Pleasureland Southport facts for kids

Southport Pleasureland is a super fun amusement park in Southport, Merseyside, England. It's a place where you can find exciting rides and make awesome memories!

The park first opened way back in 1913. For many years, until 2006, it was known as Pleasureland Theme Park. It was owned by the same company that runs Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Then, in 2007, the park got a fresh start and re-opened with a new owner, Norman Wallis.

The Original Pleasureland (1913–2006)

The original Pleasureland before it closed

The first Pleasureland was a popular amusement park for a very long time. It was like a sister park to the famous Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

In 2005, the park started charging an entrance fee. This change wasn't very popular with visitors. Because of this, fewer people came to the park. So, on September 5, 2006, the park closed down.

Some of the rides from the original Pleasureland were moved. For example, a big rollercoaster called the Traumatizer went to Blackpool. There, it was renamed Infusion.

Traumatizer (June 2006)

What Happened to the Old Rides?

Pleasureland had some really old and special rides. One of these was the Cyclone, a wooden rollercoaster. In September 2006, people started taking apart the Cyclone. This made many local people and park fans very sad.

Two people even climbed to the top of the Cyclone to try and save it! Their protest lasted for three hours. Sadly, even with a petition, the effort to save the ride failed. The Cyclone was taken down completely in November 2006.

The Cyclone in June 2006

The park also had a unique Funhouse. It had classic attractions like the Wheel and the Social Mixer. The Funhouse stayed open for a few months after the main park closed. But it shut down on March 31, 2007. Parts of the Funhouse rides were moved to Blackpool. People think they might be used in a future museum about old fairground rides.

The Funhouse had attractions you couldn't find elsewhere

Many other classic rides from Pleasureland were sold or put into storage. Some were saved for a possible new project at Dreamland Margate.

Southport Pleasureland Today (2007–present)

On May 31, 2007, there was exciting news! A company planned to invest a lot of money into the Pleasureland site. The park re-opened to the public on July 21, 2007. It was first called New Pleasureland.

Some of the old buildings were taken down in June 2007. But buildings around the edges of the park stayed. The park opened with new management and some fun travelling fairground rides. It was a successful summer! The park stayed open on weekends until November 2007. More old buildings were removed, and others were fixed up.

A new rollercoaster called 'Storm' was built where the Traumatizer used to be. It opened in 2008.

Exciting Changes in 2008

The park opened for the 2008 season on March 21. More rides were added for the summer. The park grounds were also made to look much nicer.

A new swinging pirate ship ride opened in summer 2008. Also, a new indoor rollercoaster called "Indy's Lost World - The Ride" opened. It was themed like the Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull movie. This ride was inside the old Fun House building.

New Rides and Challenges in 2009

On April 21, 2009, there was a fire. It sadly destroyed the Lost Dinosaurs of the Sahara ride and a nearby inflatable.

But there was good news too! In May 2009, the original Wildcat rollercoaster was bought back by Norman Wallis. It was rebuilt in its first spot and opened on August 12, 2009.

Updates in 2010

The 'Haunted Inn' was the last original part of Pleasureland. Sadly, it was destroyed in a fire on January 30, 2010. The main entrance building, built just before the park closed in 2006, was also taken down in February 2010.

Pleasureland Main Entrance Building in 2007

The Indy's Lost World Indoor Roller Coaster closed in early 2010. It was replaced with a new Indoor Ghost Train, which opened in July 2010.

A new outdoor combat game called Battlefield Live Southport opened next to Pleasureland. It uses guns that fire infra-red beams. You can get to it through Pleasureland.

What's New Since 2011?

• 2011: The park hosted a Monster Truck weekend and a circus. There was also an Urban Graffiti Art Festival.
• 2012: A new ride called "Air" opened. A new log flume ride was built where the old one used to be. A new 'Events Arena' opened for concerts.
• 2013: Three new rides from Camelot Theme Park (which closed in 2012) came to Pleasureland.
• 2014: The park got a new look, website, and logo. Its new slogan became Where Memories are Made!. They also introduced a cool electronic 'Fun Card' system. You load tokens onto the card and swipe it at rides. No more paper tokens!
• 2015: The Crazy Mouse rollercoaster opened on March 28, along with other small additions.
• 2016: The Crazy Mouse was replaced by a new yellow looping rollercoaster called "Speed Loop."

Current Rides at Pleasureland

Roller Coasters

Thrill Rides

Other Fun Rides

Notable Past Rides