Pleasure Beach Resort opened Aviktas on 21 May 2026 – a £8.72m Intamin-built gyroswing that now stands as the tallest of its kind in the UK.
Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach Resort opened the UK’s tallest gyroswing on 21 May 2026. Aviktas reaches 138 feet at full swing. That is nearly double the height of Maelstrom at Drayton Manor, the previous UK record holder. The ride is manufactured by Intamin and carries 40 passengers per cycle – the highest capacity of any attraction at the resort.
The ride swings to 120 degrees and reaches 60mph. Riders experience up to four Gs, comparable to the force during a rocket launch. Suspended seating and shoulder-free restraints give a sense of weightlessness at the top of each arc.
At £8.72m, Aviktas marks Pleasure Beach’s largest single capital investment since 2018. That year, the park opened ICON, its double-launch rollercoaster. Around 80 staff worked on the project during construction. Pleasure Beach demolished the Bowl-A-Drome arcade venue that previously occupied the site. By November 2025, the ride’s four structural legs – each weighing 16 tonnes – were in place. The first swing took place in March 2026.
Amanda Thompson OBE, chief executive of Pleasure Beach Resort, said: “Pleasure Beach has always had a reputation for going big and pushing boundaries – Aviktas is no exception. Its sheer size and presence speaks for itself, there is simply nothing like it in the UK.”
She added: “We wanted to build something that sets us apart from anywhere else and gives our guests a genuine must-visit reason to come to the park.”
The UK’s tallest gyroswing uses an Intamin drive system that recovers up to 40% of energy per ride cycle. Its platform and station incorporated 1,050m² of structural steel – roughly the footprint of four tennis courts.
Scott Bickerton, rollercoaster enthusiast and host of YouTube channel Your Experience Guide, said: “Aviktas is a must ride. It combines airtime, hangtime and intense thrill to provide a completely fresh experience. When you’re up at 138ft, the views across Pleasure Beach and out to sea are spectacular.”
Aviktas opens as Pleasure Beach Resort marks 130 years since its 1896 founding. TripAdvisor named it the best UK theme park in its 2026 Best of the Best awards.
Image: Imtain
