Blackpool Pleasure Beach announces big change to iconic ride

Pleasure Beach Resort has announced it is set to revamp one of its popular rides - which will reopen next year under a new identity.

The popular Blackpool theme park and family attraction site will be revamping its beloved Ice Blast ride - which takes riders up 210 feet at a speed of 80mph before plummeting 20 storeys in the space of two seconds.

The free-fall ride, which has been closed for the 2024 season, is currently being reimagined and re-themed by the Lancashire attraction’s engineers and will re-open next year under a new Launch Pad name.

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Taking on a space shuttle launcher theme, the newly-kitted-out ride will also include a new pressure cylinder which aims to elevate the experience and ‘thrust riders with more force than they’ve experienced in recent years’.

It’s not the first time the ride has been revamped, either. Originally opened in 1997 as PlayStation: The Ride!, it was hailed as the first Tower ride of its kind in the country and was officially unveiled by Boyzone. In 2002, the £2m ride was renamed Ice Blast after the Tango drink.

To date, it remains the country's fastest drop tower ride and is also the second tallest in the UK following The Volcano at Lincolnshire's Fantasy Island. Whilst an opening date for The Launch has not been officially unveiled, park bosses said it is expected to be in time for its 2025 season - which will begin on Saturday, March 2.

Amanda Thompson OBE, CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort, said: “Earlier this year we announced that we are focusing on constantly evolving and renewing our ride offering, and confirmed our intention to make some exciting announcements in the future.

“The new era of Launch Pad is only the first, and we’re looking forward to everything the future holds at Pleasure Beach Resort.”

Karl Murphy, director of engineering at Pleasure Beach Resort, added: “A new cylinder might not sound much on paper, but it will make a huge difference in terms of the ride experience.

“Riders can expect to feel their stomachs drop to the floor with the increased force and experience moments of weightlessness. That, coupled with Launch Pad’s re-theming, makes for a very thrilling new era indeed.”

Tickets for Pleasure Beach Resort’s 2025 season are already on sale here - with online advanced prices starting from £32 for adults and £28 for children under 12.