Pleasure Beach Resort in Blackpool has added a terrifying new attraction to this year’s Halloween event – and it incorporates a favourite ride in a way thrillseekers have never experienced before.
Journey to Hell kicks off on Thursday October 23, when the new ‘Abyss’ scare zone will be unveiled for the first time.
The live-action zone invites people to walk through Pleasure Beach’s 120 year-old River Caves, which have been “infested by demons”.
A gatekeeper greets guests at the entrance of the caves, which were built in 1905, before leading them through the ride and down to “hell”.
Pleasure Beach has teased that the zone will also contain “easter eggs” hinting at the story behind its new ride, Aviktas, opening in 2026.
Many thrillseekers considered the River Caves’ animatronics to be creepy even by day, and the ride is a favourite of Hollywood horror royalty and Wednesday director, Tim Burton.
‘Abyss’ is the fifth, additional live-action scare zone joining Journey to Hell’s line-up, which also includes four returning zones; a mixture of both ride-based zones and walk throughs.
‘Down the Rabbit Hole’ sees the park’s usually beloved Alice in Wonderland ride transformed into a nightmarish world where Alice and friends have gone insane. Grotesque figures lurk around every corner of the ride, hoping to terrify unsuspecting guests into madness.
‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ isthe lair of a macabre collector and home to the inexplicable and the bizarre. Each gruesome creature is more disturbing than the last and guests must flee through a maze of horrors.
‘The Ghost Train: Vault of Shadows’ returns for its third year, but this time it has been updated with new characters and a new storyline. It is set inside the world’s first Ghost Train; notoriously one of the most haunted attractions in the world and said to be haunted by ‘Cloggy’, a former ride operator whose footsteps can still be heard.
Finally, ‘Twisted Tunnels’ takes place in a 100-year-old network of tunnels that were once used to travel between rides. Guests will discover they are not alone as they navigate the winding, Victorian-esque passageways beneath the disembodied noises of the theme park above.
In addition to the scare zones, guests can enjoy unlimited rides after dark on Pleasure Beach’s newly re-imagined Launch Pad ride, the Grand National rollercoaster, Derby Racer, and Flying Machines.
There will also be live music and live entertainment, including roaming actors, the witch parade, and the return of Lougarock the seven foot Werewolf.
Halloween-themed food and cocktails will also be available.
Last year’s Journey to Hell events were our best ever, and we knew we had to raise the bar yet again.
CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort, Amanda Thompson OBE
River Caves has its own unique, 120-year-old legacy, so transforming it into the terrifying ‘Abyss’ for Halloween allows people to experience it in a completely new way, ahead of its re-imagining.
Our thrilling rides and our own eerie history set us apart from other scare attractions, and this year promises to be a Halloween event unlike any other
Journey to Hell: Freak Nights take place from Thursday October 23 until Saturday November 1.
Tickets start at £39.50 and can be booked online at www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com/events/journey-to-hell/
Guests who book before September 13 can get 10 per cent off by entering the code JTH10 at the checkout when they book online.
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