Blackpool Pleasure Beach‘s award-winning dark ride, Valhalla, has reopened to the public – and it’s a Viking feast for the senses.
The unique dark ride and water ride hybrid was officially relaunched on 10 May, following a £4 million investment and a pandemic. Originally opened in 2000, at a cost of £15m, the attraction closed at the end of the 2019 season for refurbishment.
While Valhalla had been open for technical rehearsals for the past few weeks, it was only during the launch event yesterday that its full arsenal of special effects could be experienced in all their glory.
Now guests of the famous UK theme park can expect more than four minutes of action, in an immersive attraction that looks and feels better than ever. Riding in Viking longboats, adventurers are engulfed by fire, water, snow, thunder and lightning. Temperatures experienced on the half-mile voyage to Valhalla range from -20°C to more than 43°C.
“We’re delighted to finally be able to share a glimpse into all our hard work,” said Amanda Thompson OBE, Blackpool Pleasure Beach CEO, at the relaunch. “Those who remember the original ride may recognise some of its best-loved features, but this reimagining of Valhalla offers a totally new immersive experience that will leave riders eager to return.”
An iconic new look for Valhalla
The refurbished loading area and the ride’s new branding – including an iconic ‘V’ symbol – have some unmistakable Thompson touches. However, the project is actually the ‘baby’ of Adam Slevin, the Pleasure Beach’s recently-installed director of creative, design and experience.
At the heart of Valhalla is a water ride system from Intamin, a creator of record-breaking amusement rides. This had had a few tweaks, including the removal of one turntable. Featuring more than one-and-a-half million gallons of water, all contained within the show building, the warning of “you will get wet, you may get soaked” remains. Therefore, and because of the local climate, sales of rain capes (ponchos) are expected to be high.
However, it is the immersive elements that make Valhalla suitable for a new age. A new show control system and sensors have been installed to trigger the many effects. The whole ride had been relit from beginning to end, with some beautiful results. Glenn Robertson of The Notable Stranger, who has also produced music for the park’s ICON launch coaster and Hot Ice shows, composed the attraction’s new soundtrack.
“One of the biggest challenges has been balancing everything,” says Slevin. “The mechanics of the ride are noisy, and it’s housed in a huge building. Some sections are open plan, some are not. Whilst the guests won’t know it, in some scenes you are only inches away from another scene.”
Reimagining Valhalla: the challenges
As well as improving the ride experience, another goal of the refurbishment was to make Valhalla more energy efficient. This, of course, is an important consideration given the rising cost of energy bills. LED lighting has been a great help here, while also giving Slevin and the creative team more flexibility when it comes to colour changes.
“Adam had done an amazing job, and it’s exciting for me that he is now working for us full-time at Pleasure Beach,” Thompson told blooloop. “He’s heading up our whole scenic department and going to reimagine a lot, lot more here. We’ve got some exciting things ahead of us.”
Images: Owen Ralph / Blackpool Pleasure Beach
