Blackpool Pleasure Beach facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Location	South Shore, Blackpool, Lancashire, England
Coordinates	53°47′25″N 3°03′20″W / 53.79028°N 3.05556°W / 53.79028; -3.05556
Status	Closed
Opened	1896 (First Rides)
Owner	Thompson Family
Slogan	"Serious about your fun"
Operating season	2020 season: Weekends: 15 February – 29 March 7 November - 13 December Daily: 1 April – 1 November
Area	42 acres (17 ha)
Attractions
Total	38
Roller coasters	10
Water rides	5
Website	Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Blackpool Pleasure Beach is a super fun amusement park located on Blackpool's South Shore, in Lancashire, North West England. It's a place where you can find thrilling rides and exciting shows!

This amazing park was started in 1896 by A.W.G. Bean and John Outhwaite. It has been owned and run by the same family ever since! Today, Bean's great-granddaughter, Amanda Thompson, is in charge.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach holds many records. It has the most wooden roller coasters in the UK, with four: the Big Dipper, Blue Flyer, Grand National, and Nickelodeon Streak. Many rides here are record-breakers!

When it opened in 1994, The Big One was the tallest roller coaster in the world. It was also the steepest and one of the fastest. Today, it's still the tallest roller coaster in the UK, standing at 213 ft (65 m) high. Its first drop is 205 ft (62 m)!

The park was the first in Europe to have a steel roller coaster that goes upside down, called Revolution. It's also the only park left in the world with a Steeplechase roller coaster. The Grand National is a special "Möbius loop" coaster. This means its track loops around itself, making it feel like two tracks racing!

Sir Hiram Maxims Captive Flying Machine is the oldest ride in Europe, opening in 1904. Valhalla was one of the biggest and most expensive indoor water rides ever built. It has won "Best Water Ride" many times! The park also has a Nickelodeon Land and the world's only Wallace & Gromit ride, the Thrill-O-Matic. In 2015, Red Arrows Sky Force opened, which is a unique thrill ride. The newest record-breaking ride is Icon, a super-fast multi-launch coaster.

Discovering Pleasure Beach's Past

How It All Began (1896–1930)

River Caves opened in 1905 and is still a popular ride today.

The Big Dipper is one of the park's famous wooden roller coasters.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach was started in 1896 by William George Bean. He first tried to open a park in Great Yarmouth, but it didn't do well. So, he moved to Blackpool.

In 1903, Bean and John Outhwaite bought 30 acres of land. This helped them make the park much bigger. The first Pleasure Beach was built on sand dunes. It had a few simple rides and stalls. Bean and Outhwaite got ideas from visiting Coney Island in the USA. They wanted to create a fun park where "adults feel like children again."

The first big ride at Pleasure Beach was Sir Hiram Maxim's Captive Flying Machine in 1904. A water ride called The River Caves of the World opened in 1905. Both of these classic rides are still working today! In 1907, the park got its first wooden roller coaster, The Scenic Railway. Around this time, the park officially became "Blackpool Pleasure Beach."

During the 1920s, Bean added more exciting things. This included the Casino Building, a beautiful building with a cinema, restaurant, and shops. Today, it's the main ticket center.

In 1923, more land was added from the seafront. This moved the Pleasure Beach to its current 42-acre (17 ha) spot. That same year, the Big Dipper wooden coaster was built. William Bean passed away in 1929, after 33 years of building this amazing park. His daughter, Lillian-Doris, took over the business.

Lillian-Doris Bean married Leonard Thompson in 1928. Leonard took charge of the park after William Bean's death. His first big project was building The Ghost Train, which opened in 1930.

The Golden Era (1931–2004)

Feel the rush on The Big One, once the tallest roller coaster in the world!

Valhalla is a huge indoor water ride with special effects.

In 1931, the Thompson family took full control of the park. Leonard Thompson made many big changes. He built the Fun House in 1934 and The Grand National wooden coaster in 1935. Charles Paige, a famous coaster designer, built many rides here, including the Rollercoaster in 1933.

The Big Dipper was made even better in 1936. Leonard Thompson also hired Joseph Emberton, a talented architect. Emberton designed many of the park's buildings and rides, like the Ice Drome, a huge ice rink.

During World War II, the park stayed open to cheer people up. After the war, new rides like The Wild Mouse, Derby Racer, and Alice In Wonderland opened. In 1967, the world's longest Log Flume was built. Even Walt Disney visited the park and was inspired by it!

Leonard Thompson passed away in 1976, after running the park for 47 years. His wife, Doris Thompson, became chairman, and their son, Geoffrey Thompson, became the new managing director.

Geoffrey Thompson invested millions of pounds to keep the park amazing. He wanted Pleasure Beach to be a leader among amusement parks worldwide. He added exciting rides like the Steeplechase, Avalanche, Revolution, and Ice Blast. His biggest projects were The Big One (1994) and Valhalla (2000).

Geoffrey worked hard to promote tourism in England. He was even given an award for his efforts. He also made sure that if the park made a lot of money, some of it would be shared with the staff. Geoffrey Thompson passed away in 2004. His mother, Doris Thompson, also passed away just nine days later.

Recent Years (2004–Present)

Icon is a modern, multi-launch roller coaster.

Infusion is an inverted roller coaster that hangs over water.

Amanda Thompson, Geoffrey's oldest daughter, took over the park. Her brother, Nicholas Thompson, became deputy managing director. Amanda has made many changes, including updating the park's look. Some older rides were removed to make way for new ones.

In 2007, Infusion opened. It was the park's first new roller coaster in 13 years! This ride was moved from another park and built where the old Log Flume used to be.

In 2011, the Thompson family partnered with Nickelodeon. They opened Nickelodeon Land, a 4-acre area inside the park. It replaced the old "Beaver Creek" kids' area. Many rides were re-themed with Nickelodeon characters. For example, the Rollercoaster became Nickelodeon Streak.

In 2013, the park worked with Aardman Animations to open Wallace & Gromit's Thrill-O-Matic. This dark ride replaced the Gold Mine. In 2015, Red Arrows Skyforce opened, a thrill ride based on the famous RAF air team. In 2018, Icon opened. This £16.25 million multi-launch coaster was the first new roller coaster in over a decade! In 2019, a second hotel, the Boulevard Hotel, opened with 120 rooms.

Park Leaders Over Time

Exploring the Park Today

Blackpool Pleasure Beach from South Beach, showing its many rides.

The main entrance to Blackpool Pleasure Beach from the Promenade.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach covers 42-acre (170,000 m²) along Blackpool's South Promenade. It's about 2.25 miles from Blackpool North train station. The park is surrounded by roads and even has a tunnel running underneath it!

The main Ticket Centre is in the Casino Building. This building also has a show bar and a large coffee shop. Upstairs, there are event rooms and a fancy restaurant with great views. Downstairs, you'll find The Horror Bar and a scary maze called Pasaje del Terror.

You can enter the park through several gates at the north entrance. There's also a special entrance for hotel guests. The park has five car parks and a coach park. The Blackpool Pleasure Beach railway station, Big Blue Hotel, and Boulevard Hotel are all near the south end of the park.

The park is divided into three main parts: North Park, Nickelodeon Land, and South Park. Many rides are built over or under other attractions. This makes Pleasure Beach one of the most packed amusement parks in the world!

The park follows special rules for tall rides. Anything over 60 meters (200 ft) high must have lights and signals. This helps keep airline traffic safe.

Thrilling Rides at Pleasure Beach

     – Rides located in Nickelodeon Land.

Rollercoasters: Get Ready to Scream!

	#	Ride	Manufacturer	Type	Opened
	1	Avalanche	Mack Rides	Bobsled	1988
	This is a steel bobsled ride. It was the first and only bobsled-style coaster ever built in the UK.
	2	Big Dipper	John A Miller & Charles Paige	Wooden	1923
	A classic wooden roller coaster built in 1923. It was made even longer in 1936.
	3	The Big One	Arrow Dynamics	Steel Hyper	1994
	This steel roller coaster is 213 feet (65 m) tall from the ground. It goes up to 74 mph (119 km/h). It was the tallest and steepest coaster in the world when it opened!
	4	Blue Flyer	Philadelphia Toboggan	Wooden	1934
	A fun wooden coaster for kids with small hills and a tunnel. It used to be called Zipper Dipper.
	5	Grand National	Charles Paige	Wooden	1935
	This wooden coaster has two tracks that race each other! It's themed like the Grand National horse race.
	6	Icon	Mack Rides	Steel Launched	2018
	A modern steel roller coaster with two launches and a barrel roll. It's 88 feet tall and reaches speeds of 55 miles per hour (89 km/h).
	7	Infusion	Vekoma	SLC	2007
	This steel roller coaster is an inverted roller coaster that hangs over water. It has lots of loops!
	8	Revolution	Arrow Huss	Shuttle	1979
	A steel roller coaster that launches you forward through a loop, then does it all backwards! It reaches speeds of 40 mph.
	9	Nickelodeon Streak	Charles Paige	Wooden	1933
	A wooden coaster in Nickelodeon Land. It was called Rollercoaster until 2011.
	10	Steeplechase	Arrow Huss	Steel Racing	1977
	This steel roller coaster has three tracks that race! It's the last ride of its kind in the world.

Thrill Rides: For the Brave!

	#	Ride	Manufacturer	Type	Opened
	11	Avatar Airbender	Zamperla	Mega Disk'O	2011
	This ride is part of Nickelodeon Land. It replaced an old shop and pathway.
	12	Ice Blast	S&S Power	Freefall Shot Tower	1997
	This tower ride shoots you up 180-foot-tall (55 m)! It was first called Sony PlayStation – The Ride.
	13	Red Arrows Sky Force	Gerstlauer	Sky Fly	2015
	This ride is 72 ft (22 m) tall. You sit in individual planes that spin as you rock them side to side.

Water Rides: Prepare to Get Wet!

	#	Ride	Manufacturer	Type	Opened
	14	Dora’s World Voyage	WGH Transportation	Scenic Boat Ride	2011
	A small boat ride in Nickelodeon Land. It opened in June 2011.
	15	River Caves	Lot Morgan	Scenic Boat Ride	1905
	A classic river caves dark ride. You float through scenes from "around the world."
	16	Rugrats Lost River	Pleasure Beach	Log Flume	1992
	A log flume ride with one big hill. It was re-themed for Nickelodeon Land.
	17	SpongeBob’s Splash Bash	Mack Rides	Twist ‘n’ Splash	2011
	Get ready to get soaked! This ride lets you spray water at others while spinning.
	18	Valhalla	Intamin	Indoor Flume	2000
	A huge indoor water ride with a Viking theme and amazing special effects. It's currently being updated.

Family Rides: Fun for Everyone!

	#	Ride	Manufacturer	Type	Opened
	19	Alice’s Wonderland	Arrow Development	Dark Ride	1962
	A dark ride for kids with scenes from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. You ride in big Cheshire cat cars!
	20	Derby Racer	Pleasure Beach	Carousel	1959
	One of only three in the world! It's a large carousel with 56 horses that race in four rows.
	21	Flying Machines	Sir Hiram Maxim	Flying Machine	1904
	The oldest ride in the park! It's an original flying experience.
	22	Ghost Train	Pretzel Company	Dark Ride	1930
	This dark ride was the first ghost train in the world! It's where the name "Ghost Train" comes from.
	23	Grand Prix	Arrow Development	Turnpike	1960
	Drive your own electric car on this track. You'll go under The Avalanche coaster!
	24	Pleasure Beach Express	Paige & Emberton	Miniature Railway	1934
	A miniature train ride that takes you through scenes of jungles and dinosaurs.
	25	Wallace & Gromit's Thrill-O-Matic	Arrow Huss	Dark Ride	2013
	This dark ride was updated in 2013 with scenes from the Wallace and Gromit cartoons. It used to be the Gold Mine ride.

More Fun Rides!

Awesome Entertainment and Shows

Hot Ice: A Cool Show!

Hot Ice is a fantastic ice-skating show performed at The Arena. This show has been running since 1936! It features amazing ice skaters from all over the world. They perform with cool costumes and awesome choreography. The latest show, Utopian, ran in 2019.

Ken Webster: Mentalist Hypnotist

This is a funny hypnotism show for older kids and adults. Ken Webster has been performing at Pleasure Beach for over 25 years! It's the longest-running comedy hypnosis show in the world.

Evolution of Magic: A Magical Experience

Watch incredible magic and illusion tricks performed by award-winning magicians Craig Christian and Elizabeth Best. This show is performed seasonally in The Horseshoe.

Spectacular Dancing Water Show

Get ready for a dazzling water show! This show features thirty water jets that dance to different kinds of music. A powerful water cannon can shoot water up to 100 feet in the air!

Other Fun Things to Do

Play a round of Adventure Golf at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Adventure Golf

Play a round of mini-golf on this 12-hole course. It's located on the promenade. It opened in 2008.

Ripley's Believe It Or Not!: Weird and Wonderful!

This museum is full of strange and amazing things! It's based on the collection of Robert Ripley, who traveled the world finding odd objects.

Blackpool's collection includes shrunken heads and special statues. One statue is said to have helped over a thousand people get pregnant! The museum also has stories of ghosts. One ghost was believed to be linked to a skull that was loaned to the museum.

Pasaje Del Terror: A Scary Maze!

Located in the Casino Building, this interactive horror maze has been scaring visitors since 1998. Famous horror characters come to life inside! With 20 different scenes and about 18 actors, it's a truly terrifying experience. The realistic scenes and special effects will leave you breathless!

The Arena: Ice Skating Fun!

The Arena has been entertaining guests since 1937. The Hot Ice show is famous worldwide. When the show isn't on, you can actually go ice skating yourself! It's one of the oldest ice rinks in the UK and is open all year.

Where to Stay: Hotels at the Park

The modern Boulevard Hotel at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Big Blue Hotel

The Big Blue Hotel is a family-friendly hotel with a four-star rating. It's right next to the Blackpool Pleasure Beach railway station. It opened in 2003.

Boulevard Hotel

In 2019, a second hotel called the Boulevard Hotel was built. It has 120 rooms and 10 suites. It's also a four-star hotel run by the park.

Awards and Recognitions

Blackpool Pleasure Beach has won many awards! Here are some from the last ten years:

• 2011: Top Ten Best Theme Parks – Golden Ticket Awards
• 2011: Big Blue Hotel – Loo of the Year Award
• 2013: Best Attraction for Groups – Lancashire Tourism Awards
• 2014: Best Large Tourist Attraction – North West In Bloom
• 2014: The Arena - Favourite Rink – LAMBCO
• 2014, 2016: Second-best Seaside Park – Golden Ticket Awards
• 2014: Best Theme Park in the United Kingdom; 9th Best Theme Park in Europe – Travellers' Choice Awards
• 2014: Big Blue Hotel – Third-best hotel in the United Kingdom – Travellers' Choice Awards
• 2016, 2017, 2018: Valhalla - Best Water Ride in the World – Golden Ticket Awards

Ghost Stories of Pleasure Beach

Some people say Blackpool Pleasure Beach is haunted! There have been many investigations into these ghost stories. The most famous one is about the Ghost Train ride. It's said to be haunted by a former ride operator nicknamed "Cloggy."

Other spooky tales include strange activity in the gift shop under Sir Hiram Maxim's Captive Flying Machine. The Star pub on Ocean Boulevard is also said to have poltergeist activity. The Arena is believed to have a ghostly presence backstage. The park has even been featured on TV shows about ghosts!

Images for kids

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  The Hotchkiss Bicycle Railroad.

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  When opened on 28 May 1994, the Pepsi Max Big One was the tallest and steepest roller coaster in the world

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  Rides at Pleasure Beach, Blackpool

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  A view over the park, taken from the lift hill of The Big One

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  The Valhalla ride, which is themed around a mythical place from Norse mythology

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  Statues inside the Chinese Puzzle Maze. The rollercoaster track passing over it is from the Pepsi Max.

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  A large Pleasure Beach sign just outside the park, at night

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  Part of the Big Dipper with Infusion behind it and the Pepsi Max Big One dwarfing both of them in the background

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  The Irn Bru Revolution

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  The Avalanche bobsled roller coaster

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  Pleasure Beach Blackpool from South Pier

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  The older rides have historical plaques like this one on Wild Mouse

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  Trauma Towers

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  The entrance and Casino at night

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  The Pepsi Max Big One at night