Pleasure Island Family Theme Park

Pleasure Island Family Theme Park

File:Pleasure island logo.jpg The logo for the 2008 season
Location	Cleethorpes, England
Coordinates	53°32′36.26″N 0°00′29.48″W
Opened	27 May 1993
Owner	DewarSavile Enterprises Limited (Melanie Wood)
General manager	Neil Ireland
Slogan	Previous: "Discover the Magic" "Don't you wish you were here?" Current: "Discover yourself in a world of adventure"
Operating season	April to September
Attractions
Total	47 attractions
Roller coasters	3
Water rides	2
Website	www.pleasure-island.co.uk
Previously owned by Flamingo Land Ltd

Pleasure Island Family Theme Park is an amusement park in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England. It is commonly known simply as Pleasure Island. The park opened on 27 May 1993 and was originally a subsidiary of Flamingo Land Ltd. Pleasure Island became independent of Flamingo Lang in May 2010 and is now owned and operated by DewarSavile Enterprises Ltd.

History

Pleasure Island Family Theme Park stands on the site of the former Cleethorpes Zoo. Owned and operated by Associated Pleasure Parks, the zoo had such attractions as Seals, Penguins, Racoons, Pelicans, Chimpanzees, a Whale, African Elephant, Tiger and an Orangutan. The zoo subsequently closed in 1977. The site was sold to Pleasureworld, a division of RKF Entertainment, who announced that a new theme park would be built, as a sister park to the Pleasurewood Hills park near Lowestoft and bearing the same name. Construction began on the new theme park in the 1980s.

RKF Entertainment went into receivership during the early 1990s and construction of the park was halted. The site was sold to Robert Gibb, the Managing Director of Flamingo Land in Malton, North Yorkshire. When the opportunity to purchase the Cleethorpes site became available, Gibb decided to continue with the redevelopment of the site as a theme park, which became today's Pleasure Island. Construction of the park was completed by Gibb in 1992 and Pleasure Island Family Theme Park was opened on May 27, 1993. Robert Gibb's son, Gordon Gibb, later became the Chief Executive of the company and directly runs Flamingo Land, while his sister Vicky Gibb, and subsequently other sister Melanie Wood (formerly Gibb), took the responsibility for the management of Pleasure Island.

In 2010, Melanie Wood, completed her desire to take ownership of the park, separate from the family company. Pleasure Island is now operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Mrs Wood. This marked the end of Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land's association and the two parks are now independent of each other.

Closure

It was as a result of the most recent ownership transfer that on 14 April 2010, the Grimsby Telegraph website broke news that the park had closed. Staff had turned up for work and were given letters informing them of termination to their employment. Visitors were turned away at the gate.[1] Later stories suggested that the closure was caused by a breakdown in negotiations about the park's ownership. Previously a sister park of Flamingo Land, negotiations were taking place to separate the two parks, with current managing director of Pleasure Island Melanie Wood taking control of the park.

The speculation about the park's future caused a great deal of concern amongst local businesses, staff and visitors, that the attraction was to close permanently.

Reopening

Pleasure Island Family Theme Park reopened under its new ownership on the 1st May 2010 at 10:30am. The McCormacks Family Bar Reopened 30 April at 7pm.

New for 2010

The park introduces a new ride this year, named "Shrieksville", a ghost train which takes the place of the former jungle ride where riders were taken on a track through a jungle theme. The track has still been there since it closed, and managing director Melanie Wood decided to make use of it and turn it into a ghost train. Even though the park opens 1 April this year, Shrieksville is expected to open April 9. The ride has an age restriction of 7 years or over. It will be located in the Africa area of the park. Other new attractions include an outdoor skating rink (location in park unknown), and a brand new family show starring Professor Tinkaboo.

Areas

The theme park is split into 6 areas:

• Africa, themed around Africa.
• Kiddies Kingdom, a rather mixed area, home to the rides for especially young children.
• Morocco, themed around the country of Morocco.
• Old England, themed around England in the past (possibly Tudor times), this area contains the park entrance.
• Spain, themed around Spain.
• White Knuckle Valley, home to the white knuckle rides such as The Boomerang, a Vekoma Boomerang rollercoaster.

Height restrictions

Pendulus

The minimum heights are colour coded as follows:

• Red, 1.4m.
• Purple, 1.3m.
• Blue, 1.2m.
• Green, 1.2m unless accompanied by an adult.
• Yellow, 1.1m unless accompanied by an adult.
• Pink, children only.
• White, no restriction.

Rides

Current rides

Ride name	Height Restriction	Zone	Type	Description
Alakazam	Purple	Morocco	HUSS Flyaway	A variation of the HUSS Enterprise ride, riders lie face down in a harness and are spun through 360 degrees. This ride is the only Huss Flyaway in the UK and can now spin backwards 360 degrees.
Astra Slide	White	White Knuckle Valley	Slide	A traditional fair-ground slide with riders sitting in a sack to protect clothing and increase speed down the slide.
The Boomerang	Purple	White Knuckle Valley	Vekoma Boomerang	A rough Vekoma Boomerang incorporating a vertical loop and a cobra roll. It drops riders through inversions twice, both forward and backward. It produces a maximum g force of 5.2g, higher than any other roller coaster design operating in the UK.
Carousel	White	Kiddies Kingdom	Carousel	A traditional fair-ground Carousel ride
Century 2000	Green	Africa	-	A flying car ride, themed around spaceships. It was originally situated in Kiddie's Kingdom before being moved next to the Hydromax.
Clown Slide	Pink	Kiddie's Kingdom	Slide	A clown-themed slide.
Cycle Monorail	Red	Spain	Cycle Monorail	A monorail powered by the pedalling of the riders and a set of bicycle-like pedals.
Dodgems	Red	Morocco	Dodgems	-
Electric Monorail	Green	Kiddie's Kingdom / White Knuckle Valley	Monorail	An electrically powered monorail which takes riders over Kiddie's Kingdom and parts of White Knuckle Valley.
Shrieksville	Over 7's	Africa	Ghost train	A new ghost train-style ride, with six themed areas, including a Graveyard and a Quarry.
Falls of Fear	Yellow	Africa	Water Slide	A water slide set inside dark tubes where the riders slide down in rubber boats.
Flying Chairs	Yellow	Old England	Chairoplane	A traditional Chairoplane ride. It is also the first ride seen in the park.
Frog Hopper	Pink	Africa	-	A smaller version of the Hyper Blaster with a frog theme, specifically for children.
Galleon	Blue	Morocco	Pirate Ship (ride)	A swinging pirate ship. Previously, the Galleon did a 360-degree turn, but has since been changed to swing at an almost 90-degree curve.
Go-Gator	Pink	Africa	Roller Coaster	A very small children's roller coaster with a cartoon alligator theme.
Go-Karts	Red	Kiddies Kingdom	Go-Kart	Two riders get into one of two cars and race around a track.
Gravitron	Blue	Morocco	Gravitron	A spinning spaceship-themed ride that uses centrifugal force to hold riders against the walls. It was originally situated at Alton Towers under the same name.
Hydromax	Purple	Morocco	Booster	A ride with a turning set of seats on each end of a long spinning arm. This ride was designed by two youngsters, Jonathan Smith from Chesterfield and a young girl from Worksop, and was also featured on ITV Yorkshire's Calendar. Not only that, but it is probably the most popular ride in the park for thrill seekers.
Hyper Blaster	Red	Morocco	S&S Double Shot tower	An S&S 90 ft Double Shot tower attraction which launches riders 90 feet into the air.
Major Orbit	Pink	Africa	-	-
Mini Mine Train	Yellow	Africa	Vekoma Roller Coaster	A Vekoma roller-skater coaster themed on an African mine.
Obliterator	Red	White Knuckle Valley	Evolution Ride	Similar to the Pendulus but the seats turn on a horizontal axis in addition to the turning and swinging movements which forces the ride to go upside down straight-away. The ride opened at the beginning of the 2008 peak season after being moved from Flamingo Land.
Para Tower	Green	Africa	-	A vertical tower ride in which the riders stand in a metal basket which is then winched up into the air, and then dropped after a delay.
Paratrooper	Yellow	Africa	Paratrooper	A suspended spinning and rising ride.
Pendulus	Red	White Knuckle Valley	Frisbee Ride	A very fat spinning large swinging gondola attraction built by Huss Rides, themed around the swinging pendulum of a clock with numbers 1–12 printed on the bottom of the gondola, the only HUSS Frisbee ride in the UK
Pony Rodeo	Pink	Africa	-	A simple tracked ride themed on horse riding.
Razzle Dazzle	Green	White Knuckle Valley	-	-
Lake Boats	Green	Morroco	Pedal Boat	Pedal boats. These are ridden around the lake in the centre of the park.
Terror Rack	Red	White Knuckle Valley	Top Spin	A Fabbri Top Spin double-sided ride with no water fountains but suspends riders upside down much more than the normal HUSS Top spins and lasts longer upside down.
Tommy Tinkaboo's 'Sweet Adventure' Water Ride	White	Spain	Lazy River	An indoor water adventure-themed around a sweet factory, featuring the park's mascot, Tommy Tinkaboo. Revamped by Rex Studios.
Whirly Twirl	Yellow	Africa	Waltzer	A Waltzer style ride, where riders sit in 'shells' that spin around.

The Boomerang

Hydro Max

Former Rides

• Condor. Stood on the site of Kiddies Cove, before being sold at auction.
• 1001 Nights, replaced by The Galleon.
• Dream Boat, Stood where the Hydro Max is now.
• Big Splash, A unique water ride replaced by The Falls of Fear.
• Crazy Loop, A Pinfari Double-Looping Roller Coaster that also previously operated at Flamingo Land under the same name. It is now located in Brean Leisure Park as "Shockwave".
• 4 Man Bob, A small Schwarzkopf Bobsleigh Roller Coaster which was replaced by Crazy Loop.

Shows

• Masai Warriors Show, introduced during ownership by Flamingo Land as a copy of their highly successful Bongo Warriors Show (Africa)
• Parrot Show, parrots performing tricks. (Spain)
• Sea Lion Show, sea lions performing tricks. (Morocco)
• Tommy Tinkaboo Musical Extravaganza. (Morocco)
• The Basil Brush Laughter Show. (Africa)
• High School Summer (Set As The Movie 'High School Musical 1 + 2)

Restaurants and eateries

• Food Court. (Spain)
• McCormack's Family Bar, a family themed restaurant and bar, selling Traditional British Pub meals. (Old England)
• Lakeside, selling Chilled Drinks, and Hot and Cold Snacks.
• Tommy's Kiosk and Cafe, selling Chilled Drinks, and Hot and Cold Snacks.
• Fatimas Fish & Chips, a Fish and Chip shop.
• Sinbads Ice Cream Parlour, an Ice Cream shop, selling Ice Creams, Lollies, and chilled Drinks.
• Carousel, a Snack Bar located in the Carousel building.
• Falls of Fear

Shops

• Tinkaboo Sweet Shop, a sweet shop at the exit of Tommy Tinkaboo's Sweet Adventure. (Spain)
• Gift Shop. (Old England)
• Shrieksville Shop Of Horrors (Africa)

Others

• Ali Baba's Arcade. (Morocco)
• Kiddies' Cove. A play area for young Children

External links

• Pleasure Island at Theme Park Junkies
• Pleasure Island at ARDcoasters.com
• Pleasure Island Official website