Latest news with #Project2026
Daily Mail
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Major UK amusement park reveals footage of new 'tallest of its kind' ride set to transform skyline
Blackpool Pleasure Beach has unveiled footage of its newest ride - which promises to be the 'tallest of its kind' in the UK and transform the resort's famous coastline. The park has released the first CGI video of Aviktas, a brand-new £8.72m pendulum ride set to open in 2026. Riders will fly on the towering 138ft gyro swing, alongside the popular Big One roller coaster and parallel to the coast, which is displayed in new footage created by the park's creative team. The ride will be the 'tallest of its kind' in the UK, surpassing the current leader, Drayton Manor's Maelstrom, which reaches approximately 74 feet in height. The giant spinning attraction will swings 40 riders 120 degrees, facing outwards with their legs dangling, essentially mimicking the exhilarating feeling of flying. Amanda Thompson OBE, CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort said: 'We're known for going big at Pleasure Beach, and Aviktas is exactly that. 'We hope by releasing this video, guests will be able to understand the mammoth scale of our new investment, and the huge impact it'll have on our park and the industry as a whole. 'This ride will be colossal, daunting, exhilarating and an incredible addition to the town.' Before the ride's official unveiling as Aviktas, it was cryptically referred to as 'Project 2026' by bosses. Though many fans were left scratching their heads by the ride's initial name, the park insisted it was staying tight-lipped on how it will come to life. Amanda added: 'This is the first small tease of what we have planned, there's plenty more teasers on the way! 'Keep an eye on our socials, as what may now seem mysterious, will eventually be revealed!' Demolition work at the former Bowl-A-Drome site, which will become home to the new ride, is well underway, with the area now completely clear of any pervious building. Meanwhile, Universal Studios has released detailed planning documents for its highly anticipated UK theme park14875477 - revealing ambitions to feature the tallest rollercoaster in Europe. At the Bedfordshire resort, visitors can look forward to rides and attractions based on iconic Universal franchises, such as Jurassic Park, Minions and Jaws. In documents submitted to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Universal proposes building attractions reaching up to 377 feet (115 metres) - making them taller than any ride currently operating in Europe. The current tallest ride in the UK is Thorpe Park's Hyperia, standing at 236 feet (72 metres), while the tallest ride in Europe is Red Force at 367 feet (112 metres), located at PortAventura World in Spain. 'The reason for proposing structures up to this maximum height is to allow the proposed theme park to compete with other attractions in Europe,' according to the documents. 'Although the Universal Orlando Resort does not currently have attractions up to this height, taller attractions are more common in Europe, where rides need to be taller to create the experience, as space is more constrained. 'Building attractions that are higher, rather than over greater areas, also makes the best use of land which is in line with planning policy.'
The Irish Sun
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Iconic English attraction to open ‘tallest of its kind' ride in the UK
A MUCH-LOVED family attraction has unveiled plans for a brand-new £8.7million ride set to open in 2026. Blackpool's Pleasure Beach Resort is set to build a 138-foot swing which will allow riders to fly parallel to the coast. Advertisement 4 Blackpool's Pleasure Beach Resort will open a new 138-foot swing ride next year Credit: Pleasure Beach Resort 4 The ride is set to cost £8.7million to build Credit: Pleasure Beach Resort The ride will be named Aviktas and will be the 'tallest of its kind' in the UK, according to the park. The new addition will also change how the The ride will feature a giant spinning pendulum that will swing 120 degrees and seat 40 riders at a time. Riders' legs will dangle giving them the feeling of flying. Advertisement Read more on travel inspo Amanda Thompson OBE, CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort said: "This ride will be colossal, daunting, exhilarating and an incredible addition to the town." There are other swinging pendulum rides in the UK already, but For example, at Drayton Manor, the Maelstrom ride reaches around 74 feet - 64 feet shorter than Blackpool's ride will be. The ride was previously referred to as 'Project 2026' until the attraction finally released the ride's official name back in May. Advertisement Most read in News Travel Amanda added: "This is the first small tease of what we have planned; there's plenty more teasers on the way!" The Inside the 'world-first' Wallce & Gromit theme park ride The attraction is also set to become the first Members of the public are being invited to submit messages they want to be seen from space using a specially designed screen high above the planet. Advertisement The mission will be attempted in celebration of the attraction's re-imagined space-themed ride, Launch Pad, which opened earlier this year. Some visitors will be invited to Pleasure Beach to film them delivering their message whilst riding Launch Pad. And on August 11, there will be a 'mission control booth' stationed by the Launch Pad ride where guests can record their messages to space in person. Use these tips on your next theme park trip NEXT time you visit a theme park, you may want to use our top tips to make the most of your adrenaline-inducing day out. Go to the back of the theme park first. Rides at the front will have the longest queues as soon as it opens. Go on water rides in the middle of the day in the summer - this will cool you off when the sun is at its hottest. Download the park's app to track which rides have the shortest queues. Visit on your birthday, as some parks give out "birthday badges" that can get you freebies. If it rains, contact the park. Depending on how much it rained, you may get a free ticket to return. Blackpool was also named the Advertisement Plus, the UK's best 100 cheap stays – our pick of the top hotels, holiday parks, B&Bs and pubs from just £22 a night. 4 The attraction is also planning on sending messages into space Credit: Pleasure Beach Resort 4 The attraction was also named the best place to take bored kids this summer Credit: supplied
Scottish Sun
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Iconic English attraction to open ‘tallest of its kind' ride in the UK
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MUCH-LOVED family attraction has unveiled plans for a brand-new £8.7million ride set to open in 2026. Blackpool's Pleasure Beach Resort is set to build a 138-foot swing which will allow riders to fly parallel to the coast. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Blackpool's Pleasure Beach Resort will open a new 138-foot swing ride next year Credit: Pleasure Beach Resort 4 The ride is set to cost £8.7million to build Credit: Pleasure Beach Resort The ride will be named Aviktas and will be the 'tallest of its kind' in the UK, according to the park. The new addition will also change how the seaside resort's famous coastline will look, towering above the rest of the park. The ride will feature a giant spinning pendulum that will swing 120 degrees and seat 40 riders at a time. Riders' legs will dangle giving them the feeling of flying. Amanda Thompson OBE, CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort said: "This ride will be colossal, daunting, exhilarating and an incredible addition to the town." There are other swinging pendulum rides in the UK already, but Blackpool's will tower higher. For example, at Drayton Manor, the Maelstrom ride reaches around 74 feet - 64 feet shorter than Blackpool's ride will be. The ride was previously referred to as 'Project 2026' until the attraction finally released the ride's official name back in May. Amanda added: "This is the first small tease of what we have planned; there's plenty more teasers on the way!" The ride will be located on the former site of Bowl-A-Drome and will open in 2026. Inside the 'world-first' Wallce & Gromit theme park ride The attraction is also set to become the first theme park to ever broadcast from space. Members of the public are being invited to submit messages they want to be seen from space using a specially designed screen high above the planet. The mission will be attempted in celebration of the attraction's re-imagined space-themed ride, Launch Pad, which opened earlier this year. Some visitors will be invited to Pleasure Beach to film them delivering their message whilst riding Launch Pad. And on August 11, there will be a 'mission control booth' stationed by the Launch Pad ride where guests can record their messages to space in person. Use these tips on your next theme park trip NEXT time you visit a theme park, you may want to use our top tips to make the most of your adrenaline-inducing day out. Go to the back of the theme park first. Rides at the front will have the longest queues as soon as it opens. Go on water rides in the middle of the day in the summer - this will cool you off when the sun is at its hottest. Download the park's app to track which rides have the shortest queues. Visit on your birthday, as some parks give out "birthday badges" that can get you freebies. If it rains, contact the park. Depending on how much it rained, you may get a free ticket to return. Blackpool was also named the top place in the world to take bored kids this summer. Plus, the UK's best 100 cheap stays – our pick of the top hotels, holiday parks, B&Bs and pubs from just £22 a night. 4 The attraction is also planning on sending messages into space Credit: Pleasure Beach Resort
The Sun
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
First look at new ‘tallest of its kind' ride to open at English seaside theme park
A MUCH-LOVED family attraction has unveiled plans for a brand-new £8.7million ride set to open in 2026. Blackpool 's Pleasure Beach Resort is set to build a 138-foot swing which will allow riders to fly parallel to the coast. The ride will be named Aviktas and will be the 'tallest of its kind' in the UK, according to the park. The new addition will also change how the seaside resort's famous coastline will look, towering above the rest of the park. The ride will feature a giant spinning pendulum that will swing 120 degrees and seat 40 riders at a time. Riders' legs will dangle giving them the feeling of flying. Amanda Thompson OBE, CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort said: "This ride will be colossal, daunting, exhilarating and an incredible addition to the town." There are other swinging pendulum rides in the UK already, but Blackpool 's will tower higher. For example, at Drayton Manor, the Maelstrom ride reaches around 74 feet - 64 feet shorter than Blackpool's ride will be. The ride was previously referred to as 'Project 2026' until the attraction finally released the ride's official name back in May. Amanda added: "This is the first small tease of what we have planned; there's plenty more teasers on the way!" The ride will be located on the former site of Bowl-A-Drome and will open in 2026. The attraction is also set to become the first theme park to ever broadcast from space. Members of the public are being invited to submit messages they want to be seen from space using a specially designed screen high above the planet. The mission will be attempted in celebration of the attraction's re-imagined space-themed ride, Launch Pad, which opened earlier this year. Some visitors will be invited to Pleasure Beach to film them delivering their message whilst riding Launch Pad. And on August 11, there will be a 'mission control booth' stationed by the Launch Pad ride where guests can record their messages to space in person. Use these tips on your next theme park trip NEXT time you visit a theme park, you may want to use our top tips to make the most of your adrenaline-inducing day out. Go to the back of the theme park first. Rides at the front will have the longest queues as soon as it opens. Go on water rides in the middle of the day in the summer - this will cool you off when the sun is at its hottest. Download the park's app to track which rides have the shortest queues. Visit on your birthday, as some parks give out "birthday badges" that can get you freebies. If it rains, contact the park. Depending on how much it rained, you may get a free ticket to return. Blackpool was also named the top place in the world to take bored kids this summer. Plus, the UK's best 100 cheap stays – our pick of the top hotels, holiday parks, B&Bs and pubs from just £22 a night. 4 4
San Francisco Chronicle
11-07-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Letters: When YIMBYs disrespect those who disagree with them, it sounds like right-wing rants
Regarding 'This Marin County town is having a 'freakout' over a planned downtown apartment complex' (Bay Area, July 3): YIMBY Law director Sonja Trauss and her confederates love big buildings. They want to plop them into all sorts of locales, regardless of fire safety considerations or the love residents have for their communities as they are now built. What is missing here is respect for other people and their values. Right-wing figures and anonymous rants on social media have normalized antagonistic rhetoric. 'Fairfax is walking into a buzz saw … and they are going to lose,' Trauss said. Really? With that type of domineering attitude imposed upon them by outsiders like Trauss — not to mention pro-housing San Francisco state Sen. Scott Wiener — why should the citizens of Fairfax even try to meet them halfway? It behooves us progressives to quit arguing among ourselves. Agreeing to compromise will be the only way we can regain the majority in Congress next year. Certainly, housing issues — as well as fire safety, climate change and the environment — should be carefully analyzed as part of a progressive Project 2026. But until that planning document has been developed, give us a break from the entitled nastiness of the YIMBY movement. Amelia Marshall, Oakland Trump's actions matter now Regarding 'Trump is right — America is not always great. What if we give him a chance to fix it?' (Letters to the Editor, July 8): Kathleen McGrath Crabbe's letter asks us to hold our 'hatred and biases against Trump until we see the results.' Wasn't it President Trump who said of Democrats on July 3, 'I really do, I hate them.' What a timely uniting sentiment. Trump's results matter to farmers who are losing workers (who fear being deported) and can't sell their crops due to tariffs. Results matter to government workers who have been (sometimes illegally) fired. How about U.S. citizens who have been unlawfully detained because they look 'illegal?' And explain the results to the millions who will lose access to Medicaid because of the 'big beautiful bill.' I don't think anyone disagrees that reforms are needed. But cutting off one's arm to remedy an infection is hardly the answer. Elizabeth Campos, San Francisco Start the campaign Regarding 'Payback at midterms' (Letters to the Editor, July 7): Letter writer Denny Freidenrich astutely warns that the Republican budget and tax bill will devastate those who rely on federal food assistance and Medicaid. These changes will only compound the already-staggering income inequality in America. Freidenrich makes the correct call to Democrats (and independents) with a heart and soul to turn these impacts into searing headlines and galvanize voters to turn out for the midterms and toss out Republicans who cowed to President Donald Trump. The problem is that Trump's cohorts in Congress designed the bill so that many of the negative impacts won't be felt until after November 2026. This means the voter-galvanizing must be based on people reading up on the facts and arming themselves preemptively with knowledge. As we've seen with the MAGA base, this is a difficult strategy to undertake, but that doesn't mean we should give up. It means we start beating that drum now. Peter Albert, San Francisco Fill in the blanks Education must evolve to meet new societal challenges, and we must support the next generation with the tools and knowledge to make sense of what is happening, but more importantly, why.
