Is Alton Towers' Smiler really that bad?

[TLARides]

Personally, I'd say no. It's a very interesting ride with very interesting theming. People say it's a bit rough. Others say it's absolutely terrible (mainly the crash and how many times it breaks down in one day. In a way, it's like Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster. It's broken down for the majority of the day).

A coaster with 14 inversions? I'd ride that.

Stalled multiple times and a crash? Adds to the fear factor. I love fear on a coaster.

Amazing theming? I'm down.

Sometimes I feel like they spent more money on theming than on the ride itself. That's most likely not true. As coasters can cost up to 13 billion to make.

I want to hear what you guys think about this.

 

[Chris Brown]

I think it can be good in the front when it's duelling but other than that it's just an overly repetitive, rough coaster coasters that's been forced too tightly into a layout. The last 2 inversions at the end of the ride are just atrocious.

 

[PineCone666]

As coasters can cost up to 13 billion to make.

What?!

 

[Pink Cadillac]

It's not bad as such, I mean I want to like it, but I am NOT here for the inversion-monotony. Excluding the first one, the other 13 inversions are either corkscrews or (roughly speaking) half loop/half corkscrew combos which is really poor.
I agree the theming is underrated. I love it when the actual coaster is part of the theming (the twisted, scrunched up metal).

 

[TLARides]

As coasters can cost up to 13 billion to make.

What?!

Some coasters, not all, can cost over a billion.

Smiler cost over 14 billion (or million. I can't really remember) to build.

I'm not really sure if billion is the right number to state. Sorry.

 

[TLARides]

I think it can be good in the front when it's duelling but other than that it's just an overly repetitive, rough coaster coasters that's been forced too tightly into a layout. The last 2 inversions at the end of the ride are just atrocious.

I've never been on the ride in real life. I've seen videos and it looks pretty smooth to me.

But I can't be too sure.

So far the roughest ride I've riden is Kings Island's Vortex. That one's an Arrow Dynamics ride, which aren't typically smooth.

Gerstlauer makes some good rides. I don't see why this one would be so bad. Besides how many times it breaks down in a day.

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[Hyde]

Smiler cost over 14 billion (or million. I can't really remember) to build.

It turns out the different between a million and a billion is quite a lot. :wink:

Smiler cost £18,000,000 all in. The typical high end cost for roller coasters is the $100,000,000 USD range, such as Expedition Everest which required the literal construction of a mountain.

 

[jayjay]

I actually liked my one ride on the Smiler. It's not my favourite in the park, but it's got some good elements and a couple of decent airtime hills. In fact, I tend to be more generous to Gerstlauer rides than most. Maybe I'm just not as susceptible to the "brain mash" effect (though I've noticed it once or twice on Saw). I also don't feel it gets enough credit for actually being a long ride. The UK (but Alton especially) always seems to have had an aversion to building big layouts.

 

[TLARides]

Smiler cost over 14 billion (or million. I can't really remember) to build.

It turns out the different between a million and a billion is quite a lot. :wink:

Smiler cost £18,000,000 all in. The typical high end cost for roller coasters is the $100,000,000 USD range, such as Expedition Everest which required the literal construction of a mountain.

I knew I was way over the price range. [SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH AND COLD SWEAT]

To be honest it was just an estimate.

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[Ben]

I quite like it.

It's not really anything like Top Thrill Dragster, even in relation to breakdowns.

So, yeah.

 

[Pokemaniac]

To be honest it was just an estimate.

Hey, you only missed by three orders of magnitude. Within the same margin of error, the grass snake, which is the biggest snake found in the UK, can grow to a length between one millimeter and one kilometer.

To be fair, though, you never specified which currency you were talking about. In Icelandic Krónur, a coaster might very well cost several billion to build. Not quite 13 billion, but Smiler cost roughly 2.5 billion ISK.

 

[TLARides]

I quite like it.

It's not really anything like Top Thrill Dragster, even in relation to breakdowns.

So, yeah.

Top Thrill Dragster breaks down and pretty much stays down until the end of the day really.

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[TLARides]

To be honest it was just an estimate.

Hey, you only missed by three orders of magnitude. Within the same margin of error, the grass snake, which is the biggest snake found in the UK, can grow to a length between one millimeter and one kilometer.

To be fair, though, you never specified which currency you were talking about. In Icelandic Krónur, a coaster might very well cost several billion to build. Not quite 13 billion, but Smiler cost roughly 2.5 billion ISK.

So in a way, I estimated correctly AND incorrectly?

It depends on how much Pounds and Icelandic money is worth in the U.S.

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[owentaylor121]

I quite like it.

It's not really anything like Top Thrill Dragster, even in relation to breakdowns.

So, yeah.

Top Thrill Dragster breaks down and pretty much stays down until the end of the day really.

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And The Smiler doesn't, that's his point. Out of all the coasters at Alton Towers it's been one of the most reliable this season.

It's my favourite coaster in the UK by quite some margin, I'm not sure why I love it so much but I think it's just brilliant! From the length, to the theme, to whole atmosphere surrounding the ride, I just love it.

Apart from 2 obvious jolts on the ride, I have no issues with roughness. The new train runs like a dream. The visuals on the Marmaliser are fab too! I could just watch it for ages!

 

[TLARides]

I quite like it.

It's not really anything like Top Thrill Dragster, even in relation to breakdowns.

So, yeah.

Top Thrill Dragster breaks down and pretty much stays down until the end of the day really.

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And The Smiler doesn't, that's his point. Out of all the coasters at Alton Towers it's been one of the most reliable this season.

It's my favourite coaster in the UK by quite some margin, I'm not sure why I love it so much but I think it's just brilliant! From the length, to the theme, to whole atmosphere surrounding the ride, I just love it.

Apart from 2 obvious jolts on the ride, I have no issues with roughness. The new train runs like a dream. The visuals on the Marmaliser are fab too! I could just watch it for ages!

I've always enjoyed the ride. Despite its total 7 incidents.

I don't see why it's so hated...

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[owentaylor121]

I quite like it.

It's not really anything like Top Thrill Dragster, even in relation to breakdowns.

So, yeah.

Top Thrill Dragster breaks down and pretty much stays down until the end of the day really.

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And The Smiler doesn't, that's his point. Out of all the coasters at Alton Towers it's been one of the most reliable this season.

It's my favourite coaster in the UK by quite some margin, I'm not sure why I love it so much but I think it's just brilliant! From the length, to the theme, to whole atmosphere surrounding the ride, I just love it.

Apart from 2 obvious jolts on the ride, I have no issues with roughness. The new train runs like a dream. The visuals on the Marmaliser are fab too! I could just watch it for ages!

I've always enjoyed the ride. Despite its total 7 incidents.

I don't see why it's so hated...

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You've always enjoyed what ride? 7 incidents? You've lost me.

 

[TLARides]

I quite like it.

It's not really anything like Top Thrill Dragster, even in relation to breakdowns.

So, yeah.

Top Thrill Dragster breaks down and pretty much stays down until the end of the day really.

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And The Smiler doesn't, that's his point. Out of all the coasters at Alton Towers it's been one of the most reliable this season.

It's my favourite coaster in the UK by quite some margin, I'm not sure why I love it so much but I think it's just brilliant! From the length, to the theme, to whole atmosphere surrounding the ride, I just love it.

Apart from 2 obvious jolts on the ride, I have no issues with roughness. The new train runs like a dream. The visuals on the Marmaliser are fab too! I could just watch it for ages!

I've always enjoyed the ride. Despite its total 7 incidents.

I don't see why it's so hated...

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You've always enjoyed what ride? 7 incidents? You've lost me.

The Smiler. In total it's had 7 incidents. Most of which are the stalls on the batwing element. That includes the crash as well.

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[owentaylor121]

How have you always enjoyed it when you've never ridden it? I'm confused. Also I still don't get were you are getting 7 incidents from, to my knowledge, it's stalled 3 times before the crash, so that only makes 4 'incidents'...


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[TLARides]

How have you always enjoyed it when you've never ridden it? I'm confused. Also I still don't get were you are getting 7 incidents from, to my knowledge, it's stalled 3 times before the crash, so that only makes 4 'incidents'...


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Someone made a NoLimits 2 recreation. I've watched it a few times. Looks highly interesting. One of the top rides I've seen in a while.

I've wanted to ride it ever since I found it.

I got an app that had ride fun facts. The Smiler was included. I'm not sure how acurate it is. Depends where the app got its info.

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[Hutch]

Amazing theming? I'm down.

What?

I mean Nemesis is in the same park. Compared to Nemesis, Smiler has like Six Flags theming.

The ride is also a bit meh. I only rode it once and only enjoyed a few select moments (very first inversion, airtime hills), but the rest of it is just a rattly blur. I'd be happy to try it again though.