3 June 2026
As we gear up for what is expected to be a hot summer, we take a visit to Pleasure Beach over in Blackpool to enjoy all the classic rides, attractions, shows, and of course, the brand-new addition for 2026! Pleasure Beach has a rich history, with legendary rides such as the Big Dipper, which opened in 1923, and the Grand National, which opened in 1934. Welcoming guests for over a century and providing thrills for generations, this family-run seaside amusement park aims to keep delivering modern updates while deeply respecting its past. With recent additions like Icon in 2018 leading all the way through to 2026, we now see the launch of Aviktas, the tallest ride of its kind in the UK!
Pleasure Beach runs from March to November for its main season, with standard opening times from 10am through to 5pm on most dates, alongside some later nights up until 10pm. Ticket prices for 2026 vary depending on whether guests are aged 12 and over or under 12. Online tickets start from £35+, while gate prices hit £50. Like all parks across the UK, booking for off-peak dates online and in advance will save you the most money. Don’t forget that you can also use Tesco Clubcard points to save even more on your visit.
In this review, we focus on Aviktas, the brand-new attraction, as we head down for its launch day thanks to the Pleasure Beach team. We also get to take a look at the rest of the park and what they have to offer to keep you visiting throughout the season.
So, talking about Aviktas, the ride was teased back in March 2025 when Pleasure Beach announced it would be coming to the park. It was constructed throughout the end of 2025 season and more across the closed, winter season, with the park investing a whopping £8.72 million to add to their already impressive ride lineup. This giant circular gondola features 40 outward-facing seats and a 2+ minute ride cycle, pulling strong G-forces and offering sensational, never-before-seen views across the park. With a staggering height of 138 feet and swinging out to a maximum 120-degree arc, it is hard to miss the mighty Aviktas from anywhere in the park.
Attending on launch day, we were among some of the first riders to get the opportunity to check it out. After a short opening ceremony speech and getting to see the ride test, we jumped in the queue for our first ride. It was thoroughly enjoyable; we loved that it had the perfect ride duration and delivered such massive swings. With only a few similar ride types across Europe, it is exciting to finally see one of this scale in the UK.
The area it has taken over is in the plaza, featuring a massive golden snake emblem at the center that ties the whole space together. With a similar premium feel to Icon, this area now feels a lot more luxurious and stylish, which beautifully showcases the contrast between the old and the new at Pleasure Beach.
Outside of Aviktas, it was really fun to get to see the rest of the park on what would usually be an off-peak day. Whilst we usually attend on a Saturday or during busier event times, our visit fell on a Thursday, meaning the other rides had minimal queues while the park still maintained a great atmosphere. We managed to get on Icon, Avalanche, and even the Big One with just 5-minute waits. The park seemed clean, we had no issues at all, and everything went incredibly smoothly after we left the event area.
It is worth noting that not all rides were open during our visit; the Grand National was closed with Valhalla, along with Nickelodeon Land closing an hour before the park’s official closing time (which is standard practice for the park but worth noting for your visit). Because of this, it’s always best to check attraction availability via the website and socials prior to attending.
When we checked back on Aviktas as it opened to the general public in the afternoon, it maintained a steady and nearly full queue for the rest of the day. There was a great gathering of enthusiasts and park management around, all happy to chat with guests as everyone got their chance to check out the new ride.
As our day came to an end, we reflected on how much we really enjoyed our visit, the time went by super quickly! It was fantastic for the park to put on a media event and build up so much hype around this attraction after investing so much money into the ride. It has already gained a lot of positive reviews from guests and fans alike, and it will hopefully give Pleasure Beach a highly successful summer, regardless of what the UK weather brings.
A huge thank you to the team at Pleasure Beach for inviting us along to the opening. They provided us with two complimentary day passes alongside the opportunity to be among the very first riders. This was in return for us covering the launch and providing social media content, but as always, this review is based entirely on our own honest opinions and thoughts from the day.
With Twilight Thrills and plenty of other events coming up on the park’s calendar, it will be incredible to get a ride on Aviktas in the dark in the near future, maybe even for Halloween! Until our next visit…
@thrillnation Are you heading to @pleasure_beach to ride AVIKTAS? 🐍 #aviktas #new #pleasurebeach #blackpool #tallestride ♬ Aviktas (The Original Soundtrack) - Blackpool Pleasure Beach & Glenn Robertson
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