No, the classic wooden Wild Mouse ride is no longer at Blackpool Pleasure Beach; it was permanently closed and dismantled during the 2017-2018 winter, much to the surprise and sadness of many fans, despite being listed as "closed for maintenance" on the park's website even after its removal. The ride operated from 1958 until its sudden demolition, making way for future developments at the park.
What happened to the Wild Mouse at Blackpool Pleasure Beach?
After nearly six decades in operation, the Wild Mouse was unceremoniously torn down over the 2017–18 closed season with no prior announcement made. The ride was still cited as being "closed for maintenance" on the park's official website, even after it had been completely removed.
With it costing so much to maintain, the park was left to make the decision to close it, as keeping it open just was not financially viable. We consider ourselves luck to have ridden this coaster so many times, and have so many wonderful memories riding it. What are your memories of riding the wild mouse?
What rides are closing in Blackpool Pleasure Beach 2025?
For the 2025 season, Blackpool Pleasure Beach closed five less popular rides to reinvest: Eddie Stobart Convoy, Alpine Rallye, Thompson Carousel, Gallopers, and Red Arrows Skyforce. Additionally, some major rides like the Grand National and River Caves faced delays or were temporarily unavailable due to essential maintenance or re-imagining, with specific reopening dates often shifting.
The History Of The Wild Mouse at Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Which rides are closing in Blackpool?
In a similar way, this year we've made the decision to close some of our smaller, less popular rides during the 2025 season: Eddie Stobart Convoy, Alpine Rallye, Thompson Carousel, Gallopers and Red Arrows Skyforce.
What is the most expensive ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach?
Opened on 14 June 2000 at a cost of £15 million, it is one of the longest indoor dark rides in the world, with a ride time of over four minutes. Valhalla features three drops and uses special effects which simulate fire, water, and snow. It was manufactured by Intamin. 12 boats.
The oldest surviving ride is Sir Hiram Maxim's Captive Flying Machines, which have been operating at the park since 1904. Other classics include wooden rollercoasters like Big Dipper (1923) and Rollercoaster (1933), now renamed Nickelodeon Streak. Grand National, a racing woodie, opened in 1935.
Why are so many rides closed at Blackpool Pleasure Beach?
However, the park has reported this is coming off the back of a financial loss, citing the cost-of-living crisis and weather events as the reason. In the park's latest financial accounts, covering a year up to 24 March 2024, there was a loss before tax of £2.7m.
Donkey rides are a traditional feature of seaside resorts in the United Kingdom. Children are allowed to ride donkeys on a sandy beach for a fee in summer months while on holiday, normally led in groups at walking pace.
Universal Orlando's Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit permanently closed on August 18, 2025. The reason for the closure is to make way for a new attraction, though details are scarce. The ride, which opened in 2009, featured customizable music selections and reached speeds of 65 mph.
The scariest UK theme park rides often include Thorpe Park's intense coasters like Stealth (speed), The Swarm, and Saw – The Ride (horror-themed). Alton Towers offers The Smiler (inversions) and Nemesis, while Blackpool Pleasure Beach's The Big One is the UK's tallest coaster, providing intense airtime. Other scary contenders feature unique thrills, such as Mumbo Jumbo's beyond-vertical drop or the disorienting Derren Brown's Ghost Train.
Tyre Sampson weighed 43kg (94lbs) more than the ride's 129kg limit, when he plunged 30m (98ft) from the ride, which had no seat belts. His family's lawyers argued his death was a result of safety failures and negligence by the ride operators and maker.
Decline. Like many other UK coastal resorts Blackpool suffered a decline in tourist numbers. This was due to: foreign travel to the Mediterranean growing in popularity in the 1960s and 1970s due to its more reliable hot weather and sandy beaches.
In new accounts for its latest financial year ended 24 March 2024, Pleasure Beach has posted a turnover of £37.2 million, the same as the prior year, and a loss of almost £1.7m. "The continuing cost of living crisis has made customers hesitant.
What is the oldest still operating roller coaster?
Leap-The-Dips is one of the few coasters to survive from the era and is considered the oldest operating roller coaster in the world. The roller coaster endured rough times near the turn of the century.
The Christmas Eve storm of 1997 destroyed the landing jetty, including the helipad. The North Pier is one of the few remaining examples of Birch's classic pier architecture and is a Grade II Listed building, the only Blackpool pier to hold that status.
The stream ran through peatlands that discoloured the water, so the name for the area became "Black Poole". In the 15th century, the area was just called Pul and a 1532 map calls the area "the pole howsys alias the north howsys".
Lightning Rod will close for the season on October 30 and reopen in spring 2024. Dollywood will replace its existing launch system with a high-speed chain lift. Once the ride crests the lift hill, the ride experience (including a top speed of 73 mph!) will remain the same.
What happened to the laughing clown at Blackpool Pleasure Beach?
Even the famous Fun House model clown that greeted visitors was destroyed, with only its strangely laughing head surviving the blaze. Local resident Margaret Roberts, who watched the timber and fibreglass-covered building go up in flames, said, "It was just like a fireball.
