Blackpool Pleasure Beach

I cannot express just how much Ilove Blackpool Pleasure Beach. A 140 mile round trip from my home I do not get to there much and having young children does nothing to help eiher!
But, happily, 3 days ago myself and my partner had planned to have some 'us' time for the day as he works 7 nghts a week we never see eachother. Night off work booked, children at babysitters, petrol tank full....we were ready to go and I had never been so excited!

Entrance to the Park set us back 30.00 each and that was for adult wristbands. The ticket area is well organised and has plenty of room for queuing which are minimised by the amount of people operating the tills. I had heard that you have to pay 5.00 to enter the park and then buy wristbands but I phoned up in advance and found that that was not the case IF you are buying wristbandsand if not then you do in fact have to pay 5.00.
Parking in a secure car park at the entrance cost 6.00 but that was for the full day and closed the same time as the Pleasure Beach, which on that day was 5.00pm.

Photographs taken on the rides are 7.00 each or two for 10.00 as are keyrings and fridge magnets. Or a pass can be bought which entitles the buyer to 4 photographs for 20.00 a saving of 8.00 when bought individually. The photographs do not have to all be of the same ride, there are 4 tokens and can be used whenever ready.

First stop for us was the Valhalla, my partner had never been on or heard of this but I had and as it was near the entrance it was easy to get him on it.
The Valhalla is a Major Ride which is a mainly indoor dark water journey/log flume. Travelling through icy blasts and red hot air the main aim of the ride is to get you as wet as is possible.....and the Valhalla succeeds!!!

Next was the Big One (The Pepsi Max). Now I had never been on this ride even though every year for 10 years when I was younger me and my family spent a weekend in September in Pontins and a day of this at the Pleasure Beach.
Every Year I would say the same thing "I will go on it next year" and now I no why!!!!
An absolutely terrifying White Knuckle Ride - not for the faint hearted (like myself!), it stands at 235 ft high and is absolutely terrifying! In the three minutes that it runs for you are taken upto the highest hight and then brought back down at the speed of light. One of the tallest and fastest rollercoasters in Europe!

As payback for my partner making me go on the Big One i took him on the Wild Mouse.
A ride which you have an individual cart and one person is seated in front of the other you are taken on an exhillerating trip of high speeds, steep drops and sharp turns! This has got to be one of my favourite rides in the park! (TIP. do not be the one sitting at the back as the pressure of the person in front leaning on you makes you feel every twist and turn more - I was sitting at the front, my partner was the one screaming in pain behind me!!)

The Avalanche starts on a track and then when at the top of the first hill you are taken up it torns into a bobsled twisting and turning upto 50mph around the 1160ft course. At first I was a bit wary of it because if it leaving the track but I have got to admit it was brilliant and had me screaming with delight all of the way!

The Grand National is full of steep hills and drops one after the other but is so much fun. A classic racing rollercoaster, this ride consists of two different trains competing against eachother side by side for the coveted title of Grand National winner! Good if you are in a group and there are some in each cart, it may get very competitive!!

The Ice Blast, (which I knew as the Playstation - apparantly it has had a few name changes!) is a ride which you sit upright and then wait.....to be catapulted up the steel tower at an amazing speed of upto 80mph!!! At the top it feels like you are going to carry on going up and leave the ride where it is!! Then withought warning you are brought crashing back down again!! Brilliant and unexpecting!! (TIP - make sure your shoes are well fastened on and are not wearing flipflops, theres nothing worse than watching your favourite shoe travelling back down without you!)

The Steeplechase is a three lane rollercoaster in which you sit on your own horse (can seat 1 or 2 to a horse) and again compete around a track over 'jumps' and around bends, to see who will be crowned the winner. Good again if there is a group and have one or two on each horse, competition here we come!! The only problem that I found with this ride is that because you are exposed you crash around on the horse and up banging yourself (especially knees and ankles) against the horse - OUCH!!

There are 4 more Major rides at Blackpool Pleasure Beach that I didn't venture on because to be honest I was too scared -

The Big Dipper - Classic wooden rollercoaster full of twists, turns and drops!
Infusion - A suspended, looping rollercoaster consisting of 5 loops and a double line twist!!!
Bling - Lifted 100ft above ground and upto 60mph you are spun in three different directions.
Irn Bru Revolution - A train which is launched out of the station and into a major loop-the-loop........and then reverses and relive it again - backwards!!

That seems to sum up the major rides but no review could ever give them the recognician they deserve......try them for yourself!

As this is a family Theme Parke there are of course family rides, personally I only went on a few of them but they are brilliant and look fabulous!!!

Adventure Golf -
12 Holes of Crazy Golf with water hazards, lumps and bumps and underground tunnels! (3.75 for Adults, 2.50 Cildren and 10.00 Family of 4)

Alice Ride -
A fantasy ride based on Alice in Wonderland. No height restriction.

Beaver Creek The Ride -
Log Flume starts off relaxing but a big splash at the end! No height restriction.

Chinese Puzzle Maze -
Take a walk through the large maze and encounter picturesque water features and surroundings.

Convoy Ride -
Children, drive your own HGV around 200 mtrs of course. No height restriction

Derby Racer -
Large Carousel made up of 56 horses (does make you feel sick after a while - believe me!) 132cm Height restriction.

Dodgems -
State of the Art, Italian Desighn, because what fair would be complete without dodgems? 48"/122cm Height Restriction.

Flying Machines -
Ride in rockets as they gather speed and push outwards, it will feel like you are really flying. No Height Restriction

Gallopers -
Traditional Merry Go Round. No Height Restriction.

Ghost Train -
Two floors of "terror" (TIP - don't be surprised when things brush against your head - if you can help it!) No Height Restriction

Go-Karts -
Ride around the track on petrol go-karts 59"/150cm Height resrtiction.

Grand Prix -
Multi-Level Racetrack. In control of the speed and steering wheel (on a track) 48"/122cm Height Restriction.

Helicopters -
Contol the vertical movement of your 'copter as you take to the skies (on an axis). No Height Restriction

Impossible -
Seeing is believing when the whole world is turned upside down! No Height Restriction

Lunar Carousel -
Travel in your vehicle around a carousel. No Height Restriction.

Magic Mountain -
Travel around, inside and out, Magic Mountain, gaze in awe at its wonders. No height restriction.

Mini Dodgems -
Scaled down Beaver shaped cars. No Height Restriction.

Mini Scooters -
Coin - Operated scaled down go-carts. 40"127cm Height Restriction

Monorail -
UKs firstcommercial moonorail built in 1966 takes you on a fantastic sightseeing tour of the Pleasure Beach. No Height Restriction.

Pirate Ride -
Pirate Ships circling the Beaver Creek mast. 40"/102 cm Height Restriction

Pleasure Beach Express -
Three Locomotives travel around Blackpool Pleasure Beach stopping at the two available stations. No Height Restriction.

River Caves (Tunnel of Love?!)-
Water ride through the Jurassic period and the wonders of Egypt

Swamp Buggies -
Self Driving, two seater motor boats. (Cash Only) 48"/122 cm Height Restriction

Tetley Tea Cup Ride -
Traditional Tea-Cups but spinning in a figure of eight. No Height Restriction.

Thors Turnpike -
Travel through Beaver Creek gardens with the top down in a sports car. No Height Restriction

Veteran Carousel -
Childrens horse merry-go-round. No Height Restriction.

Zipper Dipper -
Childrens wooden twisting and turning roller coaster. No Height Restriction.

Well this seems to sum up the rides. In addition to this there are many indoor attractions which, I have heard are well worth visiting, but I did not personally go to them.

My whole opinion of Blackpool Pleasure Beach is a majorly positive one and I thoroughly enjoyed my day there and am planning to go again next month (under the pretence that it it for my partners birthday) and am already getting excited!!

Blackpool Pleasure Beach is located near the South Pier end of Blackpool's seafront. Taxi, Tram, Train and horse and cart are all within accessable distance to the Pleasure Beach.

The park is well maintained and had staff going around constantly litter collecting. We had our lunch from Burger King and ate it outside, when we had finished we were ready to clear up but before we could do that a member of staff came and removed all of our rubbish from the table which was very nice.
Toilets are well maintained, smell fresh and are spotless which makes a refreshing change given the fact that they are so busy!
The atmosphere in the park was nice and there was music playing everywhere and in the centre a dancing water fountain for everyone to watch which was spectacular, it sprayed in time with the music. Plays once every 30 mins.
There arev plenty of places to eat in the park but the majority of them are expensive so I would suggest taking your own or visit Burger King if you like the food because the prices are virtually the same as to what you would pay in any other Burger King.

Overall a brilliant day and can't wait to go again. I would highly reccommend Blackpool Pleasure Beach to all.