{{Infobox Amusement park | name=Pleasure Beach, Blackpool | image= | location=Blackpool, England | season=March-November | area=42 acres | opening_date=1896 | previous_names= | rides=57 | coasters=10 | water_rides=3 | owner= | slogan=Britain's Biggest Tourist Attraction | homepage=[ BlackpoolPleasureBeach.co.uk ] | footnotes= }}

Pleasure Beach, Blackpool (formerly "Blackpool Pleasure Beach") is an amusement park in the town of Blackpool in Lancashire , England .

History

The park was founded in 1896 by Alderman William George Bean, who said his intent was to create "...an American Style Amusement Park, the fundamental principle of which is to make adults feel like children again and to inspire gaiety of a primarily innocent character."

The park was then managed by Bean's brother inlaw Leonard Thompson until the 1970s and then by Leonard's son Mr. William Geoffrey Thompson until his death in 2004. It is now managed by his daughter Amanda Thompson.

The original Ghost Train was opened in 1930, before being replaced by the ride currently in use today.

The Current Park

Each autumn, Blackpool presents the Illuminations, an electric light show along the seaside. The displays vary from simple patterns to representations of fairy tales and illuminated models.

The park is being upgraded, along with the rest of Blackpool, in an attempt to make it an international tourist destination. The park recently opened its on-site hotel, known as the Big Blue Hotel which was recently extended.

Visitor Numbers

Pleasure Beach, Blackpool attracts about 6.2 million visitors a year.

Tickets

Entrance to the park is free. Rides are paid for individually using tokens which are on sale throughout the park. Alternatively, wristbands are available which allow unlimited rides. The price of a wristband varies between £29 at peak times and £15 on Super Saver Weekends.

A separate section of the park, Beaver Creek offers a separate wristband for younger guests.

Rides

Roller Coasters

    Avalanche - A bobsled roller coaster
    Big Dipper - A traditional wooden roller coaster
    Grand National - A wooden racing roller coaster
    Irn Bru Revolution - An Arrow Dynamics shuttle roller coaster
    Morgan's Circus Clown Coaster
    Pepsi Max Big One - An Arrow Dynamics hyper-coaster with a highest point 235 feet above sea level.
    Rollercoaster - A traditional wooden roller coaster, notable for operating with minimal restraints
    Space Invader 2 - An indoor roller coaster
    Steeplechase - A three-tracked steel roller coaster based on the original at Steeplechase Park at Coney Island
    Wild Mouse - A wooden Wild Mouse roller coaster
    Zipper Dipper - A small wooden roller coaster

Thrill Rides

    Bling
    Spin Doctor
    Ice Blast - A S&S Power Space Shot
    Valhalla - A partially indoor flume dark ride

Family Rides

    Alice's Wonderland

    Beaver Creek Log Flume
    Black Hole
    Convoy Ride
    Derby Racer
    Dodgems (bumper cars)
    Ellie's Caterpillar
    Flying Machines
    Gallopers (carousel)
    Go Karts
    Ghost Train
    Gold Mine
    Griffin's Magic Dragons
    Helicopters
    Impossible
    Lunar Carousel
    Magic Mountain
    Mini Dodgems
    Mini Scooters
    Monorail
    Motor Boat Ride
    Noah's Ark - A walk through funhouse attraction
    Pirate Ride
    Pleasure Beach Express - A miniature railroad
    River Caves
    Superbowl
    Swamp Buggies
    Tetley Teacup Ride
    Thor's Turnpike
    Trauma Towers
    Veteran Carousel

Other attractions

    Alpine Golf
    Chinese Puzzle Maze

Former Rides

    Big Apple - Removed 2004 [ * ]
    Cyclone - Removed 1987
    Log Flume - Operated from 1967 to September 3 , 2006 {{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/5309934.stm | title=Final splash for Blackpool ride | publisher=BBC | date=September 4, 2006}}
    Scenic Railway - Removed 1933
    Tokaydo Express - Removed 1997
    Velvet Coaster - Removed 1932. Components of this ride were re-used in the construction of the Rollercoaster
    Vikingar - A shoot the chutes water ride - Closed in 2003 and later demolished
    Virginia Reel - Removed 1982
    Space Tower - Removed in 1993 to BPB's sister park Frontierland Morcambe (now closed) - Ride still stands but does not operate.
    Fun House - Destroyed by fire in November 1991
    Tom Sawyer Raft Ride - Removed early 1990s due to construction of the Pepsi Max Big One

There are literally dozens of rides (maybe even hundreds) that have come and gone from the Pleasure Beach over it's colourful history - particularly in its early days.

Shows

    Hot Ice
    Eclipse
    Mystique
    The Bradley Beaver Show

Food and Drink

Pleasure Beach North End

    Thor's Plaice (With Loki's Bar above it) - Next to Valhalla
    Bourbon Street bar/restaurant - Left side of Ghost Train
    Rib Shack - Right hand side of right ramp, under 4D cinema

Pleasure Beach South End

    Burger King - At South entrance, next to gates, facing sweet shop.
    King Cotton bar - Next door to Space Invader 2
    The Italian Job cafe - Next to Big Dipper
    Big Dipper Dogs

There are various other candyfloss, donut, drinks, and seafood stalls

Opening Times

The park's opening hours depend completely on the weather, visitor numbers and the time of year.

The park is generally closed outside of the tourist season due to the reduced number of visitors. A notable exception is made for Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha when many Muslim families from across North West England visit the park.

Trivia

    The Pleasure Beach’s Ghost Train has received alleged sightings of real ghosts, many reporting that a man called “Mr Cloggs” (or "Cloggy" to give him his proper, preferred title; he was named Cloggy because he was seen wearing clogs), a former employee of the ride, haunts it and that his footsteps can be heard. This lead to Most Haunted conducting a paranormal investigation there, in which psychic Derek Acorah claimed that there were three ghosts residing inside the ride. When Yvette Fielding and an ex member of the crew, Marcelle, were walking through the ghost train they apparently heard "Cloggy's" footsteps which seemed to be following them. Yvette claims after that footstep incident, a hand also touched the top of her head. Most Haunted also investigated the alleged ghostly sightings of some mischievous children in the gift shop.

    Pleasure Beach, Blackpool can played as part of the computer game Roller Coaster Tycoon when the Loopy Landscapes expansion pack is installed.

    The park was the subject of a somewhat unflattering six-part BBC documentary in 1998 .

    The park had the first log flume ride outside of America when it was built in 1967 [ * ] .

    The Log Flume ended its long life on September 3 , 2006 . Ironically, this was also its 40th Birthday.

    Blackpool Pleasure Beach is now officially called 'Pleasure Beach, Blackpool' however the Blackpool Pleasure Beach name is still existence in various places around the park.

    The park has had three sister parks over the years:
        Frontierland , Morecambe , UK (Now Closed)
        Pleasureland , Southport , UK (Currently Closed)
        Magic Harbor, Myrtle Beach , USA (Now Closed)

External links

     [ Blackpool Pleasure Beach ]
     [ Unofficial Pleasure Beach Community Forums ]

References

{{Noteworthy Amusement Parks}}

<Amusement parks in England>
<Blackpool>
<Visitor attractions in Lancashire>
<Theme parks in England>
<Ghost sighting locations>
<1896 establishments>

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