Last weekend we headed off to Blackpool Pleasure Beach for the first time in a whole YEAR! I know, crazy! We headed onto Valhalla to check it out in the new version since its re-imagining began at the end of the 2019 season/start of 2020 ( I know, that long ago ). We were kindly invited to media day but sadly couldn’t make it due to some last-minute circumstances. So, this review will be based on the final few days of the tech rehearsal although from what I have gathered it was borderline running up to the official opening standard. At the end of this blog will be some facts that’s been shared with us from the PR team.
Please note from here on there will be spoilers. Therefore, if you wish to dodge that please stop reading from here. Some photos throughout this blog were sent to us from the PB PR team.
The Plaza / Queue Line & Station:
The fact Valhalla has such a grand plaza is remarkable and it looks stunning. I feel this new styling that Pleasure Beach is heading towards with Valhalla & Icon is what needs to go on across the park. It’s rejuvenating and really pretty. The queue line is quite similar to the former. The station has seen a transformation in the op cabin rather than being overhead it’s now to the left-hand side. As well as it looking incredibly fresh.
Audio:
I think the main audio is going to be a grower. It’s cool there’s no denying that however, we do prefer the retired audio. Quite honestly, we can’t begin to tell you what the story is about (doesn’t help the fact there’s so much to look at too) but the audio needs to be tweaked a little bit so it’s straightforward to follow. Valhalla becoming story-led is ace though something we didn’t expect to see from the park. Let’s just hope minor adjustments can be made to allow it to be clearer for those riding.
Ride Experience:
This section won’t be written in the order which the rides goes in by any means. But the ride experience has improved extensively from how it closed. Throughout the ride there’s little to no light bleeds which are incredible. Any sections of darkness weren’t too lengthy & only added to the suspense of the scene that you’re about to enter and really built up that ambience. Something which we all love to see is well-hidden lightning. So much you can’t spot the locations of them unless you go searching (surely no one does that?). The iconic Ice Room remains however it’s not entirely as cold as it used to be but still slightly chilled. During our visit the snow effect wasn’t on but we’ve heard since it is. Within this room, there’s a lot more to look at with various models although the women’s outfits are perhaps not too suited and could do with being toned down from the glitzy vibes it’s giving off. Opposite end of the spectrum is the Hot Room (it is very warm) section which was working incredibly well & looked much better than it did prior.
Something very noticeable is the scale of some of the scenes has gotten larger & they look tremendous. It’s also amazing to see some of the old firm favourite effects make their return like the hammers & the waterfall vortex (it’s not been dumped into the boat anymore). The turntable section now being faced forward is a refreshing change. Another scene which springs to mind is the lanterns it’s a simple yet beautiful scene. Unfortunately, during our ride as we were heading down the final drop, the ride did break down which meant the fire that was bubbling unfortunately cut out and didn’t manage to see the final couple of bits of the ride.
Do You Still Get Wet?
Yes, it is a SOAKER. The main bit of advice is to use a locker or head to the car prior to dropping off any valuables. Also, bring a change of clothes.
How It Compared To The Previous Version:
Without any doubt, it is a huge improvement to the original version. It scratches that itch the same way that version did but with an overall enhanced experience. All that’s been changed has been a huge improvement or been a further win. Nothing that has gone from the ex version is noticeably missed by any means.
Potential Improvements:
The noticeable two which come to mind are the boat drainage and the option to leave your bags off-ride without the faff of going to your car or buying a locker. The fact ride is a soaker is fair but not giving the choice to place your items off the ride aren’t fine. Of course, as spoken of above the audio needs to be tweaked to either be louder or additional speakers to enrich the sound of what’s happening?
Overall:
In all honesty, it honestly does remain a world-class ride experience one which is so distinctive you really can’t find anything half as similar elsewhere in the the UK. You have to visit Pleasure Beach for this style of experience. It’s fantastic to see it back open (officially now too). Of course, the UK is known for the best of weather so that’s the only gripe about it. It’s whether you can bring yourself to get soaked each visit to have this insane experience. But that aside the team should be so proud of themselves for the work they’ve accomplished and tremendous the outcome has been. I know it’s taken years but it has been worth the wait for sure & no doubt it will win endless awards too.
Well done to all involved & be sure to head to Blackpool Pleasure Beach this season to check it out. You won’t regret it (unless you hate getting wet then maybe).
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Facts Regarding The Re-Imagining:
– Costs £4M
– Temperature Varies From -20 degrees to over 43 degrees throughout
– There’s enough water to fill TWO Olympic Swimming Pools
– Effects include Lightning, Fire, Water, Thunder & Snow
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Thank you so much for reading & I’ll be back with an overall trip report soon.
