I was one of the first to try the revamped ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach – with new 80mph launch
IT'S launch day, but this isn't my first rodeo on Blackpool Pleasure Beach's 'new' shot tower ride, Launch Pad.
Known as Ice Blast until 2023 and PlayStation: The Ride before that, anyone familiar with Blackpool will know this vertical steel giant well.
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It's one of the park's classic thrill rides, and it's been flinging riders to jaw-dropping heights since 1997.
But after one year off, it's back, having had a huge makeover that's aims to get your stomach churning like never before. Lucky for me - I was one of the first to give it a spin ahead of its public opening this week.
Besides an updated name, theme and fresh blue and red paint job, the daunting 210-foot structure has been overhauled with a brand-new launch cylinder to give it an extra kick.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach claims this 'reimagined' ride now serves a punchier, more intimidating experience as it hurls you 20 storeys skywards.
And I have to say, after multiple rides at its official press launch, I can't argue with that.
With a rocket-like blast off that catapults you vertically at speeds of up to 80mph in mere seconds before a sudden, stomach-lurching plunge back to earth, I can confirm that the experience is better than ever.
Launch Pad isn't the first time Blackpool has updated an old ride to offer visitors a new experience.
The park's legendary water ride, Valhalla, received a £4million re-imagining in 2023, and Pleasure Beach announced at its 2025 season launch that fan-favourite River Caves will also be getting a revamp later this year.
The park's bosses say overhauling existing rides isn't just about a new name and a fresh paint job.
Reusing Launch Pad's structure also means less waste - something the park's CEO, Amanda Thompson, said is better for the planet, right before cutting the ribbon.
Seaside theme park gets reimagined ride
She added that this is something Pleasure Beach is focusing on more and more - giving old favourites a new lease of life.
And that's what they did with Launch Pad. Instead of scrapping a classic, they gave the ride a proper upgrade that feels familiar, but hits different.
Launch Pad is open now - and if you've ridden it before, don't expect the same experience. This is faster, louder, and more intense.
After Blackpool Pleasure Beach CEO, Amanda Thompson, cut the ribbon and announced Launch Pad as officially open, we were let loose inside the ride area, which has a cool new 'space exploration' theme.
Added oomph
Alongside the galactic soundtrack, there's updated seats and restraints, and a themed launch sequence, which counts you down to take-off - alongside theatrical smoke - just like you're blasting off into the stars.
However, the biggest update to Launch Pad is an upgraded pneumatic cylinder, now operating at a whopping 105 pounds per square inch (PSI). I'm told that this boost in pressure means a much faster ascent, with riders fired upwards with more force. And you really feel it.
The increase in kinetic energy is what makes the launch feel completely different.
Comparing it to previous years, it now feels sharper and way more aggressive - from the g-force that pushes you down into your seat at lift off, to the floaty weightlessness you feel when you hit the top.
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And no matter how many times you ride it, it doesn't lose its edge. Sure, your stomach is left on the floor, but before long, you're rewarded with epic views across the whole of Blackpool, its beaches and beyond.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach recently reopened for the season, including welcoming visitors to the Nickelodeon Land area of the park for the first time in over 10-years.
In addition, Blackpool Pleasure Beach has been crowned as the best family-owned theme park in the country.
The amusement park first opened in 1896 and has been kept in the same family since.
Blackpool's Pleasure Beach Resort prices start from £28 for kids and £30 for adults.
A mum recently revealed how she pays just £10pp on theme park days out for a family-of-five.
Plus, the major UK theme park to get huge new land by 2027 with rollercoasters, kids rides and indoor attractions.
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