Aviktas Pleasure Beach Resort Blackpool Disabled Access Ride Review

  • This blog post was last updated on the 16 June 2026
image of Iona stood infront of Aviktas whilst the ride is at the top. next to a yellow graphic panel reading “Aviktas Disabled Access Ride Review” with a cartoon coaster illustration and accessibility icons.
Fancy an extremely thrilling ride? Come and join me for my first ride on Aviktas, Pleasure Beach’s brand new attraction for 2026. With lap bar-style restraints on the tallest Giro Swing in the UK it’s definitely one you don’t want to miss!

Table of Contents

About The Ride

Aviktas is Pleasure Beach Resort’s brand new extreme thrill ride for 2026! It was manufactured by Intamin, the same company that built Stealth at Thorpe Park. Aviktas is a flat ride called a Giro Swing and is the tallest in the UK. It only takes four swings before you are at a height of 42 meters.

Aviktas doesn’t go upside down but swings up 120 degrees and let me tell you, there was plenty of hold time to see a very unique view of the park.

Aviktas has a minimum height restriction of 1.3 meters to ride and a maximum height restriction of 2 meters.

Tall grey A‑frame thrill ride “Aviktas” at Pleasure Beach Resort, with its swinging arm lowered over the boarding platform, people gathered in the paved plaza the big one track and big dipper ride building can be seen in the background.
Close‑up of Aviktas’s long black arm raised high against a cloudy sky, with the rectangular passenger gondola at the tip tilted for a swing

Disabled Access

In this part of the ride review, I detail what disabled access was available for the ride. Please note: I do not detail all ride restrictions as these are subject to change. Full ride restrictions for disabled guests can normally be found on the attractions website.

Reduced Mobility

Aviktas has level access via the exit ramp. You will be asked to wait at the bottom of the ramp until called up by a ride host. Wheelchairs can be taken into the ride area to transfer but must be left outside the ride at the exit whilst the ride is in motion. There was an area on the exit platform to leave wheelchairs out the way as seen in the image below.

Aviktas is fully level all the way to the ride seat with no stepping up or down into the ride. The seats on ride are arranged in a circular formation, meaning there is no side-by-side space for transferring from a wheelchair.

In order to use the level access via the exit, you must have an Easy Access Pass. Full information can be found in the ‘Using Easy Access Pass for Aviktas’ section of this blog post.

Aviktas has a few requirements guests with reduced mobility must meet in order to ride:

  • Have seated postural control for the full ride
  • Withstand high G-forces and sudden changes in direction
  • Bend at the hips and knees
  • Have a secure grip with 2 arms
  • Independently walk and climb over obstacles and stairs
image of Aviktas in the ride station with the exit gate and fenced area to store wheelchairs

Limb Differences

There are a few additional requirements and restrictions you must meet in order to ride if you have a limb difference:

  • Be able to securely grip with both arms that aren’t prosthetic 
  • Bend at the hips and Knees
  • Both legs must extend past the knee joint without prosthetic 

Sensory Information

There were not many additional sensory effects on and around Aviktas. There was a water feature in the ride’s entrance area as seen in the images below. The Pleasure Beach website also suggests there may be themed lighting during evening and night rides.

image of a pair of ear defnders with a red cross next to them indcating their not allowed
image of the Aviktas entrance plaza through the doors there is a water fountain and Aviktas arm behind

The main sensory effect for Aviktas is the ride’s audio, as it has its very own sound tracking playing from speakers in the ride area and queue lines. The music was very loud and ear defenders were not allowed on the Aviktas.

I found the audio quite intense and loud. A staff member did try to turn the audio down but it is at a fixed volume unfortunately. While waiting for the ride to start I did struggle and had to cover my ears. However, once the ride is fully swinging, the audio becomes less noticeable due to the wind noise.

Aviktas is a ride truly built for sensory seekers I actually found the ride very re-regulating. There were some triggers that could easily cause sensory overwhelm these are:

  • Sudden changes in direction
  • Fast changes in speed
  • Extreme swinging motion
  • Very high ride height

I have included a full video POV of Aviktas below so you know exactly what to expect during the ride.

How to get an Easy Access Pass

Pleasure Beach Resort offers the reasonable adjustment of an easy access pass for guests that are unable to queue in a conventional queue line due to a disability.

Have an Access Card: If you already have an access card with one of the following symbols

  • Standing and queueing
  • Difficulty with crowds
  • Difficulty standing
  • Any different symbols that make the main queue line a barrier to you please email access@pleasurebeachblackpool.com for clarity.

There isn’t anything you need to do before your visit. Please proceed to the ‘Arrivals’ section of this blog post.

Don’t Have an Access Card: If you do not already have an Access Card, then I have a full blog post explaining it, which you can read 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 Pleasure Beach Resort then you can get a free Nimbus ID by clicking here Pleasure Beach access register. Please note: In order to use the easy access pass you must be awarded the standing and queuing symbol.

Collecting Easy Access pass

When you arrive you will need to collect your easy pass wristband and time card. Easy access pass wristbands and time cards can be collected from:

  • Ticket Office (before entering the park)
  • Guest Services (inside the park, opposite Grand National)

All you need to do is show your Access Card or Nimbus ID with an eligible symbol. Pleasure Beach allow one carer to use the Easy Access pass with the disabled person free of charge. You can have a maximum 2 additional people using the easy access pass with you for £10 per person.

Indoor view of the Blackpool Pleasure Beach ticket office, showing a bright, modern lobby with a long counter at the back where several staff members are serving guests. A small queue of adults and children stands behind a short barrier leading up to the counter. The ceiling has rows of recessed lights and a TV screen on the left wall displaying information.
Ticket Office
Exterior view of the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Guest Services building, with large windows along the front and a cream‑coloured overhang. Bold red letters reading “Guest Services” run along the top edge.
Guest Services

Using easy access pass For Aviktas

The easy access pass entrance for Aviktas shares a queue line with the speedy pass (fast track) and is located to the left of the main queue line. Please see my step-by-step guide below on how the easy access pass works on Aviktas:

Step 1: Check ride restrictions

Before going on Aviktas it’s important to make sure you have checked the ride restriction to make sure the ride is accessible for you. The ride restriction board for Aviktas is located just outside the ride area.

ride restriction board on the left is a “Ride Height Guide” panel with a QR code, short safety note, a horizontal height marker labeled “1.1m,” and text stating the maximum height is 200 cm. The ride name “AVIKTAS” is written in huge vertical letters down the panel. On the right, a section shows operating hours: opens at 10:30 am and closes at 5:00 pm. Below the times is a grid of circular tan icons on the dark background showing various ride rules and restrictions (such as no food or drink, no loose items, health and pregnancy warnings, and accessibility symbols). A small block of text at the bottom mentions safety instructions about remaining inside the gondola and not using phones or cameras.

Step 2: Find ride easy access pass entrance

Now you have found out that Aviktas is accessible for you it’s time to find the easy access pass entrance.

The easy access pass entrance for Aviktas is located on the right side of the ride, to the left of the main queue line as seen from the images below. The step free entrance is located up the rides exit ramp.

small incline paved exit ramp with black railings and silver handles
Step free entrance
indoor queue line building with stairs leading up for the easy access entrance there is grey queue line railings to the right for the main queue
Easy access pass entrance

Step 3: Show your easy access pass and time card

Once reaching the front of Aviktas easy access pass queue line a ride host will ask to see your wristband and time card. The ride host will write a time on your timecard in line with the length of the main queue line.

For example, if I went on Aviktas at 14:00 and the main queue line was 40 minutes the time written on my card would be 14:40. This means that you are unable to use the easy access pass on any rides and attractions untill 14:40 when the time on the card is up.

image of green wristband that has the pressure beach logo, barcode and tex that reads easy pass and the date of visit.
image of easy pass time card with date of visit and how many riders. there is text that reads visit your next ride at with 2 columns underneath
image if view from waiting on the exit ramp the fence and gate into the ride can be seen with people sat on the ride in the station.

My Review

I loved Aviktas and in my opinion it is the best flat ride in the UK. I found it very cool to be higher than the Big One coaster and in the hang time I got some unique views of the park.

Aviktas is an extreme thrill ride and is much more intense than other Giro Swings in the country. I rode Maelstrom at Drayton Manor the day before and it felt like a completely different ride experience to Aviktas due to the height and scale of Aviktas.

I personally found Aviktas really calming and re-regulating I was amazed by the ride and it was most definitely a very thrilling ride but didn’t give me the intense feeling some fun fair style flat rides do.

Wide view of Aviktas in motion at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, with riders swinging in a large circular gondola beneath tall black support arms, the Big One roller coaster’s red track and steel structure towering behind under a grey sky.
Upward view of Aviktas’ central hub and support towers against a cloudy sky, showing the circular ring of seats suspended below and portions of the surrounding roller coaster structure in the background.
Closer angled view of Aviktas’ tall black support arms stretching into a grey overcast sky, with the circular ride gondola hanging at one side and sections of the Big One roller coaster and metal framework visible along the horizon.

I loved Aviktas and really wanted a photo to remember my first ride. Sadly, there’s no on ride photo but there were roaming photographers taking pictures in front of the Aviktas doors so of course I had to get one. As it was the roaming photographers it was not included in the on ride photo package but with season pass discount cost me £8 for the print. I have put a price list of all the different photo options in the images below.

Photo of a vertical “Photo Booklet” price list poster at a theme park photo counter. The sign shows several sample ride photos and outlines different package options, including a photo booklet, key rings, magnets and single print products, with prices listed
Portrait photo taken in front of the Aviktas ride entrance at a theme park. Two chunky grey stone-effect pillars frame open wooden doors, with a large circular spiked wheel structure towering above them. The word “AVIKTAS” is mounted across the top of the doorway, Iona is standing beneath the sign smiling

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, Aviktas feels like a world class flat ride and was the perfect addition to Pleasure Beach. Especially with the ride’s small footprint, it fits in the park beautifully. It’s mad to think that last season where the arcades and toilets were is now a mega intense Giro Swing.

I’m currently working on a full disabled access review for Pleasure Beach Resort that should be uploaded shortly. I will link it to this blog post.

That’s all from me today, thank you for joining me for my first ride on Aviktas! 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.