The ride reaches 138 feet at its tallest point
Aviktas arriving at Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort(Image: Pleasure Beach Resort)
Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach Resort has welcomed a new ride worth £8.72 million. The ride is the tallest of its kind in the UK and reaches 138 feet at its tallest point. Standing at nearly twice the height of Drayton Manor’s Maelstrom, the giant spinning pendulum ride, Aviktas, is set to dramatically transform the look of Blackpool’s famous coastline.
While an opening date has yet to be announced, the ride is scheduled to debut during the 2026 season.
CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort, Amanda Thompson OBE, said: “This record-breaking attraction will transform both our skyline and the thrill-factor for 2026.
“Seeing its arrival has been a real moment of pride for everyone here at Pleasure Beach.
“We see the arrival of Aviktas as a statement of our commitment to creating unforgettable experiences and keeping Blackpool at the heart of UK tourism.”
Artist’s impressions and CGI video screenshots of new Aviktas ride coming to Blackpool Pleasure Beach(Image: Blackpool Pleasure Beach)
Pleasure Beach Resort marked another major milestone last month as pilling work for Aviktas was completed.
Pilling refers to the process of driving structural support into the ground to form a solid foundation, representing one of the most crucial stages of groundwork for the new ride.
Previously over 200 letters concealed beneath the site of Aviktas where discovered, sent from across Scotland, Ireland and even as far as Germany.
Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach Resort new £8.72m ride, Aviktas(Image: publicity picture)
Fans were invited by Pleasure Beach Resort to send personal messages for a special time capsule, sealed with ride parts, a document providing a glimpse into life in 2025, staff photos stored on an USB and blueprints for the upcoming Aviktas ride.
Subtle nods to the new ride were added into the ‘Abyss’ scare zone at Pleasure Beach’s ‘Journey to Hell’ Halloween events, a detail sharp eyed fans were quick to notice.
There’s still time for guests to squeeze in their final thrills of the year, as Pleasure Beach continues weekend openings until the end of November, finishing with an ‘End of Season’ fireworks display at 5pm on Saturday, November 29.