still, it’s one to ride! My on-ride photo showed the fear on my face riding this one for the first time, and I wish I still had it…
Avalanche
This coaster is one of the strangest rides that Blackpool Pleasure Beach has to offer. Bobsled coasters are uncommon, with only 21 being built at the time of writing. In England, Avalanche is the only roller coaster of this kind. This coaster's riders must lie in the trains in each other’s laps. Fortunately, you don’t have to get so close to strangers and you can ride this one solo if you want. For a coaster without rails, it’s pretty fun, but man is it rough! The ride swings your head from left to right frequently at 45 mph. The turns are sharp and snappy, and the ride experience is one-of-a-kind. For the novelty, Avalanche is good for one go around but otherwise, it’s not very noteworthy. It’s one to try out, but one ride should be enough for most.
Infusion
I’m a big fan of inverted roller coasters. There’s just something thrilling about seeing your favorite pair of shoes dangling in the air and the insane heights you reach on them. Superman: Ultimate Flight at Six Flags Great Adventure is one of the best roller coasters I’ve ever been on so my expectations for the Vekoma-designed Infusion were high. The queue offers a decent underside view of the coaster, which is suspended over some of the bluest water I’ve ever seen. Riders were petrified in the queue, with nervous chatter echoing throughout the long line for the ride. The first thing I noticed when I entered was just how uncomfortable the trains were. I understand that the restraints for these coasters need to be tight, but do they need to feel like a bison has sat on my shoulders?! After an exciting lift hill, Infusion drops you into a butterfly loop, followed by a sidewinder. There’s plenty of inversions and loops but this coaster is easily the roughest ride in the whole park. On every banked turn, my head was bashed against the side of the train. I rode this one twice, and I’d ride it again but don’t expect to feel like a million bucks after it’s over
Nickelodeon Streak
Formerly known as just ‘Rollercoaster’, Streak opened up in 1933. When the Nickelodeon Land section of the park opened in 2011, it was given that Nickelodeon orange paint job and renamed Nickelodeon Streak. As far as I know, none of the elements of this coaster were changed. There’s really not much to say about Streak if I’m honest. In essence, it’s a faster version of the Blue Flyer kiddie coaster. Much like the Big Dipper, I’d recommend this coaster for newer riders. It’s got all the thrills of airtime hills and banked turns but without the inversions that can throw some people off. I rode this one twice.
ICON
Spoiler alert: This was the best ride at the park! The queue was pleasantly themed with epic music and lovely greenery on the outside of the entrance. The standard trains are comfortable for this launched steel coaster. You can upgrade to the ‘Enso’ seats for around £15 but it’s not worth it in my view, all they do is allow you to spin. After a short wait, you are launched into a camelback followed by a series of banked turns. Eventually, you hit a corkscrew and a half loop which suspends you for a few seconds. The ride is fast and thrilling throughout its duration but I have one small complaint. The tunnels have been removed. Beforehand, ICON launched you into a dark tunnel with fog to disorient the rider. Without these, the coaster is still amazing but I still wish I was able to experience these first-hand. All in all, ICON’s transitions to each of its elements were engineering perfection to me. Smooth like butter and about as rough as a new-born kitten! I rode this one four times!
Grand National
Another old wooden coaster, Grand National is one of the few Mobius loop coasters still in existence. As a piece of living history, I had to ride it. But, like taming a wild horse, it wasn’t easy. Grand National is a rough ride. However, it’s fast and its elements are exciting enough to make you want to ride it a second time. Considering that it’s a racing coaster, there’s definitely an incentive to ride again if your train loses. There is no difference between the red and green cars, and the track features the names of fences jumped by horses at the Grand National race. It also holds one of the strangest world records of any coaster I’ve ever heard. On 2 March 2019, the world record for "most naked riders on a theme park ride" was broken on the ride by 195 people. One thing to note about this one is that it is consistently breaking down, and requires the most maintenance of any ride at the park. Keep that in mind when visiting Pleasure Beach.
Steeplechase
Steeplechase is living history! As of writing, this is the only steeplechase coaster in the world. A steeplechase coaster involves riders mounted on trains designed like horses and navigating through a single-rail steel track. The wait for this one was exceptionally long as one of the trains wasn’t operating that day. Despite that, my ride experience was… okay. I think I’m a bit too big for this one as my love handles kept bashing against the restraints and the drops, despite being small, jerked me around quite a lot. I’d say it’s worth experiencing this one at least once simply because of its historical value. The fun factor is strong with this one despite its age.
The Big One
I saved the biggest coaster for last. The Big One was once the tallest and fastest coaster in the world when it debuted in 1994. At 250 ft, it’s still an absolute monster of a coaster! The view it gives of the Blackpool beach on the lift hill is fantastic. I'd be lying to you if I wasn't deathly afraid of the drop, but after it was over, I wanted it again and again and again. Sadly for 'The Big One', its length is ironically its weakest point. There just aren't that many exciting elements to rave about here after the drop, except for a lovely banked half-helix. Exciting elements are, of course, subjective to each rider. The Big One is definitely the proving ground for roller coaster enthusiasts and the park is worth going to just for this one, in my view. With Hyperia in Thorpe Park, many riders will be attracted to that as oppose to The Big One. However, The Big One is steeped in history much like the other coasters at Blackpool. It wasn't my favorite ride but it was definitely the best ride I could've chosen to close out my grand day out!
First Impressions
Let's get something out of the way; Blackpool Pleasure Beach is a small park. There are only 10 roller coasters in total, with a handful of them being built in the 1920s-30s. You’ll be able to get from one side of the park to the other in around 5 minutes by walking. There also isn’t anything in Blackpool that could be described as state-of-the-art. The park’s newest coaster, Icon, opened in 2018 with the majority of the park’s rides hailing from the 90s or earlier. Nevertheless, there’s a ton of history at this park. From the famous Laughing Man animatronic to the (formerly) tallest roller coaster in England, I found that there was tons of things to do for enthusiasts and casual riders alike. Now let’s move on to the coasters, starting with…
The Big Dipper
My first ride of the day was this relic of a coaster. At the time of writing, the Big Dipper will be 101 years old, and it certainly rides that way! After a very short queue that took me down the stairs to the trains, I was strapped into a tight set of trains. One long lift hill later and I was going up and down, the coaster truly living up to its name. There are plenty of small airtime hills and the coaster reaches a top speed of 40mph. The Big Dipper isn’t too rough but it’s not the smoothest of rides. For being 100 years old it certainly gets a pass, however, I can’t see myself riding this more than once. I recommend this coaster for new riders as it’s just gentle enough to get such riders used to the feeling of being on a coaster.
Revolution
I was first in line for this steel coaster manufactured by the now-defunct Arrow Huss. Its queue is easily my least favorite. No theming or anything, just several flights of stairs. An interesting fact about this coaster is the many paint jobs it’s had. Before it used to be red but eventually rebranded to the Irn-Bru color scheme of orange and dark blue. Now it’s a rather unappealing black and grey which helps it stand out amongst the colourful coasters at this park. One quick cardio session later I was ushered onto the coaster. One thing that surprised me about this coaster was how short it was - the ride is over in just 66 seconds. As a shuttle coaster that launches you into a vertical loop at 45 mph, that’s acceptable. Acceleration is the name of the game with Revolution, and boy is it fast! This coaster is one hell of a stomach-dropper but it quickly loses its luster after riding it multiple times. Still, it’s one to ride! My on-ride photo showed the fear on my face riding this one for the first time, and I wish I still had it…
Avalanche
This coaster is one of the strangest rides that Blackpool Pleasure Beach has to offer. Bobsled coasters are uncommon, with only 21 being built at the time of writing. In England, Avalanche is the only roller coaster of this kind. This coaster's riders must lie in the trains in each other’s laps. Fortunately, you don’t have to get so close to strangers and you can ride this one solo if you want. For a coaster without rails, it’s pretty fun, but man is it rough! The ride swings your head from left to right frequently at 45 mph. The turns are sharp and snappy, and the ride experience is one-of-a-kind. For the novelty, Avalanche is good for one go around but otherwise, it’s not very noteworthy. It’s one to try out, but one ride should be enough for most.
Infusion
I’m a big fan of inverted roller coasters. There’s just something thrilling about seeing your favorite pair of shoes dangling in the air and the insane heights you reach on them. Superman: Ultimate Flight at Six Flags Great Adventure is one of the best roller coasters I’ve ever been on so my expectations for the Vekoma-designed Infusion were high. The queue offers a decent underside view of the coaster, which is suspended over some of the bluest water I’ve ever seen. Riders were petrified in the queue, with nervous chatter echoing throughout the long line for the ride. The first thing I noticed when I entered was just how uncomfortable the trains were. I understand that the restraints for these coasters need to be tight, but do they need to feel like a bison has sat on my shoulders?! After an exciting lift hill, Infusion drops you into a butterfly loop, followed by a sidewinder. There’s plenty of inversions and loops but this coaster is easily the roughest ride in the whole park. On every banked turn, my head was bashed against the side of the train. I rode this one twice, and I’d ride it again but don’t expect to feel like a million bucks after it’s over
Nickelodeon Streak
Formerly known as just ‘Rollercoaster’, Streak opened up in 1933. When the Nickelodeon Land section of the park opened in 2011, it was given that Nickelodeon orange paint job and renamed Nickelodeon Streak. As far as I know, none of the elements of this coaster were changed. There’s really not much to say about Streak if I’m honest. In essence, it’s a faster version of the Blue Flyer kiddie coaster. Much like the Big Dipper, I’d recommend this coaster for newer riders. It’s got all the thrills of airtime hills and banked turns but without the inversions that can throw some people off. I rode this one twice.
ICON
Spoiler alert: This was the best ride at the park! The queue was pleasantly themed with epic music and lovely greenery on the outside of the entrance. The standard trains are comfortable for this launched steel coaster. You can upgrade to the ‘Enso’ seats for around £15 but it’s not worth it in my view, all they do is allow you to spin. After a short wait, you are launched into a camelback followed by a series of banked turns. Eventually, you hit a corkscrew and a half loop which suspends you for a few seconds. The ride is fast and thrilling throughout its duration but I have one small complaint. The tunnels have been removed. Beforehand, ICON launched you into a dark tunnel with fog to disorient the rider. Without these, the coaster is still amazing but I still wish I was able to experience these first-hand. All in all, ICON’s transitions to each of its elements were engineering perfection to me. Smooth like butter and about as rough as a new-born kitten! I rode this one four times!
Grand National
Another old wooden coaster, Grand National is one of the few Mobius loop coasters still in existence. As a piece of living history, I had to ride it. But, like taming a wild horse, it wasn’t easy. Grand National is a rough ride. However, it’s fast and its elements are exciting enough to make you want to ride it a second time. Considering that it’s a racing coaster, there’s definitely an incentive to ride again if your train loses. There is no difference between the red and green cars, and the track features the names of fences jumped by horses at the Grand National race. It also holds one of the strangest world records of any coaster I’ve ever heard. On 2 March 2019, the world record for "most naked riders on a theme park ride" was broken on the ride by 195 people. One thing to note about this one is that it is consistently breaking down, and requires the most maintenance of any ride at the park. Keep that in mind when visiting Pleasure Beach.
Steeplechase
Steeplechase is living history! As of writing, this is the only steeplechase coaster in the world. A steeplechase coaster involves riders mounted on trains designed like horses and navigating through a single-rail steel track. The wait for this one was exceptionally long as one of the trains wasn’t operating that day. Despite that, my ride experience was… okay. I think I’m a bit too big for this one as my love handles kept bashing against the restraints and the drops, despite being small, jerked me around quite a lot. I’d say it’s worth experiencing this one at least once simply because of its historical value. The fun factor is strong with this one despite its age.
The Big One
I saved the biggest coaster for last. The Big One was once the tallest and fastest coaster in the world when it debuted in 1994. At 250 ft, it’s still an absolute monster of a coaster! The view it gives of the Blackpool beach on the lift hill is fantastic. I'd be lying to you if I wasn't deathly afraid of the drop, but after it was over, I wanted it again and again and again. Sadly for 'The Big One', its length is ironically its weakest point. There just aren't that many exciting elements to rave about here after the drop, except for a lovely banked half-helix. Exciting elements are, of course, subjective to each rider. The Big One is definitely the proving ground for roller coaster enthusiasts and the park is worth going to just for this one, in my view. With Hyperia in Thorpe Park, many riders will be attracted to that as oppose to The Big One. However, The Big One is steeped in history much like the other coasters at Blackpool. It wasn't my favorite ride but it was definitely the best ride I could've chosen to close out my grand day out!