I was in a group of about 50 members of Club Pleasure Beach and we got to ride Traumatizer (now relocated to Blackpool as Infusion) and the Cyclone wooden roller coaster (which was later demolished).

Also included in the tour was a Q&A session with one of the parks directors and a look into the workshops located behind the cyclone and finally a tour of the ghost train with the lights on.

These are the pictures taken at this event.

Scary looking head

This stunt jumps up when the cars go past.

Im not sure what this is, it looks like an old rag.

Behind one of the stunts.

From the front end.

Opening coffin, a dark ride default stunt 

An open coffin.

Walking into the ride.

Generally walking around.

Activated as the car goes past, it drops down.

Workshops located behind the Cyclone.

The park just a few minutes of junction 9 on the m62 has been running christmas events for a number of years now and can get really busy during this period, not to mention extremely cold.

They offer a number of different options for Christmas, I wont list them all but they offer the same each year, you can also choose to have a meal option included and a live show.From the feedback I have had from other parents the food is the biggest let down for the park. Im not having a go at Gulliver’s here but the food on offer throughout the park is awful and expensive, I like most parents I know would be only too happy to pay for food if its warm, served well and a reasonable price.

Only last week a colleague in work spent the Sunday at the park and couldnt even get a warm drink as the machines had broken.

Ok enough of the food the Christmas experience is allot better. As part of the trip to see father Christmas you board the Gulliver’s train near the entrance of the park and after a short journey you arrive at the grotto.

Gulliver’s boast the grotto is the largest in the north west and I can well imagine this as its huge. The grotto is full of Christmas trees and decorated extremely well, they have a flying father Christmas above the crowd and some snowmen on a chair lift which look great.

As you go deeper through the winding paths to get to see father Christmas the place is full of fluffy animals and very well designed Christmas themed sets. At the eventual end of the queue you are greeted by santa’s helper who then guides you into a maze of corridors to see the waiting father Christmas.

At this point the kids tell father Christmas what they want for Christmas and answer the usual questions like have you been good this year (my kids have the cheek to say yes) then a photograph is taken and the kids move into a toy shop.

In the toy shop the kids are allowed one present each to choose from. They normally have a good selection of toys for boys and girls, with items like coloring books, racing cars, pencil sets, teddy bears and many many more items to choose from. One of the difficulties is the choice as the kids don’t know what to choose.

In all the experience at Gulliver’s over the December period is magical, the kids really enjoy visiting father Christmas and the grotto is fantastic. When the kids first see the grotto their eyes light up, its moments like this you cherish.

Also bear in mind when planning a trip to Gulliver’s near Christmas only part of the park is open and you can usually go on all the rides in little over a hour, so if you book to see father Christmas at 5pm, i wouldn’t advise arriving at the park at midday – otherwise you will have a long wait.

The last time we visited we arrived early afternoon and probably did 2 or 3 laps of the park before boarding the train to see Father Christmas.

Heres a selection of photographs I took of the grotto – these were all taken December 2007.

Father Christmas working through his Christmas lists.

These look like the seven dwarfs.

Related Articles, Gulliver’s World Warrington trip report.

If you want to use any photographs on this blog please get in touch paul@ridemad.com im quite happy to share and have high resolution copies of everything used, to see the complete gallery visit the Ridemad Gallery

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After years of speculation it looks like the fun fair at Rhyl known as Ocean beach has closed its gates for the final time. I visited Rhyl twice in 2006 once at the start of the season and then towards the end of September when most rides had packed up, apart from the obivous 2 steel coasters the water chute was also standing.

A lapse in security allowed me to take a look around the Water chute for what may be the final time.

The water chute was originally brought to Rhyl from Kursaal Amusment park in southend in 1972.

I’ll take a look at the station building and queue lines first.

A view looking into the queue line at the rear of the car.

Looking out to where the cars come into the station.

A couple of shots of the cars.

A close up showing the lap bars.

From just before the cars enter the lift hill.

Parked and ready to go.

The control hut, as a child I often wondered what they did in this box. I always remember someone pulling a giant lever. This picture is taken from the side of the track as the trains come back into the station.

A look into the mysterious box. I like the addition of the electric heater. Apologies for the picture quality (dirty perspex theres nothing worse)

The bar that operates the ride brakes. This is connected to the lever in the control box.

A pump thing. I dont know what it is, looks like it controls water though.

A bit of a closer look at the track coming into the station.

Heres a couple of lift hill shots.

A view from near the control box, looking at the ride.

The splash pool

A bit of theming.

Will the last one out switch off the lights.

And finally to prove I dont break into farigrounds to take pictures.

I took about 300 images over my last two trips to Rhyl once sorted out ill be sure to post them on here.

All images are copyright ridemad.com, if you want to use any please get in touch paul@ridemad.com, where ill be more than happy to share, i have higher resolution copies of all images, to see all the images from this visit, go to the Album

http://www.ridemad.com is an independant website not affiliated to any theme parks or fairgrounds, the views expressed are my opinions.

Thanks for Reading.