Tag: Grand National

The charm of the old amusement park

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Bakken

The amusement park Bakken or Dyrehavsbakken is located at Jægersborg Dyrehave on the outskirts of the Danish capital Copenhagen. Similar to Vienna’s Wurstelprater, the amusement park, which is divided into plots and fed by various showmen, makes up only a very small area of the actual park grounds, which mainly function as a wildlife park and thus had its origins as a hunting ground. Historically speaking, the amusement park opened in 1583 is relevant as it is the oldest amusement park in the world. The easiest way to reach the amusement park is by taking the suburban train line C from Copenhagen Central Station to the terminal station Klampenborg, followed by a 10 minute walk.

Once arrived at the park, if you visit Bakken not only because of the numerous rustic restaurants and bars, you should buy a wristband. Most of the times, this is read out by a handheld device but also by stationary scanning stations and allows one 10 rides on each of the numerous attractions in Bakken.

Mine Train Ulven

If you have walked from Klampenborg Station the first attraction you will come across is the Intamin Minetrain called Mine Train Ulven. After the train has left the station with a full jolt due to the friction wheels, which are probably controlled by a trapezoidal trajectory of speed, a small drop is made to enter the lift. Once at the top, the track disappears in front of you and an incredibly steep first drop follows. Just as fast as it’s going down here, the steep curve goes up again and a left leading downward helix is attached. A little more leisurely we go through a constantly tapering Bavarian curve until we pass the station. A right turn above the first track meters leads the train into a downward helix below the lift hill. Parallel to the lift you pass two smaller hills before you enter the last downhill helix after a 270° turn. This is followed by the entry into the brake and the return to the station.

Mine Train Ulven surprises with its very strong start, but gets a little lost in the middle part of the layout until it goes into the fast end of the ride. As one of the few layouts of this kind from the manufacturer, the layout convinces above all by the comparatively intensive riding style, only the curves could have been a little more pronounced and less optimized.

Crazy Theatre

Next to a 5D cinema, or rather exactly above it, there is the Crazy Theatre, an interactive theatre of the manufacturer Alterface in which the film Desperados is shown. Here you sit on a mechanical horse, which moves back and forth, and aim a pistol at various targets. At first, smaller practice scenes are shown, followed by a longer film scene. The interaction of the individual components is quite fun and can convince by the good quality of the film.

Spøgelsestoget

A few metres further on is the ghost train Spøgelsestoget. This is a quite old ghost train. As the inside of the ride is pitch dark, the ride is quite tense. The effects are all shown to their best advantage – also the newer ones fit very well into the ambience – and frighten you several times with bravura. So Spøgelsestoget is a real highlight in Bakken and therefore should not be missed by anyone.

Polyppen and Vikingeskibet Dragen

Less cramped than most other rides in Bakken are the Schwarzkopf Monster Polyppen, which offered a good and balanced ride, and the boat swing Vikingeskibet Dragen made by Zierer. Here you sit, as on the Kalbfleisch-Boat Swings, back to back or in opposite rows to each other, but in comparison you have much more play to the bars and therefore a more exciting ride. Interestingly, the ship is not driven from below but at the side of the saber.

Racing

Since the 80’s the roller coaster Racing is located in Bakken, a Zierer Flitzer, which was previously on the road under the Bremen showman Robrahn at the German fairs during the early 70’s. With its age of 44 years it is the second oldest roller coaster in Bakken and is mostly still in its original condition.

After the obligatory lift ride, you make a series of right-hand bends that are continuously rejuvenating and always ascending and descending in the style of Bavarian curves, until shortly afterwards a major fall occurs and you pass the station at ground level. A bigger right turn leads you into the rear part of the layout and after a narrow turn you make the first change of direction. This is immediately repeated after a downward helix and the last right turn follows.

It is very interesting how much the original gondolas influence the ride, as although the installation is identical in construction to High Explosive of the showman Vorlop, the high gondola walls of the mine cars take a big part of the fun. At least, the little speedsters make the ride very funny, which is why I had the most rides here during my visit.

Taarn Gyset

The Taarn Gyset is a Double Shot Tower from S&S located in Bakken, which is characterized by its low height and the nevertheless extraordinarily pronounced airtime, triggered by the second shot down. The ride is quite funny, but sadly also a rather short one.

Vilde Mus

The Vilde Mus roller coaster, which will open in 2012, is, as the name suggests, the newer standard model of the Wild Mouse from Mack Rides. Although there was no actual rush, many children preferred to claim an entire car for themselves, which artificially created the longest queue in the park. Interestingly, the ride itself resembles much older rides like the remaining side of the Speedy Bob from the Belgian Bobbejaanland.

Hurlumhej

With Hurlumhej there is a little treasure in Bakken that is really worth experiencing. In the history of the origin of the complex, obviously, a lot of Hansen Rum was drunk, that is why a giant bottle adorns the front of this amazing walkthrough. In the interior, one then comes across to a perfect symbiosis of the Crooked House and a Fun House, whereby the elements of the Crooked House are more distinctly present. Due to the more than elaborate arrangement in the style of an old ship, one actually gets a little seasick and therefore leaves the amusement complex by staggering a little. If each walkthrough would be like Hurlumhej, then every installation would be worth a visit, as such a perfectly arranged scenerey is something one unfortunately does not find very often. Even bigger installations as the Hotel Tartüff of the theme park Phantasialand do not surprise as much as this one, especially as one really does not oftenly come across to a crooked house nowadays.

Extreme

After I already had the pleasure to do a Speed Flip in the Funland Amusement Park on Hayling Island I was very curious to see how the Moser Rides product would show up here. In contrast to the traveling ride in England, Extreme has a very strange ride program where you basically go full throttle at the beginning of the ride and then slowly reduce the speed until the end. In addition to the modest ride cycle, which does not show the potential of this machine, the ride also offers very minimal restraints onky, which are unfortunately a bit too uncomfortable.

Mariehønen

In a small alley leading to the amusement park’s car park is Mariehønen, a small Tivoli ride from the manufacturer Zierer. The ride on the smallest roller coaster in Bakken is a very solid one, but becomes noteworthy by a break on the lift hill after the second round, as this is where you take a little stop to wave to the outside visitors. After the children have now waved extensively, the friction wheels start to work under full load, which doesn’t sound very nice with regard to the engines, and you now complete the last laps.

Vandrutschebanen

The Vandrutschebanen log flume is an interesting ride with a surprisingly long course with two downhill runs. The entry takes place on a small turntable whereupon the boat is released into the channel. On the way to the lift you spend some time in the current canal before you quickly go up. During the following shot run, which leads to about half of the starting height, one is already well moistened. Now one spends some time bobbing criss-cross through the layout just before it goes down quite fast on a long straight line and after another curve the second lift hill follows. At the top of the hill you will find the narrowest curve ever built into a log flume which could not be ridden without additional equipment. Compared to a Mack Rides installation, where two turntables would be used, the boats of this Reverchon whitewater ride are pushed through the curve by a lateral driver using a turntable. The boat will corner like crazy at the canal before it is pushed into the second shot. When you reach the bottom you will be completely soaked by the spray. If you are not laughed at by a little boy, who is doing a lap on the Svanebanen – a monorail above the water ride – it is a wonderfully refreshing fun in Bakken.

Safari

The Safari interactive dark ride is small, but very attractive. Armed with pistols and in small jeeps, the tour takes you through Bakken’s green hell, past numerous animatronics on two levels. Although you don’t trigger any effects and only try to get the highest possible score, the ride is very nicely arranged.

Rutschebanen

Not quite as old as the roller coaster of the same name from the nearby amusement park Tivoli Gardens, the Rutschebanen presents itself to its passengers at only 83 years of age. The technology and trains, on the other hand, are much younger and were purchased during the modernization, which also made the accompanying brake service personnel redundant. The Dutch company KumbaK did its best to maintain an authentic ride feeling without taking too much care of the wooden structure. They installed brake modules on the track where the brakeman would probably have braked, although I doubt that the train would have sneaked into the station like that. The trains are now similar to the wooden coaster Stampida from the Spanish Port Aventura, but consist of cars for two people each.

After the train has left the station, the route takes a left turn towards the cable lift. Here the train hooks up and is therefore carried up the wonderfully sloping and crooked lift hill very quickly. Once arrived at the top, one can enjoy the view in a small turn until it immediately goes down. Only at a nice speed one drives through the valley and quickly climbs up the other half of the lift. Up here, one passes another turn at a leisurely pace, but then the train rushes over a double shot. With clearly pronounced forces, one completes the following valley. A camelback follows before one makes the next turn at a higher level. Now parallel to the station you repeat the same game again, on the following meters you are not allowed to turn right according to the signs and disappear into the tunnel of a woman. Here you go down once more and over another hill before returning to the station.

Rutschebanen has an absolutely great layout, but unfortunately the wrong trains or better said the wrong restraints for this. Unlike Stampida, where I find the trains quite good, the restraints over here do not sit on the pelvis, but on the stomach. Due to the double shots, the bar is so unpleasantly tightened that one wishes the old trains back. Whereby the ride is actually exactly like Grand National from Pleasure Beach Blackpool, thus quite compatible for a wooden roller coaster of this age.

Tornado

The rotating gondola roller coaster Tornado, however, is not very well tolerated by people with balance problems. For all the others, a ride on the roller coaster  in Bakken might be enough to cause some really serious problems in the first place, because the true madness from the house of Intamin is not infamous for nothing.

It is not for nothing that the ride begins with the advice to press your head against the headrest, because after a curve the car enters the lift slightly turning. Due to the sudden acceleration, the rotation becomes more pronounced before the chain reaches an insane speed on the straight lift top. With full force you are now thrown down the first steep curve, mostly underlaid with a loud crackling of the passengers. Turning wildly, one now completes a harmless turn on the hall floor and leaves the hall in an upward curve. Next, a horseshoe-shaped curve combination and a jagged S-curve combination is completed relatively quickly before the descent gets steep and fast once more. Below the hall ceiling you pass a block brake without a noticeable reduction of speed, after which it goes downhill again in a steep curve. Since there have been enough harmless changes of direction so far, the following one is done much more abruptly, but in return the following curve is not as tight. A last steep turn initiates the return to the station and beats everyone up again with full force. Shortly afterwards the brakes are reached and you can finally take a deep breath.

Tornado is by far the most intense roller coaster in Europe or better said in the whole world, because what you experience here reminds you of bodily harm, it’s even more fun to get your nose broken by a stranger in the Hamburg S-Bahn, because you only notice it afterwards. But Tornado could be a quite good roller coaster, if you had left out the steep turns or if the average speed of the layout hadn’t been set so high from the beginning by the insane lift hill. I spent a total of two rides on this ride and that’s enough for me for the next years, as Tornado is simply the craziest roller coaster I’ve ever ridden so far in my life.

Sky Roller

Also crazy, but in a positive sense, is the Gerstlauer Sky Roller, where you can interactively influence the ride by adjusting the position of the wings on the seats. As often seen on similar machines of the manufacturer, you have to show the audience what you can get out of the machine or in other words how to adjust the wings to create a rollover. In contrast to the Götterflug from the amusement park Belantis you are unfortunately not supported by the wind during the ride and therefore you have a more even ride which does not automatically make the world appear in circles. A positive aspect of the Sky Roller is the much better capacity compared to the supposedly more exciting Sky Fly. Also, the first revision of the ride is now much more sophisticated and technically simpler, but this means that the gondolas no longer run completely over each other.

Pictures Bakken

Conclusion Bakken

The amusement park Bakken is, as also the Prater in Vienna, a great place to have some hours of good fun. Due to the low international share of visitors, the public is much more pleasant than in the Tivoli and generally enjoys themselves away from the rides in the park’s countless restaurants and bars, creating a thoroughly pleasant atmosphere on the grounds.

 

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Bakken

Revolution in the vertical reality of the Pleasure Beach Blackpool

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Preface

If one imagines the most filthy place in Britain, it is definitely Blackpool. However, this place at the Irish Sea is also very charming and offers with its Pleasure Beach a real pearl of entertainment culture. It was my second visit to this city, which I actually wanted to avoid. Nevertheless, the call for a revolutionary roller coaster, which was being refurbished on my first visit, drew me here. Back then, the town itself was also a bit busier and more tolerable due to some French tourists. Blackpool will surely show its real charm during the main season or the illuminations in autumn.

Visiting the Pleasure Beach

Thrill-o-Matic

Another reason for visiting was Thrill-o-Matic, the redesigned dark ride from Arrow Dynamics, which previously operated as Gold Mine. The main protagonists of the ride are the characters Wallace & Gromit, who are very well known in England and whose short films are also popular in Germany, but the spin-off series Shaun the Sheep is much more popular.

The ride is quite interesting, especially as the layout is rather unusual. In keeping with the title, you’ll go up and downhill past scenes from the films. The design of these is exceptionally original and the effects are all well tuned, so that one can definitely call the ride one of the best dark rides out there – if one would know a little bit about the movies in advance. This is the only real shortcoming of the theme ride, as if you are not familiar with the Wallace & Gromit universe, you can’t actually understand the ride itself.

Revolution

The second novelty for me was the only shuttle coaster by Arrow Dynamics on European soil. While listening to a revolutionary soundtrack, I went up the stairs to the station of the Launched Loop to find an open station with an empty four-car train. Since the station is no longer sponsored by the Scottish national drink Irn Bru, the structure shines in a noble grey-white colour scheme, on which a dark red train makes its way.

The ride on Revolution begins quite bizarrely, as the launch feels like being pushed a little faster in a shopping cart. Nevertheless, what happens afterwards can hardly be described in words. On the hilltop down to the valley, one is pulled into the harness in such a strong way that it cannot be more extreme. A slight lift-off, as it was said in old reviews of the park, is strongly understated. Arrived in the valley and with his butt back in the car, the looping follows directly. With a lot of pressure, we see the world upside down for the first time. After that the train shots up towards the second hilltop, which also throws you back into the shoulder restraints. What comes now is nothing unusual for a shuttle coaster, but if you recall the experience in your mind, you might get a little bit awestruck. For this thought process you even have a lot of time until the inevitable happens and the launch kicks off the game in reverse.

The Revolution at Pleasure Beach Blackpool is not only interesting because of its incomparable support structure, but also because of its ride, which even shows a shuttle loop from Schwarzkopf where it’s going to go. Although the launch is not as strong as with Schwarzkopf’s installations, the ride has one attribute that clearly stands out, namely airtime. Such a distinctive form of airtime is rarely found and is usually only present in the back rows of a train, as it is the case with Nessie at Hansa-Park. Here, however, you inevitably experience it everywhere in the train, whereby the first car is preferably affected. Revolution is therefore a roller coaster rarely found, which is why you should experience it while it’ s still present. The extensive revisions of the layout give hope for a truly long lifetime.

Infusion

But not only the Revolution is equipped with more powerful forces than one would expect, but also the Suspended Looping Coaster Infusion, which, like the Big One, invites to a ride in the vertical reality. Compared to other installations of this type, the ride feels 20 km/h too fast. The inversions are therefore all passed through quickly, which mainly affects the successive inline twists towards the end of the ride, as they drag you along quite nicely.

If every Vekoma SLC would ride the same way, the difference to various Batman roller coasters of the manufacturer Bollinger and Mabillard would only be marginal. The water effects, as well as the general ride comfort are arguments that – together with the stunning roll overs – invite you to one or more rides in the vertical reality.

Grand National

The Möbius Roller Coaster Grand National, which in theory offers a great and action packed ride due its out- & back layout, as well as the always given racing feeling on both tracks enjoys special appreciation by many fans. In fact, the nasty doubledowns and the numerous camelbacks are crucial to experience really interesting airtime, once the ride warmed up. On the days of my visits, a take-off was hardly possible. Furthermore, the bar always closed so modestly that every of the following metres seemed like a flogging.

No friendship has developed between me and the ride. As sorry as I am to have to put myself against the opinions of my friends, I prefer another wooden roller coaster within the park even if their voices cry out over and over again that Grand National is the one that shows a lot of airtime and therefore should be regarded as the best wooden roller coaster out there. This classic wooden roller coaster, which should still be considered cute in its size, really surprised me during this visit. Even though I still think, that the trains were hardly made for roller coasters, especially since they all drift off in the curves quite alarmingly. The general smoothness of the ride is a lot better than what I remember. On each of the hills a distinctive lift-off was given, the curves rode well and the strange rocking of last year’s rides didn’t happen. I stick to the Big Dipper!

Big Dipper

This classic wooden roller coaster, which should still be considered cute in its size, really surprised me during this visit. Even though I still think, that the trains were hardly made for roller coasters, especially since they all drift off in the curves quite alarmingly. The general smoothness of the ride is a lot better than what I remember. On each of the hills a distinctive lift-off was given, the curves rode well and the strange rocking of last year’s rides didn’t happen.

Steeplechase

As the Steeplechase coaster was fitted with new brakes during the visit, it was not possible to ride on any of the tracks. The quite unique roller coaster by Arrow Dynamics is always worth a ride, especially since I was not allowed to ride on either the green or the yellow tracks during my last visit.

Big One

Even at the Big One you stood in front of a closed entry during the first hours of operation. Fortunately, in the later course of the day, the entry was opened as advertised. As it is often the case in rides that open later, the crowds of visitors went all at one to the ride and actually filled up the queues in the station, which meant that the last two cars had to be opened. After the first rush was driven away, everybody that came to the station was allowed to walk through and had a theoretically free choice of seats.

Unfortunately, the Big One doesn’t have a very good status in the fan community of roller coaster lovers, often there is talk of bodily harm and other inconsistencies. However, the Big One isn’t bad at all, even if it’s not necessarily a good experience when riding it in the last row. The front rows on the other hand all offer an exciting and fun ride.

Compared to other taller roller coasters, rarely seen in Europe, the highest, fastest, steepest and longest roller coaster in the vertical reality provides a very strong sense of speed. The first drop is hard to put into words, the following hill is airtimeless but nice, the turnaround is fast and the hills in front of the block brake are interesting to ride. This is followed by the aforementioned brake and a curvy part until the final brake is reached.

The Big One is a roller coaster that can’t and shouldn’t be compared to the big rides of Bollinger and Mabillard, as a boring up and down ride like Silverstar at Europa Park is not offered here. Instead, the Hyper Coaster from the American company Arrow provides a very fast and above all long roller coaster ride, which – if you don’t have prejudices against exactly this manufacturer can surprise and please you very much.

Nickelodeon Land

The Nickelodeon Land was very busy during the visit due to some primary school classes, which were present in all the Blackpool attractions that day. Most of them spent running from the exit of the amusing children’s coaster Blue Flyer to the entrance of what the supervisor, of course, had to endure.

Nickelodeon Streak

The same pattern could be seen at the Nickelodeon Streak, the orange wooden roller coaster of Pleasure Beach, where you are lifted out of your seat a few times. Here the longest wooden roller coaster trains of the park make their rounds and the feeling of the train drifting away is most pronounced.

Splash Bash

The Twist & Splash ride Splash Bash from Mack Rides, which was broken down on the last visit, was actually open on the day of the visit, but was not very popular. It was interesting to see the system in motion and to let the very slow rotations have their effect. Should this ride be busy at some point, it is certainly fun to get into the water battle, but with only 2-3 passengers it is not easy to get wet at all.

Valhalla

On the other hand, there is an ease of getting really, really, really wet on the white water dark ride Valhalla. You could make it easy and buy a rain poncho, in order to protect yourself somehow or just lock your valuables in a locker, in order to experience the ride as unprotected as possible.

The boat trip begins quite harmlessly. From the outside, one enters a hall in a very relaxed way, where even the waterfall at the beginning is senselessly switched off during the passage. A lift follows, after which the actual trip to Valhalla begins. The ride up to the turntable is accompanied by epic music, fog and mythological creatures. Backwards you go down a drop, which will moisten you a little bit. This is followed by a ride through a cold chamber. Fortunately, the ride through this impressive room doesn’t last forever, as the second and immediately wettest shot ride is waiting for you. Reasonably wet, almost soaked, we pass through a water tunnel, which of course reaches right into the boat. This effect was not known to me during my last visit and thus I was also a little surprised about it. Shortly after that, a water cannon is shot that releases a good amount of water on one.

Of course, Valhalla would not be Valhalla if the journey was already over after this; in fact, it is just starting. After passing the second lifthill things are more or less overturning. The scenes are getting more and more action and the water effects are getting meaner and meaner. As an example we have to mention a swinging axe or even a hammer in front of the rolling tree trunk, which simply throws a complete bath tub load, probably even more, onto the passengers from above. No later than here you are 100% soaking wet. A little later, a double drop follows as the last shot, whereby one is drenched once more. But this is hardly due to the descent itself, but due to the water effect that is waiting for you at the end. Luckily, the Pleasure Beach knows that the riders of Valhalla might be slightly more wet, as “You will get wet! You may get soaked!” is indeed the warning for the ride. The impact of the ride is similar to a jump into the Irish Sea, whereupon one is warmed up from the side by some fire effects. However, the Pleasure Beach don’t want to dry the riders under any circumstances, which is why there is still a water effect waiting for you.

The water ride Valhalla is basically way to wet for me; at least for a typical british day in spring. It was indeed a quite sunny day, but the clothes would surely not have dried during the opening hours, which is why I rode the ride at the end of my stay. Valhalla itself is a very impressive ride and should never be missed during a visit to the Pleasure Beach.

Flying Machines

After you have conquered Valhalla you should not make the mistake of visiting the Flying Machines nearby. This ride is long, fast and the wind is cold. A ride on the classic Derby Racer is more advisable in this case. The three older dark rides of the Pleasure Beach Alice in Wonderland, River Caves and Ghost Train should not be ignored during your try to get dry.

Avalanche

If the ice room from Valhalla was not yet icy enough for you, you can throw yourself into the ice channel of the Avalanche roller coaster. Where previously the Swiss bobsleigh run of Heide Park was always in my favour, the fast and at the same time intense ride from Blackpool could convince a little more. Since the bobsleigh run only operated one train, I had to wait in a long queue of 3 trains.

Wild Mouse

The best roller coaster at Pleasure Beach is the wooden roller coaster Wild Mouse, which is much wilder than the steel mice, which can be found at any German fun fair or several theme parks. Secured only by a seatbelt you can experience wonderful airtime and very abrupt curves, which you drive through at full throttle, as the speed is only regulated towards the end of the ride. Those who complain about steel wild mice that are supposedly too brute should rather avoid this ride, but those who love Wild Mouse roller coasters are best served with this wooden masterpiece.

Conclusion Pleasure Beach

The Pleasure Beach is a great amusement park with a charm all of its own, where you can easily spend a whole day. However, I still doubt whether one should tackle a second one at all. Nevertheless, there is a lot to experience and/or re-experience here, so that a visit is always worthwhile.

 

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Blackpool Pleasure Beach

One day in vertical reality

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Pleasure Beach Blackpool

The Pleasure Beach Blackpool amusement park, founded in 1896, is undoubtedly considered the roller coaster mecca in Europe. After all, there are ten different roller coasters here, whereby one ride is more special than the other. But also other, mostly very rare, rides can be found and so Pleasure Beach Blackpool has a very special atmosphere, something the rest of the area around does not have.

After having picked up one’s ticket in the ticket centre of the casino building beside the actual park, there is a short bag control before entering the park. If you have a bag with you, you can get a locker for a day’s rent, which is relatively low.

Flying Machines

The first impression of the park looks promising due to the imposing supporting structure of the Big One. The very spacious forecourt is dominated by one of the park’s most famous attractions, the Flying Machines. Built in 1904, it is the park’s oldest attraction and offers a fast-paced feeling of flying, once the machine has reached its full potential. A modern copy of the ride can also be found in Disney’s California Adventure.

Infusion

As most of the attractions did not open until later in the day we went to the newest roller coaster of the park, the Vekoma Suspended Looping Coaster Infusion. The ride, previously known as Traumatizer at New Pleasureland Southport, was placed on the area of the park’s former log flume, where it now stands out between the roller coasters Big Dipper and Big One. The way to the roller coaster turns out to be quite long, but gives you a wonderful insight into the action.

The ride itself is of the usual quality for this type of roller coaster, but no major strokes during the ride are to be expected. The water effects you are exposed to during the ride are nice and appear especially nice in the front row of the ride.

Big Dipper

One ride that looks a lot bigger in pictures than in reality is the Big Dipper, a wooden roller coaster from 1923, a special feature of this coaster is, besides its age, the tower on which the turnaround takes place before the first big drop. The ride on the well-padded, even if a little bit tighter, trains is amusing, even if it bounces strangely around especially in the rather flat part of the track. Fortunately, the ride with the Big Dipper is equipped with rather pronounced forces and thus you can enjoy a lot of airtime moments.

Big One

The roller coaster that brought the Pleasure Beach Blackpool to everyone’s attention in 1994, and one of the most accurate name is the Big One. At the time of its opening, it was the highest, steepest and fastest roller coaster in Europe and has only been beaten twice so far. Nowadays, however, it is still the highest, steepest and fastest roller coaster, at least in the vertical reality that only this roller coaster offers.

The Big One is an underestimated roller coaster, which is often criticized by all kinds of amusement park fans, mostly in connection with its manufacturer Arrow Dynamics. However, the fact that the roller coaster rides much better than some of the European versions of the luxury roller coaster manufacturer Bollinger & Mabillard is usually ignored or simply not noticed due to fanaticism. The almost 1700m long ride itself is first class and very impressive. The first drop is simply ingenious and the following hills offer a distinct feeling of speed, which is rounded off with very strange airtime in front of the block brakes.

If you look at the Big One with respect to the vertical reality that this roller coaster undeniably embodies, you will find one of the best roller coasters in Europe – a bit more neutrally, it is at least the best roller coaster of the park with an unmistakable view of the Irish Sea.

Steeplechase

Opposite this ride you can discover another roller coaster made by Arrow Dynamics, which is dedicated to the horse racing culture of the English. Steeplechase is one of the most special roller coasters in the world and the only roller coaster in the world that still runs with three tracks. As special as this is, the riding position is the real reason why the ride is so remarkable. Similar to a bigger horse carousel you sit relatively free on the horse-like wagon, which is quite adventurous because of the strangely shaped curves. Unfortunately, on the day of the visit only the red lane was running.

Blue Flyer

A little less adventurous is the children’s wooden coaster of the park Blue Flyer. Like Tomahawk from Port Aventura, this roller coaster uses the small PTC trains, but there is at least some space left. The ride itself starts quite nicely with some hills, until the curve through the building of the former indoor coaster Space Invader 2 slowly ends the ride.

Nickelodeon Streak

Right next to the blue painted roller coaster is the orange Nickelodeon Streak roller coaster. The medium-sized Out & Back roller coaster offers a wonderful ride in five-row cars, where you can get a little scared during the turns, because the cars are noticeably drifting apart.

Dora’s World Voyage

Furthermore, Nickelodeon Land offers one of the most kitschy and best dark rides in Europe. In several areas in Dora’s World Voyage you will be taught the welcoming phrase of the corresponding countries by the adventurer Dora, whereby the choice of Tanzania is rather questionable. Nevertheless, We did it! and an imitation is highly recommended.

Avatar Airbender

Besides other children’s rides and a log flume, you can discover a Mack Rides Twist & Splash with Spongebob Splash Bash, which probably still likes to suffer from children’s illnesses, which is why a ride was unfortunately not possible. At least the Zamperla Disk’o Avatar Airbender was running, which showed a surprisingly intense ride.

Avalanche

Similarly intensive, at least according to the general tenor, is the roller coaster Avalanche. The ride itself can indeed be described as quite exciting, as it is rapidly gaining speed. Remarkable is the well maintained canal, which the trains run down. However, the ride does not come close to the Schweizer Bobbahn roller coaster at Heide-Park. Also, the laughing man in the immediate proximity creates an atmosphere that one does not like to be exposed to.

Grand Prix

Below the bobsleigh track you will find the Grand Prix ride, which has a very interesting layout. Especially the beginning and the end in form of a parking helix are remarkable.

River Caves

Equally remarkable is the theme trip River Caves. The ride through the caves is so well designed in places that the course can easily keep up with the larger boat dark rides such as Fata Morgana from the Dutch Efteling theme park.

Wild Mouse

Right next door you can find the best wooden roller coaster of the park, the Wild Mouse. It is better not to ride this roller coaster in pairs, as this can be slightly painful. The ride itself is the epitome of the word wild and knows how to convince with its intense ride. The airtime that is generated during the descents is pronounced, which is even increased by the safety belt. Very remarkable is the brake system of the layout, which is rather modern.

Grand National

Between the supports of Big One is the entrance to one of the last Möbius roller coasters in the world. Here, the left lane ends on the right side and of course vice versa, so both lanes are always running and allow racing operation even on empty days. The Grand National roller coaster itself promises so much, but unfortunately it can’t keep it. An airtime orgy, as some videos suggest, is not to be found here, only the racing feeling is guaranteed.

Valhalla

In a hall with a rather ugly facade and a comparatively puny station in front of it, one can visit the Asen in Valhalla. But as the Nordic gods are rather choosy, one has to face three challenges. After passing the first lift one is confronted with enormous heat until after some time there is the first drop that takes place backwards. Because heat is not fun when slightly moistened, one is sent to a cold room, where many a viking has found their bitter end. The next drop already manages to make you a little bit wetter, the following water effect makes you soaking wet. Again you climb a lift and the effect of a swinging axe will drench you from the side. The final shot shows a double drop, which is much wetter than the other slopes and starts the second downhill run unexpectedly late. In the following room you get a little warmed up, however, this passage could be a little longer to actually have the chance to dry again.

Valhalla is good, but not outstanding. The mixture of water ride and dark ride is a mixture that you should see more often. The design unfortunately seems a bit sparse and less original in some places, which even the whole water effects cannot compensate. The wetness level of the ride is extremely wet, but it can’t compete with O.D. Hopkins Tidal Wave from Thorpe Park in England, which outshines any Intamin water ride just because of the wave it creates.

Ice Blast and Derby Racer

On the place in front of Valhalla is the S&S Power Space Shot Ice Blast, which unfortunately doesn’t do anything special. In this respect, even the 90m high scenic ride of the same model from Parque Warner in San Martin de la Vega, Spain, is much more fun. Luckily, the Derby Racer next door is a rare and fast-paced attraction, which basically resembles a somewhat oversized horse carousel and shows a remarkable speed.

Alice Ride

Visibly close to the Derby Racers is the Alice Ride theme ride, where a journey to Wonderland is on the agenda. The black light effects make the ride look slightly spooky, just like the Snow White theme ride at Disneyland Park in Paris. The ride itself is great, especially since you ride on concrete slabs which is kind of unusual.

Ghost Train

Directly opposite is the Ghost Train, the world’s first ghost train, which has been in operation in Pleasure Beach Blackpool since 1930. The ride itself is beautifully designed and can show some effects that you rarely see in ghost trains, but the ride is not really spooky. Those who like great dark rides will get out of the car with a happy grin on his face.

Revolution

The last roller coaster of the park is currently being renovated, which is a pity on the one hand, but if it will make the Revolution even more revolutionary it is a welcomed project, after all there have been many rumours about the demolition of this roller coaster. So one of the last three Arrow Dynamics Launched Loop layouts will remain and the English can continue to enjoy their first looping roller coaster. Due to the continuous work that has been done during the visit, the ride is likely to open towards the end of the month.

Pictures Pleasure Beach Blackpool

Conclusion Pleasure Beach Blackpool

Pleasure Beach Blackpool is a nice amusement park with good roller coasters and good theme rides where you can spend a few hours. The park itself is a ray of hope for the city that surrounds it, but the park has some gaps or simply closed attractions, which spoils the atmosphere and the portfolio at the same time. In this respect, it would have been nice to ride with Bling, the Spin Doctors, the Trauma Towers, the Bumper Boats, etc. At least the first visit was worth it, but for the time being I won’t have to return to Pleasure Beach Blackpool.

 

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Blackpool Pleasure Beach