Blackpool Pleasure Beach | Icon | Mack Multi-Launch

[Peet]

I had my first 7 rides on Icon yesterday, I enjoyed it more and more with each ride, especially my last ride around 9:20pm when it was starting to go dark. The sequence of the zero-g roll followed by 2 sharp airtime hops down into the mist-filled tunnel and onto the second launch is one of the very best bits of any UK coaster. There is a surprising amount of ejector airtime throughout.
My only criticism is the lack of punch on the launches, especially the start of the first launch where it creeps forward out of the station, stops, then creeps forward a bit more before it really starts to accelerate.
But overall they've done a brilliant job.

 

[CrashCoaster]

Go and try Altair at Cinecitta world. I rode it the 2nd year it was in operation and it was rougher than SAW or Smiler. Typical Intamin.

Are there any glossy smooth Intamins in operation?

 

[Hixee]

Are there any glossy smooth Intamins in operation?

Flying Aces was pretty damn smooth when I rode it a few years back. Probably the same with Skyrush too.

Taron's also remarkably smooth.

 

[Matt N]

Are there any glossy smooth Intamins in operation?

Thirteen's also incredibly smooth.

But on the subject of Icon, how is it doing for reliability/queues today, if anyone is at BPB?

 

[Pear]

Are there any glossy smooth Intamins in operation?

Taron

 

[Snoo]

Are there any glossy smooth Intamins in operation?

A number of them to be honest, even the older ones. I've seen a number of them with shutters over the years, but it isn't consistent across all installations, just like B&M's rattle isn't. Intamin has more instances of it, but I think it depends on the train type then anything.

 

[TheCoasterCruiser]

It also depends on how good the parks are at taking care of their coasters. I imagine certain parks give more of a **** than others.

 

[Zek_Teh_Kek]

Are there any glossy smooth Intamins in operation?

I remember Maverick being pretty smooth in the front.

 

[JoshC.]

Goliath at Walibi Holland is smooth as a baby's bottom in my experience.

 

[furie]

It also depends on how good the parks are at taking care of their coasters. I imagine certain parks give more of a :emoji_poop: than others.

This is true, but I think The Smiler showed us another thing - the builders.

I remember during the construction, the engineers on site trying to force the track to fit. Now, it could be manufacturing faults, but the tolerances on track fabrication will be tight.

Chances are the foundations for the footers weren't quite right. Out by half a degree at the footer, and the track connections miss.

Though The Smiler was a fluster cluck of epic proportions from the start.

I've been on smooth Intamin coasters though and it's hard to believe they're by the same company who produced something like Rita or Stealth. However, the restraints on those amplify the roughness, compared to the lap bar restraints on Egf or the Superman rides.

Then there's the way the coasters are forced to do things. The rocket coasters have massive acceleration, which amplifies the shakes because of the forces. Rita is such a right layout for the speed and Icon is forced to squeeze into the area it's been designed into.

It could just be that the ride is a little too tight and fast at times that causes a bit of rattle.

Or, more likely, people need to stop being wusses

Sent from my E6683 using Tapatalk

 

[Josh R]

So its been awhile since I’ve ridden a roller coaster and with the introduction of Icon I was hoping to get back on the coaster scene again. I may be echoing the more common thoughts about the ride so apologies if my views are a bit redundant.

After watching countless off and on ride POV’s my expectations started to drop a bit and even more so after reading some mixed reviews. Perhaps my small coaster count or lowered expectations altered the experience on the ride but even so I absolutely loved it and it's a solid #2 coaster behind Shambhala . Videos definitely do not do this coaster justice at least from my point of view. Right from the first launch there were great pops of airtime, hang time and surprisingly intense forces particularly on the sequence of turns just following the Immelmann.

After having 3 rides on the front row I can safely say that this was by far the best seat. Especially with the impact of the mist as you go through both launches which was such an unexpected highlight, causing a bit of disorientation before you enter the airtime hill and the Immelmann. The mack restraints may be my new favorite on any coaster as well just for the sheer amount of freedom you feel.

The only negative I could find was the final couple of turns following the turnaround over the entrance in which the ride lost quite a bit of momentum. However by the end of the day the train was pretty much flying through the track from start to finish.

9.5/10

 

[CoasterCrazy]

Had the pleasure of riding Icon 6 times today, so thought I'd share a few opinions!

Whilst it didn't quite blow my socks off, it was a thoroughly enjoyable ride and fits perfectly into its niche at the park. It's just so smooth, comfortable and incredibly rerideable! It's barely been open 2 weeks, but it sits so snugly into its area that it's really hard to imagine it not being there?

As expected, the launches weren't powerful, but nonetheless good fun. It certainly warms up, to the extent it produces ejector airtime on the 2 main hills, although the positive Gs aren't anything particularly notable.

I'm definitely in the back of the train camp. It just feels so much faster? Plus, it's all about being absolutely dragged over the first hill and the Immelmann - really enjoyed the hang time on that too. It's slightly better in the front, but the ending is definitely the weakest part of the ride. I'd have much preferred a series of bunny hills!
Parts of the train vibrate, but other than a small bit of oscillation after both launches, there really isn't a rattle...

Taron comparisons are inevitable, but I feel like it's not really meant to be anyone's number one? It's just not tall or fast enough for me I'm afraid.
But...it gives Blackpool that seriously rerideable, smooth coaster for everyone to enjoy they desperately needed. And for that role, it's really very, very good at what it does!

Also Valhalla and Revvie <<<<3

 

[Thekingin64]

Essentially what @CoasterCrazy just put are my thoughts. With me riding it 9 times today, perhaps we passed each other without realising! (I was the tallish blonde guy in a grey coat (see photos in LOG thread)).

Great little ride which is exactly what Blackpool and the whole of UK needed. Up there as one of the best in the UK. Love the surprise ejector on the first hill, especially in the back row. I also find the 2nd launch is better and more noticeable in the back since you're still in the tunnel as it accelerates.

 

[CoasterCrazy]

Essentially what @CoasterCrazy just put are my thoughts. With me riding it 9 times today, perhaps we passed each other without realising! (I was the tallish blonde guy in a grey coat (see photos in LOG thread)).

Pretty sure we did considering one of your Icon LOG photos has my friend in it haha
I was the tallish blonde guy in the El Toro T shirt? You may have spotted me awkwardly filming everything later in the day

Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

 

[Thekingin64]

Pretty sure we did considering one of your Icon LOG photos has my friend in it haha
I was the tallish blonde guy in the El Toro T shirt? You may have spotted me awkwardly filming everything later in the day

Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

Think I saw you a few times then. Did see at least one person in an El Toro shirt and wondered if it was someone off this site! Glad to know it was, may have ended up only a row or two away from you on that photo with your friend in!

 

[CrashCoaster]

I've heard Icon was on 3 trains for the first time yesterday afternoon.

 

[elephant58]

I swear it's been on 3 trains basically since it opened and that's why the queues were so short?

 

[CrashCoaster]

^Nope, only 2. But the dispatches were exceptionally fast.

 

[Thekingin64]

^^was only on 2 trains when I went the other day. Not even sure how its possible for the ride to run 3 trains, they were pretty efficient on loading yet the 2nd train was always back by the time the 1st one was ready to leave.

 

[MouseAT]

I've seen them dispatch trains whilst the other one was still in the second part of the circuit, so there are definitely some gains that could be made with three train operation. They're probably fairly minimal gains though - given what I've seen, the queue goes down quickly enough on two train operation, and it's pretty obvious that three train operation will result in stacking.