Blackpool Pleasure Beach has announced an opening date for its reimagined Ice Blast ride, which debuts as Launch Pad on 7 May.
The 210-foot-tall attraction shoots riders 20 storeys into the sky at top speeds of 80mph. In a press release, Blackpool Pleasure Beach said guests will enjoy “epic moments of weightlessness, a thrusting G-force, and a stomach-dropping descent”.
Amanda Thompson OBE, CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort, said: “After months of hard work we’re thrilled to now be unveiling Launch Pad to the public.
“Our team has poured so much creativity, passion and expertise into this bold reimagining, and I can’t wait for guests to experience it in two weeks’ time.”
As part of the reimagining, Launch Pad has received a new 210-foot pressure cylinder to transform the ride experience, thrusting riders with even more force.
Karl Murphy, director of engineering at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, said: “The higher the pressure, the greater the build-up of kinetic energy.
“By increasing the PSI (pound per square inch) we’ve increased the force, and therefore the acceleration of speed is greater, meaning riders will feel a huge difference and shoot to the sky with more power than ever before.”
New pressure cylinder for Launch Pad
In addition to the new cylinder, the ride has had a complete makeover and now offers a space exploration theme.
The majority of the work has been carried out by Blackpool Pleasure Beach‘s in-house team of mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, painters and artists, a project manager, and the director of engineering.
The installation of the new cylinder was overseen by an engineer from S&S, the ride’s manufacturer.
Launch Pad opened in 1997 as the UK’s first tower ride. It was originally named PlayStation: The Ride as it was sponsored by Sony. The ride became Ice Blast in 2000 when it was sponsored by Tango.
It has been closed since the end of the 2023 season for the Launch Pad project.
Also coming to Pleasure Beach is a new £8.72 million Gyro Swing by Intamin, a creator of record-breaking amusement rides.
Set to be the UK’s largest swinging pendulum ride, the ride opens in 2026.
Images courtesy of Pleasure Beach Resort
