Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach Resort has planted a time capsule in the foundations of its new ride, Aviktas, which is due to open in 2026, as the project hits another major milestone.
Pleasure Beach asked its fans to send in letters to put inside the capsule sharing their memories, predictions for the future or a message for generations to come.
Over 200 letters were received and every single one of them was put inside the time capsule (as confirmed to use by Pleasure Beach themselves).
One letter came from Hayley and Martin, who met at Pleasure Beach when they were working as ride operators and sealed their love forever by marrying last year. Their letter read: “Me and Martin met on the Ice Blast ride and have been happily married since 9th November 2024.”
One fan, Ken Knowles, wrote about his happy memories of the park, and how he’s been visiting for 72 years. He said: “It has always been one of the most outstanding places to visit in my life…. In the earlier years it was with friends and family, then me, my wife and children and followed by the addition of grandchildren…”
Nine-year-old James Whitehead from Blackburn predicted the near future, he said: “In 2029 I think a new coaster will open” and “In 2030 I think a new flat ride would open”.
Amanda Thompson OBE, CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort said:
“Aviktas is more than just a ride – it’s a snapshot of the amusement and theme park industry in the present day.
“By sealing a time capsule with the headlines, music and memories of today, we’re making sure that future generations can look back and see the fun, the challenges, and the spirit of the UK in this moment of time. Just like our rides, it’s all about creating experiences that stand the test of time.”
With the wonderful branding around the ride and this little unique time capsule idea I have a sneaky feeling that Aviktas will be more than just your standard Gyroswing, I have a feeling it’ll be themed in someway and very different to other rides that reside at Pleasure Beach Resort.
Although other swinging pendulum rides exist in the UK, none come close to the Pleasure Beach model in terms of height. For example, Drayton Manor’s Maelstrom reaches approximately 74 feet, with Aviktas set to be almost double that in size.
