The Student Room Group

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Hi,

My friends and I are looking to go to Blackpool Pleasure Beach in half-term. We're going to get some unlimited wristbands and travel there from Preston, possibly on Valentine's Day.

1) When I try to book a train from Virgin online for Valentine's Day, it changes the date to a Monday (the 15th). This is happening on all the websites I try.

2) Any tips or tricks for the pleasure beach? e.g. best times to go on rides?

Thanks for all the help in advance. By the way, what are the queues like?

Scroll to see replies

No real best time to go on rides - but if you go on Valhalla and are traveling home the same day - don't do Valhalla close to the end!! (unless it's raining anyway).

Some queues may look big like the pepsi max big one - but the queue line moves fast!

Hope you have a good day!
The reason the date keeps changing for your train is because the Pleasure Beach's station is on the Blackpool South line - very limited service on a Sunday, if there's any service at all.

You'll be able to get a train on the Blackpool North line and then look into connecting buses.

As far as queues are concerned, it's not too bad. It all depends on how many trains they're running on each ride and, obviously, some are more popular than others so you have to queue for longer.

It's a great day though and the doughnuts there are amazing!
Reply 3
Champagne Socialist
The reason the date keeps changing for your train is because the Pleasure Beach's station is on the Blackpool South line - very limited service on a Sunday, if there's any service at all.

You'll be able to get a train on the Blackpool North line and then look into connecting buses.

As far as queues are concerned, it's not too bad. It all depends on how many trains they're running on each ride and, obviously, some are more popular than others so you have to queue for longer.

It's a great day though and the doughnuts there are amazing!


Thanks for this.
Reply 4
I've never been on the Pepsi Max. Is it scary:puppyeyes: I think it is. Pepsi max or iron bru:ninja:
Reply 5
Remember to get cash out before you go into the Pleasure Beach, every cash point inside there charges you and its hassle to go all the way out, find one and go all the way back in. Also, if you can, go to the pound shop before hand and get a raincoat (yes from the pound shop) then just throw it in the bin after - theres a stall outside Valhalla that sell them for a £1 but its just made out of cling film and doesnt cover you very well.
Theres also a dryer just from where you come out of Valhalla, its probably worth using. I managed to dry almost my whole body off when I used it with a few other people and I was soaked (even with one of the Valhalla cling film macs)

Oh and btw, the Iron Bru is terrible, I queued up for ages and two of the people I was with were too scared, but its really crap. Someone spat as we went down the drop in front and it almost hit me too.
Reply 6
My (braver) friends tell me that the views from the top of the big roller coaster, cant remember the name of it now...might be the Pepsi max one, are amazing and that you can see for miles!. I wouldnt know as I am a wuss and stayed on the ground.:o:
Reply 7
Asheeers
Hi,

My friends and I are looking to go to Blackpool Pleasure Beach in half-term. We're going to get some unlimited wristbands and travel there from Preston, possibly on Valentine's Day.

1) When I try to book a train from Virgin online for Valentine's Day, it changes the date to a Monday (the 15th). This is happening on all the websites I try.

2) Any tips or tricks for the pleasure beach? e.g. best times to go on rides?

Thanks for all the help in advance. By the way, what are the queues like?

Sounds like a fantastic British porn production if you ask me.in all seriousness, i've been there but i don't remember much because i was like 7
Reply 8
Pepsi max is the biggest rollercoaster in the UK- loved it!
Iron Bru I hated since the whole thing shook whenever the thing left- did not feel safe.
Valhalla I loved! Me and my cousin had been on a couple of times, then we ended up with a load of teachers- they were not prepared!

But other wise it's up to yourself, of course it does depend on the weather to which rides will be open!
Reply 9
Blackpool South has no service on a Sunday. You'll need to get a train from platform 1 every 20 minutes that runs through to Blackpool North and then go from there. Also, be aware some of the rides might not be open yet because it's still winter.

malsy
I've never been on the Pepsi Max. Is it scary I think it is. Pepsi max or iron bru


Pepsi Max (aka "The Big One") is the tall one with the near vertical twisty drop at the start. It's the long one and yes, there is a moment at the top when you think "what the **** am i doing up here." The Iron Bru is the 20 second one that goes forward on a loop and then goes backwards around the same loop.
Reply 10
iron bru seems less scary, yes
The Iron Bru ride is awful. We thought it looked really good, but then it's so shaky and just feels really unsafe. Felt like my safety bar thing wanted to fly up too so I spent the whole 20 seconds just fearing my life.

Love the Pepsi Max though :smile:
Pepsi max is great (y). Last time we went the car stopped halfway up the lift hill! They were doing safety checks on the wheels back at the station. It didn't half freak out some of the people riding haha.

I love the woodies there too - even though the grand national leaves you wih serious bruising on your legs!
Reply 13
manx1991
Pepsi max is the biggest rollercoaster in the UK- loved it!
Iron Bru I hated since the whole thing shook whenever the thing left- did not feel safe.
Valhalla I loved! Me and my cousin had been on a couple of times, then we ended up with a load of teachers- they were not prepared!

But other wise it's up to yourself, of course it does depend on the weather to which rides will be open!


Does anyone know if any of the rides will be closed?

So is your advice not to go on the irn bru ride then? x

what stuff do you need to wear if you go on valhalla?
Reply 14
Asheeers
...


As a few people have said, you're best going to Blackpool North and then heading up to the Pleasure Beach from there (there are loads of trains going from Preston to Blackpool North).

At the Pleasure Beach, IMO, some musts are:

-Go on the Big One (Pepsi Max), no matter how big the queue is. Over half term it usually opens around 11am so aim for then as the queues will be smaller. It's a really long ride so it's worth the wait and the view is amazing at the top!
- If the queue's are smallish, try the Irn Bru.
- Go on the Wild Mouse. You feel like you are about to die for the entire ride but it is hilarious comparing bruises at the end of it.
- Get on Bling (near Pepsi Max)
- Go on the new Infusion ride- try to get there early cos queues can be quite big.
- Pasage Del Terror (if it's open?)
- Invest in some cheap waterproofs (various pound shops in town on way from Blackpool North) and go on Valhalla. The queues look big but you're constantly moving in them.
- Go on the Ice Blast (next to Valhalla) Also good views, if brief!
- Buy some donuts. They are amazing.
- There's also an ice rink near the South Gate.
- Grand national is a laugh, especially if your mates are on the other train that you're racing.
- Go on the ghost train. It's that special kind of **** which is actually amazing!
- Be wary that there aren't that many lockers and most of them are non-refundable.
- The cash machines in the park charge you so, like someone said before, take cash out before you go.


That's all i can think of for now, hope it helps. It's a good day out so enjoy!
Blackpool is **** IMO go to alto towers so much better
Reply 16
loki276
Blackpool is **** IMO go to alto towers so much better


Well, if you live in the Northwest, it makes more sense to go to Blackpool instead.

Also Blackpool is open for longer than Alton Towers and has a beach (however, I agree Alton Towers is great even though I cant compare as I haven't been there in a long time)
Asheeers
Well, if you live in the Northwest, it makes more sense to go to Blackpool instead.

Also Blackpool is open for longer than Alton Towers and has a beach (however, I agree Alton Towers is great even though I cant compare as I haven't been there in a long time)

Alton towers isn't than far from preston tbh and train service will probably be more frequent
Reply 18
I love Blackpool :smile:
~get there as soon as you can, and go one the Big One (pepsi max) first.
~The park usually shuts around 10ish (I think), so you can go on quite a few rides.
~I like the Iron Brew lol. The Valhalla is good, but wet. I also like the avalanche, but it's not worth queing up for ages to go on it. Space Invaders is ok, I can take or leave it. The Bling is also good, you can see over Blackppol on that aswell. If you go on the Playstation (I think it's called the Tango there, or something), sit opposite the beach, it's a better view than houses lol.
~Eat something before you go (there's a McDonalds if you walk down the front) and eat some doughnuts whilest there lol.
~Try not to take a bag, if things will fit in your pockets - it's too much hassle, or take one rucksack type bag between you all.
~Wear normal shoes, like trainers, because you have to take your shoes off on some rides.
~There's also a Haunted House just outside the pleasure beach, which you have to pay to go in (it was £6.50 last time I went). It's scary, but worth it :biggrin:
~As a previous post said, take money with you, as the ATMs charge.
~Also, be aware that you may have to stand up on the train, which will be packed in half term.

Hope you have fun :smile:
Reply 19
loki276
Alton towers isn't than far from preston tbh and train service will probably be more frequent


i think you'd fine it takes a good 2.5 hours to get there and another 2.5 hours to get back on train. (i think, rough figures).

That's like 5 hours travelling and the park is only open for 6 hours so not worth it overall.

I think I put forward a compelling argument :yep: