So I managed my second ride on the Smiler today, first ride was last year just after it opened. My thoughts after first riding it was that it was rather mediocre, nothing awful happening, but at the same time I wasn't too impressed either. I was looking forward to it today to see how it rides. My thought;
IT WAS **** ING DREADFUL!
How has a ride that's barely 18 months old become some so rough, and developed such a bad rattle?
From start to finish this coaster was just the pits! The elements are taken awkwardly, the airtime hills are trimmed to hell and it's just as a whole extremely nauseating. And why John Wardley said it was better than Nemesis, I don't know. He must have had a knife pressed to his neck by Jihadi John, there's no other explanation.
Then there's the restraints - FOUL! DISGUSTING! VILE! If I was asked to guess what Margaret Thatcher's growler would smell like after running a half marathon, I'd point them towards the Smiler's restraints. This has to be sorted out, EVERYONE in ears shot was moaning about the smell.
Infact, after the train returned to the station EVERYONE was moaning about the ride. Too rough some said, many complained about their neck hurting (no doubt from the exit of the cobra roll). "I feel sick" 2 children were telling their dad. Only 2 women sat at the from seemed to have enjoyed themselves. Mind you, they were two 40+ women dolled up like 18 years olds - no doubt they're accustomed to a 'rough ride'.
As a whole I'm extremely disappointed with the Smiler. It's taken over the crown as the worst steel coaster in the UK for me. Utterly disgusting!
On a more positive note, Nemesis was running like **** off a shovel today! Amazing stuff. That's how you do a coaster properly.