written by TwoAdultsOneChild on 19/10/2021
Visited the illuminations after not visiting them for several years . Very disappointed to see the extent to which they have deteriorated in recent years . Not worth the drive over won,t be visiting again .
written by 158Kidd on 12/10/2016
Just got back from Blackpool. I have been a few times in the past and really enjoyed the experience even thought the weather was dodgy. On this visit, I stayed at the Doric hotel on the north shore area which I would recommend for more senior age group. Transport by tram or bus very good. Sadly I found the illuminations pretty second rate and a bit of a joke. To recommend a donation of 5 pounds over the top for what u get to see. The tower was not bad and the trams which where decorated outstanding. The rest of the 3 miles well...... Disappointing!!! The town was dirty, rubbish everywhere bins overflowing. As a youngster to see the illuminations was something special. Come on blackpool if you want people to visit the town it needs sorting. I can't comment on the traffic situation but would guess it wasn't too good. The weather by the way was really good. In summary Blackpool seems tired and lost its direction and lost the ability to look after its tourists. The lights are a big draw and have a great reputation. I shall visit again no doubt and hope that improvements can be made and this was a one off experience.
written by rpSutherland395 on 01/11/2015
Daughters and children home fro Oz and Ireland with children. Very excited about the illuminations but although started at 6pm could not get a tram without standing no worries we walked but lights very disappointing. Kept walking thinking they would improve but this did not happen. Best was the glow wands.
written by rotarianchris on 18/10/2015
It took almost three hours to drive much less than a mile We gave up before we reached the Pleasure Beach Two very unhappy grandchildren who had travelled from Kent and then saw next to nothing Seems that Blackpool Council are performing even worse than either the Football team and the Airport
written by 173Sweeney on 01/11/2014
So badly managed. Traffic fiasco. Stuck in a queue or traffic which moved approximately 100 yards in 2 hours. NEVER ever again will I waste my time, its was disgraceful organisation.
written by frostysog on 31/10/2014
2 hours queuing from the airport to just before the Pleasure Beach where we gave up as the only movement seemed to be by the odd car length as people gave up and got out of the queue. Never again. If you're thinking of going just find a pub close to home where you can watch some traffic lights through the window - much better evening.
written by barbara0198 on 21/10/2013
Arrived at 7pm and was only 200 yards from the promenade. TWO hours later was still only at the start of the lights. It was very dissapointing as I am a Blackpool lad and was showing relatives from Canada my home town. We gave up as did hundreds. Will not come back. Cant understand how it can be so badly organised.
written by jako4 on 13/10/2013
Went to the pleasure beach for the afternoon then tried to join illuminations queue at 6.45 only to be met by the worst traffic jam I have seen for years!Drove about 200 yards in an hour!Organiation by the police was comical.Expect a donation of £5 per car!In their dreams.We had to go home as nothing move for ages.Luckily I was stopping at my sisters in Blackpool so could just drive there.What about people who had travelled?I had to disappoint my young daughter as we went from Sheffield to see the lights but never again.Absolute joke Blackpool.Deserve no tourists at all!
written by on 20/10/2012
Cued for over an hour for nothing. We had to turn around and go home disappointed and will never recommend any one to go to this fiasco ever! Unless you are inclined to let yourchildren cry with disappointment due to a total lack of organisation by Blackpool council. No wonder the local businesses and clubs are closing, if this is the way they treat the tourists. I f we had got as far as the collection point we would have put two fingers up!
written by on 04/10/2012
Very poor this year ... (I live in the district), but it must be remembered that last year some stupid little thug set fire to the area where the lights are stored. It will take time to replace them. The secret of seeing the lights without hastle is to drive round the back way to Bispham and drive towards Stargate - not the other way round and you won't be stuck in such an horrendous queue. You can leave the area quite easily.
written by rachelfraya on 30/09/2012
i have nagged my partner for years to take us to blackpool well what a waste of time we arrived at 6.45 after a long journey got onto the pro bad directions not very clear! was split into two lines gave up driving after 30 minuites as we had only moved about 200 yards we then parked up the lights were dissapointing we went back to our car at 10.45 and came home ive seen better lights in b and q !!!!!!
written by on 11/09/2012
Much the same as most of the other reviewers. We arrived at the illuminations with 2 children in the car very excited to see all the lights, only to be confronted with static traffic which moved about 200 yards in 40+ mins NOT GOOD!! Given the fact that on your website you proudly boast of the lights being in Blackpool for over 100 years you would have thought the issue of getting cars from one end to the other would have been down to a fine art by now, sadly, for me and plenty of others I saw turning off and heading for home, that isn't the case (far from it). What really made it all worth while of course was that on the main route out of Blackpool your dimwitted planners had decided it would be a good idea to close one the the two lanes to start roadworks, this being a Saturday night and I assume one of the busiest nights, reaaly di help my two very dissapointed children to go from being told they wouldn't see the lights to a lengthy traffic jam. Thanks for the the memories which I hope will fade fast.
written by m1lkmaid on 24/09/2011
I'd not been to the illuminations since being a kid, about 20 years ago! I remembered them being great with a lot of variety and many animated displays! I went with my wife + 2 kids excited to show them what i remebered. We arrived at 7.30, queued for a good 30 mins before passing the advertising and donations. It then took us until 10.30 to get through the lights with both kids well asleep! Traffic was mostly at a stand still and theres no apparent reason why! Apart from the hourse drawn carriages that have the right of the road and hold up all the traffic! The lights are very disapointing. Only 1 display by that hippy designer which is poor. Don't waste a night going, although it may be slightly better if u walked through n did a pub crawl, without kids of course!
written by on 01/11/2010
Drove down St Annes road to the Squires Gate end of the Prom at 6.30 pm on Tues 26th Oct. After waiting 15 minutes to get directed into two lanes of traffic on the prom. Was then stood for almost an hour until turning around, moving out and driving back home.
The problem is that some clown in an office somewhere has decided that the prom needs several pedestrian crossing points all the way up the prom. I am ok with that. But then this clown decides to build these crossings into the the road thereby restricting traffic down to one lane. So now you have all this dual carriage traffic both ways continually having to go down to one lane plus all the traffic lights. He must be a candidate for the Wally of the year award.
written by on 09/10/2010
Arrived near Norbreck Castle at 7.30, joined queue 2 cars back from promenade road, 20 mins later not a single car had moved. Overheard lady saying that it is no wonder it is taking over 3 hrs to get through the lights. Turned around and drove home. Very very disappointed, what a waste of petrol. Think Blackpool County Council need to solve this problem.
written by on 03/10/2010
very excited to see the lights with our little boy, arrived 7.30pm on the South shore, moved 500yds in 1.5 hours, went under the illuminations arch, traffic still not moving, now 9.30pm, little boy asleep, decided to go home.Did not see the illuminations..very very disappointed. Would be interested to find out the cause of the traffic problems. Hope they manage to sort it out for next year.
written by on 27/09/2010
Arrived in Blackpool at 3pm parked behind the tower and had a walk along te front and up the pier. Had fish and chips stting in one of the many chippies which were nice, so goo up until now. Went back to the car and went to the start of the lights ready for swith on, there were lots of other cars waiting on the side of the road to see the illuminations. Switch on was 7.30pm - at 8.30pm we hadn't moved at all, by 9.30pm we had moved about 500yards, we went through the collection point which of course we gave to, at 9.45 having hardly moved any further we decided to call it a day and to head for home, never saw the illuminations, so very disappointed, wouldn't bother to go again.
written by on 24/09/2010
3 hours to get through 1 hour waiting to get in line half thelights out just a complete abortion children asleep before we started
written by rachbram on 09/01/2010
I absooutly love Blackpool Illuminations see them nearly every year and they are always changing and coming up with bigger and beter ideas. The best part is when the tower lights up it is just amazing !
written by on 26/10/2008
Blackpool, well, what a place. I have never been before but I went last week and now I have been I will go every year with the family. It is a fantastic place. The people are friendly. The attractions 1st class. The Pleasure Beach is the best theme park I have ever been to by miles and the hotel we stayed at was fantastic. The Illuminations, well....forget Las Vegas, Blackpool Illuminations are miles better. They have them festooned over the road for 5 miles down Blackpool Promanade. All sparkling and the themes are great. They have Spaceships, Party Poppers, Doctor Who themed lights and lots, lots more. If you are over 20 and have never been to Blackpool then shame on you.
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