Monday 2 September 2013

Blackpool Pleasure Beach - a fab day out!

There's been so much going on these summer holidays that I can't fit it all into one post, but I really do have to mention our fab day out at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
It was towards the end of the holidays when I had to take my two girls up to Blackpool and leave them with my lovely parents so I could come back down and go to work. I also worked like crazy decorating both the girls' bedrooms in the afternoons and evenings of that week, and here's a little preview of the finished masterpieces:
It was no hardship for the girls being away from home though. They were staying up in sunny St.Annes-on-sea, my hometown, with their fab Nana and Bampi. Beaches, bouncy trampolines, playgrounds, rides, tickles, cuddles, the Pier and 2p slot machines, what's not to like?
They had a whale of a time, especially when they met up with my lovely Uncle and Auntie, my fab cousin Clare and her gorgeous children. Apparently the children all got on like a house on fire (another funny expression which I've not tried explaining to Sasha yet!!):
I was very happy to be able to go back up with Mr C and spend the Bank Holiday weekend with my parents. They are no longer in the house I grew up in sadly, but instead in a fab place with a view. You can see it in the back of this pic, but I'm not telling which one it is!
We had already decided that we would all spend the day at Blackpool Pleasure Beach on the Saturday. I managed to get a great discount code for the unlimited ride wristbands, but to be honest I think even at £25 each they would have been well worth it (now £20 for month of September!). There was so much to do, and despite it being Bank Holiday weekend, it didn't get busy until mid-afternoon so we hardly had to queue for rides at all. Tamsin, Mr C and I were actually the very first people on the Avalanche ride, and we got to sit in the very front carriage!

I'd also emailed in advance to ask about the Disability wristband for Sasha. I've written about this before in my post about Paultons Park - this type of disabled access enables us to actually enjoy a family day out, as Sasha still struggles to understand the need for queueing, so generally she wouldn't hang around for anything. My parents came with us too, which, apart from the fact that it was a lovely day out to share with them, was also very much appreciated as they stayed with Sasha some times whilst Chris and I enjoyed a ride or three with Tamsin. 

When we arrived, the Pleasure Beach staff were extremely friendly and helpful and it was a great start to the day. We headed straight for the big rides, hoping to get on them before the queues were too big, but we were a bit puzzled to find that despite the park itself opening at 10am, quite a lot of rides didn't open until 10.30 or 11am - some even 12.00! That really was our only 'quibble' with the day though - everything else was fab and went very smoothly. We headed into the Chinese puzzle garden first for a laugh - one of the attractions free to every visitor, even if you've only paid the entry fee and not for the ride wristbands. Another ride with access to all is the Pleasure Beach Express, which is a lovely train ride through and around the park, with sights such as dinosaurs to see on the way.
 
Sasha was extra keen to go on the Dora ride I had mentioned so we headed over to Nickelodeon Land and went on several rides there while we waited for Dora to open - Diego's Hot Air Balloons, Fairy Taxis and the Pirate boats were all done more than once in the course of the day, testing mummy's round-and-round staying power! The Dora ride was a huge hit and I loved the wide grin on Sasha's face showing how much she was enjoying it. Sasha also had a go at driving the Grand Prix cars which she definitely loved as she was in control...  
Towards the end of the day I was delighted when both girls agreed to go on a ride together, without mummy for a change. It was very sweet watching them go round together!


The highlight of our day though had to be when Tamsin rode the Big One with Daddy. Last year I took Tamsin alone to the Pleasure Beach as I didn't think Sasha was ready for it, and we did do quite a few rides, but then she wasn't quite tall enough for the biggest 'Thrill Rides'. This visit, as she has grown enough, we nearly finished them all off (only the Revolution to do, next time). Here's my fave pics of the day (she was in row 7, the front of the 3rd carriage in this pic though you can't see her for the adults behind!).



Big One Blackpool Pleasure Beach
She also did Infusion, with me and Dad (the fab legs-swinging-under-as-you-do-multiple-loop-the-loops ride), the Ice Blast, River Caves, Grand National and Big Dipper. The three of us also enjoyed the new Wallace and Gromit ride - truly riveting, as advertised! I'm so glad Tamsin is so brave and enjoys the thrill of the exhilarating rides, and I'm just hoping in a couple of years Sasha will have had chance to get used to the idea of them... Disney World here we come!!



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