Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Thu Feb 22, 2018 2:02 am

I've seen somewhere it will have rockwork (similar to Helix/blue fire?) , and things to fit the Chinese theme, as on the posters. I'm pretty sure someone said something about pagodas as well which could be pretty cool if true.

Thu Feb 22, 2018 1:14 pm

Ryan.B wrote:I've seen somewhere it will have rockwork (similar to Helix/blue fire?) , and things to fit the Chinese theme, as on the posters. I'm pretty sure someone said something about pagodas as well which could be pretty cool if true.

The theme is Japanese not Chinese so don't expect any Pagodas but expect fountains and rockwork to be around the ride. I my opinion, It doesn't need theming it already looks like artwork!

Thu Feb 22, 2018 1:32 pm

Amanda has been stated to say that Icon will be themed around a Zen garden, which I'll remind you, is a feature very common to Japan.

And Bert, pagodas aren't just in China. The architecture is seen across the majority of Eastern Asia so I wouldn't be so quick to put them down on that one.

Thu Feb 22, 2018 2:40 pm

Capt. Barnacles wrote:And Bert, pagodas aren't just in China. The architecture is seen across the majority of Eastern Asia so I wouldn't be so quick to put them down on that one.

Whoops! I don't know a lot about architecture so I just assumed that they are Chinese (because of the one at Towers is Chinese).

Thu Feb 22, 2018 4:51 pm

In an ideal world, the train launching out of a big pagoda would be pretty cool. I wouldn't be surprised if there's part of the Zen garden people can go into, or if it'll just be the queue and viewing platform. Inversions do make these coasters better, but this layout looks like it will offer a surprising amount of airtime, depending on pacing.

Fri Mar 02, 2018 9:20 am

a pagoda is a temple or sacred building

Fri Mar 02, 2018 7:57 pm

Amanda Thompson has supposedly confirmed that ICON will open on May 7th!

Fri Mar 02, 2018 8:19 pm

Owen wrote:Amanda Thompson has supposedly confirmed that ICON will open on May 7th!

She said that "hopefully" it should be open "by May bank holiday"-of which there are two, one at the beginning and one at the end of the month. It's still pretty vague and could still end up opening anytime from mid April according to the admissions staff

Fri Mar 02, 2018 8:35 pm

Hence the word supposedly. It was also said to be the first - which is the 7th.

Fri Mar 02, 2018 9:16 pm

^In my defence, you did say that she had confirmed that it would open on the 7th, when she hadn't......

Anyway, I don't like getting picky :P all jokes , roll on Icon!

Sat Mar 03, 2018 1:33 am

Blackpool has a tendency to soft open rides for a few hours at a time. SkyForce was having people on 1 or 2 weeks before officially opening I believe and I'm sure there was a few more. If this is the case again, I think we'll have soft openings last week of April/start of May, and an opening on the 7th when people can actually go. This is literally just a guess though. I am quite nervous about the reception it will get though because the general public view is negative from what I've seen and heard - that should change when people ride it however.

Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:45 am

Ryan.B wrote: negative from what I've seen and heard

There are a few negative GP social media posts saying "it needs more looooops" or something to that extent :P , but the majority I've seen have been positive. It's creating quite a lot of excitement on park as well

Sat Mar 03, 2018 1:26 pm

I see masses of them on Facebook, one was 'it doesn't turn enough' :/ left me confused a while but people are complaining about the 50mph speed. God knows what they'll think when the realise it has lap bars though. Have we got any looping coasters with them over here?

Mon Mar 05, 2018 11:58 am

Ryan.B wrote:I see masses of them on Facebook, one was 'it doesn't turn enough' :/ left me confused a while but people are complaining about the 50mph speed. God knows what they'll think when the realise it has lap bars though. Have we got any looping coasters with them over here?

G-Force at drayton manor has a lap bar of sorts

Wed Mar 07, 2018 12:20 am

Not sure how I forgot that :lol Mack trains are probably the comfiest I've sat on though. Not too sure on the art on this one though..

Fri Mar 09, 2018 9:08 pm

Another train for Icon is on its way from the Mack Rides factory!

Safe travels! It’s the last time those cars are leaving us and the next time they definitely will be much faster on the track of ICON at Blackpool Pleasure Beach!

Tue Mar 13, 2018 1:08 pm

So it seems quite a bit has happened in the past few days up in Blackpool.

Yesterday, Theme Park Worldwide shared this video on their Facebook page confirming that Icon has begun testing. The short video clip shows the train making it part of the way up the air time hill before rolling back, which is normal during the initial testing phase of a Mack Megacoaster, due to the launch system and magnetic brakes being tested first. A screenshot of the video is below:

Also, what appears to be the launch audio for Icon has appeared on the iTunes store. The 17-second clip is available to buy for 99p, and I really like it. I haven’t bought it but I think it will really help build suspense before the train launches.

EDIT AT 15:27:

Amanda Thompson has just tweeted a video confirming that Icon has completed its first successful circuit.

#icon has had its first run round the track and it looks truly stunning.

Tue Mar 13, 2018 10:00 pm

Looking good. I listened to the ICON soundtrack on YouTube. Not sure what to make of it on the first listen, but I am sure it will grow on me.

Wed Mar 21, 2018 2:46 pm

Theme Park Worldwide has a video from BPPB up:

[youtube]W6uTbc7_HDM[/youtube]

Fri Mar 23, 2018 7:20 pm

I have so much more hype for Icon than Wicker Man. Regardless of theme, it's still a Mack Megacoaster vs a GCI woody, and there just isn't really much of a comparison for me.

That being said, how great is it to have 2 big coaster projects in the UK in the same year?