Go for the fun of it! (Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach)

Member Name: sweetpea1

Product:	Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach
Date:	10/03/01 (1617 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Suitable for the whole family, Wristbands are cheap

Disadvantages: none

The Pleasure Beach is the main fun fair in Great Yarmouth. Although I have written an opinion on Great Yarmouth, I thought I would now look at the Pleasure Beach.

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The Pleasure Beach is situated on the seafront, at the north end of Marine Parade. It is free entry, and a choice of payment plans are available for getting on the rides.

As you walk into the fair, to the left is the office where you can buy your tokens and wristbands.

Wristbands
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Wristbands cost £9. Although for the past few years they have been £8. They have gone up £1, but there is more offers and deals concerning the rise. For instance, buying a wristband could entitle you to a free meal at Harry Ramsden's fish and chip bar. Buying a wristband entitles the bearer to unlimited rides on the park, from opening time to closing time. This does not include coin operated rides (of which there are few), and the Ejector Seat. The colours of the wristbands change from day to day, so you cannot come back the following day and use the one issued to you on the day of purchase.

Tokens
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Tokens cost 50p each, and can be bought singly, or in a bag of £5 or £10 or £20. If you want to visit the park only for a short time, and have no need or the time or money to buy a wristband, then this way is perfect. Rides cost from 1 token to 4 tokens. You cannot pay for a ride in cash. There are also token machines situated throughout the park where you can purchase them.

Ejector Seat
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The Ejector Seat is situated in Nelson Gardens, just outside the park. This does belong to the Pleasure Beach. The Ejector Seat is a tall tower with a 2-seater capsule joined to the 2 poles. It costs £16.50 a go. Expensive, I know, but believe me, it is worth it! Once seated in the capsule and strapped in securely, you are released. It is like a bunjee jump but in reverse. You are thrown int
o the air reaching 70 feet in 1 second. The capsule is joined to an elasic, which leaves you bouncing around, and spinning around. It only lasts for about 5 minutes, but it's certainly worth a try - if you are brave enough!!

The Rides
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On the park itself is rides for all the family. For the more adventerous, there is the Terminator, which spins you round 6 times in total.

The wooden Roller Coaster, which is suitable for all the family. The roller coaster is the biggest, and oldest ride on the fair. It has been on the park for some 70 years now. Built in Germany, it was originally erected in 1929, but due to fire, it was re-built in in 1932 (I think!). I know it was 1930 something!!

The Mulan which goes round and round at a fast pace. During the ride a cover will come over you for a short while. There's also rides for the children like the Formula One, Drag Cars (racing cars), and cups and saucers. There's also more traditional rides like the Dodgems, Log Flume and Merry-Go-Round, Waltzers and Ghost Train. There's also the Fun House which has 6 moving floors to try and walk over, and 8 mirrors which distorts your body!! Also, take a look at the 20 enlarged photo's around the Fun House which are postcards. You know the kind, the traditional cartoon dirty postcards!

What else is there?
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As I mentioned, there's a Harry Ramsden's fish and chip shop, with seating inside and out. Peppered around the park is other food and drink outlets, ice-cream, do-nut and candy floss stalls. There's also a pub there called 'The Pleasure Beach Inn'. (What else would you call it!!). There's plenty of seating available, and the staff are always friendly and willing to help in any way they can. The staff wear purple t-shirts, polo shirts, with black trousers, so are easily noticed.

All in all, a good day out for the whole family, and lots of
fun to be had!!


UPDATED!!!
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There are a couple of new rides on the park. One is the Tri-star. This is a white knuckle ride. A bit like a twister, which goes round, but it throws you up in the air as well. Another new ride is called the 'Death Drop'. As I have not yet seen this in action, I have little knowledge of the ride. But, the idea is that it holds 3 people where you lay flat on your bellies. Like the Ejector seat, it is very high, and once place securely in your positions, you are dropped from the height to, I presume the other side! But I will tell you more when I see this in motion. I believe it will cost £8 a go.

The website address of the Pleasure Beach is:

www.pleasure-beach.co.uk

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