Opening date announced for new £8.72m mega ride at Blackpool's Pleasure Beach Resort
The opening date of Pleasure Beach Resort’s monster new ride has been revealed.
Thrillseekers can finally get on the £8.72m Aviktas ride on May 21, it was announced at a season launch event this morning.
What will it be like?
The gyro swing ride is the UK's tallest ride of its kind, reaching 138ft at full swing, arching 120 degrees with 40 seats. The ride features outward-facing seats, giving riders an intense flying sensation over the coastline.
Pleasure Beach Resort is now calling on visitors, residents and businesses to get behind the travel and tourism sector as they mark blackpool-pleasure-beach-resort-opens-for-130th-season-with-half-price-tickets-and-new-thrills-this-march-5623706" title="Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort opens for 130th season with half-price tickets and new thrills this March">130 years at the heart of Blackpool’s biggest industry.
James Cox, director of marketing, sales and PR at Pleasure Beach, said: “If ever there has been a time to support local businesses and the tourism sector, it’s now.”
He added: “Being in business for 130 years does not happen by chance,” he said. “It takes hard work, overcoming challenges, and always looking ahead. That's our promise to this town and to this sector as we enter our 130th season.”
New tickets and improvements
And there are more major updates and additions for the 2026 season. The season launch event introduced a range of new initiatives designed to improve the visitor experience and provide greater flexibility and value at Pleasure Beach.
Free tickets for under 2’s
For the first time, the park will introduce a free eTicket for under twos. Previously, children under two could enter the park for free but needed to buy an eTicket if they wanted to ride. Now, they’ll have free access to suitable rides.
Annual pass
Another major change is the introduction of a new Annual Pass, replacing the existing Season Pass. This means better value for visitors as it offers a full year of entry to the park regardless of when it is purchased, whereas previously Season Passes were only valid until the end of that particular season.
Half price return
Next, Pleasure Beach is encouraging repeat visits by automatically rewarding guests with a half price return, which can be used to re-visit at any point during the season. Guests will receive a unique code in their post-visit email.
Flex Pass
Also new for 2026 is the Flex Pass, offering a more personalised experience. Guests can buy a cheaper Flex Pass without committing to rides upfront, and will have the option to purchase individual ride tickets on the day via the app. Prices will be announced shortly.
2-for-1 tickets
The popular “2 for £60” afternoon ticket will return, giving visitors more flexibility to enjoy everything Blackpool has to offer and get 2-for-1 tickets later on. It means visitors can spend the morning exploring the town before enjoying the last four hours of the park at a lower cost.
And to further enhance value, guests who download the Pleasure Beach app will receive exclusive daily offers while on the park, including discounts across events, retail and food outlets.
Cox added: “With value for money more important than ever before when people are planning their days out, we’re committed to making sure every visit feels worthwhile.”
Entertainment takes centre stage
While some attractions across the industry are scaling back entertainment, Pleasure Beach is doing the opposite and is doubling down on its live offering.
A brand-new matinee ice show, “Alice: Frozen in a Wonderland of Dreams,” will debut in the Pleasure Beach Arena in July.
The 45-minute production blends the classic tale of Alice in Wonderland with world-class ice skating and stunning visual effects, and is free for anyone who has a Pleasure Beach eTicket. Conversely, anyone with a show ticket will get a free Flex Pass to Pleasure Beach Resort.
90 years of Hot Ice
2026 also marks a historic milestone for Pleasure Beach’s iconic ice show, as Hot Ice celebrates its 90th anniversary. A special 90th year production, Hot Ice XC, will debut on Thursday 9th July and run until the beginning of September.
Music events
Finally, Pleasure Beach is launching a brand-new programme of music-led events and dubbing 2026 the “Year of Festivals.” Five brand new themed events will be taking place on the park across the season, all included for free with any eTicket.
The first of these, “Turn It Up Festival,” will run on the park from 9th-12th April, featuring “performances” from KPop Demon Hunters, Sabrina Carpenter, Harry Styles and Taylor Swift.
More reasons to visit
With new attractions, enhanced ticketing options, expanded entertainment and a renewed focus on value and flexibility, Pleasure Beach Resort says that 2026 offers more reasons than ever to visit.
James Cox concluded: “Rides alone aren’t always enough – there has to be added value. And this year, we’re confident we’re delivering more than ever before.”
Tickets
Pleasure Beach Resort is now open for the season. Tickets start at £30 and can be booked online for the best value at www.pleasurebeachresort.com
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