Pleasurewood Hills

Pleasurewood Hills Family Theme Park
Previously known as New Pleasurewood Hills
Cannonball Express roller coaster at the park.
LocationLowestoft, Suffolk
Coordinates52°30′25″N 1°44′40″E / 52.50707°N 1.74443°E / 52.50707; 1.74443
StatusOperating
Opened1983
OwnerLooping Group
Area24 ha
Websitepleasurewoodhills.com

Pleasurewood Hills is a theme park on a 59-acre (24 ha) site between Corton and Gunton, near Lowestoft, Suffolk.

History

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The park was created by entrepreneur Joe Larter in 1983 as a small American-themed family attraction, containing a miniature railway, Cine 180 and adventure playground. Yearly expansion brought the addition of new attractions and general improvements. Controlling interest in the park was sold to RKF, a property development company, in the late 1980s. RKF built attractions including two Sea Life centres (Great Yarmouth & Hunstanton), a Ripley's Believe It or Not (Great Yarmouth seafront) and the 9-mile (14 km) Bure Valley Railway (in Aylsham). It started building a second Pleasurewood Hills style park in Cleethorpes. RKF went bankrupt in early 1991 and its attractions were sold. Some Pleasurewood management staff took control of The Bygone Village at Fleggburgh.

Noel Edmonds converted the Haunted Theatre into Crinkley Bottom Castle in the mid-1990s. The park also featured appearances by Mr Blobby and Edmonds himself.

The park continued in this vein until 1996–1997, when it was bought by Leisure Great Britain, a caravan park operator. It owned the park until 2000, when Peter and Peggy Hadden, who had been connected with the park for many years, bought it. The name changed to New Pleasurewood Hills. In 2000 the park bought Magic Mouse.

In 2004, Grévin & Cie, a French leisure group, purchased the site. The name reverted to its original form and in early 2005 the owners said they would spend £3 million on improvements.

Changes included repainting and renaming a number of rides, but the first major investment was in the park's first inverting coaster, Wipeout, from the closed American Adventure. The old cars were scrapped and new ones bought from Walibi World.

In 2009 the Mellow Yellow log flume was repainted and had a revamped entrance. It is now called Timber Falls. In 2010 the park put a StreetDance show in the Castle Theatre. In 2010 the park appointed a new manager.

On 30 January 2011, it was announced that the park had been sold to a new company. Looping Group [fr], in partnership with industry expert Laurent Bruloy, purchased seven leisure parks, including Pleasurewood Hills, from across Europe. The seven parks will benefit from a joint investment of around £1.7million over 5 years. This included the addition of 5 new attractions for the 2012 season and another 4 a year later.

Roller Coasters

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Ride Opened Manufacturer Model Description
Cannonball Express 1995 Schwarzkopf Jumbo V Previously known as 'Enigma' & 'Cannonball Express', this is the only example of a Jumbo V model by the defunct manufacturer Schwarzkopf. Height limit 1.25m. In 2017 the park returned to the original name of 'Cannonball Express' due to popular demand.
Egg-Spress 1986 Zierer Tivoli Large Opened as 'Ladybird'. Later re-themed to 'Rattlesnake' in 1990, and then 'Snake in the Grass' in 2007. Was renamed back to "Rattlesnake" in 2014. Closed down in 2016, due to track problems. Following repair, the ride re-opened in 2019 with the new name 'Egg-Spress' in a new Farmyard themed area.
Marble Madness 2014 Maurer Söhne Wild Mouse A non-spinning wild mouse coaster formerly at Flamingo Land Resort but moved to Pleasurewood Hills. It is the park's 4th and newest coaster. Wild mouse (car 2+2) that reaches a speed of 28 mph (45 km) on a 1213 ft long track (370 m) and a height of 49 ft (15 m). Height limit 1.25m.
Wipeout 2007 Vekoma Boomerang Relocated from the closed American Adventure, where it was known as 'Missile'. The region's biggest roller coaster. Height limit 1.3m. Riders are taken backwards 34m in the air, and then released to reach speeds of up to 50 mph. After going through 3 inversions, the process repeats in reverse.

Flat Rides

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Ride Opened Manufacturer Model Description
Jolly Roger 2012 Fabbri Drop Tower A 131 ft (40-metre) freefall drop tower that accelerates to 60 mph in under a second; height limit 1.4m. A Fabbri Scary Drop 40 model. The ride travelled from 2000 to 2011 with various showmen, until its arrival at the park permanently for the 2012 season. Features a loose pirate theme.
Waveswinger 2016 Zierer Waveswinger A Zierer Wave Swinger attraction. Height limit 1m accompanied and 1.25m unaccompanied. Previously travelled around the Australian fair circuit. Installed in 2016 at the park, to replace Sky Hooks and Tales of the Coast. First Waveswinger at the park since 1997.

Water & Dark Rides

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Ride Opened Manufacturer Model Description
Rootin Tootin Target Trail 1983 Supercar Leisure Ghost Train A UV themed laser shooter dark ride aimed at the family market, with a Wild Western theme, opening in 2017. Guests under 1.1m must be accompanied by an adult. Was previously Hobs Pitt a horror dark ride that had a 12 age restriction, from 2013 until 2017.
Water Fun Factory 1992 Reverchon Log Flume This 235 long log flume ride opened in 1992 as 'White Water Falls'. Later painted and renamed 'Mellow Yellow', and then re-themed as 'Timber Falls' in 2009. Height limit 1.25m unless adult accompanied. For the 2020 season, it was announced the ride would be re themed to Water Fun Factory, featuring new theming structures.

Kids & Other Rides

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Ride Opened Description
Safari 1984 Vintage car ride travelling round a themed safari fixed track. Rethemed in 2023.
Small Train 7.25 Gauge small railway. Three carriages with single in line seating. Seats around 15–20. Repainted for the 2021 season and renamed.
Big Train / Suffolk Punch 24 Gauge small railway. Three carriages with benches. Seats around 30. Originally a Chance Rides; C.P. Huntington. Repainted for the 2022 season.
Shiver m' Timbers 1985 Swinging pirate ship themed ride; height limit 1m adult accompanied, 1.3m unaccompanied.
Chair Lift 1987 Chairlift taking guest from one end of the park to the other. Previously called Merry-Go-Straight. Taking you from the Farm yard Area to the kids sector queues often are long here.
Woody's Driving School 1995 Dodgems
Wavebreaker 1996 A two-lane dinghy slide.
Double Deck Carousel 2001 Duel Carousel replacing the previous single deck Carousel.
Kite Flyer 2004 Lay down central spin ride; height limit 1.05m.
Up and Away Hot air balloon themed central spin ride; height limit 0.9m. Refurbished 2019 to fit in with the farm yard area. In 2020 the concrete floor around it was replaced with artificial grass.Previously known as Balloon Rays.
Woody's Funky Flyers 2008 Central spin plane themed ride.
Giddy Up 2012 A Pony track based ride. Previously named 'Pleasurewood Ponies', rethemed for 2023.
The Lighthouse A Child's Lift and drop tower.
Moby Dick 2013 A whale themed flat ride
Pleasurewood Paddlers Pedal boats operating in the lake
Woody's Tea Party A small tea cup flat ride
Hyper Drive 2015 Dodgems

Shows

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Ride Opened Description
Sea Lion Splash 1987 A firm family favourite at the park for over 20 years, the show runs 12pm and 3pm daily.
Birds of Paradise 1984 Existing in various locations throughout its time at the park, the parrot show runs 1pm and 4pm daily.
Summer Circus 2022 A circus summer show, provided by Circus Hassani. Performing two shows a day from 23 July through to 31 August.

Past Rides

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Ride Year Opened Year Closed Description
Single Deck Carousel 2001 single deck Carousel was replaced by the Double Deck Carousel in 2001.
Tales of the Coast (originally Voyage to Aladdin's Cave) 1983 2016 A boat ride through an artificial cave, featuring a voice over telling ghost stories and local legends from the coast with blacklight animatronics, mannequins and scenes corresponding to the stories. The ride was removed in 2016, partly due to age, and the space filled with an eating area and the new Waveswinger ride
Hobs Pit 2013 2017 An indoor ride dubbed 'one of the UK's scariest attractions', with a 12A restriction. This ride was removed and replaced with 'Rootin' Tootin' Target Trail' to support the parks emphasis on Family Fun.
The Tide Traveller 2005 A Huss Tri-star previously called Thunderstruck; height limit 1.25m. Last day of operation was around 2016.In 2014, the section where the ride lifted up was removed due to it not working anymore and the ride operated for a few years but without it lifting up. More like a traditional mixer ride.
Fireball 2004 2020 A KMG Afterburner 5G spinning pendulum ride; height limit 1.4m. Previously named Wizzy Dizzy. Removed for the 2021 season.

References

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