Menu
What's new
By:
Filters

Blackpool Pleasure Beach | Icon | Mack Multi-Launch

Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

ATI said:
Can you show me the layout what you've seen?:)
Click to expand...

Fraid I can't, but flick through the pages of this topic and you'll be able to get a good idea of what the coaster will be like.
 
Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

ATI said:
Cant wait for my home park to get this! :--D :--D :--D
Click to expand...
Yeah it genuinely looks incredible. Really glad to see what's likely to be the best coaster in the UK coming to Blackpool. Should hopefully kick Merlin into gear into investing in decent coasters for Thorpe, Alton and Chessington.
 
Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

silenthillXD said:
ATI said:
Cant wait for my home park to get this! :--D :--D :--D
Click to expand...
Yeah it genuinely looks incredible. Really glad to see what's likely to be the best coaster in the UK coming to Blackpool. Should hopefully kick Merlin into gear into investing in decent coasters for Thorpe, Alton and Chessington.
Click to expand...

It will hopefully become a new classic. Building one of the most exciting rides in the world is the intention. Other UK coasters also opening in 2018 won't draw coaster enthusiasts from around the world, so hopefully Project 2018 will.
 
Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

The future of the UK coaster industry is somewhat relying on this - here's hoping it lives up to the hype!
 
Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

Alton won't know what hit them. Though they most certainly should, I mean if half of us have seen the plans, how the hell did Alton ok a small family size woodie for 2018. Surely they know what a beast they're going to be up against.
 
Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

Is there really direct competition though? We only pit them against each other coz they're the two best parks we have.
 
Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

Martyn B said:
Is there really direct competition though? We only pit them against each other coz they're the two best parks we have.
Click to expand...
I would've thought so? They're both large scale parks targeted at a family/thrill audience. They're not all that far away from each other and they both have a decent mix of rides. I would imagine Alton gets more people from the south, but people from the midlands and the north would probably see them as direct competition in terms of a day out.
 
Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

Alton haven't been in direct competiton with BPB for years now. BPB's competiton is Flamingo Land, LWV and the other sea front attractions. They don't even advertise nationally any more, and even locally their advertisements stretch as far afield as Manchester at best. Alton, Thorpe and even Flamingo Land have advertised on a national scale for a couple of years now, clearly trying to pull in customers from around the country.

tl dr; BPB isn't in direct competition with Alton, nor have they been for several years, and regardless of how good an installation this looks to be it won't change Alton's thinking in the short term.
 
Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

Not that I necessarily disagree, but I am kinda confused by your reasoning. Ask the GP in the Midlands/South what Flamingoland or Lightwater Valley are and they wouldn't have a clue. Ask them to name an amusement/theme park and I can assure you they'd be able to name Blackpool Pleasure Beach alongside all the merlin parks and if you're lucky Drayton. I just don't see how Blackpool, a park with a hyper coaster is ranked alongside Flamingoland. I know the investment has't exactly been consistant over the past two decades, but this project 2018 appears to place it back on track. I mean Flamingoland is certainly not going to see an investment on similar scale to this anytime in the forseeable future, and Lightwater will be lucky to see any investment, let alone a Mack Megacoaster. I just don't see how Blackpool is comparible to Flamingoland/Lightwater, location wise yes, but scale/quality/popularity/brand awarenes no.
 
Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

silenthillXD said:
Not that I necessarily disagree, but I am kinda confused by your reasoning. Ask the GP in the Midlands/South what Flamingoland or Lightwater Valley are and they wouldn't have a clue. Ask them to name an amusement/theme park and I can assure you they'd be able to name Blackpool Pleasure Beach alongside all the merlin parks and if you're lucky Drayton. I just don't see how Blackpool, a park with a hyper coaster is ranked alongside Flamingoland. I know the investment has't exactly been consistant over the past two decades, but this project 2018 appears to place it back on track. I mean Flamingoland is certainly not going to see an investment on similar scale to this anytime in the forseeable future, and Lightwater will be lucky to see any investment, let alone a Mack Megacoaster. I just don't see how Blackpool is comparible to Flamingoland/Lightwater, location wise yes, but scale/quality/popularity/brand awarenes no.
Click to expand...

I'm from the midlands. I know more people who've been to FL or LWV than have been to BPB in the past ten years. I've also seen far more advertising for FL down here than I have for BPB.

Just because they can name BPB, doesn't mean they'll go there. Brand recognition doesn't count for much when it's based around past glories.

You don't see how BPB can be ranked alongside FL? Aye, if anything in recent years they're behind them. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm certain FL have been turning a profit for a while now, with increasing visitor numbers year on year, things that BPB could only dream of over ther past 5 years and possibly longer.

Flamingo Land have hoardings at Elland Road shown on Sky Sports multiple times a season, a shirt sponsorship for Hull City so now they'll get Premier League exposure, and they sponsored a prime time Saturday night tv programme on ITV last year. BPB don't advertise outside of Blackpool for 90% of the year and when they do, it's usually a Hot Ice poster in Manchester. Different levels.
 
Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

I genuinely don't know any GP from Ntown who have ever been to Flamingoland, and can name one who has been to LWV. Because LWV is fab.

But like, everyone I know has been to Blackpool at some point.

This is when Blackpool will start being a national draw again, that's the point. It's not now because this is still a pile of mud, but when it's up you can bet they'll be advertising it EVERYWHERE and that's bad news for Alton.
 
Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

I am shocked they've not started dropping spoilers about Project 2018, at the very least I hoped we'd see some signage up to suggest something is coming soon, it's the busiest part of the season for them, up until November they'll be busy at weekends, it's time to start letting people know a big project is happening!

As far as competing with Towers, they don't consider Towers a direct rival.
 
Last edited:
Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

On the point of advertising, how does everyone think this will be marketed? UK's first double launch coaster?
 
Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

They wouldn't, and shouldn't, advertise a 2018 project yet, because people would put off going in 2017.

What sort of a marketing ploy is 'hey, maybe skip your visit next year?'
 
Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

What do people think project 2018 will be themed to? If anything... :--D :--D :--D
 
Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

Good point, hasn't really been discussed. Blackpool isn't known for excessive theming, but I hope this will have an interesting and consistent theme with some nice scenery. Tbh I don't think it will have any substantial theme, as none of the other coasters do.

No idea on what the general theme will be though, probably something to do with fountains.

Jamesss said:
On the point of advertising, how does everyone think this will be marketed? UK's first double launch coaster?
Click to expand...
If it's anything like the Big One's advertising it will be marketed as Europe's tallest launch coaster.
 
Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

Smithy said:
Alton haven't been in direct competiton with BPB for years now. BPB's competiton is Flamingo Land, LWV and the other sea front attractions. They don't even advertise nationally any more, and even locally their advertisements stretch as far afield as Manchester at best. Alton, Thorpe and even Flamingo Land have advertised on a national scale for a couple of years now, clearly trying to pull in customers from around the country.

tl dr; BPB isn't in direct competition with Alton, nor have they been for several years, and regardless of how good an installation this looks to be it won't change Alton's thinking in the short term.
Click to expand...
This isn't really true - the current Blackpool ad campaign, which includes Pleasure Beach, is being run across Scotland, and the North and Midlands of England, plus print promotions down South and Wales.

When I was there the other day it was packed and lots of regional voices were heard, but there was definitely a lot of Scots there. If you're coming down from Scotland, BPB is as much an attraction as Alton Towers.

Project 2018 is going to get national coverage, there's going to be loads of promotion. Meanwhile, Alton's attendance is plummeting and their answer is to install an old-fashioned family wooden coaster - they do seem to have taken their eye off the ball.
 
Re: Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Project 2018

Robbie said:
This isn't really true - the current Blackpool ad campaign, which includes Pleasure Beach, is being run across Scotland, and the North and Midlands of England, plus print promotions down South and Wales.
Click to expand...

That's not a BPB campaign though. By the same token the Visit Yorkshire campaign features Flamingo Land and they advertise around the country in terms of print promotions plus the occasional TV advert.

Project 2018 is going to get national coverage, there's going to be loads of promotion. Meanwhile, Alton's attendance is plummeting and their answer is to install an old-fashioned family wooden coaster - they do seem to have taken their eye off the ball.
Click to expand...

And so it should. And I'm not trying to argue Alton's choice. Just highlighting that they're not, at this moment in time, direct competitors.

Ben said:
I genuinely don't know any GP from Ntown who have ever been to Flamingoland, and can name one who has been to LWV. Because LWV is fab.
Click to expand...

Tbf, a lot of them are Leeds fans so they'll have some awareness from that.

This is when Blackpool will start being a national draw again, that's the point. It's not now because this is still a pile of mud, but when it's up you can bet they'll be advertising it EVERYWHERE and that's bad news for Alton.
Click to expand...

I mean you'd assume they'll advertise it everywhere but again, if their current marketing methods are anything to go by, I wouldn't hold my breath. Fully expecting a 25 second advert for Hot Ice with 5 seconds of NEW FOR 2018 tacked on the end.

Still can't see it affecting Alton too much tbh, at least in the short term with regards to visitor numbers. Where it may affect them greater is longer term when it comes to visitors expectations with new rides.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top