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Alton Towers | The Smiler | Gerstlauer Infinity

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Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

Oh joy, over the top reactions to a little tap in the station, my absolute favourite!
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

Nemesis of oblivion said:
It was confirmed by Towers that The Smiler will open without fastrack and might not actually have it till next season. Like a lot of new attractions really. That's if it opens at all...
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I'd be highly surprised if that's the case. Fastrack has to be a nice little earner for Merlin - I can't see them passing up the income, especially after they indicated that they were getting poor gate numbers last season.
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

Joey said:
Okay guys two things...

Firstly, can we stop being rude? Whilst tomahawksu is wrong :p and perhaps a tad condescending, he at no point was outright rude. So ease up, seriously.

Joey, you act like problems don't pop up
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Oh problems definitely pop up! But an accumulation of problems do not "pop up". The fact that opening for opening day in March is a very British only thing is irrelevant. Had the ride been planned to open in May, but was then rescheduled for July, it would be the same criticism. Almost 3 month delay is a pretty big deal and also uncommon. What you've also got to remember is that, according to people on the ground, the site is far away from being ready to the naked eye... Let alone behind the scenes stuff like not being signed over, if that is true. Why then did they announce the 23rd as the opening date? They aren't a day or two away from opening, by the sounds of it.

This weekend is also a bank holiday followed by half term. The first time this thing potentially runs with the public will be to a huge gate figure. The practical implications of that are pretty intense. Staff ARE going to struggle, any new ride is a learning curve for everyone involved, and with potential capacity crowds comes long queues and angry guests putting even more pressure on stressed out staff.
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Obviously this is the last thing the park would ever want to happen, which is why putting a solid opening date more than a few days out is stupid, especially when testing hadn't even started when they said May 23 (or had it just started testing, I'm not sure). Unless it is a park that is closed all winter and said ride is set to open on opening day, like Gatekeeper or Outlaw Run, just wait. Yes you need a media day, but that's local media and then enthusiasts when they are invited, and you really only need a couple days notice for that as well, because those people will show up on the drop of a hat regardless.

Soft openings are the way to go as they allow the staff to be trained full speed without the full queues. I've never understood why more parks don't go this way. Open it for the last 2 hours of the day, or middle 2, or first 2, just a short time to get the ride ops accustomed to how it operates and get into the flow. Yes I realize the added cost of staffing and everything else that goes into running a park, but to be better equipped for the opening weeks, wouldn't you think it would be better.
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

They must be pretty confident it's only a slight issue because all of the marketing still says OPENING MAY on it, can't imagine they'd want another 'disaster' of sorts if they didn't have it open by then.
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

Looking at the construction site earlier, theres still a lot to be done. A lot of activity present with the fencing/queueline area, it looks an absolute tip, workers were scaling up and down the two lift hills and trains with test dummies still on the brake run. To be honest, the state it's in at the moment it looks well a week away from completion. I'll be amazed if they get it open by the weekend.

I don't think H&S was the problem with the delay at all, it's just generally far from finished.
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

marc said:
Tbh it was the same with 13, that only got signed off the day before.

Well at least both Smiler and Back Hole have something in common now. Both shut due to H&S.
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There was nothing wrong with the "Black Hole" coaster, it was not life-expired as it was sent back to Schwarzkopf for a full makeover and a park called "Furuvik" at Gävle in Sweden bought it and it now runs under the name of "Rocket"

http://rcdb.com/9602.htm?p=0

"Black Hole" was one of my fav coasters at AT prob due to the amazing looking station, seeing the spaceman at the top of the winding lifthill etc, love to of seen more effects installed such as LED lights, multi-coloured lasers, mirrors & dry ice..
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

marc said:
Was shut due to fire escapes though.
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For being an indoor / enclosed coaster that's a good enough reason, but when they constructed it i'm sure the tent around the coaster had enough fire escapes. It was a shame to see it removed just like "Thunderlooper", The "Smiler" is more than a worthy replacement for "BH".

Has "X"'s Pyramid building at TP got enough fire escapes :--D :--D as most would love to see this coaster close and be replaced with say a "Wild mouse" simular to "Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster" at "Warner Bros. Movie World" in Aus.
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

They could not put steps up for evac etc, was ok when it opened but H&S changed.

Just one of them things tbh.

Anything is better than an empty tent :)
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

Ttf posted a bit ago saying it will also miss Saturday...

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

Yeah but they're now putting the extended queue line back out appparently, so they can't expect it to take much longer
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

Some are saying Sunday, some are saying 2 weeks lol.
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1






This is a roller coaster fan worst enemy, don't want many of these:
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

Are they the new fire exists that stopped to ride from opening lol :)
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

The app updated itself today. The spinny winny thing has been replaced by a 3d wire model of the ride and theres a few more 'achievement' thingies.

#notnews
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

I have to say, Sparky's pic of the close up of the brakes is absolutely...well this is a family site so I can't say but it begins with O ;)
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

First post here.

Firstly sparkyu I designed that, and would have appreciated it if you gave me credit. ;)

This has probably been the most unfortunate coaster development in Britain for some time, already two months late and has missed the May target.

For Alton Towers, Britain's top theme park, this is a massive cockup. I think a June opening would have been more ideal rather than rush everything else in May.
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

Jordanovichy said:
I have to say, Sparky's pic of the close up of the brakes is absolutely...well this is a family site so I can't say but it begins with O ;)
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a rude word beginning with o?? are you sure?
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

How is it a massive cockup? The ride opening is delayed, get over it! Think yourself lucky its just a month or two delayed, Lightwaters tractor ride was 2 years!
 
Re: Alton Towers | The Smiler | Unknown Gerstlauer World's 1

sean said:
How is it a massive cockup? The ride opening is delayed, get over it! Think yourself lucky its just a month or two delayed, Lightwaters tractor ride was 2 years!
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Probably because Merlin are the "premier" themed attractions company in the UK, they claim to be "second only to Disney" and should be professional enough to manage a project if this scale successfully.

No offence to LWV - I think they do a great job - but they a small, tight budgeted company. Merlin is a massive, cash rich, multinational. They simply shouldn't be getting it wrong. They had to have known the set date was too tight, so they should have set a much more realistic date and either soft opened, or used any extra time to neaten up, train and iron out bugs.

So yeah, it is a cock up
Somebody, somewhere messed up. Who or why, we don't know, but they have.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
 
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