First of all we’d like to start this blog with saying a huge thank you to the team at YARMOUTH Pleasure Beach for their time & participating in this blog post. We hope you all enjoy this blog and feel free to let us know your thoughts below.
- In the past week or so it has come to light that Mulan (caterpillar style ride) has sadly departed Pleasure Beach. What was the reasoning behind this removal?
Hi Emma, thank you for your questions. With the Mulan being a family favourite attraction, we were looking to refurbish the ride this winter but for the costs involved we felt it would be better to bring in a new attraction.
2. In relation to our first question, what inside information can you share about Mulan’s replacement ride?
We have a new ride currently being assembled in Italy which will be called Lightning 360 and will be at the Pleasure Beach ready for when we open in late March next year. The ride will seat 16 riders in eight different cars. Once the ride starts, the riders are lifted into the air and they then have control of their own car, (through a joystick as you would in a fighter plane of old) and can choose whether they want to do loop the loops or have an easier ride.
3. As it’s now closed season / winter time. What kind of work takes place during this time when the park is closed? Is there any insight as to what we can expect for 2020?
We have a dedicated team of maintenance staff who will disassemble the rides and put into storage to protect them from the worst of the winter weather. Throughout this time, they will inspect and maintain all the inner workings of the rides such as engines and electronics ready to assemble again for the new season. During this time, we also have independent inspectors who test the mechanical and electrical components of the rides. We have a team of painters who will paint what is required to give the rides / park a fresh look while the office the staff will be reviewing health and safety procedures, reviewing marketing etc. and making plans for next season. In many aspects we are busier when the Pleasure Beach is closed than when we are open. As for next season, you know we have a new attraction coming but things can happen quickly so watch this space.
4. What rides are the most challenging / complex to maintain?
The Scenic Rollercoaster is the most complex to maintain as that is our biggest attraction and is made mostly from wood which needs replacing every few years. We have a dedicated team of carpenters who will do this when the Pleasure Beach is closed, replacing certain sections of the rollercoaster every winter.
5. Pleasure Beach has seen several changes over the past few years. Is this something we can expect to continually see?
Yes, we are constantly looking for new rides and attractions to evolve and freshen up the Pleasure Beach and depending on the time, space and cost it is something that we will always look to do. We have refurbished a number of rides recently such as the Fun Factory and the Haunted Hotel giving them a fresh look and a new theme.
6. Finally, what can we expect from Pleasure Beach in the upcoming few years? Are there any big changes we can expect to see?
This is an exciting time not just for the Pleasure Beach but for Great Yarmouth in general as we are developing the Edge. The Edge is a multi-phase project which when completed will consist of restaurants, accommodation and other leisure facilities such as a multi-screen cinema, casino and indoor play area. Currently we have completed Phase One consisting of a Premier Inn and Beefeater restaurant and will be looking to start phase two soon. We hope this will have a knock-on effect for the Pleasure Beach itself.
Thank you for reading…..
Keep an eye out for another interview next Monday!