Nice report - I can't believe that I have never noticed just how many fountains there are in the Pleasure Beach! Shall be paying attention in May when I go down. Funny - Blackpool always seems freezing and not a very good place to get wet; so why so many water rides etc? Many a time I have been soaked to the bone and shivering.
Also, pretty gutted about Noah's Ark. I thought they were just doing it up? I didn't realise it was leaving - it had to be one of the quirkiest and funniest rides ever! Shame.
I think you can still get your dated photo op just outside Alice in Wonderland - it's always been the one that we use as a family, and we used it last year for my son's first photo op at the Beach.
Park is looking better though overall - I noticed the paint job last October and it makes the park look 1000 times better. Could still do with more investment though. I seriously love PB; I think I have managed to visit annually (sometimes twice) and it holds a lot of nostalgic memories for me, but it worries me to see the downturn in trade and the gradual thinning out of rides that seems to happen on a yearly basis. Fingers crossed for this season.