English seaside theme park reveals new upgrades on ‘first-of-its-kind' indoor ride
A 'WORLD-FIRST' ride in the UK has revealed some exciting new updates in time for summer.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach's Wallace & Gromit's Thrill-O-Matic ride has five new additions following the new Netflix film Vengeance Most Fowl.
4
The UK's Wallace & Gromit ride is getting an upgrade
Credit: Blackpool Pleasure Beach
4
Blackpool Pleasure Beach is home to The Big One rollercoaster
Credit: Alamy
The ride - the first Wallace & Gromit themed one in the world - is a four-minute Thrill-O-atic indoor ride.
Guests board a giant slipper before travelling through scenes of the iconic films such as A Grand Day Out, The Wrong Trouers and A Close Shave.
A Matter of Loaf and Death and The Curse of the Were Rabbit also play a part in the ride.
And new extras in time for the film include favourite characters added to the ride which includes Norbot and Feaths McGraw.
New updates to the queue as well as exclusive merchandise have been added to the Wallace & Gromit shop as well.
The park's CEO Amanda Thompson OBE said: "Wallace & Gromit are national treasures and have always been a firm favourite with visitors, but the success of their new film has certainly delivered a renewed excitement for the characters and their stories.
"To be updating this wonderful ride truly reaffirms our commitment to attracting families back to the resort for what we hope will be A Grand Day Out.'
The ride first opened in 2013 and is was the first of its kind when it opened.
Creator Nick Park said at the time that the reason for the ride location was because he grew up in Preston which is near Blackpool.
He added it felt like a "natural home for Wallace and Gromit".
I was one of the first to try Blackpool Pleasure Beache's 'new' ride
4
The ride is the only one based on the films at a theme park
Credit: Blackpool Pleasure Beach
The ride, which cost £5.25million, was created by both the theme park and Aardman Animations, the team behind Wallace & Gromit.
It replaced the Gold Mine Ride, which first opened in 1971 before closing in 2011.
Other new additions to the theme park include the revamped Launch Pad back in May.
Theme park expert Lee Bell went down to try it out - here is what he thought.
And the park's River Caves ride is also being revamped, although little else is known about it.
Next year, new ride Aviktas will open which is a "UK first" with heights of 138ft.
The theme park was named one of the best family-owned theme parks earlier this year.
And the park's Valhalla won Best Water Ride in Europe last year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
'Raw sewage leaked all over' as extent of 'poop cruise' disaster uncovered
A new Netflix documentary has captured the horrors on-board the ship dubbed the 'poop cruise' Holidaymakers on a lavish cruise liner were plunged into a real-life horror when a blaze cut off power, leaving them adrift in the Gulf of Mexico. The ill-fated 2013 journey spiralled into chaos as the fire damaged electrical systems, immobilising the vessel and leaving it without lights, air conditioning, and even working loos. This ordeal is now the focus of Trainwreck: Poop Cruise, a brand-new Netflix documentary released yesterday (June 24), which gives viewers a harrowing glimpse into the experiences of the Carnival Triumph's passengers. The preview hints at the chaos: "Soon raw sewage leaks out all over the ship, food supplies start dwindling and passengers begin to revolt. As the cruise company races to control the fallout, a media frenzy ensues. Soon everyone is talking about 'The Poop Cruise'." Those intrigued by the incident and the boat featured in this new documentary may wonder what became of the ship. Some may even be brave enough to contemplate boarding her for a trip, reports Surrey Live. But, is it still possible to book a holiday on the Carnival Triumph? In line with standard practice for high-end cruise ships, the Carnival Triumph experienced a significant refurbishment and, as of 2019, has been navigating the seas with a new identity: Carnival Sunrise. Still a favourite among cruisers, this celebrated liner remains operational throughout The Bahamas and the Caribbean with a lots of scheduled voyages for this year lined up, including a four-day trip to The Bahamas from Miami in November. A spot in an inside cabin will cost travellers about $284 each, while those willing to splash out for a fancier space can expect to fork over up to $836 for a sumptuous luxury suite. TripAdvisor has seen recent guests sharing their experiences on-board. One said: "For an older ship, it's still a lot of fun - just temper your expectations. We stayed in a balcony cabin on deck 8. Yes, the bathroom looks outdated with its bright blue sink and shower curtain - but it's part of the charm." Another traveller gushed said: "I loved every minute of being on the ship. The food and shows were amazing... It was everything I wanted and more!". In the wake of the fire incident aboard Carnival Triumph and the subsequent scrutiny, Gerry Cahill, then the president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines, assured holidaymakers that such a calamity would "not happen again", as he announced an inquiry into the cause of the blaze. In response to the forthcoming Poop Cruise documentary, Carnival released a statement to Surrey Live's Screen Time reporters, saying: "The Carnival Triumph incident over 12 years ago was a teachable moment for the entire cruise industry. "A thorough investigation following the incident revealed a design vulnerability which was corrected and led Carnival Cruise Line to invest more than $500 million across our entire fleet in comprehensive fire prevention and suppression, improved redundancy, and enhanced management systems, all in support of our commitment to robust safety standards. "This is in addition to our vigorous Health, Environmental, Safety and Security (HESS) protocols that guide the entire Carnival Corporation fleet as we maintain our commitment to industry leadership in this area. "We are proud of the fact that since 2013 over 53 million guests have enjoyed safe and memorable vacations with us, and we will continue to operate to these high standards."
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'I was on cruise from hell where we were forced to walk through raw sewage'
The Carnival Triumph cruise from Texas to Mexico in 2013 turned into a nightmare when an engine room fire cut power to the ship, leaving over 4,000 passengers and crew adrift A passenger who endured the ill-fated Carnival Triumph "poop cruise" has lifted the lid on what the horror sailing was really like. The smelly voyage is the focus of the Netflix documentary "Trainwreck: Poop Cruise," which premiered on June 24. The voyage from Texas to Mexico descended into chaos after an engine room fire caused a massive electrical failure, leaving over 4,000 passengers and crew to wade through urine and feces and camp on deck. Tay Redford, 24, a passenger who was only 12 at the time of the incident, has watched the trailer and feels "hurt" by the portrayal. Now a bakery owner from Enid, Oklahoma, Tay vividly recalls the fear and chaos, arguing that Carnival failed to provide meaningful support after the ordeal. Still grappling with long-term trauma, Tay is concerned that the documentary does not adequately represent the voices of those passengers onboard and has vowed never to go on a cruise again. Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@ "I've only seen the trailer, but from what I saw, it doesn't even scratch the surface," she said. "It's just Carnival workers telling the story. It's really hard watching the documentary come out and seeing all these people making money from it. "To me, it feels like they're profiting off something that deeply affected and traumatized me." On February 10, 2013, a blaze broke out in the engine room of the Carnival Triumph, located at the rear of the ship, while it was off the coast of Mexico. A faulty flexible fuel line had ruptured, spewing fuel onto a scorching surface, which in turn crippled the ship's generators. As a result, the vessel lost all primary power and propulsion, stranding over 4,000 passengers and crew in the Gulf of Mexico for four days. Raw sewage inundated numerous cabins, and essential services ground to a halt as the ship was laboriously towed to Mobile, Alabama over the course of several days. Tay was on board the ship, accompanied by her parents, older brother, and a group of family friends. What was intended as a relaxing family getaway rapidly descended into a traumatic experience. "It was the most fear I've ever felt in my life," Tay recounted. "I'm not that old yet, but that was hands down the scariest thing I've ever been through." The fire caused a total blackout, plunging the ship into darkness and depriving passengers of basic necessities. Due to the unhygienic conditions and poor ventilation, Tay's family was forced to vacate their cabin. "My first thought is we're sinking, we're going down. That was the only thing I thought. I was crying hysterically, trying to follow my parents around in the dark," she recalled. "When we went down to our room, we were up to our ankles in sewage and urine and feces, and there was no air flow. There were no lights." The situation was nothing short of chaotic and terrifying, compelling the family to take refuge on the uppermost deck for nearly four days. Passengers on a cruise ship faced a nightmare holiday when access to food, water, and sanitation became severely limited. "They ran out of water to give us, so they said, 'Hey, we'll open up the bar and let people drink liquor,'" one passenger recounted. The situation quickly deteriorated as inebriated guests, furious over the scant information and deteriorating conditions, started brawling. Tay, a passenger, recalled how some resorted to "throwing their bodily fluids over the ship" amid rising tensions. During the ordeal, Tay's brother came up with a clever solution. "My brother actually had this great idea. He said, I'm going to build a tent out of these sheets. And he cut the sheets up and invented Tent City where everybody followed him to make tents to keep us out of the sun," Tay said. After enduring days of hardship, the crippled vessel was towed back to port in Mobile, Alabama. Although Carnival offered a modest compensation - $500 and a refund for the journey home - Tay feels the company failed to truly acknowledge the trauma suffered by passengers. A spokesperson for Carnival said: 'The Carnival Triumph incident over 12 years ago was a teachable moment for the entire cruise industry. A thorough investigation following the incident revealed a design vulnerability which was corrected and led Carnival Cruise Line to invest more than $500 million across our entire fleet in comprehensive fire prevention and suppression, improved redundancy and enhanced management systems, all in support of our commitment to robust safety standards. This is in addition to our vigorous Health, Environmental, Safety and Security (HESS) protocals that guide the entire Carnival Corporation fleet as we maintain our commitment to industry leadership in this area.' The statement ended by pointing out that the company is 'proud of the fact that since 2013 over 53 million guests have enjoyed safe and memorable vacations with us, and we will continue to operate to these high standards.'
Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
Squid Game boss admits copycat shows like MrBeast's can ‘leave a bitter taste'
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The creator of Squid Game has given his verdict on reality TV shows inspired by the series, including the one devised by MrBeast, admitting that they 'sometimes leave a bitter taste'. This Friday, the third and final season of the dystopian survival thriller launches on Netflix, finally revealing whether Seong Gi-hun, aka Player 456 (Lee Jung-jae), will be successful in his attempt to take revenge against the sadistic Front Man (Lee Byung-hun). Ever since its premiere in 2021, the South Korean show has been highly praised for its exploration of heavy themes, including the dark side of capitalism and social inequality. Despite many viewing Squid Game as a warning against the perils of greed, it has still spawned reality TV shows, including Netflix's Squid Game: The Challenge, MrBeast's video $456,000 Squid Game in Real Life! and his Amazon Prime Video gameshow Beast Games. Metro recently spoke to Squid Game mastermind Hwang Dong-hyuk while he was in London for the premiere of season three, during which we asked what he thought of competitions like the one created by MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson), the internet star who boasts 408 million subscribers on YouTube. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. His Squid Game video currently has 813 million views on the video-sharing platform. Even though it proved extremely popular, some criticised the concept for appearing to brush aside the deeper meaning of what the original series of Squid Game is actually about. Do you think Squid Game-inspired reality shows take away from the meaning of the original series? He later followed it up with his Amazon Prime Video series Beast Games, which saw contestants compete for a prize of $5m (£3.6m). Last year, a lawsuit claimed that Beast Games contestants were 'shamelessly exploited' while making the programme. 'To be honest, I haven't watched those kinds of shows, so I have no idea what is going on the show,' Hwang responded when asked what he thinks of the reality competitions inspired by Squid Game. The director continued: 'But if you look at shows like that, they have rid of the social criticism or the satire or allegory that is in the original series. Obviously no one dies. No one has to go through a critical loss as a result of losing in the game. It's made just for entertainment and for fun.' Hwang, 54, acknowledged that he's 'heard some criticism' of the copycat shows, from people who claim that they're 'diluting the original Squid Game spirit or the message, only making a spectacle of the show'. 'But I think that in a way, that's just how capitalism works. All things are created. They're produced and they're sold. And when something is a hit product, you get products that are derived from that, and then that is sold for even greater profit. That is just the basic system and really the rules of capitalism,' he stated. 'So while I will admit that sometimes it does leave a bitter taste, I don't think that we should be completely and wholly against it, because that's just the world that we live in.' In September last year, the BBC reported that in a case filed at a Los Angeles court, five anonymous contestants who took part in Beast Games alleged that participants were 'underfed and overtired', and meals were provided 'sporadically and sparsely'. There were also allegations of sexual harassment. A couple of months later, when a trailer was released for Beast Games ahead of its December release, an X user tweeted: 'Is this the same one where a lot of contestants complained of terrible conditions?' More Trending MrBeast responded at the time: 'We have tons of behind the scenes dropping when the show does to show how blown out of proportion these claims were. Just can't release it now because it would spoil the games.' In February this year, he told Good Morning America: 'I've got to let the lawyers handle that, I can't comment on it. But I can say I have personally talked to seven, 800 contestants. They all want to come back, they all had a great time, and you can watch their content online. And I think it speaks for itself.' Amazon declined to comment when contacted by Good Morning America at the time. A spokesperson for MrBeast also told the news programme: 'The lawsuit, which was filed last September hasn't achieved class-action status, still hasn't been served.' In May this year, Beast Games was renewed for two more seasons after becoming one of Amazon Prime Video's most viewed shows. View More » Squid Game season 3 premieres on Friday June 27 on Netflix. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Amazon Prime adds 'wildly entertaining' and action-packed crime thriller MORE: TV star lands huge new role after beloved Amazon Prime series is axed MORE: Netflix fans can now binge all 4 seasons of 'near-perfect' crime series
