The Big One
BEST FOR
Ages 0+
ENTRY
from £18
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Blackpool
What it’s like
A full-scale coaster park where the star ride is a 235-foot drop hitting 85mph, plus dark rides, water rides and a whole land for younger fans.
Ten rollercoasters is the headline, and the one everyone's actually here for is the 235-foot drop that hits 85mph and is over in three minutes flat, so brace yourselves before you brace your kids. Beyond that there's a proper spread of ride types: suspended and bobsled coasters, five dark rides running special effects and lighting, and five water rides including a Wallace and Gromit themed one that's a good soft landing point if the big coaster's rattled anyone.
For younger children, Nickelodeon Land has twelve rides of its own, from a bus tour to a log flume, and it's built for smaller kids rather than teenagers chasing the tallest drop. There's also a maze, a learning garden, and adventure golf that don't need anyone to be a certain height, which matters if you've got a mixed-age group and someone's not tall enough for the main coasters yet. Worth knowing Nickelodeon Land shuts an hour before the rest of the park, so don't leave it till last if that's the bit your youngest cares about most.
Ticket prices run from £18 for entry-only up to £30 for the all-you-can-ride pass, and that jump is worth thinking about before you buy, since £18 with no rides feels like an odd option unless you're just there for the dark rides and shows. You can't bring your own food into the park itself, only bottled water, baby food and anything needed for medical or dietary reasons, though there's a picnic area outside the gates by the adventure golf and you can get a re-entry stamp if you nip out. Inside there's a decent food line-up, from Pizza Hut to fish and chips, with gluten-free pizza bases and allergen information for other outlets.
Hours shift a lot through the season, from a fairly standard 10 to 5 most weekdays and Saturdays to shorter 11 to 4 days in February half term, and later 10 to 9 openings for Halloween and the Twilight Thrills events. A couple of rides are shut for a reimagining at the moment, including the Big Dipper, so if that's the one you were promising a child, check what's actually running before you build the day around it.
What’s on here
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- All ages, though the tallest coasters need a bit of height and nerve
- Booking
- Online advance booking offers reduced ticket prices
- Parking
- Three car parks: North (from £18/day or £20 online for reserved space), East and West (from £15/day)
- Food
- Multiple on-site cafés and restaurants including Pizza Hut, fish and chips, hot dogs, donuts, gyros and burgers with vegetarian
- Picnics
- Picnic area outside main gates at Adventure Golf
- Wheelchairs
- Wheelchair accessible rides. EasyPass system available
- The £18 entry-only ticket gets you in but not on the rides, so weigh it against the £30 all-access pass before booking
- Lockers are available if you want to stash bags rather than carry them round all day
- There's a Dancing Water Show and attractions like Ripley's Believe It or Not! and an Ice Arena beyond the rides
- EV charging is on-site at the rear of Balmoral Road Car Park via the Pod Point app
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
Tickets range from £18 for a Flex Pass with no rides up to £30 for the All You Can Ride pass. There's also a £25 Nickelodeon-only ticket if that's the main draw for your group.
Do we need to book in advance?
No, walk-ups are fine at standard rates, but booking online in advance gets you a reduced price.
Is it suitable for toddlers and younger children?
Nickelodeon Land is built for younger kids with twelve rides of its own, plus there's a maze and a learning garden with no height restriction. The main coasters are a different story, so it balances out if your group spans several ages.
What's the big ride everyone talks about?
A 235-foot coaster reaching 85mph, lasting about three minutes. It's the one the park is named after and the one your kids will be on about for weeks.
Can we bring a picnic?
Not inside the park itself. There's a picnic area outside the main gates near the adventure golf, and you can get a re-entry stamp if you want to nip out and back.
What food is available inside?
On-site options include Pizza Hut, fish and chips, hot dogs, gyros and burgers, with gluten-free pizza bases and allergen information available.
Is there parking, and how much?
There are three car parks. North starts from £18 a day, or £20 online for a reserved space, and East and West start from £15 a day. There's no facility for caravans or mobile homes though.
Is the park wheelchair accessible?
Rides are wheelchair accessible and there's an EasyPass virtual queue system for anyone who struggles with standing in the main queue line.
Are there discounts for carers?
Anyone with the +1 symbol on their Access Card or Nimbus ID can buy an Essential Companion ticket for £25, which gives full park access.
When does Nickelodeon Land close?
An hour before the rest of the park shuts, so it's worth doing that bit earlier in the day rather than saving it for last.
Are all the rides open?
A few are currently closed while they're being reimagined, including the Big Dipper, Dora's World Voyage and Krusty Krab Order Up. Ride closures can also happen at short notice for maintenance.
What are the opening hours?
Typical weekdays and Saturdays run 10am to 5pm, February half term is a shorter 11am to 4pm, and Halloween and Twilight Thrills events extend to 10am to 9pm.
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