Pleasure Beach Resort in Blackpool is preparing to open Aviktas, an £8.72m gyro swing set to become the largest attraction of its type in the UK.
The ride is scheduled to launch on 21 May, with the first 40 guests due to experience the new installation. Standing 138ft high and reaching angles of up to 120 degrees, Aviktas will significantly exceed the height of other UK spinning pendulum rides, including Maelstrom at Drayton Manor.
A Major Ride Investment For Blackpool
The new attraction has been positioned as one of Pleasure Beach Resort’s most significant recent ride investments. Located close to The Big One and Infusion, Aviktas adds another high-impact structure to the resort’s skyline and strengthens the visual identity of the park’s ride portfolio.
The project occupies the former Bowladrome site, which had been part of the resort since the 1960s before its demolition in March 2025. Construction milestones included the installation of four 16-tonne legs in November, followed by test swings earlier this year.
For the wider attractions sector, the project illustrates how operators are using large-scale ride investment to renew legacy sites, refresh capacity, and support destination marketing.
Experience Design And Operational Positioning
Aviktas has been designed to create a sensation of weightlessness at the top of its arc, supported by coastal views across the Fylde Coast. Its scale, motion profile, and location are likely to make it a key photographic and promotional asset for the park.
Pleasure Beach has also released an official soundtrack for the ride, composed by Glenn Robertson, whose previous work includes music for The Big One, Launch Pad, and ICON. This points to a broader approach to ride development, where audio, anticipation, skyline presence, and guest memory are treated as part of the complete experience.
For designers, suppliers, and operators, Aviktas demonstrates the importance of sensory layering in thrill attraction delivery. The ride is not being introduced solely as a mechanical installation, but as a branded experience with its own identity within the resort.
A Strategic Year For The Resort
The launch comes during Pleasure Beach Resort’s 130th anniversary year, following the recent reintroduction of the 210ft Launch Pad ride. Together, these investments support the park’s efforts to maintain relevance in a competitive UK attractions market.
However, the wider operating context remains challenging. The resort has closed some classic attractions for the 2025 season and recently faced criticism after introducing a £25 entrance fee for non-riders. The park has linked the decision to rising costs connected with maintaining a clean, safe, and well-managed environment.
For the B2B visitor experience market, Aviktas reflects opportunity and pressure. Major new rides can drive awareness, improve market positioning, and support repeat visitation, but they sit within a cost base shaped by staffing, maintenance, safety, energy use, and site operations.
As UK parks continue to balance capital investment with operational resilience, Aviktas will be closely watched as a benchmark project. Its launch adds a major new thrill product to Blackpool’s visitor economy and reinforces Pleasure Beach Resort’s long-standing role as one of the UK’s most prominent amusement destinations.
