Aviktas, Blackpool Pleasure Beach – Review
By Kirsty Masterman, July 2026
If chasing thrills and adrenaline rushes are your thing, then Aviktas, Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s latest addition, should definitely be high on your list of things to do this summer.
Officially opening on May 21, adrenaline junkies from around the country rushed to Blackpool to be among the first to experience the long-awaited ride. Built by Intamin – the manufacturers behind rides such as Icon (also at Pleasure Beach), Thirteen, Rita, and Sik, to name but a few – at a cost of £8.72 million, this is a huge investment for Pleasure Beach, but one I’m sure will pay off.
I was lucky enough to be invited to the grand opening of Aviktas, the latest thrill ride to be added to the park. And let me tell you, it’s not for the faint-hearted.
“This beast”
Standing at 88 feet tall and reaching 138 feet at full swing with speeds of up to 60mph, Aviktas is the largest Gyro Swing in the UK. This is one ride that has had the theme park community talking ever since it was announced back in May of last year and, judging from the energy of the crowds today, the momentum is still going. It’s clear I’m not the only one super excited to be able to finally ride this beast.
The ceremony starts with a champagne welcome – Pleasure Beach certainly know how to put on an event – under the shadow of the Big One, before brief speeches by Amanda Thompson OBE, CEO of Pleasure Beach, and Sascha Czibulka, Executive Vice President of Intamin.
With The Big One speeding past overhead, thrill-seekers can be heard screaming in the background as Thompson warns: “If you are slightly faint-hearted about going on something this big and this mighty, my advice to you is watch it first. That’s all I can say because I am terrified watching this ride, so if you want the biggest adrenaline rush of your life, this is what you’ll get on this ride.”
However, Sascha Czibulka took a slightly different approach as he added: “My recommendation is don’t think about watching, get on it and you will experience and enjoy the fun of your lifetime. It looks much, much scarier than it actually is.”
“Pumped with adrenaline”
As someone who is terrified of heights, yet loves thrill rides, the jury was still out as to whether or not hanging upside down at 138 feet with just a lap bar between me and certain death was for me. But, defying the advice of Amanda Thompson, as soon as those gates open, pumped with adrenaline, I run straight to the queue line to ensure I am on the first cycle as it officially opens.
Safely secured in one of the gondolas’ 40 seats, I don’t have to wait long before the ground below me disappears and the pendulum begins to swing. Before I know it, I’m suspended 138ft in the air, dangling upside down and experiencing an adrenaline rush like I have never felt before. The sheer feeling of weightlessness is not what I anticipated. I was dreading that stomach-churning ‘air-time’ moment as the ride hurtles towards the ground, but the reality is, I feel like I am gliding through the air.
I look around at my fellow riders. Any trepidation that may have existed before we took flight has now been replaced with beaming smiles as screams of joy and laughter can be heard all around me. At its peak, we are left dangling upside down before the swing surges to give a completely weightless experience.
“A very re-rideable ride”
With views all the way down the promenade, out to sea, and across the Pleasure Beach, it’s a view like no other. I doubt there is another ride in the world that offers such a spectacular sight. It is at this point I realise the true scale of Aviktas; it truly is a beast of a ride.
With a cycle of just over two minutes, it is over before I know it and my feet are firmly back on the ground. The cycle is actually the perfect length. I think if it were any longer, it may become a little too intense. As it stands, I feel like this is a very re-rideable ride and, judging from the way many rush round to rejoin the queue, I’m clearly not the only one who thinks this.
As myself and my fellow riders depart, there is an excitable chatter. The general consensus is that it is ‘amazing’, ‘awesome’, and ‘the best flat ride in the country’. Blackpool have certainly pulled it out of the bag with Aviktas.
With the ride opening to the public at 2:00pm, I manage one more cycle before the queues hit. With a capacity of 40 and a rotating gondola, each seat delivers a slightly different experience, making the attraction feel unpredictable. I choose to sit on the opposite side for my second outing, giving me a different view as I hover 138ft above the park.
“Do you dare ride it?”
The area around Aviktas is well-designed, giving it a distinct identity. The large golden emblem and various snake imagery throughout the area make it highly stylised, rather akin to that of Icon. That, coupled with an atmospheric soundtrack produced by musician and composer Glenn Robertson – the man behind the scores for Icon, Launch Pad, and the Big One – all add to its dramatic presence.
With such attention to detail, Aviktas stands out as one of the best stylised and thrilling flat rides in the country, bringing a new level of excitement to this famous seaside park.
The only question that now remains is: “Do you dare ride it?”
Pleasure Beach is open seven days a week now through to the end of August and prices start at £32.50 for full admission tickets with advance booking. blackpoolpleasurebeach.com
After studying English and Creative Writing at university, Kirsty started working as an editor for PA Media way back in 2003, joining On Yorkshire in 2023. With a passion for travel and writing, the chance to combine the two became a reality for her in 2010 when she was offered the chance to visit Portugal to review a new resort. Since then, she has never looked back. Live music, theatre and restaurant reviews followed enabling her to combine all her interests. Kirsty now travels the world, reviewing some of the best hotels, restaurants and travel destinations. She particularly enjoys seeking out child-friendly places so that she can showcase destinations and experiences that can be enjoyed by parents alongside their children.
