ICON

In July 2022, the news around ICON was not about speed or inversions, but about design. A theme park fan posted a photo of the Mack Rides launch coaster's train. Broken logo pieces on the front car had been replaced by new elements with a noticeably thick border. According to Looopings, that border appeared to have been left on by mistake, making the decorative pieces look poorly fitted.

What made the story stand out was the response from Blackpool Pleasure Beach managing director Amanda Thompson. Instead of keeping the criticism behind closed doors, she responded publicly on Twitter and made it clear that she had not approved the design. The addition would be changed. A small train detail suddenly became an example of how closely both fans and management watch the finish of a major attraction.

For ICON, this is not a major technical chapter, but it is an interesting moment in the public life of the ride. By then the coaster was not only an experience, but also a brand object whose logo, train front and visual identity were immediately judged by fans.

One week after the pricing news, Looopings showed what Enso looked like in practice. In March 2022, ICON genuinely began operating as a spinning coaster as well. The rear seats of one of its three trains had been replaced by a spinning gondola, allowing a small group of passengers to experience the same 1143-metre layout in a completely different way.

The addition gave ICON a notable place in the European coaster landscape. According to Looopings, there were then two spinning coasters in Europe with launches and at least one inversion: The Ride to Happiness by Tomorrowland at Plopsaland De Panne and ICON with Enso. While the Belgian ride was designed entirely around spinning gondolas, Blackpool created a hybrid situation: the existing launch coaster stayed intact, but gained a premium spinning variant.

For visitors, Enso meant extra intensity and unpredictability, but also low capacity and an upcharge. For fans, the video made clear that the change was more than branding: ICON genuinely changed character for riders boarding the spinning gondola.

In March 2022, ICON's Enso upgrade gained a business angle. Looopings reported that visitors to Blackpool Pleasure Beach would have to pay an extra 15 pounds for a ride in the spinning car, roughly 18 euros, on top of park admission. Those who wanted to board more quickly could choose a 25-pound VIP ticket, reducing the current wait by 90 percent.

The pricing made clear that Enso would not be a normal queue option, but a premium experience with extremely limited capacity. One of ICON's three trains received a spinning car, meaning only a small number of riders could try the new experience on each cycle. The underlying ride remained the same Mack Rides launch coaster: 27 metres tall, 1143 metres long, with two launches, one inversion and a top speed of 85 kilometres per hour.

For visitors, this created a choice between the standard ICON ride and a more exclusive, more expensive variant. For fans, the model sparked discussion about innovation, capacity and paying extra for a more intense coaster experience.