BANNER2008_Hallowe ART_VelociCoaster BlueBlock190_NewThree
MISSION2010_Left_950

 

Welcome To Screamscape!

If you’re a theme park lover or enjoy the best thrill rides the world has to offer, you’ve found the right place.

From new ride announcements, construction reports and the latest rumors: Screamscape always has something new to report.

 

 

 

bodyLEFT

News & Rumors

 

BLACKPOOL PLEASURE BEACH
United Kingdom (Abbreviation: BPB)

 

 

 

 

 

 

icon_STOPPark News - (3/3/2024) Blackpool Pleasure Beach has confirmed that the park will not operate the “Grand Prix” cars attraction this season, as they are in the midst of planning ‘a new attraction’ to replace it. Meanwhile, while we previously mentioned that this was likely the last season for Ice Blast, the park opened for the season with it closed, along with The Big One unfortunately. According to a tweet from Amanda Thompson, Ice Blast is awaiting parts needed to open it later this season, but nothing was confirmed as to the long term fate of the S&S tower ride.
    The official website also lists that Alpine Rallye is currently closed for maintenance at this time as well. The interesting thing is that both of these attraction run below the park’s Avalanche coaster, a Mack Bobsled, which will remain open. But they did mentioned Grand Prix would be replaced by a future attraction, so this makes me wonder about the long term fate of the Avalanche as well.

 
    (2/25/2024) According to the latest rumors, the Ice Blast (S&S Space Shot) tower ride is rumored to be potentially retired later this year. I’m not sure if they have something else in mind to replace it for 2025, or if the tower ride is just getting old or harder to maintain. Given that there are much older S&S tower rides out there running well without issue, I’m thinking that the park may just want to put in something newer or bigger on the site. Backing up the Ice Blast removal rumors are also claims that various land-survey paint markings have been spotted around the ride area as well.
    If anyone knows more, please do let us know.
 
    (2/24/2024) Don’t ask me why… but Blackpool Pleasure Beach has riled up all their fans in the worst way this week when the park suddenly decided to change their name and branding from their long established name to simply being called “Pleasure Beach Resort” at the park, on their website and on their social media accounts.
    While you are always going to find those who are opposed to change… this particular move seems to be a bit of a head scratcher, as the park is now losing over a century of brand identity set deep into the minds of their market. Even more confusing is the fact that really the one item they are dropping from their name is probably the most important one, as by dropping the use of the word “Blackpool” from their official name, it now invites confusion about exactly “what” or even “where” this new “Pleasure Beach Resort” is.
    Perhaps it may be best to remind everyone of another failed attempt at rebranding that quickly died in Orlando. Journey back in time to 1998, eight years after Universal Studios Florida had just opened and about a year before Universal was ready to open the gates to their second theme park built right next door, Islands of Adventure. The property had grown in a short period of time from a single theme park to a resort, with two resort hotels and the CityWalk entertainment/retail area connecting the two theme parks. Not unlike how the name “Walt Disney World” represented the entire Disney complex in Orlando, Universal felt the need to come up with their own resort level branding. Despite the fact that their theme parks had always included a location in the names up to this point (Universal Studios Hollywood, Florida and Japan) rather than coming up with a resort name that also reflected the location, they initiated a global marketing campaign for something called “Universal Studios Escape”.
    This combined with marketing materials that also remained a little vague on the concept, caused mass confusion amongst the general public about not only the what Universal Studios Escape was, but exactly where it could be found. Some time people had heard that there was a new theme park in Orlando, it led some to think that Universal Studios Escape was the name of the new theme park rather than Islands of Adventure. All said and done, the Universal Studios Escape name was quickly retired about a year after Islands of Adventure opened, and replaced with a more proper sounding name for the resort, “Universal Orlando”.
    I can’t help but think that in a year or two, perhaps clearer heads will arrive at a similar conclusion. While the name “Blackpool Pleasure Beach” certainly is a bit of a mouthful, perhaps a better solution to the issue may have been to pivot towards something more direct such as “Blackpool Park Resort” or just simply “Blackpool Resort”, or something more descriptive such as “Blackpool Resort & Pleasure Beach” if they felt they simply just needed to stuff the word “Resort” into their branding somewhere.
 
    (8/14/2023) Sad news from Blackpool Pleasure Beach this past week, as it was confirmed that a small fire broke out under the park’s Derby Racer ride on August 8th. The fire was put out fairly quickly and no guests injured were reported. So far nothing has been reported about the status of the attraction itself, or the extent of the damage.

 

2024 - Nothing is known at this time...

 

Newest Attractions:
2023 - Valhalla (Updated)
 
2018 - ICON

2015 - Red Arrows SkyForce

2013 - Wallace & Grommit

graphic_coasterhill

Copyright © 1996 - 2024 by Lance Hart & Screamscape.com.  All rights reserved.