Ocean Beach Pleasure Park Disabled Access Review

text reads ocean beach plesure park disabled access review with images of fun fair rides on a yellow background. a cartoon of Iona ridig a rollercoaster and the theme park trips symbol.
Come and join me for a proper sea side day out at Ocean Beach Pleasure Park! Of course we will explore the disabled access at this family thrill amusement park.

Table of Contents

Facilities and Services Available for Disabled Guests

Here is a quick overview of the facilities and services available for disabled guests at Ocean Beach so that you can decide if this attraction is able to meet your access requirements. Please note: some of the services are listed below and a full explanation is available later on in the blog post. In order to quickly navigate through the post you can use the table of contents at the top of the page.

  • Free essential companion ticket: Ocean Beach offers an essential companion wristband. Allowing carers to accompany disabled guests on most rides and attractions. More information can be found in the ‘before your visit’ and ‘arrivals’ section of this blog post.
  • Free entry: Ocean Beach is a free to enter amusement park, which is perfect if you are unable to access the rides but still want to enjoy the fun fair vibes.
  • Assistance dogs: Ocean Beach welcomes assistance dogs as long as they are kept on a lead and any mess is cleaned up. It’s worth noting that Ocean Beach is dog friendly meaning there will be other dogs at the attraction that are pets not assistance dogs.
  • Ride assistance: Ride operators at Ocean Beach are able to assist disabled guests onto rides. All safety restrictions must still be met in order to ride.

Before visiting Ocean Beach there are a few steps you must take in order to ensure you have the correct access available to you so you can enjoy your day.

Essential companion ticket

Essential companion tickets can be obtained at the ticket office on the day if your visit.

Already have an Access Card: If you already have an access card with the +1 or +2 symbol on simply bring your access card with you. Please go to the ‘Arrivals’ section of this blog post for what to do on the day of your visit.

Don’t have an access card: If you do not already have an Access Card then I have a full blog post all about the access card that you can find by clicking here what is the access card and is it worth it. 

If you do not wish to purchase the access card and only want your access needs registered for Ocean Beach then you can get a free Nimbus ID by clicking here Ocean Beach Pleasure Park Digital Access Pass. Please note: on the day of your visit you will need to show proof of either your Ocean Beach Nimbus ID or your access card with the +1 or +2 symbol.

Arrivals

In this section of the blog we detail what will happen when you arrive at Ocean Beach Pleasure Park so you know what to expect and can get on the rides as quickly as possible.

blue badge parking

Ocean Beach doesn’t have its own parking however, there is a council run car park located just across the road called the Pier Head Car Park. We found this car park to have level access and be very close to Ocean Beaches entrance with dropped kerbs. There was quite a few blue badge spots located around the car park as you can see in the images below the blue badge spots were a very good size perfect if you require ramp access. Parking was free for blue badge holders with no time limit. Full information on the car park including address can be found by clicking here South Tyneside council car park.

sign from the council at Pier head car park key points: disabled badge holders no charge. £1.20 per hour or £6 all day, Car park chargeable between 8am and 8pm.
image of blue badge parking space with car park visable in the background. The parkin space has yellow chevrons on both sides and the back of the parking space.

entering the park

Ocean Beach Pleasure Park has lots of different entrances meaning you could enter from all around the sea front. As the park is free of charge to enter there is no staff members on the entrances this is worth noting if anyone in your group is likely to run off or get lost.

image of ocean beach entrance taken from across the road. There is an ocean beach entrance arch with branded signage, prices and information.

collecting Essential companion Wristband

Essential Companion wristbands can be collected from the arcade with the silver doors at the back of Ocean Beach opposite the pirate ship as seen in the images below. Simply show your access card or Nimbus ID with the +1 or +2 symbol at the change kiosk. Your carer will be asked to write down their name and phone number before being given a blue wristband to wear. Please see below for the rules and important things to remember for essential companion wristbands. Polices may change for the Essential companion Wristband so please check on arrival.

  • The essential companion ticket can only be worn by the carer and cannot be used by different carers during the visit. This means the same carer has to go on the rides with you.
  • The essential companion wristband can be used on all rides where you sit together in the same seat like the Dodgems and Walters. If the seats are separate like the Miami Surf or Space then it is up to the operator if carer can ride for free. During our visit the carer was allowed on all rides free of charge.
Large pirate‑ship ride structure on the left and a yellow A‑frame sign on the pavement pointing towards the arcade building where you carer tickets are.
Front exterior of the arcade building with silver doors and a red roof fascia, location to collect carer wristbands
image of the change counter in an arcade with a member of staff behind and a big change sign.
Close‑up of a printed information notice on the wall beside the change kiosk, explaining the Essential Companion scheme and requirements for carers when collecting a wristband.
close up of blue ocean beach branded wristband with a tap here point.

Buy Fun Card Credits

All the rides at Ocean Beach Pleasure Park work on a credits system 1 credit equals £1. Ocean Beach uses fun cards these are ID size cards that credits are loaded on to. Ride prices vary from 2.5 credits to 5 credits.

Fun cards can be purchased and topped up with credits from multiple digital kiosks around the park or purchased from the cash desk inside the arcade where staff members are available to help.

A full list of rides and how many credits they cost can be found in the images below. Ride credits can be purchased individually or in bundles with some bundles offering bonus credits. I recommend having a walk around first to see what rides are open that you want to ride and how many credits they cost. We did the 60 credits bundles this gave us 66 credits and was perfect for 2 people going on the thrill rides.

Price and information board for Ocean Beach Pleasure Park. The top explains that visitors load money onto a cashless Fun Card. Example bundles range from £10 for 10 credits with no bonus to £100 for 100 credits plus 25 bonus credits (125 total). Credits remain valid on the card for up to 18 months. Below, two columns list ride prices: family and thrill rides generally cost between 2.5 and 4 credits, while children’s rides cost between 2 and 3 credits. A highlighted strip states that Customer Services and Lost & Found are located in the Middle Arcade.

How to use the Fun Card on rides

It was super simple to use the fun card on rides as each ride had a turnstile where you tapped your fun card for entry to the ride. When you tap your fun card a green light and sound will show. You then simply get on the ride. Around the park there is a number of scanners where you can check your fun card balance.

The turnstiles to enter the rides are not wheelchair accessible and there is no alternate route available. Ocean Beach do not offer queue assist but during our visit in easter half term there was no queues for any rides.

image of card scanner with digital screen attached to a sign that reads check your fun card balance here
image of turnstile with a digital box to tap your fun card on.

Our Day At Ocean Beach Pleasure Park

Now we’re in the park and have sorted all of our access out it’s time to enjoy the park and get on some rides. In this section you will find a write up of our day at Ocean Beach including all the accessibility information of course. So come and enjoy the day with us!

Spinning Coaster

Of course I had to get the cred so we started off on the spinning coaster. This was a travelling wild mouse rollercoaster that cost 5 credits which seems to be standard for this kind of coaster at a fair. The spinning Coaster had a minimum hight restriction of 1.2 meters when accompanied by an adult and 1.4 meters to ride alone. The coaster itself was quite gentle and didn’t have any big spins or sharp brakes making it a good first wild mouse coaster.

In terms of access, The spinning Coaster had a few steps with a handrail and a steep ramp to get up to the the ride platform. The ride carts themselves have 4 seats, each with an individual seatbelt and a lap bar that goes over 2 people. The ride had a separate entrance and exit but Ocean Beach doesn’t offer queue assist due to the park not getting queues. The Spinning Coaster doesn’t have any additional sensory effects.

Entrance to the Spinning Coaster, showing a short flight of metal steps with handrails leading up to the platform, the side of the bright green track structure, and a section of the loading area with red and yellow ride cars waiting.
Close-up of the Spinning Coaster safety board with a large yellow “For Your Safety” sign listing rules and a smaller sign showing the cost of 5 ride credits.
ride information board for the Spinning Coaster beside the entrance, a tall yellow sign with red border listing height restrictions and safety rules
View of the Spinning Coaster track structure from below, showing the bright green supports, red wild‑mouse style track, and a spinning car travelling along a curved section of track.
Fifth image (bottom middle) Side view of the Spinning Coaster layout, with green supports and red track weaving in tight turns and small drops
exit for the spinning coaster with set of metal steps with handrails leading down from the platform

Speedy Coaster

As this park had 2 creds we had one final cred to get being a junior coaster and is cost 3 credits to ride. Height restriction-wise, Speedy Coaster has a 0.9 meters hight restriction when accompanied by an adult and 1.1 meters to ride alone. Despite the name the speedy coaster isn’t fast making it perfect to build younger children’s confidence with coasters it was basically a caterpillar coaster.

In terms of access, There were a few stairs with a handrail and a ramp to get up to the ride station. The ride can fit 2 people per row and has a seatbelt and lap bar that goes across both people. During our visit we got three laps on the Speedy Coaster and there were no additional sensory effects.

colourful height restriction board for the Speedy Coaster, showing minimum height requirements
The Speedy Coaster entrance turnstile with blue metal queue railings and a concrete pathway leading into the ride area.
The Speedy Coaster loading platform with red steps and a yellow-edged ramp that goes into stairs leading up to the station.
Side view of the Speedy Coaster station with part of the coaster train in the station.
The Speedy Coaster train shaped like a colourful caterpillar traveling along the elevated red track
Curving section of the Speedy Coaster’s red track with supports, showing tight bends and a simple, compact junior coaster layout.

Matterhorn

Matterhorn is an intense flat ride that spins you in a circle and each ride vehicle swings side to side. Matterhorn costs 3.8 credits to ride and has a minimum height restriction of 1.3 meters. It was a pretty long ride cycle and a lot more intense then the Polar Express version we rode at Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach. You can find a full disabled access review from our trip at Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach by clicking here Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach Disabled Access Review.

In terms of access, Matterhorn had a few steps with a handrail to get up to the ride area. The Matterhorn ride vehicle swings so can be very hard to get in and out of especially if you have balance difficulties. Each ride vehicle has 2 seats and a lap bar that goes over both people. The Matterhorn ride plays loud music and has different coloured lighting.

Matterhorn ride entrance with bright blue railings, multiple signs showing safety information and prices, and a snowy-themed mural of people riding snowmobiles along the base of the ride platform.
turnstile barer with digital screen to tap fun card leading to blue queue railings toward the loading platform of the Matterhorn ride
Close-up side view of the Matterhorn amusement ride showing several white and blue swinging cars suspended from a large circular canopy structure

Space

Space was a freak out/claw style ride with some amazing views of the sea and the beach. Space costs 3.5 credits to ride and has a minimum height restriction when accompanied by an adult of 1.27 meters and a minimum hight restriction of 1.4 meters to ride alone.

In terms of access, there was a set of stairs with a handrail to get up to the ride platform. The steps were big and quite deep. Ear defenders were allowed on this ride but my ear defenders were too big to fit in the over the shoulder restraint. Space had additional sensory effects of lights coloured around the ride and music. Due to the location and how high the ride goes you can hear a lot of wind noise when the ride swings to the top.

overview was a space ride with full ride area and queline visible.
Close-up of the height‑measurement board and entry gate for the Space ride, showing a multicoloured height scale from 1.27 to 1.4 metres, a sign indicating the ride costs 3.5 credits using a Funcard, and safety icons and text rules
The Space ride in motion with the circular ring of riders tilted and swung high above the platform, riders’ legs hanging outward as the arm lifts them
Distant view of the Space ride at full height with its long black arms raised and the circular ring of riders hanging vertically far above the ground

Waltzer

I couldn’t go to the fun fair without having a ride on the Waltzer! This Watzer really surprised me with how intense it was considering it was a small ride with a minimum height restriction of just 1 meter when accompanied by an adult and 1.2 meters to ride alone. There was no one walking around the track spinning the Waltzer carts but we still had a very good spin and a nice long cycle. the Waltzer cost 3.5 credits per person to ride.

In terms of access, there are a few stairs with handrails to get onto the ride. In order to get into the Waltzer cart it self you need to walk around the ride that is on a slant and can be difficult to navigate. The Waltzer has sensory effects these include loud music flashing/different coloured lights and smoke effects.

front view of colorful traditional fairground waltzer Two “ENTRANCE” signs are above the openings, and the ride’s circular platform with low railings and stairs
ride information board standing beside the waltzer platform, with multi‑colored sections listing height restrictions and rules
Interior of the waltzer ride during operation, showing multiple rounded spinning cars on a circular sloped platform under a dark ceiling lined with bright rows of colored lights, creating a vivid, fast‑moving atmosphere.

Breakdance

The Breakdance is a fun and very intense fun fair ride so it was an amazing way to end my day at Ocean Beach. The break dance costs 3.8 credits and I most definitely got my money’s worth as I got an insanely long cycle it was so good. The minimum height restriction to ride with an adult is 1.3 meters. There is a height recrement of 1.4 meters to ride alone.

In terms of access, the breakdown had ramped access through the queue line with a step up to the ride platform. Despite the ramped access you wouldn’t be able to get a wheelchair to the ride due to the turnstile at the rides entrance. Breakdance plays very loud music and is a very intense spinning flat ride.

colourful height‑restriction sign for the Breakdance ride at Ocean Beach, showing minimum height requirements and small-print safety information at the bottom.
Metal ramped queue line leading up to the Breakdance ride platform
Breakdance funfair ride at Ocean Beach with several brightly decorated spinning cars on a circular platform and a tall central column topped with spherical lights

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, Ocean Beach is a lovely amusement park with a lot more to do then I expected. The ride line up changes throughout the year with additional rides added. For example, during my visit there was a Super Trooper ride that turned out to be Funk n Fly from Alton Towers!

All the rides featured in this blog post normally stay at Ocean Beach full time. If you are unable to walk through a turnstile then I wouldn’t recommend visiting Ocean Beach as there is a turnstile at the entrance to every ride. In general I highly recommend giving Ocean Beach a visit there seemed to be more family and thrill rides then children rides but plenty to do for a lovely sea side family day out.

Well that’s all for today I hope you have a had a good start to the 2026 theme park season. See you on my next adventure, bye for now.

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Disclaimer​

The information provided on this blog about theme park accessibility is based on my experiences and the details available from the attractions’ official websites at the time of my visit. Please note that facilities and services for disabled guests may change, and the information may not always be up-to-date. I strongly recommend checking the accessibility section on the respective attractions’ websites for the most current information. The comments and opinions expressed in this blog are solely my own and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or representative of any other organisation.