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BITSoftheBEACH: Ice Blast


 

Opened in 1997 and manufactured by S & S of USA, statistics for this ride vary according to the source. Speeds of 70mph have been mentioned and a height of 210 feet has been quoted. Formerly "Playstation - The Ride", Ice Blast (costing £2 million) stands on an area once occupied by the Monster and more recently by the Egg Scrambler.
 
2002 has seen a change of seating formation with two sides of 4 seats and two sides of 2 seats now in operation. There were four sides of 3 seats pre 2002...and the reason for this? Most probably statistical. The ride is easier to fill up as most people ride in twos leaving no empty third seat.
 
The queues have no doubt been helped this year (2003) by the new seat formation but they still tend to be long and the area around the ride tends to be crowded with people who stop to watch, but who can blame them? Watching the riders' faces as the Ice Blast takes off is half the fun!
 
PRESS RELEASE:
 
"Ice Blast-The Ride. 20 storeys high - 2 seconds down! Ice Blast-The Ride, formerly known as PlayStation-The Ride, catapults riders vertically up a 210 foot tower at 80mph, and thrusts them back down again for an incredible free-fall descent. 12 seated riders are launched skywards for a “Vertical Reality” air-powered experience of a lifetime. Positive G forces reaching 4.5 on the way up followed by weightlessness induced by 1 negative G give riders a rush comparable to ejecting from a fighter plane and falling to earth!
 
The Civil Aviation Authority has given clearance for the 210 foot structure which features 2 aircraft warning beacons, just like its taller sister, the 235 foot Pepsi Max Big One, the tallest rollercoaster in the world.
 
The thrilling high-impact addition to the Blackpool skyline means the resort now boasts 3 major landmarks; Blackpool Tower (1894), the Pepsi Max Big One (1994), and Ice Blast-The Ride (1997) are spectacularly visible from the M55 motorway.
 
A similar ride has swept America with white-knuckle fever as it is situated on top of the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas. Riders and park owners alike are celebrating the ride for its air-cushioned smoothness, exhilarating thrill factor and surprisingly minimalistic design.
 
Blackpool Pleasure Beach Managing Director, Geoffrey Thompson, said, “This new ride will blow you away as you blast upwards at 80mph, and is a brand new concept in amusement park technology."
 
ALL DAY WRISTBAND ACCEPTED
 
SEPARATE 2004 TICKET PRICE: 4

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