Do you believe in preserving heritage or evolution of ride lineups?

[Matt N]

Hi guys. I just watched this very interesting video on PBE about whether Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s heritage is a help or a hindrance to them, and I’d personally be very intrigued to know your thoughts on this subject in a general context:

In my opinion, I think there needs to be a bit of a compromise made between heritage and evolution, as I don’t think that relying entirely on one path would be a good idea for a park. I’ll use Blackpool Pleasure Beach as a case study.

On one hand, I personally feel like the park’s heritage adds to it, and the combination of old and new really gives the park a unique charm; I don’t think it would be quite the same without some of the older and more unique attractions. Even though I don’t necessarily enjoy all of them, attractions like Big Dipper & Grand National, amongst others, really give the park something that the likes of Alton Towers & Thorpe Park can’t offer. These attractions are worth celebrating, in my opinion; as much as I tend to prefer more modern coasters on the whole, I don’t think Pleasure Beach would be quite the same if it was filled to the brim with modern rides.

However, on the other hand, I do think that there is a need to move on and progress. If the park had relied entirely on preserving its heritage, the Switchback Railway built in 1894 would still be operating and half the iconic attractions the park went on to build wouldn’t exist! The reality is that the park has to stay relevant and modern, to a degree, in order to survive as a business, and things sometimes have to be removed in order for that to occur.

What are you guys’ thoughts?

 

[CanobieFan]

just because something is old doesn't always mean its worthwhile.
In Blackpools case with limited land its only a matter of time that things will be replaced or removed as they age out. In my visit back in 2005 I was pretty disappointed to find that both the Whip and Turtle had been removed (or laying in pieces). Worse so when they don't reuse the land... but I get that it might not be financially reasonable to keep them going.

 

[Nicky Borrill]

Evolution... I have VERY happy memories on Nash, I still love it and enjoy it every time, despite it trying to kill me... But I feel rides should be enjoyable for more than just nostalgic enthusiasts, and I can’t see many first time riders coming off with any feelings that can’t be fixed with an aspirin!

 

[SilverArrow]

Talking generally here, not specifically about nash.

Preserve the good old and mix in with the good modern. It's a very case by case thing for each park. One of the key defining aspects of somewhere like Blackpool is the heritage aspect, if you want a modern, themed, theme park, you go to Alton, DLP or Efteling etc. Blackpool doesn't need a full line up of modern rides because that's just not it's thing, nor do they have the budget for constant flashy modern rides anyway. Plenty of parks do the mix well, Kennywood, Blackpool, Tivoli Gardens etc and I think many (both GP and enthusiast) will agree the history adds a valued extra dimension to a visit.

Old doesn't necessary mean good but special things that are unique, rare, still popular and rerideable should, imo be preserved. Same as the concept behind listed buildings. If it's rare, valuable and can still be used for something profitable or productive within a decent budget, it is worth saving.

 

[Nicky Borrill]

Talking generally here, not specifically about nash.

Preserve the good old and mix in with the good modern. It's a very case by case thing for each park. One of the key defining aspects of somewhere like Blackpool is the heritage aspect, if you want a modern, themed, theme park, you go to Alton, DLP or Efteling etc. Blackpool doesn't need a full line up of modern rides because that's just not it's thing, nor do they have the budget for constant flashy modern rides anyway. Plenty of parks do the mix well, Kennywood, Blackpool, Tivoli Gardens etc and I think many (both GP and enthusiast) will agree the history adds a valued extra dimension to a visit.

Old doesn't necessary mean good but special things that are unique, rare, still popular and rerideable should, imo be preserved. Same as the concept behind listed buildings. If it's rare, valuable and can still be used for something profitable or productive within a decent budget, it is worth saving.

It’s a very good point... My comments were very specific to Blackpool, I blame Matt ???

But I think the point I was making is transferable to any ride and park... If a classic is still enjoyable to new riders, why get rid? If it’s not, scrap it.

 

[Gavin]

Rip 'em out.

With a small handful of exceptions, most "heritage" coasters are s**te.

Sent from my Redmi Note 7 using Tapatalk

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

Yah I second the person who said "just because it's old, doesn't mean it's good." It kind of depends what the park's long term goals are, really. For example, I fully expect that Cedar Point would demolish Blue Streak to give way for something bigger, badder, and record-breaking, because their goal is to appease thrill seekers more than anything. However, I'd never imagine that a place like Coney Island would get rid of Cyclone, because they don't have any aspirations to be a thrill-seeker's paradise and it is one of the most iconic coasters in the world, despite being **** (so I've heard, the ****ing thing spited me twice).

The industry will never move forward if we just keep preserving things. Not every park can keep their oldest coaster, because financially the upkeep is not worth it and, especially in situations where land is limited, parks will benefit more from adding something more relevant.

So yeah, basically some things deserved to be saved but it's not feasible or strategic to save every old thing.