Latest news with #PleasureBeachResort
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Major UK theme park where adult tickets are reduced to the same price as kids
One of the UK's most iconic theme parks is rolling back ticket prices this summer as part of a heartwarming new campaign. Pleasure Beach Resort in Blackpool has announced a special offer for May and June, allowing adults to purchase tickets at the same price as juniors. If booked in advance, adult visitors can snap up a full park ticket for as little as £30. The incredible deal is part of a nostalgic new campaign inspired by its founder's 129-year-old mission statement. The campaign, launched as the the park gears up for its peak season, upholds the words of William George Bean, who founded the amusement park in 1896 with the promise to 'make adults feel like children again.' Now, more than a century later, his great-granddaughter and current CEO Amanda Thompson OBE is honouring that legacy. Speaking to the Express, she said that her great-grandfather was 'very clear that in creating our amusement park he wanted to make adults feel like children again.' She added: 'To continue that mission, we're launching this new campaign, and I hope it will bring the same joy to families in 2025 as it has been doing for centuries.' The new promotion at Pleasure Beach Resort offers significant savings, with standard adult tickets usually priced at £50 on the day or £35 if booked online. Thanks to this initiative, adults can now enjoy full access to the park at the junior rate of £30, provided they book in advance through the park's online system. Pleasure Beach Resort, famed for classic rides and seaside charm, was inspired by Bean's travels to American amusement parks in the late 19th century. His first attraction was a motorcycle monorail placed on Blackpool's south beach. As tourism boomed, he expanded the park with new rides, including the legendary Sir Hiram Maxim's Captive Flying Machines, which are still in operation today. Operating under a dynamic pricing model, the park encourages early booking to secure the best prices. But with this latest offer, all online ticket prices will reflect the junior rate from now until the end of June - giving families even more of a reason to plan ahead for a seaside escape. It comes as an ambitious Welsh resident has vowed to revive an abandoned theme park and transform it into a 'booming' tourist hub. Thanks to this initiative, adults can now enjoy full access to the park at the junior rate, provided they book in advance through the park's online system The anonymous local is determined to re-open Oakwood Theme Park, based in the heart of Pembrokeshire. Spread across 90 acres of countryside, the park first opened in April 1987, and went on to become a hugely popular and successful attraction in Wales, reaching its peak with over 400,000 visitors annually. Spread across 90 acres of countryside, the park was known for its variety of family-friendly options, along with thrill rides such as Vertigo, Bounce, and Dizzy Disk. It was also home to key attractions such as Speed, the fastest ride in Wales, and Megafobia, a world-renowned wooden roller coaster often ranked among the best in Europe and the UK.
Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'I tried Blackpool Pleasure Beach's newest ride - it's not for the timid'
The UK's favourite amusement park has had a big new addition to its line-up this week, as one of its iconic attractions was officially unveiled with a new look - and a brand new name It's been a bumper year for UK theme parks, with Universal Studios announcing its arrival and major new attractions popping up at Alton Towers and Thorpe Park. Closer to Greater Manchester, Blackpool's Pleasure Beach Resort has also been making waves, particularly this week with the grand reveal of its revamped and rebranded Launch Pad. I was among the first to test the ride on Wednesday morning (May 7), just hours before it officially opened its doors to the public, writes the Manchester Evening News's Adam Maidment. It's a heart-pounding adrenaline rush as riders are catapulted 210ft into the air at a blistering 80mph. READ MORE: 'Gorgeous' £9 body spray perfume 'just as good if not better than Sol de Janeiro' A word of advice - keep breakfast light before hopping on. If you're a regular at Pleasure Beach Resort, you might already be acquainted with Launch Pad, albeit under a different guise. Since its debut in 1997, it's gone through several name changes - starting life as Playstation: The Ride and later becoming known as Tango Ice Blast and then simply Ice Blast. But 28 years after its initial unveiling, bosses told me on opening day that it's been given a 'new lease of life'. In fact, it's undergone such a transformation that it's best considered a brand new ride. There's a fresh theme, vibrant new colours, a catchy new soundtrack and even a new cylinder. Diving into the mechanics without getting bogged down in jargon, the thrill of the ride is largely due to the pressure cylinder operating at a whopping 105 PSI, exerting a force of 105 pounds. Karl Murphy, Pleasure Beach Resort's engineering director, has previously remarked: "We've increased the force, which means the acceleration is greater." As someone who'd never experienced the ride's earlier incarnations, I was essentially going in blind, save for the anticipation of being catapulted skywards. Its longstanding popularity hinted at an extraordinary experience awaiting. The ride's space theme is a perfect match, easily conjuring images of being aboard a rocket about to blast off. A brief countdown from mission control and suddenly, it's lift-off time. The immediate surge of speed is electrifying, prompting involuntary shouts of excitement (or terror). The sensation of the G-force is palpable, offering a taste of astronaut life without leaving Earth. And if you manage to regain your composure while suspended 210ft high, do take a moment to appreciate Blackpool's beauty on a clear day – the sandy stretches, the iconic Tower, and the expansive views are truly breathtaking. The new attraction may be brief, but it is so engaging that you'll likely fancy multiple rides if the queues are manageable. Beyond Launch Pad, visitors can enjoy other attractions such as Valhalla, previously crowned the best water ride in Europe, and the legendary The Big One roller coaster which, at 213 feet tall, has endured admirably for 31 years. Pleasure Beach Resort recently refreshed Valhalla two years ago - a move that has seen it reclaim its title as the best water ride in Europe - and is maintaining its momentum by updating classic attractions, with River Caves next in line. At the Launch Pad debut gathering, Pleasure Beach Resort CEO Amanda Thompson OBE underscored the significance of these revitalisations: "Re-imaginings like this one are fantastic for our industry. Not only do they create a new and incredibly powerful ride experience, they're sustainable, and they allow us to re-invent beloved attractions for generations to come." Even to newcomers who missed the ride's earlier versions, the care and investment poured into reimagining Launch Pad is evident; the attraction has been reborn with abundant new features that almost render it a brand-new experience. Pleasure Beach Resort is certainly pulling out all the stops to maintain its standing as one of the top theme parks in the UK, and perhaps even further afield. They're also gearing up to unveil a brand-new Gyro Swing next year, with a hefty price tag of £8.72m, set to be the largest of its kind on these shores. You'd do well to add Launch Pad to your itinerary for your next jaunt to Pleasure Beach Resort - it's sure to sweep away the cobwebs.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
2-for-1 Tickets to Pleasure Beach Resort, Blackpool - Save up to £50 on Thrill-Packed Fun!
We've partnered with Pleasure Beach Resort in Blackpool to bring you an unbeatable deal: 2-for-1 tickets on all eTickets – saving you up to £50! Best of all it includes May 5 Bank Holiday! Whether you're a die-hard thrillseeker or planning a family day out, this is your chance to experience one of the UK's top attractions for half the price. But hurry – this exclusive offer is only valid for visits until May 5, 2025. Pleasure Beach is the go-to destination for adrenaline junkies and families alike. Test your nerves on world-class coasters like ICON – the UK's first and only double-launch coaster, The Big One – soar 235ft high on the iconic hypercoaster, Valhalla – seven-time winner of the World's Best Water Ride, Infusion – suspended thrills over water, Avalanche – the UK's only bobsled coaster and Avatar Airbender – feel the spin of the airwaves. READ MORE: The free Greater Manchester museum with a 'superb' secret READ MORE: 'I went to the Wetherspoons named the best in the country TWICE' For younger guests and those easing into their thrill journey, there's Nickelodeon Land – the only one of its kind in the UK – plus family favourites like Wallace & Gromit's Thrill-O-Matic, Alice in Wonderland, and the classic Flying Machines. And don't forget the chance to meet beloved characters from PAW Patrol and SpongeBob SquarePants live in the park! How to claim your 2-for-1 tickets Visit: Click: 'Book Now' Choose your visit date (on or before May 5, 2025) Add your tickets to the basket Enter code: SPRING241 at checkout Complete the transaction and follow the email instructions to activate your eTickets Don't miss your chance to double the fun for half the price. Grab your 2-for-1 Pleasure Beach tickets today and make memories that'll last all year! TERMS & CONDITIONS eTickets must be booked online in advance Choose from: Two adult eTickets, Two junior eTickets (11yrs & under), One adult & one junior, Family of four, or Four adult eTickets Offer valid only on gate-priced eTickets Lowest priced eTickets free Not valid with any other offer or promotion Non-transferable and non-refundable Valid only for visit dates up to and including 5th May 2025 Height restrictions apply
The Independent
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Biggest-of-its-kind new ride to launch at Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Blackpool's Pleasure Beach Resort is set to launch a brand new £8.72m ride next year, the biggest of its kind in the UK. A new giant swinging pendulum, double the size of other similar gyro swings, will be added to the park in 2026. The new pendulum ride, Project MMXXVI, will spin and swing riders as they reach high points of up to 138 feet. Seating up to 40 thrillseekers at a time, the riders will face outward with their legs dangling, to deliver an 'exhilarating' sensation of flying. The theme park on the Blackpool coast says that while other swinging pendulum rides exist in the UK, none will come close to its new ride in terms of height. At Drayton Manor's Maelstrom, its swinging pendulum ride reaches approximately 74 feet – Pleasure Beach Resort's new ride will be almost double that at its highest point. Amanda Thompson, the CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort, said: 'We're thrilled to confirm the addition of a Gyro Swing at Pleasure Beach Resort, with work already underway. 'We're well known for doing things on a large scale, so becoming home to the largest Gyro Swing in the UK made complete sense. 'The Gyro Swing is one of the most exciting flat rides in existence – it's dynamic, fast, and incredibly high, as well as being completely weightless at the top. 'It will be a fantastic addition to our ride line-up and we can't wait to see people's reactions when they experience it for the first time. 'We'll be announcing more details soon and we're very excited for the future at Pleasure Beach Resort.' Work has already started in preparation for the new ride earlier this year, including the demolition of the former Bowl-A-Drome. The resort says the ride will be found in the north of the park close to the perimeter, to give riders the feeling that they are being swung over the sea. Alongside the announcement, Pleasure Beach Resort said that its Ice Blast ride has been reimagined and updated and will be reintroduced as 'Launch Pad' this spring. Additionally, new scenes from the latest Wallace & Gromit instalment, Vengeance Most Fowl, will be added to its Thrill-O-Matic ride. It also announced that its River Caves ride, a family favourite since 1905, will be the next attraction to receive a re-imagining to keep the experience fresh for returning guests.
BBC News
23-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Blackpool Winter Gardens job fair to offer up to 1,000 roles
About 1,000 job opportunities will be available at a Blackpool event this than 100 employers in the hospitality, healthcare and education sectors will take part in the jobs fair at the Winter Gardens on unemployment rate in the seaside town is 7%, compared to the national rate of 4.4%.The jobs fair has been organised by Blackpool South Labour MP Chris Webb who said: "Providing access to better-paid jobs is crucial for the future of our community." Webb said he wanted to break the cycle of low income in the town with the average weekly wage for a full-time employee in Blackpool coming in at £591, compared to £728 nationally and £696 in north-west will include Pleasure Beach Resort, the Grand Theatre and hoteliers in the will offer informal conversations and interviews with a view to hiring on the day or call potential recruits back for formal interviews. Webb said the event would provide entry-level employment and "high-quality job opportunities that offer competitive wages and long-term career prospects"."The social value of this event will be huge too. Well-paid, stable employment is directly linked to better mental health, reduced crime rates and improved family stability."Up to 3,000 people are expected at the morning event, which has been coordinated with local job centres for those currently claiming unemployment afternoon session will be open to the general public, who can sign up in advance here. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram.
