Journey to Hell opens at Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort - and it features a 120-year-old ride
Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort has opened the gates to its terrifying Journey to Hell Halloween event – and this year, it’s taking visitors deep into the darkness of a 120-year-old ride.
The new 2025 scare zone, called ‘Abyss’, invites thrillseekers to walk through the park’s historic River Caves attraction in near-total darkness.
Built in 1905, the River Caves has been transformed into a hellish underworld, complete with live actors lurking behind its eerie scenes from around the world.
The ride – which famously inspired Hollywood filmmaker Tim Burton, who once called it a favourite – already has a reputation for being unsettling even in daylight, thanks to its flickering animatronics and ghostly atmosphere.
Journey to Hell, now in its sixth year, has become one of the resort’s most popular seasonal events, blending live performance, haunted attractions and late-night rides across the park.
Amanda Thompson OBE, CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort, said: “Journey to Hell is now in its sixth year and continues to push the boundaries of immersive, live entertainment.
This year’s addition of the 120-year-old River Caves as a scare zone draws on something no other event has – our fascinating history. It’s a perfect example of how we blend heritage with innovation to create unforgettable experiences.”
Other terrifying zones for 2025 include ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’, which turns the usually family-friendly Alice in Wonderland ride into a twisted nightmare, and ‘The Ghost Train: Vault of Shadows’, set inside the world’s first Ghost Train – a ride said to be haunted by “Cloggy”, a former operator whose footsteps are still heard after dark.
Elsewhere, ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ challenges guests to escape the lair of a sinister collector, while ‘Twisted Tunnels’ transports visitors back to the Victorian era through a century-old passageway normally closed to the public.
Visitors can also enjoy unlimited rides after dark, including the Grand National rollercoaster, Flying Machines, the Derby Racer and the newly reimagined Launch Pad ride – though Pleasure Beach warns guests they “may not be alone”.
The park will also host live entertainment, with roaming actors, fire breathers, rollerskaters, a witch parade, and the return of Lougarock, the seven-foot werewolf.
Halloween-themed food and cocktails will be served throughout the night.
Journey to Hell runs nightly until Saturday, November 1, with tickets starting from £39.50, available at www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com/events/journey-to-hell.